A system for silica removal in a process for prehydrolysis kraft pulp production, the system comprising at least: a vessel having a top section and a bottom section ; a chip inlet arranged in the top section for introduction of wood chips into the vessel ; a steam inlet arranged in the top section for introduction of steam into the vessel ; a first fluid inlet arranged in the vessel for introduction of fluid into the vessel , to provide a chip slurry having a chip slurry temperature in a soaking zone disposed below the top section , the chip soaking zone being a zone in which wood chips are submerged in fluid for a specified soaking time; a chip slurry outlet arranged in the bottom section and connected to a chip slurry transportation pipe for transport of the chip slurry; a second fluid inlet arranged in the bottom section and/or in the chip slurry transportation pipe for dilution of the chip slurry in the chip slurry transportation pipe to a liquid-to-wood ratio of at least 10:1 with a dilution fluid having a temperature higher than the chip slurry temperature; a dewatering device connected to the chip slurry transportation pipe for dewatering the chip slurry and creating a first flow of chip slurry having a liquid-to-wood ratio of less than 3:1 and a second flow of silica-containing fluid; and a return pipe connected to the dewatering device for transport of the second flow of silica-containing fluid and connected to the first fluid inlet and/or to the second fluid inlet , wherein at least one silica separator is arranged in the return pipe , and that the soaking time is between 30 minutes to 120 minutes, that the chip slurry temperature is 95-105 °C, and that the dilution fluid temperature is 110-130 °C. a vessel having a top section and a bottom section ; a chip inlet arranged in the top section for introduction of wood chips into the vessel ; a steam inlet arranged in the top section for introduction of steam into the vessel ; a first fluid inlet arranged in the vessel for introduction of fluid into the vessel , to provide a chip slurry having a chip slurry temperature in a soaking zone disposed below the top section , the chip soaking zone being a zone in which wood chips are submerged in fluid for a specified soaking time; a chip slurry outlet arranged in the bottom section and connected to a chip slurry transportation pipe for transport of the chip slurry; a second fluid inlet arranged in the bottom section and/or in the chip slurry transportation pipe for dilution of the chip slurry in the chip slurry transportation pipe to a liquid-to-wood ratio of at least 10:1 with a dilution fluid having a temperature higher than the chip slurry temperature; a dewatering device connected to the chip slurry transportation pipe for dewatering the chip slurry and creating a first flow of chip slurry having a liquid-to-wood ratio of less than 3:1 and a second flow of silica-containing fluid; and a return pipe connected to the dewatering device for transport of the second flow of silica-containing fluid and connected to the first fluid inlet and/or to the second fluid inlet , wherein at least one silica separator is arranged in the return pipe , and that the soaking time is between 30 minutes to 120 minutes, that the chip slurry temperature is 95-105 °C, and that the dilution fluid temperature is 110-130 °C. <EOS>