DK177875B1

DK177875B1 - A crushing apparatus and a method for mechanically pretreating moist biomass for use in manufacturing bioalcohols

Info

Publication number: DK177875B1
Application number: DK201270079A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Thomas Koch
Original assignee: Thermochem Recovery International Inc
Priority date: 2012-02-20
Filing date: 2012-02-20
Publication date: 2014-10-27
Also published as: DK201270079A

Abstract

A crushing apparatus (1;14;19) and a method serves for mechanically pretreating moist biomass for use in manufacturing bioalcohols. The apparatus includes a piston member (2;2') comprising a piston rod (4;4') with at least a first piston head (5) at a first end of the piston rod (4), a cylinder barrel (3,3') with at least a first cylinder barrel part (3) inside which at least the first piston head (5) reciprocates, the first cylinder barrel part (3) has a first inlet (9) for charging biomass (8) in a retracted position of the first piston head (5) and a first outlet (7) configured as a first slot opening (7) provided in a first end wall (6) at a first end of the first cylinder barrel part (3) facing the first piston head (5). The slot openings are very narrow so that when the piston head batter against is biomass slurry jets are ejected at high pressure. The jets may be directed against a target means to promote even further disintegration. The apparatus may be configured with a bidirectional double acting piston member with piston heads arranged at opposite ends of a common piston rod, in order to double production efficiency without doubling costs.

Description

DK 177875 B1 i

The present invention relates to a crushing apparatus for moist biomass .

The crushing apparatus comprises a piston member comprising a 5 piston rod with at least a first piston head at a first end of the piston rod, a cylinder barrel with at least a first cylinder barrel part inside which at least the first piston head reciprocates, the first cylinder barrel part has a first inlet in the cylinder wall thereof for charging biomass in a 10 retracted position of the first piston head, and a first outlet through which biomass is discharged in an extended position of the first piston head.

Simple and cost effective pretreatment technologies to prepare 15 more digestible biomass to ease bioconversion of biomass into alcohols, for example cellulosic alcohols such as ethanol, propanol and butanol, have been highly desired in the art. Such alcohols are biodegradable and less toxic than fossil fuels. Ethanol can for example be produced from biomass by hydrolysis 20 and fermentation of sugar or converted starch.

Examples of bioconvertable biomass include but are not limited to wood, sawdust or saw chips, domestic waste, agricultural waste, non-food energy crops, and manure. Sugar beets, sugar 25 cane and corn are often used. This biomass needs some kind of pre-treatment to reduce the size of the feedstock and to open up the plant structure. Currently this is achieved by means of various kinds of milling processes to make the feedstock of biomass more sensitive to a chemical pretreatment, e.g. wet or 30 dry milling followed by acidic hydrolysis or enzymatic hydrolysis or vice versa.

Wet milling is often used in large scale productions of ethanol and serves to soften biomass, such as corn. The biomass is 35 steeped in warm water, to break down the proteins and release e.g. starch. The biomass is then milled and the milled product DK 177875 B1 2 separated to sub-products for further pretreatment and final treatment. In dry milling biomass is broken down into fine particles using a hammer mill process to create a fine powder.

The powder is hydrolyzed or broken down using the conventional 5 chemical methods mentioned below.

In a concentrated acid hydrolysis process pretreatment includes hydrolysis of biomass at 50°C to a mixture of 70-77% sulphuric acid and dried biomass with 10% moisture content in a sulphuric 10 acid/biomass ratio of 1.25 : 1. In dilute acid hydrolysis pretreatment includes a first step of mixing 0.7% sulphuric acid and biomass at 190°C to hydrolyze hemi cellulose in the biomass to sucrose. In a second step 0.4% sulphuric acid is added to the mixture at 215°C in order to hydrolyze the 15 cellulose to sugars. Alternatively enzymatic hydrolysis can be used to break down biomass.

These pretreatment processes or combination of processes require numerous process steps, a lot of very expensive harsh 20 chemicals, high energy consumption and takes considerable time before the biomass is in a condition that allows extraction of sugar and starch for conversion to alcohols.

