Method and apparatus for producing useful substances

Abstract

To provide a method and an apparatus for producing useful substances using wood as a raw material.SOLUTION: A method for producing useful substances comprises: a raw material input step of introducing wood chips into a treatment space S1 of a closed vessel 12; a first subcritical water treatment step of introducing steam at 120-200°C and 4-15 atm to subject the raw material to subcritical water reaction, thereby obtaining fulvic acid and humic acid; and a second subcritical water treatment step of introducing steam at 200-250°C and 15-30 atm to subject the raw material to subcritical water reaction, thereby obtaining pyroligneous acid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing useful substances, and particularly to a method and an apparatus for producing useful substances using wood as a raw material, particularly fulvic acid / humic acid and pyroligneous acid.

Background Art

[0002] Humic substances such as fulvic acid / humic acid are generally referred to as "organic substances with an unspecified chemical structure (non-biological organic substances)" that have disintegrated under the microbial and chemical actions of organic matter after the death of organisms. Empirically, it is known that some of these humic substances exhibit functionality while others do not, which is thought to be greatly influenced by whether or not intermediate products are included when the biological organic matter, which is a natural organic substance, attempts to return to the soil. When this intermediate product is included, that is, for humic substances that exhibit functionality, they are sometimes called humus precursors. (Non-Patent Document 1)

[0003] What corresponds to this humic substance (or humus precursor) has existed in nature. Even if the recognition of humic substances has been unclear since ancient times, the effects such as crop growth and the efficacy of drugs for diseases and injuries have been utilized in various forms. On the other hand, in recent years, modern agriculture and raw material processing methods that actively utilize developed chemical substances and the like have been widely used. However, apart from such modern agriculture and raw material processing, the use of this humic substance that has been utilized since ancient times has begun to be reexamined, and solutions containing selectively high-concentration artificially produced fulvic acid are also partially sold.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 relates to a wastewater treatment method that utilizes a group of bacteria, such as soil-dwelling facultative anaerobic bacteria, that have been cultured to produce metabolites containing phenol and / or compounds with phenol-exposed groups. These "metabolites containing phenol and / or compounds with phenol-exposed groups" undergo a polycondensation reaction of humification when reacted with silicic acid, etc., and the aim is to disclose an excellent wastewater treatment method that utilizes humic substances.

[0005] As seen in Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1, technologies utilizing humic precursors and humic substances (humic plants) are being investigated. It is known that humic plants contain humin, fulvic acid, and humic acid, depending on the degree of humification (degree of polycondensation reaction) of their components. In general humic substances, the weight ratio of fulvic acid to humic acid is approximately 2:8.

[0006] As shown in Patent Document 1, there are methods that use substances equivalent to humic substances in the treatment process of wastewater containing organic matter. However, fulvic acid, humic acid, etc., in humic substances are not simple substances, but are all considered as a group of multiple organic compounds, and because it is difficult to separate them, the specific effects of each substance have not been sufficiently investigated. Nevertheless, commercially available solutions containing fulvic acid are expected to be effective as (micro)biologically active solutions, and in order to provide products in large quantities at the lowest possible cost, such as in agriculture, there is a need for products that selectively contain fulvic acid at high concentrations.

[0007] Therefore, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-112947 (Patent Document 2), with regard to fulvic acid, which is expected to be used as a (micro)biologically active solution among humic substances, the following manufacturing method was proposed with the aim of providing a method for producing a fulvic acid-high ratio solution containing fulvic acid in a high ratio to humic acid compared to the general ratio of humic substances.

[0008] The method for producing a fulvic acid-containing liquid proposed in Patent Document 2 above is characterized by: an anaerobic culture step in which an organic substance mixture obtained by mixing an organic substance and fulvic acid-acclimatized sludge is cultured for 4 hours or more at a dissolved oxygen concentration of 0.1 mg-O / L or less to reduce the organic substance in the organic substance mixture by anaerobic culture and obtain an anaerobic culture solution; an aerobic culture step in which the anaerobic culture solution is cultured for 6 hours or more at a dissolved oxygen concentration of 0.2 mg-O / L or more to increase the fulvic acid in the anaerobic culture solution and obtain a fulvic acid-containing culture solution; an aerobic culture solution return step in which the culture solution that has been cultured in the aerobic culture step but is not yet fully cultured is returned to the anaerobic culture step; and obtaining a fulvic acid-containing liquid from the fulvic acid-containing culture solution obtained from the aerobic culture step.

[0009] The applicant previously proposed a method for producing a fulvic acid solution that is completely different from those described in the above-mentioned published gazette in Japanese Patent No. 6286605.

