Eliminating formation of deposits in conveyors

Abstract

A conveyor (1) for pretreated biomass (4) wherein the conveyor (1) comprises: a cylindrical housing (2) comprising an inlet (5) for receiving pretreated biomass (4) and an outlet (6) from which pretreated biomass (4) is discharged from the cylindrical housing (2); and at least one conveyor screw (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d), the at least one conveyor screw (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) being rotatably positioned in the cylindrical housing (2) to remove the pretreated biomass (4) from the cylindrical housing (2). The temperature in the cylindrical shell (2) ranges from 120 DEG C to 250 DEG C; and the at least one conveyor screw (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and / or the cylindrical housing (2) is configured to be at least partially coated with a coating material and / or polished. Systems, uses, and methods are also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application generally relates to a conveyor. More specifically, this application relates to eliminating the formation of deposits in a conveyor. Background Art

[0002] Conveyors are used to transfer pre-treated biomass from one process to another. The conveyor includes a shafted conveyor screw to move the pre-treated biomass from the inlet of the conveyor to the outlet. However, especially at high temperatures, deposits may form on the surface of the shafted conveyor screw, which may require regular cleaning. Finding solutions where deposits can be avoided becomes important. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This Summary of the Invention is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary of the Invention is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. The independent claims set forth the scope of the protection sought for various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a conveyor for pre-treating biomass, which includes a cylindrical housing and at least one conveyor screw. At least one conveyor screw and / or the cylindrical housing may be at least partially coated and / or polished, which can prevent the formation of deposits within the conveyor. In this way, the conveyor screw and the cylindrical housing can remain clean and may be easier to clean if cleaning is required.

[0005] According to a first aspect, a conveyor for pre-treating biomass is disclosed. The conveyor may include:

[0006] A cylindrical housing that may include an inlet for receiving pre-treated biomass and an outlet through which the pre-treated biomass is discharged from the cylindrical housing; at least one conveyor screw rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing to move the pre-treated biomass out of the cylindrical housing, wherein the temperature of the biomass within the cylindrical housing may be between 120°C and 250°C; and at least one conveyor screw and / or the cylindrical housing may be configured to be at least partially coated with a coating material and / or at least partially polished.

[0007] If the pre-treatment conditions are harsh or the flow of pre-treated biomass does not move forward, the pre-treated biomass may remain in the reaction environment for a long time, which may, in the long run, form hard, condensed, and carbonized substances, such as deposits on the surface of the conveyor screw. The conveyor screw may become blocked and production must be stopped for regular cleaning.

[0008] However, when at least a part of the conveyor screw and / or the inner shell surface of the conveyor is coated and / or polished, deposits may not form even at high temperatures, which can extend the cleaning interval and reduce production interruptions.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, at least a part of the outer screw surface of at least one conveyor screw and / or at least a part of the inner shell surface of the cylindrical housing may be configured to be coated with a coating material having an electric charge. In this way, the coating material can repel the pretreated biological material and can prevent it from adhering to the surface of the conveyor screw and / or the cylindrical housing.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the coating material having an electric charge can be a material with a positively charged surface or a material with a negatively charged surface. When the pretreated biological material and the coating material have the same charge, they may repel each other. They may both carry a positive charge or a negative charge.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, at least a part of the outer screw surface of at least one conveyor screw and / or at least a part of the inner shell surface of the cylindrical housing can be configured to be coated with a coating material having a low adhesion tendency. Such a coating material can prevent deposits from sticking to the surface.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the coating material having a low adhesion tendency is a polymer, a ceramic, an enamel or a glass. Different coating materials can be used for the coating.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the polymer can be configured to be selected from the group of fluoropolymers or polyaryletherketones (PAEK).

[0014] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA).