Thus the above conventional processes of manufacturing 25 bioalcohols require lots of non-environmental steps and substances hazardous to health, making it questionable whether or not the environmental outcome and benefits of the overall bioconversion process of feedstock to final bioalcohols is positive on environment.

30

Any simplification of any of the process steps will reduce the overall costs for converting biomass to alcohol and making bioalcohols competitive fuels compared to e.g. fossil fuels.

35 It is a main aspect of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method that can be implemented in an DK 177875 B1 3 alternative cost-effective pretreatment in preparing biomass for bioconversion.

It is yet a further aspect of the present invention to provide 5 an alternative pretreatment step for producing bioalcohol, such as bioethanol, from biomass.

It is yet a further aspect of the present invention to provide a pretreatment step in the production of bioalcohol wherein the 10 need for chemical pretreatment, such as neutralization and detoxification, is reduced, optionally wherein water can be recycled.

It is yet a further aspect of the present invention to provide 15 a biomass pretreatment that improves the bio-degradability of the biomass so that further pretreatment by adding chemical can be substantially reduced.

The novel and unique whereby these and other aspects are 20 achieved according to the present invention consists in that the first outlet is a first slot opening provided in a first end wall at a first end of the first cylinder barrel part facing the first piston head, the first piston head and the first slot opening is configured such that the first piston 25 head batters against the first slot opening of the first end wall to eject crushed biomass slurry via the first slot opening in the extended position of the first piston head.

When the first piston head is moved forward moist biomass in 30 front of said first piston head is pressed at very high pressure through the first slot opening so that the moist biomass is smashed, crushed and/or comminuted depending on the nature of the raw biomass feedstock charged to the piston member. The mechanical downsizing of the moist biomass is so 35 effective that for many kinds of biomass no or only very limited further chemical pretreatment is required prior to the DK 177875 B1 4 final bioconversion of the raw biomass into bioalcohol. The mechanical working and treating of the raw biomass by squeezing and ejecting the biomass through a slot opening, which is much smaller than the area of the front end of the first piston 5 head, may for most kinds of biomass suffice for rendering the biomass so accessible to the subsequent enzymatic and microbiological reactions that no, or less than conventional, further chemical pretreatment is required before bioconverting the biomass into alcohols or other useful products can take 10 place.

In an advantageous second embodiment the piston member of the crushing apparatus according to the present invention may further comprise 15 - a second piston head provided at a second end of the piston rod opposite it's first end and reciprocating inside at least a second cylinder barrel part in extension of and in communication with the first cylinder barrel part, a second inlet in the second cylinder barrel part for 20 charging the second cylinder barrel part with biomass in the extended position of the first piston head, which extended position of the first piston head is the retracted position of the second piston head, and a second outlet through which compressed biomass is 25 discharged through a second outlet in the retracted position of the first piston head, which retracted position of the first piston head is the extended position of the second piston head, the second outlet is a second slot opening provided in a 30 second end wall at a respective first end of the second cylinder barrel part facing the second piston head.

The second embodiment mirrors the first embodiment about a mirror axis to a combined integral bidirectional crushing 35 apparatus. By making the return stroke of the first piston head the forward stroke of the second piston head and vice versa DK 177875 B1 5 productive capacity can be substantially increased. Piston heads at opposite ends of the piston rod provides a "doubleacting" piston member in a bidirectional piston action. The total energy consumption can be kept much lower than if two 5 separate apparatuses were used. Productive capacity can be doubled at total energy consumption substantial less than double. Moreover a combined apparatus with piston heads at both ends of the reciprocating piston rod take up less space than two separate apparatuses needed to provide same productive 10 capacity thereby reducing production facility space requirement. Requirements to and investments in exhaust systems and filter arrangements designated to evacuation of health impairing gases due to conventional chemical treatment or milling dust due to dry milling, chemical pretreatment 15 reactors, etc., are lower than when implementing conventional pretreatment techniques and apparatuses.

