DELIGNIFICATION STUDIES IN FLOW-THROUGH REACTORS - A REVIEW

Literature is reviewed relating to the treatment of phytomass in an ap paratus identified as a ''flow-through reactor'' (FTR), i.e. one in wh ich a solid phase (such as phytomass) is held immobile within the reac tor while a fluid phase is caused to flow, usually at a steady rare, t hrough the reactor. Fluid flow through nit FTR may be characterized in terms of average residence time (RT), residence time distribution (RT D), and in other ways. Differences between results obtained from an FT R versus a batch reactor (BR), i.e. one in which the reactive fluid al ways remains contained with ill the reactor; are pointed out. Many sig nificant results have arisen from laboratory FTR experiments in wood c hemistry and pulp and paper technology.