The present invention easily yields, in a short time, a gas consisting mainly of high-concentration
methane, by gasifying a yielded biocoal
carbonization product. In this subcritical-
water treatment device, a first-stage treatment at 150-220°C for a predetermined and prescribed
treatment time is set in a first-stage temperature range not higher than 220°C, and a second-stage treatment at 110-130°C for a predetermined and prescribed
treatment time is set in a second-stage temperature range not higher than 130°C. In the first-stage treatment, low-grade
coal as a
raw material to be treated is deprived of
moisture to form voids in a volume amount of 20% or larger per
unit volume of the low-grade
coal, and molten / liquefied components are formed from some of the low-grade
coal. In the second-stage treatment, the molten / liquefied components are solidified in the voids and caused to adhere to components in the other portions that have not been melted or liquefied, thereby filling the voids and yielding a biocoal
carbonization product having a void content of 9% or less with respect to the entire volume. This device for utilizing reformed low-grade coal is equipped with a gasification means for methanating the biocoal
carbonization product, the gasification means gasifying, in a non-oxidization state, the reformed low-grade coal yielded from a bio-based carbonization product to yield
methane.