[0010] The method for producing fulvic acid proposed in this patent publication is: A device preparation step for preparing a processing device comprising: a sealed container having a processing space that can be closed inside; a steam ejection means for ejecting high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the sealed container; a supply unit having an opening and closing mechanism for supplying raw materials into the sealed container; and a discharge unit having an opening and closing mechanism for discharging a processed liquid generated by processing the raw materials with steam to the outside. A raw material input step in which raw materials containing wood chips as the main raw material are introduced from the supply unit into the processing space of the sealed container of the processing apparatus, A processing step in which steam at a temperature of 120-250°C and a pressure of 12-35 atm is introduced into the processing space into which the raw materials are introduced, while stirring the raw materials, and the raw materials are subjected to a subcritical water reaction to obtain a mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and a suspension of wood chips and / or fragments, and Fulvic acid solution acquisition process: Separating fulvic acid from the acquired mixed solution to obtain a fulvic acid solution. This is a method for producing a fulvic acid solution, characterized by having the following features: [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 5-66199

[0012] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-112947

[0013] [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6286605 [Non-patent literature]

[0014] [Non-Patent Document 1] Mamoru Uchimizu, "Nature and Reincarnation: Earth, Nature, Humanity, Society - A Basic Theory of Civilization," pp. 18-28, Manga-sha, 1986. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0015] The method for producing fulvic acid described in the aforementioned patent publication allows for the efficient production of high-purity fulvic acid. However, while wood contains several other useful substances (including useful substances derived from wood), conventionally, these substances have not been effectively utilized except for using the solid material remaining after fulvic acid extraction as animal feed.

[0016] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a method and apparatus for producing two or more useful substances using wood as a raw material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] The above problems are solved by the method and apparatus for producing useful substances of the present invention, which have the configurations (1) to (18) below. (1) A method for producing useful substances by processing wood chips, which are raw materials, to produce at least two or more useful substances, A device preparation step of preparing a processing device comprising a sealed container having a processing space that can be closed inside, a supply unit for supplying raw materials into the sealed container, steam ejection means for ejecting high-temperature and high-pressure steam into the sealed container, a discharge port portion having an opening / closing valve for discharging only liquid from the sealed container and an opening / closing mechanism for discharging solids, and a steam discharge port having a steam discharge valve for discharging high-pressure steam from the sealed container, A raw material input step of putting, into the processing space of the sealed container of the processing device, a raw material containing wood chips as the main raw material from the supply unit, A first subcritical water treatment step of subjecting the raw material to subcritical water reaction treatment while introducing steam at a temperature of 120 to 200 °C and a pressure of 4 to 15 atm into the processing space where the raw material is put, and stirring the raw material to obtain a first mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and solids of wood chips and / or fragments thereof, An intermediate pressure reduction step of opening the steam discharge valve to discharge high-pressure steam from the processing space and reducing the pressure in the processing space from high pressure, A first liquid recovery step of opening the opening / closing valve to recover only the liquid that becomes the raw material of fulvic acid / humic acid from the processing space, A closing step of closing the steam discharge valve and the opening / closing valve, A second subcritical water treatment step of subjecting the raw material to carbonization treatment by subcritical water reaction while introducing steam at a temperature of 200 to 250 °C and a pressure of 15 to 30 atm into the processing space where the solids exist, and stirring the raw material to obtain a second mixed solution containing carbonized solids formed by the carbonization and wood vinegar produced along with this carbonization, A final pressure reduction step of opening the steam discharge valve to discharge high-pressure steam from the processing space and reducing the pressure in the processing space from high pressure to atmospheric pressure, A second liquid recovery step of opening the opening / closing valve to recover only the liquid that becomes the raw material of wood vinegar from the processing space, and A solid recovery step of opening the opening / closing mechanism to recover solid carbide from the processing space, A method for producing useful substances, characterized by comprising the above steps. (2) The method for producing the useful substance of (1) above, wherein the maximum temperature holding time in the first subcritical water treatment step is 15 to 20 minutes. (3) The method for producing the useful substance of (1) or (2) above, wherein the maximum temperature holding time in the second subcritical water treatment step is 15 to 20 minutes. (4) The method for producing the useful substance of (1) above, wherein the wood is harvested wood or waste wood. (5) The method for producing the useful substance of (4) above, wherein the harvested wood is made of broad-leaved trees or coniferous trees. (6) The method for producing the useful substance of (5) above, wherein the broad-leaved tree is birch, willow, chestnut, oak or beech. (7) The method for producing the useful substance of (5) above, wherein the coniferous tree is pine, cedar, cypress or dawn redwood. (8) The method for producing the useful substance of (4) above, wherein the waste wood is solid wood or plywood. (9) The method for producing the useful substance of any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein the treatment step is carried out for 1 to 8 hours. (10) The method for producing the useful substance of (5) above, wherein the main raw material is a broad-leaved tree and the pressure of the steam introduced in the treatment step is 12 to 25 atm. (11) The method for producing the useful substance of (5) above, wherein the main raw material is a coniferous tree and the pressure of the steam introduced in the treatment step is 20 to 35 atm. (12) The method for producing the useful substance of any one of (1) to (11) above, wherein the raw material is introduced into the treatment space at 90% or less by volume ratio. (13) The method for producing the useful substance of any one of (1) to (11) above, wherein the raw material is introduced into the treatment space at 50 to 80% by volume ratio. (14) The method for producing the useful substance of any one of (1) to (13) above, wherein the stirring in the treatment step is performed by a rotating stirring member disposed in the treatment space. (15) A method for producing any of the useful substances described in (1) to (14) above, wherein an alkaline solution is added as an additive in the raw material input step. (16) A method for producing any of the above useful substances (1) to (15), including the leaves of woody plants as a raw material. (17) A method for producing any of the useful substances described in (1) to (16), wherein the processing apparatus comprises a condensing means connected to the steam outlet, and the condensing means condenses and recovers wood-derived volatile organic compounds from high-pressure steam ejected from the steam outlet. (18) A useful substance manufacturing apparatus for processing wood chips, which are raw materials, to produce at least two or more useful substances, comprising: a sealed container having a retractable processing space inside; a supply unit for supplying raw materials into the sealed container; a steam ejection unit for ejecting high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the sealed container; an outlet unit having an on / off valve for discharging only liquid from the sealed container and an on / off mechanism for discharging solids; a steam outlet having a steam discharge valve for discharging high-pressure steam from the sealed container; and a condensing unit connected to the steam outlet for condensing and recovering wood-derived volatile organic compounds from the high-pressure steam ejected from the steam outlet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] As described above, the present invention has the advantage of being efficient and extremely economical, as it allows for the production of at least two useful substances in a series of processes, primarily using wood chips as raw materials. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a highly pure fulvic acid solution. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a production apparatus for useful substances according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows the changes in processing pressure and processing temperature during the processing step in the method for producing the useful substance of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The following describes an apparatus 10 for producing useful substances according to one embodiment of the present invention. The manufacturing apparatus 10 comprises a sealed container 12 having a closed space S1 which is a processing space for containing raw materials, which are wood chips; a steam ejection means 14 for ejecting high-temperature, high-pressure steam, which is subcritical water, into the sealed container 12; an outlet 16 provided on the bottom side of the sealed container 12 and having an opening and closing mechanism 26; and a separation and recovery means 18 for separating and recovering the processed raw materials and liquid solely by direct discharge from the outlet 16. The shape of the sealed container 12 can be any shape, such as a rectangular box, a three-dimensional polygonal cylinder, a cylindrical shape, a barrel shape, a drum shape, etc., but a shape that allows discharge using gravity from the outlet 16 provided on the bottom side is preferred. It is preferable that the bottom surface of the sealed container is sloped downward toward the outlet.

