Patent ID: 8002857

Claim:
A process for pretreating lignocellulosic biomass material in the form of particles with a maximum size of between 0.5 cm and 5 cm for the purpose of supplying a gasification unit, comprising the following stages in the absence of a prior stage of heated drying of said biomass so as to decrease the water content of the biomass: One stage (1) for mixing the lignocellulosic biomass particles in a mixer M with a heavy hydrocarbon fraction having an initial boiling point higher than 350° C., heated to a temperature of between 250° C. and 350° C., so as to provide a moisture level of the biomass particles of less than 10% by weight, and a temperature of the mixture of between 200° C. and 300° C., One stage (2) for grinding the mixture obtained at the end of stage (1) in a mill B, so as to reduce the biomass particles to a size less than 500 microns, and to form a suspension having a biomass content less than 30% by weight, One stage (3) for supplying the gasification unit with the suspension formed in stage (2) at a temperature of between 200° C. and 300° C.