Systems and methods are provided for incorporating molten carbonate fuel cells into a heat recovery steam generation system (HRSG) for production of electrical power while also reducing or minimizing the amount of CO.sub.2 present in the flue gas exiting the HRSG. An optionally multi-layer screen or wall of molten carbonate fuel cells can be inserted into the HRSG so that the screen of molten carbonate fuel cells substantially fills the cross-sectional area. By using the walls of the HRSG and the screen of molten carbonate fuel cells to form a cathode input manifold, the overall amount of duct or flow passages associated with the MCFCs can be reduced.

A process and system for producing a synthetic hydrocarbon having a desired H/C ratio is disclosed. Organic material is biochemically digested in a two stage biodigester for separately producing a hydrogen containing biogas substantially free of methane in a first stage and a methane containing biogas in a second stage. The methane containing biogas is reformed in a first reformer to generate hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide gas, which are then combined in a mixer with the hydrogen containing biogas into a syngas in amounts to achieve in the syngas an overall H/C ratio substantially equal to the desired H/C ratio. The syngas is reacted with a catalyst in a second reformer, a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor, to produce the hydrocarbon. Using a two stage biodigester allows for the generation of separate hydrogen and methane streams, a more economical generation of the FT syngas and reduced fouling of the FT catalyst.

A system and method for producing Syngas from the CO.sub.2 in a gaseous stream, such as an exhaust stream, from a power plant or industrial plant, like a cement kiln, is disclosed. A preferred embodiment includes providing the gaseous stream to pyrolysis reactor along with a carbon source such as coke. The CO.sub.2 and carbon are heated to about 1330° C. and at about one atmosphere with reactants such as steam such that a reaction takes place that produces Syngas, carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and hydrogen (H.sub.2). The Syngas is then cleaned and provided to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactor to produce Ethanol or Bio-catalytic synthesis reactor.

The invention relates to a method for producing products by microbial fermentation. The method comprises first converting a feed stream containing methane to a gaseous substrate comprising CO, of the invention include converting CO H.sub.2, and CO.sub.2 using a steam reforming zone and a water gas shift zone. The gaseous substrate is then converted to products such as alcohols and/or acids byto one or more products including alcohols and/or acids by fermentation using a carboxydotrophic microorganism.

Methods and systems to achieve clean fuel processing systems in which carbon dioxide emissions (1) from sources (2) may be processed in at least one processing reactor (4) containing a plurality of chemoautotrophic bacteria (5) which can convert the carbon dioxide emissions into biomass (6) which may then be used for various products (21) such as biofuels, fertilizer, feedstock, or the like. Sulfate reducing bacteria (13) may be used to supply sulfur containing compounds to the chemoautotrophic bacteria (5).

A novel system and method for storing hydrogen in a salt cavern and supplying therefrom is provided. Hydrogen product withdrawn from a hydrogen pipeline may be chilled prior to being introduced into a cavern in order to cool at least a portion of the walls of the salt cavern so that one or more layers of the localized portion of the walls attains a stabilized state whereby contaminant release from the walls is suppressed. The present invention anticipates and strategically plans for contaminant intrusion form a salt cavern in order to reduce the degree of contaminant intrusion from a salt cavern while also allowing the stored hydrogen to have more absorption capacity for water vapor by virtue of entering the salt cavern in a sufficiently drier state. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, a crude hydrogen stream may be withdrawn from the cavern and chilled prior to introducing to the hydrogen pipeline.

A method of removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and generating hydrogen includes capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in an alkaline capture solution, sending the alkaline capture solution to a series of electrolyzers in a CO.sub.2-rich path, wherein each electrolyzer cell raises the acidity of the input CO.sub.2-rich solution to produce an acidified CO.sub.2-rich solution, removing carbon dioxide from the acidified CO.sub.2-rich solution at a carbon dioxide removal unit operation to produce a CO.sub.2-poor solution, sending the CO.sub.2-poor solution to the series of electrolyzers in a return path, wherein each electrolyzer raises the alkalinity of the return CO.sub.2-poor solution to produce a basified CO.sub.2-poor solution, wherein a difference in pH between the CO.sub.2-rich solution and the CO.sub.2-poor solution within each electrolyzer is less than 3, and returning the basified CO.sub.2-poor solution to the carbon dioxide capture unit operation.

A system and method for producing hydrogen from hydrocarbon and steam, including a membrane reformer with multiple membrane reactors each having a tubular membrane. The bore of the tubular membrane is the permeate side for the hydrogen. The region external to the tubular membrane is the retentate side for carbon dioxide. A sweep gas flows through the bore to displace hydrogen in a direction countercurrent to flow of hydrocarbon and steam in the region external to the tubular membrane. The method includes discharging hydrogen as permeate with the sweep gas from the bore, and discharging carbon dioxide in the region external to the tubular membrane as retentate from the membrane reactor.

Processes for producing high biogenic concentration Fischer-Tropsch liquids derived from the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (MSW) feedstock that contains a relatively high concentration of biogenic carbon (derived from plants) and a relatively low concentration of non-biogenic carbon (derived from fossil sources) wherein the biogenic content of the Fischer-Tropsch liquids is the same as the biogenic content of the feedstock.

A process and plant for the co-production of methanol and ammonia together with urea production from a hydrocarbon feed without venting to the atmosphere carbon dioxide captured from the methanol or ammonia synthesis gas and without using expensive air separation units and water gas shift. Carbon dioxide is removed from flue gas from reforming section and used to convert partially or fully all ammonia into urea.