Dimensions of the first and second slot openings which provides a desired mechanical pretreatment of biomass can preferably be 20 selected so that the ratio between the area of the first slot opening and the area of the first piston head hitting the first end wall is between 1:150 and 1:50, and/or the ratio between the area of the second slot opening and 25 the area of the second piston head hitting the second end wall is between 1:150 and 1:50.

The optimum ratio depends substantially on the kind of biomass and moisture content of biomass, although other factors, such 30 as for example temperature and piston reciprocating speed must be taken into consideration too. Accordingly, optimum sets of production parameters must be established in dependency on the variables of the biomass and the performance of the apparatus.

Some variables may be evident and easy to take into account, 35 while on the other hand the influence of some variables is less transparent and must be determined in a running-in period to be DK 177875 B1 6 taken into account when setting up optimum operating conditions, parameters and ratios. The optimum slot dimensions depend in particular on the nature and kind of the raw biomass as well as it's content of moisture. Moisture content is mainly 5 water, which water content may be natural or added. The water content may be adjusted by adding extra water to smooth the smashing discharging through the slot opening(s).

The dimensions and/or position of any of the first slot opening 10 and the second slot opening can be fixed or adjustable to make such an apparatus according to the present invention suited for being converted and made operational to various kinds of feedstock biomass. So if any of the first end wall or second end wall of the cylinder barrel is provided with any of a slot 15 opening of fixed size, an adjustable slot opening, or a replaceable slot opening or combinations of these types of slot openings the apparatus is universal and can be used for a plurality of various kinds of biomass. Adjustability of a slot opening can e.g. be obtained by providing sliders in relation 20 to the slot or by mounting an extra end wall to reduce slot opening dimensions. Replaceability can e.g. be obtained by making an end wall at the end of the cylinder barrel replaceable. Combinations of the above means and method to change slot opening dimensions are contemplated within the 25 scope of the present invention. Further possibilities lay within the skills of a person skilled in the art

The apparatus may further include one or more target means provided in front of any of the first slot opening or second 30 slot opening at a selected target distance from said openings.

The target means serves as a further disintegrator means that advantageously serves to further downsize and crush the biomass substance, which is ejected through a slot opening, at said biomass substance's impact with the target means. The preferred 35 target means are a solid plate dimensioned to resist the high-pressure jets of disintegrated crushed biomass ejected through DK 177875 B1 7 any of the first or second slot openings, e.g. a thick metal plate. The target means serves the further purpose of a baffle plate for diverting the ejected biomass substance down into a receptacle, preferably just dripping into the receptacle due to 5 gravity.

In preferred embodiments that ensures sustained operation, any of the first cylinder barrel part and/or the second cylinder barrel part may have a gate or valve operatable to dispose non-10 bioconvertible matter present in the biomass feedstock, and/or any of the first cylinder barrel part and/or the second cylinder barrel part may have detachable first ends. Examples of such non-bio-convertible matter from the habitat when the biomass feedstock was harvested are earth, gravel and pebbles.

15

The first end wall can e.g. be a separate unit or part of a separate unit unitable to an otherwise open-ended cylinder barrel via opposite flanges, thereby creating a part of the cylinder barrel that can be replaced in dependency of the 20 biomass' nature, structure, composition and water content at low costs and operation effort. Replacement in case of wear or malfunction is simple and fast; if the separate unit is not worn it can be reused. In case the slot opening are present in a separate unit, which are detachably united with the remainder 25 of the cylinder barrel, it is also possible from time to time to open the cylinder barrel for maintenance purposes, e.g. to remove non-dischargeable objects present in biomass feedstock to avoid eventual clogging. Such non-dischargeable objects tend to settle on the bottom of the cylinder barrel. A respective 30 piston head brings them along and deposits them at the first and second end walls where they accumulate until being removed through a valve, a gate or by removing the separate unit.

The present invention further relates to a method of 35 mechanically preparing biologically digestible biomass from a DK 177875 B1 8 feedstock of moist biomass using an apparatus with a piston member as described above.

