Steam saving device
The steam saving device for a steam explosion system for the hydrothermal pre-treatment of biomass comprises a tubular body 30 with a first open end 32 and a second open end 34 . The first open end 32 being adapted to be coupled to an outlet opening 14 of a steam explosion reactor vessel 10 , the second open end 34 being adapted to be coupled to a discharge line 18 . The inner surface 36 of the tubular body 30 of the nozzle 16 may comprise an engraved helical structure 38.
1. A nozzle ( 16 ) adapted to be coupled to and inserted into an outlet opening ( 14 ) of a steam explosion reactor vessel ( 10 ) of a steam explosion system for the hydrothermal pre-treatment of biomass, the nozzle ( 16 ) configured to transfer pre-treated biomass suspended in steam from said reactor vessel via a conduit ( 18 ) to a separation device, the nozzle ( 16 ) comprising:
a tubular body ( 30 ) with a first open end ( 32 ) and a second open end ( 34 ),
the first open end ( 32 ) coupled to and inserted into the outlet opening ( 14 ) of the reactor vessel ( 10 ) to receive pre-treated biomass from the reactor vessel,
the second open end ( 34 ) coupled to the conduit ( 18 ) to the separation device to convey the pretreated biomass to the separation device,
wherein an inner wall surface ( 36 ) of the tubular body ( 30 ) of the nozzle ( 16 ) comprises an engraved helical structure, wherein the nozzle ( 16 ) is made from a ceramic material, and wherein the engraved helical structure of the nozzle is capable of reducing steam consumption in a steam explosion-based hydrothermal pre-treatment of a biomass carried out using said reactor vessel ( 10 ), nozzle ( 16 ), and conduit ( 18 ) by at least about 5-fold compared to the nozzle lacking an engraved helical structure.
2. The nozzle ( 16 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the pitch of the engraved helical structure is in the range of between 1 and 300 mm.
3. The nozzle ( 16 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the nozzle ( 16 ) is in the range of from 1 to 3500 mm.
4. The nozzle ( 16 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the inner wall surface ( 36 ) of the nozzle ( 16 ) is in the range of from 10 to 9000 mm 2 .
5. The nozzle ( 16 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the depth of the engraved helical structure is in the range of from 0.1 to 15 mm.
6. The nozzle ( 16 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the engraved helical structure is in the range of from 0.1 to 3 mm.
7. The nozzle ( 16 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle ( 16 ) is made from aluminium oxide having a purity of above 92%.
8. The nozzle ( 16 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle ( 16 ) is made from aluminium oxide having a purity of 99.7%.
9. The nozzle ( 16 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle ( 16 ) reduces pressure in said conduit ( 18 ).