[0015] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the fluoropolymer can include a conductive material. The conductive material can be a conductive filler, such as a conductive carbon material.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, plasma technology or dip coating can be configured for coating. These technologies can effectively coat the conveyor screw.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the roughness value (Ra) of the at least partially polished outer screw surface of at least one conveyor screw and / or the at least partially polished inner shell surface of the cylindrical housing can be less than 0.05 microns. If the roughness value is low, a smooth and uniform surface can prevent deposits from sticking to these surfaces.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the conveyor can be a semi-hydrolysis reactor or can be configured to be at least partially located within the semi-hydrolysis reactor. The semi-hydrolysis reactor can operate at a high temperature, for example, between 120 °C and 250 °C. At high temperatures, it may be beneficial to use a coating and / or polishing of the conveyor to prevent the formation of deposits within the conveyor and to ensure that the pretreated biomass can be effectively removed from the reactor.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one conveyor screw can be a shafted conveyor screw or a shaftless helix. Different conveyor screws can be coated or polished.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the shafted conveyor screw can include a shaft and at least one helical blade extending from the shaft; and the outer shaft surface of the shaft and / or the rear side of the blade of the at least one helical blade can be configured to be at least partially coated or polished. Only those parts that are likely to accumulate the most can be coated. These parts with the greatest friction, such as the outer ends of the blades, can remain clean and may not require coating or polishing.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one shafted conveyor screw or the at least one shaftless helix can be configured to be cooled or heated. In addition, the cooled or heated conveyor screw can be coated and / or polished. Cooling or heating may form a condensation layer on the surface to assist in cleaning.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the temperature of at least a portion of the outer screw surface of at least one cooled or heated shafted conveyor screw or at least one cooled or heated shaftless helical conveyor screw can be configured to be maintained below the dew point of the ambient atmosphere around the at least one shafted conveyor screw or the at least one shaftless helix within the cylindrical housing. When the temperature is configured to be maintained below the dew point of the ambient atmosphere, a condensation layer may form on the outer screw surface. The condensation layer can prevent sticky particles of the pretreated biomass from adhering to the outer screw surface, thus keeping the surface clean and also making cleaning easier.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the cooled or heated shafted conveyor screw can include a shaft that is hollow, wherein the cooled or heated shafted conveyor screw can be configured to receive a heat transfer medium within the hollow shaft to at least cool or heat the outer screw surface of the hollow shaft during operation, the outer screw surface of the hollow shaft contacting the pretreated biomass; or the cooled or heated shaftless helix can include channels that are configured to receive a heat transfer medium within the channels to cool or heat the outer screw surface of the shaftless helix. The hollow shaft or the channels can allow the heat transfer medium to be placed within the conveyor screw to cool or heat the pretreated biomass and / or the atmosphere.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the cylindrical housing may include at least one nozzle configured to eject a liquid or gas onto at least one shaftless screw. The nozzle can be used to clean deposits on the shaftless screw and / or the cylindrical housing; and / or prevent deposits from sticking to them. In addition, cooled or heated coated and / or polished conveyor screws can be cleaned with the nozzle.

[0025] According to a second aspect, a system is disclosed that includes a semi-hydrolysis reactor, which includes a vessel and at least one conveyor according to any aspect of the first aspect above. The at least one conveyor may be configured to be at least partially located within the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel. The semi-hydrolysis reactor can be used at high temperatures, in which case it may be beneficial to use coated or polished conveyor screw(s) and / or conveyor housing to prevent the formation of deposits inside the conveyor.

[0026] According to a third aspect, the use of at least one conveyor according to any aspect of the first aspect above for moving pretreated biomass is disclosed.

[0027] According to a fourth aspect, a method for moving pretreated biomass is disclosed. The conveyor may include: a cylindrical housing that may include an inlet and an outlet; and at least one conveyor screw rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing. The temperature within the cylindrical housing may be between 120 °C and 250 °C. The method may include receiving pretreated biomass at the inlet; moving the pretreated biomass from the inlet to the outlet through the at least one conveyor screw; and discharging the pretreated biomass from the cylindrical housing through the outlet. When using coated and / or polished conveyor screw(s) and / or conveyor housing, deposits may not form even at high temperatures, which may extend the cleaning intervals and reduce production interruptions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 An example of a system according to an embodiment is schematically shown;

[0030] Figure 2 An example of a conveyor according to an embodiment is schematically shown, the conveyor including a conveyor screw with a shaft;

[0031] Figure 3 An example of a conveyor according to an embodiment is schematically shown, the conveyor including a cooled or heated conveyor screw with a shaft;

[0032] Figure 4 Schematically shows an example of a conveyor according to an embodiment, the conveyor including a shaftless screw;

[0033] Figure 5 Schematically shows an example of a conveyor according to an embodiment, the conveyor including a cooled or heated shaftless screw; and

[0034] Figure 6 Shows an exemplary method according to an embodiment.

[0035] In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Now will be referred in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. The detailed description provided below in conjunction with the drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present examples can be constructed or used. The description explains the functions of the examples as well as the steps or sequences of operations for constructing and operating the examples. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences can be achieved by different examples.

[0037] One or more conveyors may be located inside the hydrolysis reactor. The conveyor may transfer the pretreated biomass out of the hydrolysis reactor. The conveyor may include a shafted conveyor screw to move the pretreated biomass from the conveyor inlet to the conveyor outlet. However, especially at high temperatures, deposits may form on the surface of the shafted conveyor screw, which may require regular cleaning.

