Primary processing

Primary processing of biowaste results in intermediate chemicals and/or materials which will then go into the secondary processing after which the final product is obtained. While some technologies are used exclusively for the purpose of primary processing, others (such as the separation processes and technologies) can be utilised in both primary and secondary processing.

Biochemical processes and technologies

• Aeration
• Anaerobic digestion
• Composting
• Insect farming

Chemical processes and technologies (these might be hybrid processing)

• Hydrolysis
  • Acid Acid
  • Alkali
  • Salt
    • Metal salts
    • Sulphite salt
  • Solvent
    • Organosolv
• Ionic liquids
• Oxidation
• Plasma

Hybrid processes and technologies

• Pulping
  • Chemical pulping
    • Organosolv
    • Soda
    • Sulphate
    • Sulphite
  • Hybrid pulping
    • Neutral Sulfite Semi Chemical pulping (NSSC)
    • Chemithermomechanical pulping (CTMP)
  • Mechanical pulping
    • Refiner
      • Thermomechanical pulping (TMP)
      • Refiner mechanical pulping (RMP)
    • Groundwood
      • Stone groundwood (SGW)
      • Thermal groundwood (TGW)
      • Pressure groundwood (PGW)

Physical processes and technologies (these might be hybrid processing)

• Sizing
  • Chipping
  • Grinding
• Densification
  • Pressure densification
• Microwave pre-treatment
• Steam explosion
  • Air
  • Supercritical CO₂
• Thermal expansion
• Ultrasonication

Thermochemical processes and technologies

• Ammonia fibre expansion
• Gasification
• Hydrothermal processing
• Pyrolysis
• Torrefaction
  • Dry torrefaction
  • Wet torrefaction