The method comprises the steps of 5 a) charging the first cylinder barrel part with a portion of feedstock of moist biomass via the first inlet while the first piston head of the piston member is in a retracted position, b) performing a first forward piston stroke part in which the 10 first piston head batter against the first end wall of the first cylinder barrel part to discharge biomass by ejecting a first jet of biomass through the first slot opening, c) performing a second return piston stroke part, and 15 d) repeating steps a) - c) by reciprocation the first piston head.

The method results in a mechanical crushing of feedstock biomass, for example designated to manufacture bioalcohols. The 20 biomass is mechanically converted into a substance that requires less or even none further pretreatment compared to conventional methods.

The piston member may have a second piston head provided at a 25 second end of the piston rod opposite the first end of said piston rod and reciprocating inside at least a second cylinder barrel part in extension of and in communication with the at least first cylinder barrel part. In this embodiment the apparatus comprises a second piston head. The double-headed 30 bidirectional piston member reciprocates inside the cylinder barrel parts in a method comprising the modified method steps of a') during step b) charging the second cylinder barrel part with feedstock of moist biomass via the second inlet while 35 the second piston head of the piston member is in a retracted position, and DK 177875 B1 9 b') during step a) battering the second piston head against the second end wall of the second cylinder barrel part to discharge biomass by ejecting a second jet of biomass through the second slot opening.

5 A method that operates with two opposite first and second slot openings advantageously utilize the reciprocating movement of the piston member to convert feedstock biomass to a crushed substance of biomass much faster than a single-piston head 10 method.

The first and/or second piston head preferably reciprocate at a speed selected to eject biomass via the respective first and/or second slot openings at a speed of at least 50 m/s, preferably 15 at least 75 m/s. The speed depends on the kind of biomass and may for some kinds be at high as between 200 - 400 m/s. The ejected substance of crushed biomass can be collected immediate subsequent to exiting the slot openings or at a distance from the respective slot openings, preferably in conjunction to a 20 respective target means, which the respective jets of biomass substance hit when ejected. Preferably the respective jets of biomass substance hit a respective target means in form of a solid rigid plate, e.g. of metal, that also serves to guide the crushed biomass into a receptacle, e.g. just due to gravity.

25

The method may include the further step of from time to time removing non-biodegradable objects or other undesired matter from the cylinder barrel via a gate, valve or by removing a separate unit front end as described above.

30

The invention will now be described in further details below with reference to the drawing in which figs, la - Id are principle sketches of a first embodiment of a 35 crushing apparatus having one piston head acting in one DK 177875 B1 10 direction in a method according to the invention to mechanically produce crushed biomass substance, fig. 2 is a principle sketches of the first embodiment shown in 5 figs, la - Id but provided with a bottom outlet for removing undesired objects from the cylinder barrel, and fig. 3 is a principle sketch of a second embodiment of a crushing apparatus having two piston heads acting in two 10 opposite directions in a bidirectional method according to the invention to mechanically produce crushed biomass substance.

The figures serve to illustrate the principles of the present invention. In particular the ratio between a slot opening and a 15 piston head and dimensioning of piston rod and cylinder barrel should not be derived from the figures where e.g. size of the slot openings is magnified for illustrative purposes. The receptacle for crushed biomass substance is shown filled using a grey signature. It should be understood that at the beginning 20 of the production the receptacle is empty and that the grey signature is not intended to indicate a density or a 100% homogenous composition or the final biomass substance. The grey color is used solely to indicate that the receptacle is more or les filled. The different hatchings used for the feedstock 25 biomass serve to illustrate that the feedstock is being compressed during a forward piston stroke, and when leaving a slot opening is converted into the "grey" biomass substance slurry. Additional means needed for operating a piston member of the piston feeder kind are known to the person skilled in 30 the art and are not included in the figures. Such means are a.o. sealing rings, vents, hydraulic means, pneumatic means.

Fig. la - Id show the principle structure of a first embodiment of a crushing apparatus 1.