[0021] The separation and recovery means 18 may include a liquid recovery section 50 that communicates with the inside of the sealed container 12 via an outlet 16, and a gravity-flow recovery mechanism 52 that recovers only the liquid inside the sealed container 12 to the recovery section 50 by gravity via the outlet 16. The raw material as solids processed near the outlet 16 remains inside the sealed container 12, and only the liquid flows naturally to the recovery section 50 using gravity, thereby separating and recovering the raw material and liquid. The configuration of the recovery section 50 may be any, such as a metal tank, a three-dimensional polygonal box, or a tubular body, as long as it has a closed space S2 for recovering the liquid. Multiple containment sections may be formed.

[0022] In the example above, we described an example where the separation means is incorporated into the processing device, but the processing device itself may not have the separation means, and it may be provided as a separate component. Furthermore, the gravity-flow recovery mechanism 52 includes a liquid recovery channel 54 that connects the discharge port 16 of the sealed container 12 to the recovery section 50, and the liquid recovery channel 54 may be provided horizontally or in a downward sloping manner from the side communicating with the discharge port 16 toward the recovery section 50.

[0023] Furthermore, an opening / closing mechanism 26 is provided in the middle of the discharge path R1 from the discharge port 16 of the processed raw material, and the liquid inlet 58 of the liquid recovery channel 54 is connected in communication with the opening / closing mechanism 26 upstream of the discharge.

[0024] Furthermore, the liquid recovery channel 54 is equipped with an on / off valve 60 that selectively switches the channel's state, blocking it during the processing of raw materials in the sealed container 12 and opening it when recovering only the liquid after processing.

[0025] Alternatively, the bottom surface of the enclosed space S2 of the recovery section 50 may be set lower than the position of the discharge port 16 of the sealed container 12.

[0026] The sealed container 12 is preferably formed in a horizontal barrel shape, with an outlet 16 provided at the bottom of the left and right central parts, and its diameter gradually decreasing from the left and right central parts toward both ends. A stirring member 30 is provided inside the sealed container 12. The stirring means 30 is horizontally elongated and provided coaxially with the horizontal central axis of the sealed container 12, and has a rotating shaft 49 that is rotatably supported at both ends, and stirring blades 48 attached to the rotating shaft 49 and extending in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 49. The length of the stirring blades 48 from the rotating shaft 49 to the tip of the blades is preferably formed to correspond to the horizontal barrel shape of the sealed container 12, being large at the center in the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft 49 and gradually decreasing toward both ends.

