| CPC C08H 8/00 (2013.01) [B01J 8/001 (2013.01); B01J 8/0045 (2013.01); B01J 8/087 (2013.01); B01J 8/10 (2013.01); D21C 1/02 (2013.01); D21C 1/10 (2013.01); D21C 3/222 (2013.01); D21C 7/06 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00017 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00539 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A process for treating a lignocellulosic biomass comprising a solids content of not more than 90% by weight, said process comprising
feeding the lignocellulosic biomass to an impregnation reactor (9) via a first feeder (6) wherein said first feeder is a plug screw feeder
increasing the pressure between a biomass inlet and a biomass outlet of the first feeder (6), and
wherein the second feeder (6) is washed by circulation of a washing fluid between a washing inlet (7) and a washing outlet (8), and
wherein at least a portion of the washing fluid exiting the washing outlet of the first feeder (6) is reintroduced into the washing inlet (7),
wherein the process additionally comprises:
a) preparing an impregnation liquor (4) containing a chemical catalyst (2) suitable for impregnation of the lignocellulosic biomass (5), wherein the chemical catalyst (2) is an acid catalyst, a basic catalyst or an oxidizing catalyst, in a preparation zone (3),
b) introducing the lignocellulosic biomass (5), which is milled, via an inlet of the impregnation reactor (9) by the first feeder (6), the first feeder being washed by circulation of a first washing fluid between an inlet and an outlet of the first feeder (6),
c) introducing the impregnation liquor into the impregnation reactor (9) via a first impregnation liquor inlet of the impregnation reactor (9),
d) draining and transferring the resultant impregnated biomass (10), from an impregnation reactor outlet to an inlet of a cooking pretreatment reactor (14), the introduction into the cooking reactor (14), which is a cooking pretreatment reactor, and which is a steam explosion reactor, taking place via a second feeder (11), the second feeder (11) being washed by circulation of a second washing fluid between an inlet and an outlet of the second feeder (11),
e) pretreating the biomass (10) in the cooking reactor (14), which is,
f) reintroducing at least a portion of the first and/or of the second washing fluid leaving the fluid outlet of said first or of said second feeder (6), (11) into a washing inlet of the first feeder (6) and/or of the second feeder (11).
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