TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The apparatus further comprises a valve connected to the biomass feed inlet of the pressurized vessel for maintaining pressure in the mixing vessel during addition of the biomass feed; and a metering mechanism connected to the valve for controlling the rate of addition of the biomass feed. The valve and the metering mechanism are a rotary valve or a screw feeder. The reactor coil comprises a first coil portion made up of a first material and a second coil portion made up of a second material different from the first material, the second portion of the reactor coil is disposed between the first portion of the reactor coil and the base of the reactor vessel, the second material is capable of withstanding higher temperatures than the first material. The floating frame comprises three tubes extending vertically between the vessel top and base. Each tube has a top and bottom end. Each of the top and bottom ends intersects the hood and base, respectively, such that the top and bottom ends are external to the reactor vessel. The base of the reactor vessel has three holes for receiving the bottom ends of the tubes and are spaced evenly apart and adjacent to the side wall and are sufficiently larger than the tubes to allow for the expansion and contraction of the tubes. Three mounts for restricting the vertical movement of the tubes affixed to the bottom ends of the tubes and disposed above the holes when the tubes are engaged in the holes, and the mounts have an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the holes. The coil is comprised of interconnected loops forming a helix, and the clamps comprise u-bolts, which loosely encircle one of the loops of the coil thus allowing for expansion and contraction of the coil upon heating and cooling but limiting the area for movement of the tube. The support means further comprises individual support stations affixed to the tubes and aligned perpendicularly and the individual loops are positioned above the stations such that the loops rest on the stations. The number of individual loops of the first portion of the reactor coil is greater than the number of individual loops of the second portion. The support means further comprises a means for cooling the support means. The tubes are hollow and a cooling fluid enters a first end of the tubes and exits a second end of the tubes, thus cooling the support means.