[0027] Furthermore, the steam ejection means 14 may also include a rotating shaft / steam ejection tube 28, which is constructed by making the rotating shaft 49 a hollow tube and forming a plurality of steam ejection holes 44 on the circumferential surface of the hollow tube.

[0028] Although not shown in the diagram, it is preferable that the sealed container 12 is supported by support legs so that it is positioned at a certain height from the ground. The sealed container 12 is formed, for example, by processing a metal plate to have heat resistance and pressure resistance, and the enclosed space inside is approximately 2 m 3It is preferable that the container be of the above size. The sealed container 12 is provided with an input section 20 at the top center and a discharge section 22 at the bottom center, and each is provided with an opening / closing mechanism 24 and 26 so that it can be opened and closed. The sealed container 12 is also provided with a safety valve (not shown) that releases internal steam when the internal pressure exceeds a set value, for example, a valve whose set pressure can be adjusted. In addition, a sound-dampening and deodorizing device is provided in the middle of the exhaust pipe connected to the safety valve, so that the steam exhausted through the safety valve is sound-dampened and deodorized before being discharged to the outside air.

[0029] The diameter of the discharge port 16 is set to, for example, about 300 mm. A discharge cylinder 36 projecting downwards is connected to the discharge port 16 to form the discharge path R1 of the processed raw material. The opening and closing mechanism 26 for opening and closing the discharge port 16 is provided in the middle of the discharge path R1 of the discharge cylinder 36. In other words, the discharge section 22 is configured to include the discharge port 16, the discharge cylinder 36, and the opening and closing mechanism 26. Because the sealed container 12 is formed in a horizontal barrel shape, gravity easily causes the raw material inside to gather from both sides toward the central part where the discharge port 16 is located, and the processed raw material can be easily discharged from the discharge port 16 simply by opening the opening and closing mechanism 26.

[0030] The input section 20 has an input port 42 in the center of the upper edge of the sealed container 12, and an input cylinder 43 that protrudes upward is attached to the input port 42, and the opening and closing mechanism 24 is provided to open and close the input cylinder 43. Through the opening and closing mechanism 24, the input port 42 can be opened and raw materials can be put into the sealed container, and during processing it is closed to maintain the closed state of the closed space S1 inside the sealed container 12.

[0031] The steam ejection means 14 ejects high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the sealed container 12, creating a high-temperature, high-pressure environment inside the sealed container 12, and processes the raw material using steam. As shown in Figure 1, the steam ejection means 14 includes a steam ejection pipe 28, which is a hollow tube placed inside the sealed container 12 and has numerous steam ejection holes 44 formed on its circumferential side; a steam generator 46, such as a boiler; and a steam supply pipe 47, which supplies steam from the steam generator 46 into the steam ejection pipe 28. The steam generator 46 is equipped with a steam supply control valve 46a that controls the supply state and the supply stop state of the generated steam, and the supply of steam can be temporarily stopped by closing this steam supply control valve 46a. This steam supply control valve 46a may also be provided in the steam supply pipe 47. The steam ejected from the steam ejection means 14 into the sealed container 12 is set to a high temperature and high pressure that satisfies the conditions of subcritical water in order to properly process the raw materials. For example, the steam ejected from the steam ejection pipe 28 is set to a temperature of 120-250°C and a pressure of approximately 4-30 atm. The inside of the sealed container 12 is then maintained at a temperature of 120-250°C and a pressure of approximately 4-30 atm. The steam ejection pipe 28 is positioned horizontally and elongated at approximately the center of the sealed container 12 in the vertical direction, and is rotatably supported via bearings 45 provided on both end walls 12a and 12b of the sealed container. That is, the steam ejection pipe 28 rotates around a horizontal axis, ejecting steam radially and directly applying the steam to the raw materials. The steam ejection pipe 28 rotates by obtaining rotational driving force from a rotary drive device (not shown), such as a motor, via a chain 70 or the like. Furthermore, a stirring blade 48, which constitutes the stirring means, is attached to the steam ejection tube 28, and the steam ejection tube 28 also serves as the rotating shaft 49 of the stirring means. In other words, in this embodiment, the steam ejection means 14 includes a rotating shaft / steam ejection tube 28, which is constructed by making the rotating shaft 49 of the stirring means a hollow tube and forming a plurality of steam ejection holes on the circumferential surface of the hollow tube. Note that the steam ejection means is not limited to this configuration, and may be any other configuration, such as a configuration in which steam is ejected from the tip of a tube inserted into a sealed container, or a configuration in which a plurality of steam ejection tubes are arranged.

