English: Steam Explosion Rig

Part of speech

Noun, Masculine, Singular

Definition

The Steam Explosion Pilot Facility uses steam to rapidly heat biomass up to a high pressure and temperature. Under high pressure the superheated steam penetrates the fibers as a liquid. The reactor is then rapidly decompressed into a flash tank, resulting in the hot liquid water reverting to steam. It is this rapid expansion that explodes the fiber in to small particles, which then enables better access for enzymes to release fermentable sugars from the plant fiber.