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 being comprised between 0.1% and 15% (w/w); - pressurizing said suspension to a pressure (p1) being comprised 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 pressure (p2) being comprised between 7500 kPa and 450000 kPa by using a second high-pressure pump (20), said pressure (p2) being higher than said pressure (p1); - injecting a stream of said pressurized disruption agent into a stream of said pressurized suspension of biomass material by using a sparger system (7), thereby bringing said two streams together 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) for disrupting suspended biomass material and use thereof is provided as well.