35 DK 177875 B1 11

As shown in fig. la the crushing apparatus 1 is of the kind having a piston member 2, arranged to reciprocate inside a first cylinder barrel part 3. The piston member 2 has a piston rod 4 with a first piston head 5, which is arranged in a 5 retracted position as indicated by arrow A. The first cylinder barrel part 3 has a first end wall 6 with a first slot opening 7. The first cylinder barrel part 3 and the piston member 2 are dimensioned so that the first cylinder barrel part 3 accommodates the reciprocating piston head 5 in a manner that 10 ensures that individual portions of biomass feedstock 8, supplied via first biomass 9 inlet in the first cylinder barrel part 3, as shown in fig. lb with arrow B, is moved towards the first end wall 6 of the first cylinder barrel part 3, as shown in fig. lc with arrow C, allowing biomass to be crushed when 15 the first piston head 5 batter against the first end wall 6 to eject crushed biomass slurry 10 via the first slot opening 7, as shown in fig. Id at arrow D. The crushed biomass slurry 10 is ejected as a first jet 11 of biomass slurry 10 on a target means 12, where after the slurry 10 drops into a receptacle 13, 20 due to gravity, for storage until further use.

Fig. 2 shows a modified first embodiment 14 corresponding substantially to the first embodiment 1 discussed above with references to figs, la - Id and for like parts same reference 25 numerals are used. The modified first embodiment 14 operates as the first embodiment 1, however in addition to the structural and functional features described in relation to the first embodiment 1 the modified first embodiment 14 has a gate or valve, including a bottom outlet 15 for taking undesired 30 objects 16, such as gravel, out of the first cylinder barrel part 3 and into a waste receptacle 17. The bottom outlet 15 can be opened and closed as occasion requires. The means for opening and closing the bottom outlet 15 are as an example shown to be a pivotable flap 18, as indicated by bend arrow F, 35 but other gates, valves, sliders etc. can be implemented alternatively.

DK 177875 B1 12

Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment 19 of a crushing apparatus according to the present invention. The second embodiment 19 of a crushing apparatus is a bidirectional apparatus substantially 5 composed of two crushing apparatuses similar to the first embodiment and for like parts same reference numerals are used.

In the second embodiment 19 a common piston rod 4' has a second piston head 5' opposite a first piston head 5. The second 10 piston head 5' reciprocates inside a second cylinder barrel part 3' arranged as a mirror of and in communication with the first cylinder barrel part 3 simultaneously with the first piston head reciprocates inside the first cylinder barrel part 3, as indicated with double arrow G. Second jets 1' ' (not 15 shown) of biomass substance slurry 10 (not shown) are ejected through a second slot opening 7' in the second end wall 6' of the second cylinder barrel part 3' when the second piston head 5' batter against it in the same manner as described for the first embodiment 1. The second embodiments can be configured at 20 both first end walls 6;6' as the modified first embodiment 14.

In the present exemplary embodiments shown in figures the target means 12 is illustrated as a solid rigid plate. This should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims and 25 invention. The target means could have other outlines, structures and dimensions. For example the target means could be integral with the receptacle, could be flat or curved, could include grating means, or be provided with orifices for extra biomass passage. Filter means can also be inserted between the 30 target means and the receptacle if considered expedient.

In summary any of the first outlet and second outlet are configured as respective first and second slot openings provided in a end walls of respective cylinder barrel parts 35 facing respective piston heads arranged on a common piston rod.

The slot openings are very narrow so that, when the piston DK 177875 B1 13 head(s) batter against them, biomass slurry jets are ejected at high pressure. The jets may be directed against a target means to promote even further disintegration and smashing. An apparatus configured with a bidirectional double-acting piston 5 member with piston heads arranged at opposite ends of a common piston rod can double production efficiency without doubling costs .

