An apparatus and process are disclosed for producing hydrocarbons from biomass, the apparatus comprising: a pyrolysis reactor (2) in which dry biomass (Bd) is heated in an environment substantially free from oxygen and halogens, wherein a pyrolysis product (PP) and char (C) is produced; a gasification reactor (3) in which the separated char (C) is heated in an environment containing steam (Wst) so as to reduce said char (C) to produce a synthesis gas (Sh), a gas cooler (4) in which the produced synthesis gas (Sh) is cooled to a cooled synthesis gas (Srt); a conditioning and pressure system (5), in which the cooled synthesis gas (Srt) is refined so as to produce a purified synthesis gas (Sp); a separation device (6), in which hydrogen gas (H2) is separated from the purified synthesis gas (Sp). The apparatus also comprises a hydrogenation device (7), into which pyrolysis oil (PO) retrieved from the pyrolysis product (PP), and at least a portion of the separated hydrogen gas (H2) recuperated from the separation device (6) are introduced for a hydrogenation step, in which the pyrolysis oil (PO) is hydrogenated by the presence of the hydrogen gas (H2), wherein hydrocarbons (BO) that are substantially free from oxygen are produced.

A computer-implemented system and method for template-based imaging are disclosed. A first image of a first slide, a second image of a second slide, and a third image of a third slide are received, wherein the third image includes a representation of a sample disposed on the third slide. Values of pixels of a template image that are associated with a plurality of features common to the first and second slides and represented in the first and second images are set to a non-background value and values of pixels of the template image not associated with the plurality of features are set to a background value. An offset between the template image and the third image is developed and coordinates of pixels in the third image that are associated with the representation of the sample are determined in accordance with the offset.

Systems and methods are provided for conveyor operation and maintenance that employ a smart shoe technology where one or more conveyor shoes incorporate features, such as an RFID tag, allowing selective wireless tracking and identification capability. A conveyor system comprises a shoe management system allowing interactions directly with a reader where interface between this application and the reader can be implemented via a socket interface. An open platform communications (OPC) wrapper can be created around the interface so that a Human Machine Interface (HMI) could interact directly with shoe management system

Nickel based catalyst structures are described herein that include a plurality of metal oxides formed as crystalline phases within the catalyst structures. Each metal oxide of a catalyst structure includes nickel and/or aluminum, where one or more metal oxides includes a nickel aluminum oxide, and the one or more nickel aluminum oxides is greater than 50% by weight of the catalyst structure. The catalyst structures further have surface areas of at least 13 m.sup.2/g. The catalyst structures are resistant to high concentrations of sulfur and are effective in reforming operations for converting methane and other light hydrocarbons to hydrogen and one or more other components. For example, the catalyst structures are effective in coal and biomass gasification systems for the forming and cleanup of synthetic gas.