Method and apparatus for disruption of biomass cells

The present invention relates to a method for disrupting suspended biomass material, comprising the steps of: providing a suspension of biomass material in a first vessel (1), said suspension having a dry cell weight between 0.1 % and 15% (w/w); pressurizing said suspension to a first pressure (p1) between 7500 kPa and 450000 kPa by using a first high-pressure pump (10); providing a pressurized gas disruption agent and/or a pressurized liquid disruption agent in a second vessel (2); pressurizing said gas and/or liquid disruption agent to a second pressure (p2) between 7500 kPa and 450000 kPa by using a second high- pressure pump (20), said second pressure (p2) being higher than said first pressure (p1); injecting a stream of said pressurized disruption agent into a stream of said pressurized suspension of biomass material and forming a micro-emulsion; passing said micro-emulsion sequentially through a hydrodynamic agitation system (11) and a relief valve (13). An apparatus (and stack of (parallel) systems) fo