Claims

1. Apparatur (1;14;19) til at smadre fugtig biomasse (8), apparaturet omfatter 5 en stempelkomponent (2;2') omfattende en stempelstang (4;4') med mindst et første stempelhoved (5) ved stempelstangens (4) første ende, et cylindrisk rør (3,3') med mindst en første cylindrisk rørdel (3) inden i hvilken mindst det 10 første stempelhoved (5) reciprokerer, den første cylindriske rørdel (3) har i sin cylindervæg et første indløb (9) til at påfylde biomasse (8) i en tilbagetrukken position for det første stempelhoved (5), og et første udløb (7) 15 hvorigennem biomasse udledes i en fremskudt position for det første stempelhoved (5), kendetegnet ved at det første udløb er en første spalteåbning (7) tilvejebragt i en første endevæg (6) ved en mod det 20 første stempelhoved (5) vendende første ende af den første cylindriske rørdel (3), det første stempelhoved (5) og den første spalteåbning (7) er konfigureret således, at det første stempelhoved (5) slår hårdt mod den første 25 spalteåbning (7) i den første endevæg (6) for, i det første stempelhoveds fremskudte position (5), at udsprøjte smadret biomasseopslæmning (10) via den første spalteåbning (7).An apparatus (1; 14; 19) for smashing moist biomass (8), the apparatus comprising a piston component (2; 2 ') comprising a piston rod (4; 4') with at least a first piston head (5) at the piston rod ( 4) first end, a cylindrical tube (3.3 ') having at least one first cylindrical tube member (3) within which at least the first piston head (5) reciprocates, the first cylindrical tube member (3) having a first inlet in its cylinder wall (9) for loading biomass (8) into a retracted position of the first piston head (5), and a first outlet (7) 15 through which biomass is discharged into an advanced position for the first piston head (5), characterized in that the first outlet, a first slot opening (7) is provided in a first end wall (6) at a first end facing the first piston head (5) of the first cylindrical pipe portion (3), the first piston head (5) and the first slot opening (7) ) is configured such that the first piston head (5) beats hollow towards the first 25 slot opening (7) of the first end wall (6) to, in the advanced position (5) of the first piston head, spray smashed biomass slurry (10) via the first slot opening (7).

2. Apparatur (1;14;19) ifølge krav 1, kendetegnet ved at stempelkomponenten (2) omfatter et anden stempelhoved (5') tilvejebragt ved stempelstangens (4; 4') anden ende modsat dens første ende og reciprokerende inden i mindst en anden 35 cylindriske rørdel (3') i forlængelse af og i kommunikation med den første cylindriske rørdel (3), DK 177875 B1 15 et anden indløb (9) i den anden cylindriske rørdel (3') til at påfylde biomasse i den anden cylindriske rørdel (3') det første stempelhoveds (5) fremskudte position, hvilken fremskudt position for det første 5 stempelhoved (5) er det anden stempelhoveds (5') tilbagetrukne position, et anden udløb (7') hvorigennem komprimeret biomasse udledes i det første stempelhoveds (5) tilbagetrukne position, hvilken tilbagetrukken position for det 10 første stempelhoved er den fremskudte position for det anden stempelhoved (5), og det anden udløb er en anden spalteåbning (7') tilvejebragt i en anden endevæg (6') ved en mod det anden stempelhoved (5') vendende respektiv første ende 15 af den anden cylindriske rørdel (3').Apparatus (1; 14; 19) according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston component (2) comprises a second piston head (5 ') provided at the second end of the piston rod (4; 4') opposite to its first end and reciprocating within at least one second cylindrical tube member (3 ') in extension of and in communication with said first cylindrical tube member (3), a second inlet (9) in said second cylindrical tube member (3') for loading biomass in said second cylindrical pipe portion (3 ') advanced position of the first piston head (5), which advanced position of the first 5 piston head (5) is the retracted position of the second piston head (5'), a second outlet (7 ') through which compressed biomass is discharged in the first the retracted position of the piston head (5), the retracted position of the first piston head being the advanced position of the second piston head (5), and the second outlet is a second slot opening (7 ') provided in a second end wall (6') at a against the a second piston head (5 ') facing respectively the first end 15 of the second cylindrical pipe portion (3').