[0038] The shafted conveyor screw may be arranged at the bottom of the hydrolysis reactor to transfer the pretreated biomass. Due to the high temperature of the transferred pretreated biomass, deposits on the shafted conveyor screw may affect its effective operation and may even block the screw and the outlet of the conveyor. Keeping the shafted conveyor clean at high temperatures can be very challenging. Generally, in the temperature range of 120 °C to 250 °C, deposits may form on the surfaces of the hydrolysis reactor and the shafted conveyor screw. If the pretreated biomass becomes sticky at some point in the process and if the flow of the pretreated biomass does not move forward, the energy of the pretreated biomass may stay in the reaction environment for a long time and may form hard deposits, such as carbonized materials, on the surface of the shafted conveyor screw in the long term. This may cause the shafted conveyor screw to become completely blocked and the hydrolysis reactor may have to be shut down regularly for cleaning. Inside the hydrolysis reactor, deposits can be seen at certain positions on the walls of the hydrolysis reactor chamber and on the shaft and blades of the shafted conveyor screw.

[0039] In this specification and the claims, the reactor may be a pretreatment reactor, a steam explosion reactor, a hydrothermal treatment reactor or a semi-hydrolysis reactor.

[0040] In this specification and the claims, the term pretreated biomass refers to biomass particles and / or lignocellulose particles. Preferably, the composition of the pretreated biomass is a mixture of wood particles, lignocellulose, solid lignin, soluble lignin, carbohydrates, extracts, soluble sugar monomers and sugar oligomers.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the pretreated biomass may be pretreated wood biomass. The pretreated wood biomass may be formed in a process in which wood chips may be treated by impregnation and then subjected to semi-hydrolysis in a semi-hydrolysis reactor at high temperature, steam and pressure. The wood chips may be hardwood chips such as beech, birch, ash, oak, maple, chestnut, willow or poplar chips. The wood chips may also be a combination or mixture of these hardwood chips. The impregnation may be achieved by treating the wood chips with an impregnation liquid. The impregnation liquid may be water or an acidic liquid. Preferably, the impregnation liquid is sulfuric acid. The impregnated wood chips may be transferred to the semi-hydrolysis reactor in which the wood chips may undergo a semi-hydrolysis reaction. The semi-hydrolysis reaction may be carried out by treating the impregnated wood chips with high temperature steam. For example, the temperature in the semi-hydrolysis reactor may be from 120°C to 250°C, and the pressure may be from 1 to 20 bar or from 2 to 16 bar. For example, in the semi-hydrolysis reactor, the temperature of the pretreated biomass may be from 120°C to 250°C. More preferably, for example, in the semi-hydrolysis reactor, the temperature of the pretreated biomass may be from 150°C to 220°C or from 185°C to 195°C. Finally, the pretreated wood biomass may be transferred out of the semi-hydrolysis reactor by at least one conveyor and further treated by steam explosion to separate the fibers.

[0042] Figure 1The example schematically shows a system including a semi-hydrolysis reactor, which includes a semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 and at least one conveyor 1. The at least one conveyor 1 can be at least partially located within the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel 9. The semi-hydrolysis reaction that starts in the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 can also continue in the at least one conveyor 1. The semi-hydrolysis reactor is a region where semi-hydrolysis reaction conditions may exist. In this system, the semi-hydrolysis reaction can occur within the semi-hydrolysis reactor, which means it occurs inside the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 and / or inside the at least one conveyor. In other words, the semi-hydrolysis reaction conditions in the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 can prevail in the conveyor 1. The semi-hydrolysis reaction may require a high temperature, such as 120 °C to 250 °C, preferably 150 °C to 220 °C, more preferably 185 °C to 195 °C. In addition to the high temperature, the semi-hydrolysis reaction may require, for example, steam and a pressure of 1 to 20 bar or 2 to 16 bar. The saturated steam pressure can correspond to the saturated steam temperature inside the reactor.

[0043] The term "semi-hydrolysis" can refer to the treatment of impregnated and / or pretreated biomass in a reactor, such as a semi-hydrolysis reactor using steam at a temperature of 120 °C to 250 °C, 150 °C to 220 °C, or 185 °C to 195 °C. The purpose of the treatment is to degrade and dissolve the hemicellulose contained in the biomass and decompose the biomass structure so that the cellulose can be utilized by enzymes (cellulases) and converted into glucose with a high yield in the next treatment step after semi-hydrolysis.

[0044] According to Figure 2 and Figure 5 In the example, the conveyor 1 can include a cylindrical housing 2 and conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. According to one embodiment, the conveyor 1 is a semi-hydrolysis reactor or is configured to be located inside the semi-hydrolysis reactor. When the at least one conveyor 1 is at least partially located inside the semi-hydrolysis reactor, semi-hydrolysis conditions may exist in the at least one conveyor 1. Therefore, the at least one conveyor 1 can operate under semi-hydrolysis reaction conditions at a temperature of 120 °C to 250 °C.

