Patent ID: 8513004
Filing Date: 2013-08-20
Classification: B01F,B05B,C12M,C12P,C13K,D21G,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A biomass treatment apparatus, comprising: a mixing container adapted to mix a supply of biomass and a supply of working fluid to form a biomass slurry; a pump adapted to pump the slurry from the mixing container; and at least one fluid processor adapted to receive the slurry from the mixing container; wherein the fluid processor comprises: a hollow body provided with a straight-through passage of substantially constant cross section with an inlet at one end of the passage and an outlet at the other end of the passage for the entry and discharge respectively of a working fluid; a nozzle substantially circumscribing and opening into said passage intermediate the inlet and outlet ends thereof; an inlet communicating with the nozzle for the introduction of a transport fluid; and a mixing chamber being formed within the passage downstream of the nozzle; wherein an internal wall of the passage upstream of the mixing chamber is provided with at least one groove that creates turbulence in the working fluid flow prior to any interaction between the working fluid and the transport fluid; and wherein the nozzle internal geometry, the bore profile of the passage immediately upstream of the nozzle exit and the internal wall of the straight-through passage are so disposed and configured to optimise the energy transfer between the transport fluid and working fluid that in use through the introduction of transport fluid the working fluid or fluids are atomised to form a dispersed vapour/droplet flow regime with locally supersonic flow conditions within a pseudo-vena contracta, resulting in the creation of a supersonic condensation shock wave within the downstream mixing chamber by the condensation of the transport fluid.