3. Apparatur (1;14;19) ifølge krav 1 eller 2, kendetegnet ved at forholdet mellem arealet af den første spalteåbning 20 (7) og arealet af det første stempelhoved (5), der rammer den første endevæg (6), er mellem 1:150 og 1:50, og/eller forholdet mellem arealet af den anden spalteåbning (7') og arealet af det anden stempelhoved (5'), der 25 rammer den anden endevæg (6'), er mellem 1:150 og 1:50.Apparatus (1; 14; 19) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ratio between the area of the first slot opening 20 (7) and the area of the first piston head (5) hitting the first end wall (6) is between 1: 150 and 1:50, and / or the ratio of the area of the second slot opening (7 ') to the area of the second piston head (5') hitting the second end wall (6 ') is between 1: 150 and 1:50.

4. Apparatur (1;14;19) ifølge ethvert af kravene 1, 2 eller 3, kendetegnet ved at apparaturet omfatter, at 30 dimensionerne og/eller positionen af en hvilken som helst af den første spalteåbning (7) og den anden spalteåbning (7') er fast eller justerbar.Apparatus (1; 14; 19) according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the apparatus comprises the dimensions and / or position of any of the first slot opening (7) and the second slot opening ( 7 ') is fixed or adjustable.

5. Apparatur (1;14;19) ifølge ethvert af de foregående krav 1 35 - 4, kendetegnet ved at apparaturet yderligere indbefatter et eller flere targetmidler (12) tilvejebragt foran en DK 177875 B1 16 hvilken som helst af den første spalteåbning (7) eller anden spalteåbning (7') i en valgt targetafstand fra nævnte åbninger, valgfrit er targetmidlerne (12) en massiv plade dimensioneret til at modstå højtryksstråler (11;11') 5 af sønderdelt biomasse udsprøjtet gennem en hvilken som helst af den første spalteåbning (7) eller anden spalteåbning (Τ').Apparatus (1; 14; 19) according to any of the preceding claims 1 35 - 4, characterized in that the apparatus further includes one or more targeting means (12) provided in front of any of the first slot opening (7). ) or other slit aperture (7 ') at a selected target distance from said apertures; optionally, the target means (12) is a solid plate sized to withstand high pressure jets (11; 11') 5 of disintegrated biomass ejected through any of the first slit apertures (7) or other slot opening (Τ ').

6. Apparatur (1;14;19) ifølge ethvert af de foregående krav 1 10 - 5, kendetegnet ved at en hvilken som helst af den første cylindriske rørdel (3) og/eller den anden cylindriske rørdel (3') har en port eller ventil (15,18), der kan betjenes til at udskille ikke-bionedbrydeligt materiale (16), der er 15 tilstede i biomasseudgangsmaterialet (8), og/eller enhver af den første cylindriske rørdel (3) og/eller den anden cylindriske rørdel (3') har aftagelige første endevægge (6;6').Apparatus (1; 14; 19) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that any of the first cylindrical pipe part (3) and / or the second cylindrical pipe part (3 ') has a port or valve (15, 18) operable to separate non-biodegradable material (16) present in the biomass starting material (8), and / or any of the first cylindrical pipe portion (3) and / or the second cylindrical pipe portion (3 ') has removable first end walls (6; 6').