[0045] The at least one conveyor 1 can be configured to be located at the bottom portion of the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel 9. The at least one conveyor 1 can be configured to be at least partially located inside the semi-hydrolysis reaction vessel 9. The system can include a plurality of conveyors 1, which can or may not be of the same type of conveyor. The pretreated biomass 4 can be fed into the hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 according to arrow 10 and treated with high temperature, added steam (according to arrow 11), and pressure. For example, the temperature inside the cylindrical housing 2 and / or the hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 is from 120 °C to 250 °C. More preferably, the temperature inside the cylindrical housing and / or the hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 is, for example, from 150 °C to 220 °C. After hydrolysis, the hydrolyzed pretreated biomass 4 can be removed from the material outlet 6 by the at least one conveyor 1 according to arrow O.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the composition of the pretreated biomass 4 in the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 and / or the at least one conveyor 1 includes biomass particles and / or lignocellulose particles. Preferably, the composition of the pretreated biomass is a mixture of wood particles, lignocellulose, solid lignin, soluble lignin, carbohydrates, extractives, soluble sugar monomers, and sugar oligomers. The pretreated biomass can include larger particles, such as cooked and crushed wood particles and soluble components.

[0047] According to Figures 2 to 5 , the at least one conveyor 1 can be used to remove the pretreated biomass 4 from Figure 1 the hydrolysis reactor 9.

[0048] Although Figure 1 only one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d in the cylindrical housing 2 is shown for the conveyor 1 in

[0049] According to one embodiment, at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d located within the cylindrical housing 2 has an approximate outer screw diameter d that is approximately the same as or smaller than the inner housing diameter D of the cylindrical housing 2. For example, the flight distance F between the outer screw surface 7 of at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and the inner housing surface 8 of the cylindrical housing 2 is from 0.1 mm to 5 mm. The flight distance F = (D - d) / 2. The flight distance F can be the shortest distance between the outer screw surface 7 and the inner housing surface 8. Additionally, when the conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d have an approximate outer screw diameter d that is approximately the same as or close to the inner housing diameter D, there may be friction between the inner housing surface 8 and the outer screw surface 7, and this friction can keep at least part of the inner housing surface 8 and / or the outer screw surface 7 clean, thus eliminating the need for additional cleaning of at least part of the inner housing surface 8 and / or the outer screw surface 7.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the outer screw diameter d of at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d is larger than the particle size of the pretreated biomass 4. This can allow the conveyor 1 to effectively move the biomass 4. The wood chip particles within the hydrolysis reactor can have, for example, a particle size with a length of 10 mm to 40 mm, a thickness of 2 mm to 15 mm, and a width of 10 mm to 30 mm.

[0051] According to one embodiment, a conveyor 1 for pretreated biomass 4 is disclosed. The conveyor 1 can include a cylindrical housing 2 that includes an inlet 5 for receiving the pretreated biomass 4 and an outlet 6 through which the pretreated biomass 4 is discharged from the cylindrical housing 2. The conveyor 1 can further include at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing 2 to move the pretreated biomass 4 out of the cylindrical housing 2. The temperature of the pretreated biomass 4 within the cylindrical housing is, for example, from 120 °C to 250 °C. More preferably, the temperature within the cylindrical housing is, for example, from 150 °C to 220 °C. At least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and / or the cylindrical housing 2 can be configured to be at least partially coated with a coating material and / or at least partially polished.

[0052] At least a portion of the conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d can be coated with a coating material, and at least a portion of the inner housing surface 8 can be polished, and vice versa. It is also possible that at least a portion of the conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d can be coated with a coating material. For example, at least one rear side 16 of the blade can be coated with a coating material, while the remaining portions of the conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d can be polished or left uncoated or unpolished. According to one embodiment, at least one of the conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d is configured to be coated with a coating material and / or at least partially polished around the outer screw surface 7 of at least one of the conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d.

[0053] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the outer screw surface 7 of at least one of the conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and / or at least a portion of the inner housing surface 8 of the cylindrical housing 2 is configured to be coated with a coating material having an electric charge. The coating material having an electric charge can be a material with a positive surface charge or a material with a negative surface charge. According to one embodiment, the coating material having an electric charge is a polymer.

[0054] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the outer screw surface 7 of at least one of the conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and / or at least a portion of the inner housing surface 8 of the cylindrical housing 2 is configured to be coated with a coating material having a low adhesion tendency. The term "low adhesion tendency" refers to the ability to prevent deposits from adhering to the surface of the shaftless screw 3, 3b and / or the cylindrical housing 2. Such a coating material may have a low adsorption capacity. The coating material having a low adhesion tendency can be a polymer, a ceramic, an enamel, or a glass. The polymer can be configured to be selected from the group of fluoropolymers or polyaryletherketones (PAEK). For example, the fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA).

[0055] According to one embodiment, the fluoropolymer includes a conductive material. The conductive material can be a conductive filler, such as a conductive carbon material.

[0056] According to one embodiment, plasma technology or dip coating is configured to be used for coating.

