Patent ID: 8211274

Claim:
A method of producing solidified biomass comprising: crushing raw biomass material which is photosynthetic product; loading a barrel with said crushed raw biomass material; inserting a pressure applying tool slidably into a hollow of said barrel loaded with said crushed raw biomass material so that pressure can be applied to said crushed raw biomass material by said pressure applying tool; pressure-forming said crushed raw biomass materials by applying pressure to the material with said pressure applying tool slidably inserted into the barrel while heating the material; allowing hemicellulose among main components of said raw biomass material, i.e. lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose, to be thermally decomposed and allowing low-temperature reaction to occur between cellulose and lignin while maintaining their skeletons, thereby obtaining semi-carbonized solid matter or pre-semi-carbonized solid matter; cooling said semi-carbonized solid matter or pre-semi-carbonized solid matter while maintaining pressure of said pressure-forming to obtain a cooled solid; and taking out and drying said cooled solid.