7. Fremgangsmåde til mekanisk at fremstille biologisk omsættelig biomasse ud fra et udgangsmateriale af fugtig biomasse (8) anvendende et apparatur (1;14;19) med en stempelkomponent (2;2') som defineret i ethvert af de foregående krav, kendetegnet ved at fremgangsmåden 25 omfatter trinnene at a) fylde den første cylindriske rørdel (3) med en portion udgangsmateriale af fugtig biomasse (8) via det første indløb (9) mens stempelkomponentens (2) første stempelhoved (5) er i en tilbagetrukket 30 position, b) udføre en første fremadrettet del af et stempelslag, hvori det første stempelhoved (5) slår hårdt imod den første cylindriske rørdels (3) første endevæg (6) for at udlede biomasse ved at udsprøjte en første stråle 35 (11) af biomasse (10) gennem den første spalteåbning (7) , 17 DK 177875 B1 c) udføre en anden returdel af et stempelslag, og d) gentage trinnene a) - c) ved at reciprokere det første stempelhoved (5).A method of mechanically preparing biomarkable biomass from a humid biomass starting material (8) using an apparatus (1; 14; 19) having a plunger component (2; 2 ') as defined in any of the preceding claims, characterized by the method 25 comprising the steps of a) filling the first cylindrical pipe portion (3) with a portion of starting material of moist biomass (8) via the first inlet (9) while the first piston head (5) of the piston component (2) is in a retracted position; b) performing a first forward portion of a piston stroke, wherein the first piston head (5) strikes hard against the first end wall (6) of the first cylindrical pipe portion (3) to discharge biomass by ejecting a first jet 35 (11) of biomass ( 10) through the first slot opening (7), c) performing a second return portion of a piston stroke, and d) repeating steps a) - c) by reciprocating the first piston head (5).

8. Fremgangsmåde ifølge krav 7, hvori stempelkomponenten (2; 2') har et anden stempelhoved (5') tilvejebragt ved stempelstangens (4;4') anden ende modsat den første ende af nævnte stempelstang og reciprokerende inden i i det mindste en anden cylindriske rørdel (3') i forlængelse af 10 og i kommunikation med den første cylindriske rørdel (3), kendetegnet ved at fremgangsmåden yderligere omfatter de modificerede trin a') under trin b) at fylde den anden cylindriske rørdel (3') med udgangsmateriale af fugtig biomasse (8) via det 15 anden indløb (9') mens stempelkomponentens (2; 2') anden stempelhoved (5') er i en tilbagetrukket position, og b') under trin a) slå det anden stempelhoved (5') hårdt mod den anden cylindriske rørdels (3') anden endevæg (6') for at udlede biomasse (10) ved at udsende en anden stråle 20 (11') af biomasse (10) gennem den anden spalteåbning (7').The method of claim 7, wherein the piston component (2; 2 ') has a second piston head (5') provided at the second end of the piston rod (4; 4 ') opposite the first end of said piston rod and reciprocating within at least a second cylindrical pipe portion (3 ') extending by 10 and communicating with the first cylindrical pipe portion (3), characterized in that the method further comprises the modified steps a') during step b) filling the second cylindrical pipe portion (3 ') with starting material of damp biomass (8) via the second inlet (9 ') while the second piston head (5') of the piston component (2; 2 ') is in a retracted position and b') during step a) strike the second piston head (5 ') hard against the second end wall (6 ') of the second cylindrical tube portion (3') to discharge biomass (10) by emitting a second beam 20 (11 ') of biomass (10) through the second slot opening (7').

9. Fremgangsmåde ifølge ethvert af kravene 7 eller 8, kendetegnet ved at den første stråle (11) og den anden stråle (11') udsprøjtes fra respektive første og anden 25 spalteåbninger (7;7') og smadres over på et targetmiddel (12), foretrukket a massiv plate, foretrukket en massiv metalplade.Method according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the first beam (11) and the second beam (11 ') are sprayed from respective first and second 25 orifices (7; 7') and smeared onto a target means (12 ), preferably a solid sheet, preferably a solid sheet metal.

10. Fremgangsmåde ifølge ethvert af kravene 7, 8 eller 9, 30 kendetegnet ved at det første (5) og/eller anden stempelhoved (5') reciprokerer med en hastighed valgt til at udsprøjte biomasse (8) via de respektive første (7) og/eller anden spalteåbninger (7') med en hastighed på mindst 50 m/s, foretrukket mindst 75 m/s. 35Method according to any one of claims 7, 8 or 9, 30, characterized in that the first (5) and / or second piston head (5 ') reciprocates at a rate selected to inject biomass (8) via the respective first (7) and / or other slot openings (7 ') at a speed of at least 50 m / s, preferably at least 75 m / s. 35