[0057] According to one embodiment, at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and / or the cylindrical housing 2 can be configured to be at least partially coated with a coating material and / or polished. The coating or polishing can be carried out around or at least partially around the interior of at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and / or the conveyor housing 2. When at least a part of the outer screw surface 7 and / or the inner housing surface 8 is polished, the roughness Ra of the outer screw surface 8 and / or the housing surface 7 can be very low, for example, like the surface of a mirror. The Ra value of the outer screw surface 7 and / or the inner housing surface 8 is, for example, less than 1.6 microns, preferably less than 0.1 micron, or more preferably less than 0.05 micron. Unless otherwise stated, in this specification, the term "Ra value" should be understood as the average roughness of the surface. Ra is the arithmetic mean of the deviations of the trace above and below the center line. Standard SFS-EN 10049:2013 provides more detailed descriptions of measuring the Ra value.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the residence time of the pretreated biomass 4 in the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 and at least one conveyor 1 is from 1 second to 120 minutes. More preferably, the residence time is from 1 second to 30 minutes. When at least one conveyor 1 is a semi-hydrolysis reactor, the residence time of the pretreated biomass 4 in at least one conveyor 1 is from 1 second to 120 minutes. More preferably, the residence time is from 1 second to 30 minutes. Unless otherwise stated, in this specification, the term "residence time" should be understood as the time between when the pretreated biomass is introduced or enters the hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 or at least one conveyor 1 and when the pretreated biomass 4 exits or is discharged from at least one conveyor 1. If there are multiple conveyors 1, it exits or is discharged from the last conveyor 1.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the cylindrical housing 2 includes at least one nozzle 20 configured to inject a liquid onto at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3b. The injection can be carried out using high-pressure liquid or gas. The liquid can be water. The water can include chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide. The gas can be steam, such as water vapor. The nozzle 20 can be located at various positions along the inner housing surface 8. The at least one nozzle 20 can be configured to inject the gas or liquid inside the conveyor 1 towards at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. At least one sprayer can be configured to clean the deposits on the conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and / or the inner housing surface 8. The at least one sprayer can also prevent deposits from sticking to the outer screw surface 7 and / or the inner housing surface 8. The nozzle 20 can also be used together with at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3b, wherein the at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3b and / or the inner housing surface 8 is configured to be at least partially coated and / or polished.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d is a shafted conveyor screw 3c, 3d or a shaftless screw 3a, 3b. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Examples of shafted conveyor screws 3c, 3d are shown, Figure 4 and Figure 5 Examples of shaftless screws 3a, 3b are shown.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the at least one shaftless screw 3a, 3b has a rectangular, triangular, semi-circular, D-shaped, elliptical or circular cross-section.

[0062] Figure 2 An example of shows a conveyor 1 including a shafted conveyor screw 3c. The conveyor 1 may include a cylindrical housing 2 that includes an inlet 5 for receiving pretreated biomass 4 from the bottom of a semi-hydrolysis reactor 9, another process, or the outlet of another conveyor. The conveyor 1 itself may also be a semi-hydrolysis reactor. In this case, the semi-hydrolysis reaction may occur in at least one conveyor 1, and a separate hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 may not be required. The cylindrical housing 2 may also include an outlet 6 through which the pretreated biomass 4 may be discharged from the cylindrical housing 2. The incoming pretreated biomass 4 is shown by arrow I, and the exiting pretreated biomass energy 4 is shown by arrow O.

[0063] The conveyor 1 may also include at least one shafted conveyor screw 3c rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing 2 to move the pretreated biomass 4 out of the cylindrical housing 2. The shafted conveyor screw 3c may include a shaft 14 and at least one helical blade 15 extending from the shaft 14. The shafted conveyor screw 3c may have an outer screw surface 7 that may include an outer shaft surface 17 and an outer blade surface. The at least one helical fin 15 may have a blade rear side 16 and a front side. The blade rear side 16 may face the inlet 5 of the shafted conveyor screw 3c. The at least one shafted conveyor screw 3c may rotate within the cylindrical housing 2 to move the pretreated biomass 4 inside the cylindrical housing 2 from the inlet 5 to the outlet 6. The outer screw diameter of the shafted conveyor screw 3c is d. The cylindrical housing 2 may have an inner housing surface 8, and the inner housing diameter is D. When using the shafted conveyor screw 3c, the sticky product may adhere most at the location where the blade 15 meets the shaft 14, on the blade rear side 16, and on the shaft 14.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the outer shaft surface 17 of the shaft 14 and / or the blade rear side 16 of at least one helical blade 15 are configured to be at least partially coated with a coating material and / or to be at least partially polished. The coating and / or polishing can help clean the shaft conveyor screws 3c, 3d and / or help keep them clean by preventing deposits from adhering to these surfaces where they form the most.