[0032] The stirring means 30 is a means for stirring the raw material to be processed in a sealed container, enabling even and rapid processing of the raw material. The stirring means 30 includes a rotating shaft 49 consisting of the steam ejection pipe 28 described above, and stirring blades 48 attached to the rotating shaft 49 and having a portion that extends in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft. In this embodiment, the stirring blades 48 are formed of a right-handed spiral blade 48a and a left-handed spiral blade 48b, which are arranged in opposite directions at approximately the axial center of the rotating shaft 49. As described above, the stirring blades 48 are arranged so that the length from the rotating shaft to the tip of the blade gradually decreases in diameter from the left and right central parts toward both ends. This ensures that the raw material is reliably stirred in accordance with the sideways barrel shape of the sealed container 12. Furthermore, they are arranged to form a certain gap H between the tip of the blade and the inner wall of the sealed container 12. The spiral blades 48a and 48b stir the raw material while conveying it from the central part toward both end walls, crushing the solid raw material. The raw materials conveyed to the end walls 12a and 12b by the stirring blades 48 are pushed along the end walls 12a and 12b by the raw materials conveyed later, and are transported along the inner wall of the sealed container 12, passing through the gap H, before returning to the center. Note that the stirring means 30 is not limited to the above configuration, and may be any other configuration.

[0033] The separation and recovery means 18 is a separation and recovery means that separates and recovers the treated raw material and liquid inside the sealed container 12 after steam treatment by direct operation from the discharge port alone. As shown in Figure 1, the separation and recovery means 18 has a liquid recovery section 50 that communicates with the inside of the sealed container 12 via the discharge port 16, and a gravity flow recovery mechanism 52 that recovers the liquid into the recovery section 50 by gravity flow via the discharge port 16.

[0034] The liquid recovery channel 54 has its liquid inlet 58 connected to the outlet 16, forming a liquid recovery channel R2 that branches off from the treated raw material discharge channel R1. In this embodiment, the liquid recovery channel 54 is provided, for example, as a metal pipe with an inner diameter of about 6 mm. The liquid recovery channel 54 is provided with an on / off valve 60 that selectively switches the open state of the channel, as described above. The on / off valve 60 can be switched to shut off the channel while the raw material is being processed in a sealed container, and to open the channel when separating and recovering only the liquid after processing. As a result, the liquid, which contains bacteria and odor components in the raw material, can be treated with high-temperature, high-pressure steam, as the water and vapor contained in the raw material have liquefied along with the raw material. The liquid that is separated and recovered after processing can be recovered in a state where it has been sterilized and odor and harmful components have been decomposed, eliminating the need for secondary processing of the separated and recovered liquid, thus saving labor and time.

[0035] A volatile useful substance recovery mechanism 30, such as terpene oil, is provided at the top of the sealed container 12. This volatile useful substance recovery mechanism 30 includes a high-temperature, high-pressure steam discharge pipe 31 that communicates with the sealed space S1 via a high-pressure, high-temperature steam discharge port 19 provided in the sealed container 12, a steam discharge valve 32 provided upstream of the high-temperature, high-pressure steam discharge pipe 31, a condensing means 34 that receives the high-temperature, high-pressure steam from the steam discharge valve 32, cools it to condense the high-pressure, high-temperature steam, and recovers a liquid containing wood-derived volatile organic compounds, and a storage container 38 into which the liquid from the condensing means 34 is transported via a pipeline 35.

[0036] The liquid stored in the storage container 38 is a liquid containing wood-derived volatile organic compounds, as described above, and if necessary, the volatile organic compounds are extracted from the liquid to make a product.

[0037] The manufacturing apparatus 10 is composed of a central processing circuit and the like, and includes a control circuit 100 that controls the operation of the opening / closing mechanism 26, steam discharge valve 32, steam generator 46, steam supply control valve 46a, and opening / closing valve 60, etc., according to a predetermined program stored in advance.

[0038] Next, a method for producing a useful substance according to an embodiment of the present invention using the manufacturing apparatus 10 described above will be explained. A method for producing a useful substance according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus preparation step of preparing the apparatus as described above, A raw material input step in which raw materials containing wood chips as the main raw material are introduced from the supply unit into the processing space of the sealed container of the processing apparatus, A first subcritical water treatment step involves introducing steam at a temperature of 120-200°C and a pressure of 4-15 atm into the treatment space into which the raw materials are introduced, while stirring the raw materials, and subjecting them to a subcritical water reaction to obtain a first mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and solid matter of wood chips and / or fragments. An intermediate pressure reduction step in which the steam discharge valve is opened to discharge high-pressure steam from the processing space and the pressure in the processing space is reduced from high pressure, A liquid recovery step in which the aforementioned on / off valve is opened and only the liquid that will be used as a raw material for fulvic acid / humic acid is recovered from the processing space. Closing step of closing the steam discharge valve and the on / off valve, A second subcritical water treatment step is performed to obtain a second mixed solution containing carbonized solids formed by carbonizing raw materials by a subcritical water reaction, while stirring the raw materials, by introducing steam at a temperature of 200-250°C and a pressure of 15-30 atm into the treatment space where the solids are present, steam at a temperature of 200-250°C and a pressure of 15-30 atm into the treatment space where the solids are present. A final pressure reduction step in which the steam discharge valve is opened to discharge high-pressure steam from the processing space and the pressure in the processing space is reduced from high pressure to atmospheric pressure, A liquid recovery step in which the on / off valve is opened and only the liquid that will be used as a raw material for wood vinegar is recovered from the processing space, and A solid recovery step in which the opening and closing mechanism is opened and solid carbide is recovered from the processing space, It is equipped with. Furthermore, in the above, it is preferable that the process from the raw material supply process onward is performed automatically by the control circuit 100 according to a predetermined program.

