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Updated: Feb 7, 2026

An Experimental Protocol for Studying Mineral Effects on Organic Hydrothermal Transformations
Published on: August 8, 2018
Hydrothermal extraction of hemicellulose: from lab to pilot scale
Gianluca Gallina1, Enrique Regidor Alfageme1, Pierdomenico Biasi2
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, High Pressure Processes Group, University of Valladolid, Valladolid ES-47011, Spain.
Abstract:
A flow-through reactor for hemicelluloses extraction with hot pressurized water was scaled with a factor of 73. System performance was evaluated by comparing the temperature profile, extraction yield and kinetics of the two systems, performing experiments at 160 and 170°C, 11barg for 90min, using catalpa wood as raw material. Hemicellulose yields were 33.9% and 38.8% (lab scale 160°C and 170°C) and 35.7% and 41.7% (pilot scale 160°C and 170°C). The pilot reactor was upgraded by designing a manifold system capable to provide samples with different liquid residence time during the same experiment. Tests at 140, 150, 160 and 170°C were carried for 90min. Increasing yields (9.3-40.6%) and decreasing molecular weights (4078-1417Da) were obtained at increasing the temperature. Biomass/water ratio of 1/27 gave total average concentration of xylose of 0.4g/L (140°C) to 1.8g/L (170°C).
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