[0065] Figure 3 An example of a cooled or heated shaft conveyor screw 3d is shown, and Figure 5 An example of a cooled or heated shaftless screw 3b is shown.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the at least one shaft conveyor screw 3d or the at least one shaftless screw 3b is configured to be cooled or heated. A heat transfer medium can be used for cooling or heating. The heat transfer medium can include a coolant or a heat agent. According to one embodiment, the heat transfer medium is a liquid or a gas. The coolant or heat agent can be at least one of the following: air, steam, water, oil glycol, and / or a medium with a static temperature range of 0°C to 250°C.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the temperature of at least a portion of the outer screw surface 7 of the at least one cooled or heated shaft conveyor screw 3d or the at least one cooled or heated shaftless screw 3b is configured to be kept below the dew point of the ambient atmosphere around the at least one shaft conveyor screw 3d or at least one shaftless screw 3b within the cylindrical housing 2. For example, the temperature of the outer screw surface 7 is 0.1 to 20°C lower than the dew point of the ambient atmosphere. Preferably, the temperature is 0.1 to 2°C below the dew point. It may be beneficial to minimize the temperature difference between the outer screw surface 7 and the atmosphere to save energy. In addition, the pretreated biomass 4 may have to be kept at a high temperature in the reactor.

[0068] The atmosphere can be the space within the inner shell surface 8. The atmosphere can include steam within the conveyor housing 2. The steam can be saturated steam. The steam can be formed by water. The steam can have a relative water content of 100%. Steam with the same temperature as the liquid from which it is formed is called saturated steam. When the at least one cooled or heated container screw 3b, 3d is kept below the dew point of the ambient atmosphere, cooling or heating may form a condensation layer on the outer screw surface 7 of the at least one shaft conveyor screw 3d or shaftless screw 3b. The condensation layer can prevent sticky particles of the pretreated biomass 4 from adhering to the outer screw surface 7 and make cleaning easier.

[0069] Figure 3 An example of a conveyor 1 including a cooled or heated shaft conveyor screw 3d is schematically shown. Figure 3 The conveyor 1 can be associated with Figure 2is the same as the conveyor 1 in the [description], except for the belt shaft conveyor screw 3d, and includes a hollow shaft 14 for cooling or heating.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the cooled or heated belt shaft conveyor screw 3d includes a shaft 14 that is hollow, and wherein the belt shaft conveyor screw 3d is configured to receive a coolant or a heat agent within the hollow shaft 14 to cool or heat the outer screw surface 7 of the hollow shaft 14 that contacts the pretreated biomass 4 during operation. The hollow portion of the shaft can be a channel. The belt shaft conveyor screw 3d can be internally cooled with a coolant or heated with a heat agent. When the coolant flows through the hollow shaft of the belt shaft conveyor screw 3d, the temperature of the coolant may increase due to the contact between the cooled belt shaft conveyor screw 3d and the pretreated biomass 4. When the heat agent flows through the hollow shaft of the belt shaft conveyor screw 3d, the temperature of the heat agent may decrease due to the contact between the belt shaft conveyor screw 3d and the pretreated biomass 4. The coolant or heat agent can be guided into the hollow shaft 14 or the channel of the belt shaft conveyor screw 3d as shown by the arrow S and guided out of the hollow shaft 14 or the channel as shown by the arrow U.

[0071] The heat transfer medium and the pretreated biomass 4 can move in the same direction within the conveyor 1.

[0072] Figure 4The example of [the conveyor 1] schematically shows a conveyor 1 including a shaftless screw 3a. The conveyor 1 may include a cylindrical housing 2, and the cylindrical housing 2 includes an inlet 5 for receiving pretreated biomass 4. The conveyor 1 may receive the pretreated biomass 4 from the bottom of a semi-hydrolysis reactor 9, the outlet 6 of another conveyor 1, or from another process. The conveyor 1 itself may also be a semi-hydrolysis reactor. In this case, the semi-hydrolysis reaction may occur in at least one conveyor 1, and a separate hydrolysis reactor vessel 9 is not required. The cylindrical housing 2 may also include an outlet 6, and the pretreated biomass 4 may be discharged from the cylindrical housing 2 through the outlet 6. Arrows I and O show the entry and exit of the pretreated biomass 4. The conveyor 1 may further include at least one shaftless screw 3a rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing 2 to move the pretreated biomass 4 out of the cylindrical housing 2. The shaftless screw 3a has no shaft, and the pretreated biomass 4 may adhere thereto. The inlet support member 12 supports the shaftless screw 3a from the inlet portion, and the outlet support member 13 supports the shaftless screw 3a from the outlet portion, allowing it to rotate. The at least one shaftless screw 3 may rotate within the cylindrical housing 2 to move the pretreated biomass 4 in the cylindrical housing 2 from the inlet 5 to the outlet 6. The shaftless screw 3a may have an outer screw surface 7, and the outer spring diameter is d. The outer screw surface 7 may include all sides of the shaftless screws 3, 3b, or be a sheath surrounding the shaftless screws 3, 3b. The cylindrical housing may have an inner housing surface 8 and an inner housing diameter D.