[0039] The following provides a detailed explanation of each of the processes mentioned above. 《Equipment preparation process》 Refer to the diagram and prepare the manufacturing equipment (processing equipment) as described above.

[0040] 《Raw material input process》 The main raw material is wood chips. Preferably, the chips are approximately 50-150 cm in length and approximately 5 cm in width. As a secondary material or additive, an alkaline solution can be added to efficiently produce a larger amount of fulvic acid. When adding an alkaline solution, the steam pressure and temperature may be the same as when not adding it.

[0041] Generally, felled timber or waste timber can be used as the aforementioned wood. The felled timber may be either broad-leaved trees or coniferous trees. Any broad-leaved tree can be used, but currently, for example, birch, willow, chestnut, oak, or beech are preferred. Currently, the coniferous trees that can be preferably used include, for example, pine, cedar, cypress, or Japanese cypress. When using felled timber, there is no need to remove the bark or other parts. Furthermore, it is acceptable to include leaves, roots, or fruit husks, such as coconut shells, either whole or in chip form.

[0042] Examples of waste materials include wood chips (lumber, planks: solid wood, laminated wood, and plywood) generated during the demolition of wooden buildings. Such wood chips are usually processed into wood chips and can be used as raw materials as is. The above raw materials may be used in combination. For example, when logging is carried out in a typical household, various types of wood are discarded. These can be used as raw materials by mixing them all together as chips without sorting. Of course, waste wood chips can also be mixed in.

[0043] The raw material, which is a chip as described above, is introduced into the processing space. The amount of raw material is preferably 90% or less of the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12, i.e., the processing space, and particularly preferably 50-80%. If the amount of raw material introduced is lower than this range, the processing efficiency will be poor, and if it exceeds this range, the steam may not be able to act on the raw material effectively, and the production of fulvic acid may not be sufficient.

[0044] 《First Subcritical Water Treatment Process》 In this process, high-pressure, high-temperature steam is introduced into the processing space into which the raw materials are introduced, and the raw materials are subjected to a subcritical water reaction to obtain a first mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and solid material of wood chips and / or fragments thereof. The steam is used at a temperature of 120-200°C and a pressure of 4-15 atm, although this may vary depending on the type and condition of the raw materials used, and is designed so as not to carbonize the raw materials. Therefore, the processing space is treated at a temperature of 120-200°C and a pressure of 4-15 atm. The amount of steam introduced depends on the volume of the processing space and the amount of raw materials to be processed, but it is preferable to introduce an amount that completely fills the surplus space (the space obtained by subtracting the volume of raw materials introduced into the processing space).

[0045] Furthermore, when using hardwood as the felled timber, it is preferable that the high-pressure, high-temperature steam supplied in the processing step has a temperature of 120 to 200°C and a pressure of 4 to 15 atm. On the other hand, when using coniferous trees as the felled timber, it is preferable that the high-pressure, high-temperature steam supplied in the processing step has a temperature of 140 to 200°C and a pressure of 5 to 15 atm. In this processing step, as described above, steam is introduced into the processing space into which the raw materials are introduced, while stirring the raw materials, and the raw materials are processed by a subcritical water reaction. The processing time is preferably 15 to 20 minutes, i.e., the maximum temperature and pressure holding time at the set processing temperature and pressure. If the processing time is shorter than the above range, the reaction time is insufficient, meaning that fulvic acid and humic acid are not sufficiently produced, and a considerable amount of fulvic acid and humic acid remains in the raw materials. If the processing time exceeds the above range, the raw materials will carbonize, and unintended substances will be mixed into the solution. In this processing step, the raw materials are subjected to a subcritical water reaction, and fulvic acid and humic acid are contained in the solution. This solution also contains a suspension of wood chips and / or fragments. That is, a mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and a suspension of wood chips and / or fragments is obtained. In the mixed solution obtained through this process, fulvic acid accounts for 3-12% of the total amount of fulvic acid and humic acid (in terms of solid content).

