Thermochemical Processes

The products differ depending on the respective process environment (presence/absence of water or oxygen) and the temperature range. While the entire organic matter is oxidized in classic combustion, the nature of the remaining organic material changes in the other processes. Almost all processes in the figure, which are arranged to the left of the complete combustion, produce solid (sometimes muddy but easily dewatered) products that have coal-like characteristics and are called biochar or hydrochar.

The following processes are of particular interest:

• Gasification
• Pyrolysis
• Hydrothermal Carbonisation (HTC)
• Vapothermal Carbonisation (VTC)
• Fermentation