[0073] Although Figure 1 the conveyor 1 in [the example] only shows one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d within the cylindrical housing 2, Figures 2 to 5 the number of conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d in the cylindrical housing 2 in [the example] should not be regarded as a limitation to the present disclosure. For example, in some examples, a plurality of conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d may be provided within the cylindrical housing 2. When the conveyor has a plurality of conveyor screws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, they may clean each other.

[0074] Figure 5 The example of [the conveyor 1] schematically shows a conveyor 1 including a shaftless screw 3b. Figure 5 The conveyor 1 of [the example] may be the same as Figure 4 the conveyor 1 in [the example], and in addition to the shaftless screw 3b, may include a channel. Furthermore, the inlet support member 12 and the outlet support member 13 may be hollow to allow a heat transfer medium to enter the channel of the shaftless screw 3b through the inlet support member 12 and leave the channel through the outlet support member 13.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the at least one shaftless screw is hollow. The hollow shaftless screw 3b may allow a heat transfer medium to be placed inside the hollow shaftless screw 3b. It may also lighten the structure. The shaftless screw 3b may be internally cooled with a coolant and / or heated with a heat agent. The conveyor 1 including at least one shaftless screw 3b may be used for Figure 1 a semi-hydrolysis reactor or used alone as a hydrolysis reactor.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the shaftless screw 3b includes channels configured to receive a heat transfer medium within the channels to cool or heat the outer screw surface 7 of the shaftless screw 3b. The hollow portion of the shaftless screw 3b may be the channels. The channels may be formed inside the shaftless screw 3b. The outer screw surface 7 of the shaftless screw 3b may contact the pretreated biomass 4. The shaftless screw 3b may allow a heat transfer medium to be placed within the passage 21 to cool or heat the outer screw surface 7 of the shaftless screw 3b within the cylindrical housing 2. When the coolant flows through the shaftless screw 3b, the temperature of the coolant may increase due to contact with the outer screw surface 7 of the shaftless screw 3b. When the heat agent flows through the shaftless screw 3b, the temperature of the heat agent may decrease due to contact with the outer screw surface 7 of the shaftless screw 3b. The coolant or heat agent may be directed into the shaftless screw 3b as shown by arrow S and discharged from the shaftless screw 3b as shown by arrow U. The coolant or heat agent may be directed from the inlet side of the conveyor 1 through the hollow inlet support member 12 into the channels and out of the channels from the hollow outlet support member 13 on the outlet side of the conveyor 1. The heat transfer medium and the pretreated biomass 4 may move in the same direction within the conveyor 1.

[0077] According to one embodiment, as shown above, the at least one conveyor 1 may be used to move the pretreated biomass. According to Figures 2 to 5 , the at least one conveyor 1 may be used in a system as Figure 1 described. According to Figures 2 to 5 , the at least one conveyor 1 may also be used as a semi-hydrolysis reactor or part of a semi-hydrolysis reactor.

[0078] Figure 6 An example of a method of moving the pretreated biomass 4 through the conveyor 1 is shown, where the conveyor 1 includes a cylindrical housing 2 and at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, the cylindrical housing 2 includes an inlet 5 and an outlet 6, and the at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d is rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing. The temperature within the cylindrical housing 2 may be from 120 °C to 250 °C, and the at least one conveyor screw 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d and / or the cylindrical housing 2 may be configured to be at least partially coated with a coating material and / or at least partially polished.

[0079] In operation 600, the method can include receiving pre-treated biomass 4 from inlet 5.

[0080] In operation 610, the method can include moving the pre-treated biomass 4 from inlet 5 to outlet 6 via at least one conveyor screw 3, 3b, 3c, 3d.

[0081] In operation 620, the method can include discharging the pre-treated biomass 4 from the cylindrical housing 2 through outlet 6.

[0082] For example, other features of the method directly result from the function of conveyor 1. As described in connection with various embodiments, different variants of the method can also be applied.

[0083] Conveyor 1 can be configured to perform or cause to be performed any aspect of the methods described herein.

[0084] Any range or device value given herein can be extended or altered without losing the desired effect. Additionally, unless explicitly prohibited, any embodiment can be combined with another embodiment.

[0085] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the above specific features and acts are disclosed as examples for implementing the claims, and other equivalent features and acts are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

[0086] It should be understood that the above benefits and advantages may pertain to one embodiment or several embodiments. Embodiments are not limited to embodiments that solve any or all of the stated problems, nor to embodiments that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It should also be understood that a reference to "an" item can refer to one or more of these items.