[0046] Intermediate pressure reduction process After the first subcritical water treatment process is completed, the steam discharge valve 32 is opened to partially discharge the high-pressure steam from the treatment space, thereby reducing the pressure within the treatment space from high pressure. This pressure reduction is intended to ensure that the subsequent first liquid recovery process can be carried out safely and efficiently, and it is sufficient to reduce the pressure in the treatment space to about 2-4 atm. It is not necessary to reduce it to atmospheric pressure. Although the temperature also decreases along with this pressure reduction, it is very small, and including the temperature drop in the subsequent first liquid recovery process, the total decrease is only a few degrees Celsius. The temperature drop is due to natural cooling. To ensure that the subsequent second subcritical water treatment process is carried out efficiently, it is desirable to minimize the temperature drop as much as possible. The steam discharged in this process is led to the condensing means 34, where it is condensed and mixed with a liquid containing useful components such as volatile components, and then recovered into a storage container 38 via the pipeline 35.

[0047] 《First Liquid Recovery Process》 In this process, with the opening / closing mechanism 26 closed, the opening / closing valve 60 is opened, and the liquid that will be the raw material for fulvic acid / humic acid (a mixed solution of fulvic acid / humic acid) is recovered from the processing space through the liquid recovery channel 54 to the recovery section 50. The aforementioned mixed solution may be used as is, but humic acid and fulvic acid are separated from this mixed solution to obtain a fulvic acid solution and a humic acid solution. In this acquisition process, the separation of humic acid and fulvic acid is carried out by making the solution acidic and separating the humic acid by precipitation or filtration. The pH of the solution is preferably 2 to 3. At this point, the solid remains inside the sealed container 12, awaiting the next processing step. It is preferable to perform the pressure reduction step and the first liquid recovery step by closing the steam supply control valve 46a and temporarily stopping the supply of steam to the sealed container 12.

[0048] 《Closing process》 Next, the steam exhaust valve 32 and the on / off valve 60 are closed.

[0049] 《Second Subcritical Water Treatment Process》 In this second subcritical water treatment process, the solid matter remaining in the treatment space is treated with subcritical water using steam at a higher temperature and pressure than the steam used in the first subcritical water treatment process. In other words, while introducing steam at a temperature of 200-250°C and a pressure of 15-30 atm into the processing space and stirring the raw materials, a second mixed solution is obtained containing carbonized solids formed by carbonization treatment of the raw materials by a subcritical water reaction, and wood acetic acid produced as a result of this carbonization. When coconut shells are used as the material, it becomes the well-known coconut shell activated carbon, which is a particularly desirable and useful substance.

[0050] 《Final pressure drop process》 After the preceding second subcritical water treatment process is completed, the steam discharge valve 32 is opened to discharge high-pressure steam from the treatment space, thereby reducing the pressure in the treatment space from high pressure to atmospheric pressure. At this time, if the presence of useful substances is expected in the discharged pressurized steam, the discharged high-pressure steam may be liquefied by the condensation means 34 and recovered in the storage container 38, similar to the case after the intermediate pressure reduction process. Examples of useful substances in this case include terpene oils. Furthermore, the temperature also decreases along with this pressure drop, but this temperature decrease is due to natural cooling.

[0051] 《Second Liquid Recovery Process》 The on / off valve 60 is opened to recover only the liquid from the processing space. This liquid is wood vinegar rich in wood acetic acid, and can be used as a disinfectant, crop growth inhibitor, crop growth promoter, deodorant, etc., simply by diluting it to a predetermined dilution concentration without any purification or other processes.

[0052] Solid recovery process After this, the opening / closing mechanism 26 is opened to recover the solid carbide from the processing space. This concludes the method for producing two or more useful substances according to the embodiments of the present invention. The changes in processing pressure and processing temperature during the above processing steps are shown in Figure 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 10. Treatment equipment for organic waste 12. Airtight container 14. Steam ejection means 16 Outlet 18 Separation and recovery means 26 Opening and closing mechanism 30 Stirring means 32 Steam exhaust valve 50 Recovery Section 52 Gravity flow recovery mechanism 54 Liquid recovery channel 58 Liquid inlet 60 Shut-off valves 100 control circuits

Claims

1. A method for producing useful substances by processing wood chips, which are raw materials, A device preparation step for preparing a processing device comprising: a sealed container having a processing space that can be closed inside; a supply unit for supplying raw materials into the sealed container; a steam ejection means for ejecting high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the sealed container; an outlet unit having an on / off valve for discharging only liquid from the sealed container and an on / off mechanism for discharging solids; and a steam outlet having a steam discharge valve for discharging high-pressure steam from the sealed container. A raw material input step in which raw materials containing wood chips as the main raw material are introduced from the supply unit into the processing space of the sealed container of the processing apparatus, A first subcritical water treatment step involves introducing steam at a temperature of 120 to 200°C and a pressure of 4 to 15 atm into the treatment space into which the raw materials are introduced, while stirring the raw materials, and subjecting them to a subcritical water reaction to obtain a first mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and solid matter of wood chips and / or fragments. A first liquid recovery step in which, after opening the steam discharge valve and discharging high-pressure steam from the processing space, the on / off valve is opened and only the liquid that will be used as a raw material for fulvic acid / humic acid is recovered from the processing space. Closing step of closing the steam discharge valve and the on / off valve, A second subcritical water treatment step, in which steam at a temperature of 200 to 250°C and a pressure of 15 to 30 atm is introduced into the treatment space where the solid matter is present, while stirring the raw material, to obtain a second mixed solution containing wood acetic acid produced by a subcritical water reaction of the raw material, and A method for producing a useful substance, characterized by comprising: a second liquid recovery step in which, after opening the steam discharge valve and discharging high-pressure steam from the processing space, the on / off valve is opened and only the liquid that will be used as a raw material for wood acetic acid is recovered from the processing space.

