APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HYDROTHERMALLY DECOMPOSING BIOMASS

摘要

An apparatus which comprises: a biomass feeder (31) which feeds a raw biomass material (11) from an ordinary-pressure atmosphere to an elevated-pressure atmosphere; a hydrothermal decomposer (41A) in which the raw biomass material (11) fed is conveyed from a lower end side to an inner part of a tilting device main body (42) by means of a conveyor screw (43) and, simultaneously therewith, pressurized hot water (15) is supplied to the inner part of the device main body (42) from an upper end side, which is different from the side where the raw biomass material (11) is fed, whereby the raw biomass material (11) is hydrothermally decomposed while being brought into countercurrent contact with the pressurized hot water (15) to transfer a lignin component and a hemicellulose component to the pressurized hot water (15) and separate the lignin component and hemicellulose component from the raw biomass material (11); and a biomass discharger (51) which discharges a biomass solid matter (17) from the upper end side of the device main body (42), i.e., from an elevated-pressure atmosphere to an ordinary-pressure atmosphere.