Method and apparatus for producing biofuel in an oscillating flow production line under supercritical fluid conditions

1. A production line for producing biofuel, or other bio-based chemicals, from biomass in a continuous flow, using thermo-chemical conversion of the biomass, comprising:

a biomass inlet,

a tubular reactor,

two double piston based pumps each having associated valves for control of working pressure and each having associated hydraulic actuators situated upstream and downstream relative to the biomass inlet,

heating means (HM) in thermal contact with a first part of the tubular reactor for controlling the temperature in the tubular reactor, and

cooling means (CM) in thermal contact with a second part of the tubular reactor for cooling the biomass under conversion,

wherein the tubular reactor is not equipped with internal baffles that influence mixing.

2. The production line of claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger including heat clamps made from solid matrixes of heat conducting material that surround the tubular reactor.

3. A method for producing bio-fuel, or other bio-based chemicals, from biomass under continuous flow in the production line of claim 1 comprising:

operating each of the two double piston-based pumps in a manner such that the two pistons of each double piston-based pump work in counter-phase relative to one another and controlling the corresponding working pressure of the pistons using the associated valves; and

thermo-chemically converting the biomass in the tubular reactor.

4. A method for producing bio-fuel, or other bio-based chemicals, from biomass under continuous flow in the production line of claim 1 comprising:

operating the production line in a manner such that the flow in at least part of the tubular reactor oscillates such that local flow has alternating direction between forward and backward, resulting in lower viscosity of the biomass and higher heat transfer; and

thermo-chemically converting the biomass in the tubular reactor.

5. A method for producing bio-fuel, or other bio-based chemicals, from biomass under continuous flow in the production line of claim 1 comprising:

maintaining a conversion zone situated between the first part of the tubular reactor in thermal contact with the heating means and the second part of the tubular reactor in thermal contact with the cooling means at a temperature between 500K and 650K; and

thermo-chemically converting the biomass in the tubular reactor.

6. A method for producing bio-fuel or other bio-based chemicals, from biomass under continuous flow in the production line of claim 1 comprising:

operating the two double piston-based pumps, the heating means, and the cooling means of the production line in a manner such that a conversion zone (CZ) situated between the first part of the tubular reactor in thermal contact with the heating means and the second part of the tubular reactor in thermal contact with the cooling means is maintained under supercritical or near-supercritical fluid conditions to induce biomass conversion; and

thermo-chemically converting the biomass in the tubular reactor.

7. A method for producing bio-fuel or other bio-based chemicals, from biomass under continuous flow in the production line of claim 1 comprising:

thermo-chemically converting the biomass in the tubular reactor in the presence of water or other polar solvents.