2. A method for producing useful substances by processing wood chips, which are raw materials, A device preparation step for preparing a processing device comprising: a sealed container having a processing space that can be closed inside; a supply unit for supplying raw materials into the sealed container; a steam ejection means for ejecting high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the sealed container; an outlet unit having an on / off valve for discharging only liquid from the sealed container and an on / off mechanism for discharging solids; and a steam outlet having a steam discharge valve for discharging high-pressure steam from the sealed container. A raw material input step in which raw materials containing wood chips as the main raw material are introduced from the supply unit into the processing space of the sealed container of the processing apparatus, A first subcritical water treatment step involves introducing steam at a temperature of 120 to 200°C and a pressure of 4 to 15 atm into the treatment space into which the raw materials are introduced, while stirring the raw materials, and subjecting them to a subcritical water reaction to obtain a first mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and solid matter of wood chips and / or fragments. A first liquid recovery step in which, after opening the steam discharge valve and discharging high-pressure steam from the processing space, the on / off valve is opened and only the liquid that will be used as a raw material for fulvic acid / humic acid is recovered from the processing space. Closing step of closing the steam discharge valve and the on / off valve, A second subcritical water treatment step is performed to obtain a carbonized solid by carbonizing the raw material by a subcritical water reaction while stirring the raw material, while introducing steam at a temperature of 200 to 250°C and a pressure of 15 to 30 atm into the treatment space where the solid is present, and A solid recovery step in which the opening and closing mechanism is opened and solid carbide is recovered from the processing space, A method for producing a useful substance, characterized by having the following features.

3. A method for producing a useful substance by processing a raw material of wood chips mixed with coconut shells, A device preparation step for preparing a processing device comprising: a sealed container having a processing space that can be closed inside; a supply unit for supplying raw materials into the sealed container; a steam ejection means for ejecting high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the sealed container; an outlet unit having an on / off valve for discharging only liquid from the sealed container and an on / off mechanism for discharging solids; and a steam outlet having a steam discharge valve for discharging high-pressure steam from the sealed container. A raw material input step involves introducing the raw material from the supply unit into the processing space of the sealed container of the processing apparatus. A first subcritical water treatment step involves introducing steam at a temperature of 120 to 200°C and a pressure of 4 to 15 atm into the treatment space into which the raw materials are introduced, while stirring the raw materials, and subjecting them to a subcritical water reaction to obtain a first mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and solid matter of the raw materials and / or fragments thereof. A first liquid recovery step in which, after opening the steam discharge valve and discharging high-pressure steam from the processing space, the on / off valve is opened and only the liquid that will be used as a raw material for fulvic acid / humic acid is recovered from the processing space. Closing step of closing the steam discharge valve and the on / off valve, A second subcritical water treatment step, in which steam at a temperature of 200 to 250°C and a pressure of 15 to 30 atm is introduced into the treatment space where the solid matter is present, while stirring the raw material, thereby obtaining a second mixed solution containing a carbonized solid formed by carbonization treatment of the raw material by a subcritical water reaction and wood acetic acid produced as a result of this carbonization. A second liquid recovery step in which, after opening the steam discharge valve and discharging high-pressure steam from the processing space, the on / off valve is opened and only the liquid that will be used as a raw material for wood vinegar is recovered from the processing space, and A solid recovery step in which the opening and closing mechanism is opened and solid carbide is recovered from the processing space, A method for producing a useful substance, characterized by having the following features.

4. A method for producing a useful substance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the maximum temperature holding time in the first subcritical water treatment step is 15 to 20 minutes.

5. A method for producing a useful substance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the maximum temperature holding time in the second subcritical water treatment step is 15 to 20 minutes.

6. A method for producing a useful substance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the raw material is introduced to 90% or less of the processing space by volume.

7. A method for producing a useful substance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the raw material is introduced in a volume ratio of 50 to 80% of the processing space.

8. A method for producing a useful substance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an alkaline solution is added as an additive in the raw material input step.

9. A method for producing a useful substance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the processing apparatus comprises a condensing means connected to the steam outlet, and volatile organic compounds derived from wood are recovered by condensing them from high-pressure steam ejected from the steam outlet using the condensing means.

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