[0087] The steps or operations of the methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order or, where appropriate, simultaneously. Additionally, individual blocks can be removed from any method without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the above embodiments can be combined with aspects of any of the other embodiments described to form further embodiments without losing the desired effect.

[0088] The term "comprising" is used herein to mean including the identified method, block, or element, but these blocks or elements do not comprise an exclusive list and the method or apparatus can contain additional blocks or elements.

[0089] Although a theme may be referred to as a "first", "second", or "third" theme, this does not necessarily denote any order or importance of the themes. Instead, these attributes may only be used to distinguish the themes.

[0090] It should be understood that the above description is given by way of example only and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of the embodiments. Although the various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, many modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A conveyor for pre-treated biomass, wherein, the conveyor comprises: a cylindrical housing including an inlet for receiving the pre-treated biomass and an outlet through which the pre-treated biomass is discharged from the cylindrical housing; and at least one conveyor screw rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing to move the pre-treated biomass out of the cylindrical housing, wherein, the temperature within the cylindrical housing is from 120°C to 250°C; and the at least one conveyor screw and / or the cylindrical housing is configured to be at least partially coated with a coating material and / or at least partially polished.

2. The conveyor according to claim 1, wherein, at least a portion of the outer screw surface of the at least one conveyor screw and / or at least a portion of the inner housing surface of the cylindrical housing is configured to be coated with the coating material, the coating material having an electric charge.

3. The conveyor according to claim 2, wherein, the coating material having an electric charge is a material with a positively charged surface or a material with a negatively charged surface.

4. The conveyor according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, the coating material having an electric charge is a polymer.

5. The conveyor according to claim 1, wherein, the coating material has a low adhesion tendency.

6. The conveyor according to claim 5, wherein, the coating material having a low adhesion tendency is a polymer, ceramic, enamel or glass.

7. The conveyor according to claim 6, wherein, the polymer is a fluoropolymer or polyaryletherketone (PAEK).

8. The conveyor according to claim 7, wherein, the fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA).

9. The conveyor according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, the fluoropolymer comprises a conductive material.

10. The conveyor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the roughness value (Ra) of at least the partially polished outer screw surface of the at least one conveyor screw and / or at least the partially polished inner housing surface of the cylindrical housing is less than 0.05 microns.

11. The conveyor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the conveyor is a semi-hydrolysis reactor or is configured to be at least partially located within the semi-hydrolysis reactor.

12. The conveyor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the at least one conveyor screw is a shafted conveyor screw or a shaftless screw.

13. The conveyor according to claim 12, wherein, the shafted conveyor screw includes a shaft and at least one helical blade extending from the shaft; and the outer shaft surface of the shaft and / or the blade rear side of the at least one helical blade is configured to be at least partially coated or polished.

14. The conveyor according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, The at least one shafted conveyor screw or the at least one non-shafted helical member is configured to be cooled or heated.

15. The conveyor according to claim 14, wherein, the temperature of at least a portion of the outer screw surface of the at least one cooled or heated shafted conveyor screw or the at least one cooled or heated non-shafted helical member is configured to be maintained below the dew point of the ambient atmosphere around the at least one shafted conveyor screw or the at least one non-shafted helical member within the cylindrical housing.

16. The conveyor according to claim 14 or 15, wherein, the cooled or heated shafted conveyor screw includes a shaft that is hollow, and wherein the cooled or heated shafted conveyor screw is configured to receive a heat transfer medium within the hollow shaft to cool or heat at least the outer screw surface of the hollow shaft in contact with the pretreated biomass during operation; or the cooled or heated non-shafted helical member includes channels that are configured to receive the heat transfer medium within the channels to cool or heat the outer screw surface of the non-shafted helical member.

17. The conveyor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the cylindrical housing includes at least one nozzle that is configured to eject a liquid or gas onto the at least one conveyor screw.

18. A system, the system including a semi-hydrolysis reactor, the semi-hydrolysis reactor including a vessel and at least one conveyor according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein, the at least one conveyor is configured to be at least partially located inside the semi-hydrolysis reactor vessel.

19. Use of at least one conveyor according to any one of claims 1 to 17 for moving pretreated biomass.

20. A method for moving pretreated biomass by a conveyor, wherein, the conveyor includes: a cylindrical housing that includes an inlet and an outlet; and at least one conveyor screw that is rotatably positioned within the cylindrical housing; wherein, the temperature within the cylindrical housing is from 120 °C to 250 °C, and the at least one conveyor screw and / or the cylindrical housing is configured to be at least partially coated with a coating material and / or at least partially polished, and wherein the method includes: receiving the pretreated biomass at the inlet; moving the pretreated biomass from the inlet to the outlet by the at least one conveyor screw; and discharging the pretreated biomass from the cylindrical housing through the outlet.

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