A process for the manufacture of a useful product from carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics, comprising the steps of: continuously providing the carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics to a gasification zone; gasifying the carbonaceous feedstock in the gasification zone to obtain raw synthesis gas; recovering at least part of the raw synthesis gas from the gasification zone and supplying at least part of the recovered raw synthesis gas to a partial oxidation zone; equilibrating the H.sub.2:CO ratio of the raw synthesis gas in the partial oxidation zone to obtain equilibrated synthesis gas; recovering at least part of the equilibrated synthesis gas from the partial oxidation zone and treating the gas to remove impurities and generate a fine synthesis gas; and converting the optionally adjusted fine synthesis gas into the useful product in a further chemical reaction requiring a usage ratio.

A method of producing liquid fuel and/or chemicals from a carbonaceous material entails combusting a conditioned syngas in pulse combustion heat exchangers of a steam reformer to help convert carbonaceous material into first reactor product gas which includes carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases. A portion of the first reactor product gas is transferred to a hydrogen reformer into which additional conditioned syngas is added and a reaction carried out to produce an improved syngas. The improved syngas is then subject to one or more gas clean-up steps to form a new conditioned syngas. A portion of the new conditioned syngas is recycled to be used as the conditioned syngas in the pulse combustion heat exchangers and in the hydrocarbon reformer. A system for carrying out the method include, a steam reformer, a hydrocarbon reformer, first and second gas-cleanup systems, a synthesis system and an upgrading system.

One variation of a diamond composition includes carbon: including a first amount of carbon-13 isotopes and a second amount of carbon-12 isotopes; and sourced from a hydrocarbon mixture including hydrocarbons and formed via methanation of a carbon dioxide mixture. The carbon dioxide mixture: sourced from a sample of air including carbon dioxide and impurities; conveyed through a separation unit configured to remove impurities; including carbon dioxide and impurities; conveyed through a distillation column configured to regulate amounts of carbon-13 isotopes and carbon-12 isotopes; and exhibiting a target ratio of carbon-13 isotopes to carbon-12 isotopes at an outlet of the distillation column. The diamond composition: formed via chemical vapor deposition; and exhibiting an isotopic signature defining a final ratio of the first amount of carbon-13 isotopes to the second amount of carbon-12 isotopes within a first target range corresponding to the target ratio exhibited by the carbon dioxide mixture.

A process to efficiently convert organic feedstock material into liquid non-oxygenated hydrocarbons in the C.sub.5 to C.sub.12 carbon skeleton range is disclosed. The process can utilize gaseous, liquid or solid organic feedstocks containing carbon, hydrogen and, optionally, oxygen. The feedstock may require preparation of the organic feedstock for the process and is converted first into a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The synthesis gas is then cleaned and conditioned and extraneous components removed, leaving substantially only the carbon monoxide and hydrogen. It is then converted via a series of chemical reactions into the desired liquid hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons are suitable for combustion in a vehicle engine and may be regarded a replacement for petrol made from fossil fuels in the C.sub.5 to C.sub.2 carbon backbone range. The process also recycles gaseous by-products back through the various reactors of the process to maximize the liquid hydrocarbon in the C.sub.5 to C.sub.12 carbon skeleton range yield.

The present invention relates to catalysts, more particularly to a cobalt-containing catalyst composition. The present invention further relates to a process for preparing a cobalt-containing catalyst precursor, a process for preparing a cobalt-containing catalyst, and a hydrocarbon synthesis process wherein such a catalyst is used. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a cobalt-containing catalyst composition comprising cobalt and/or a cobalt compound supported on and/or in a catalyst support; the catalyst composition also including a titanium compound on and/or in the catalyst support, and a manganese compound on and/or in the catalyst support.

A method for producing a synthesis gas for use in the production of a hydrocarbon product, particularly a synthetic fuel, the method including the steps of: providing a hydrocarbon feed gas; optionally, purifying the hydrocarbon feed gas in a gas purification unit; optionally, prereforming the hydrocarbon feed gas together with a steam feedstock in a prereforming unit; carrying out steam methane reforming in a reforming reactor heated by means of an electrical power source; providing the synthesis gas to a synthetic fuel synthesis unit, preferably a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis unit, for converting the synthesis gas into hydrocarbon product and producing a tail gas. Also, a system for producing a synthesis gas for use in the production of a hydrocarbon product, particularly a synthetic fuel.

A fuel production system 1 includes a gasification unit 3; an electrolysis unit 60 that is connected to a renewable power generating unit 5 and a commercial power grid 8 and produces hydrogen using electric power; and a control unit 7 that determines a power index that depending on the carbon dioxide emission intensity of the electric power supplied from the commercial power grid 8. When the remaining amount of hydrogen is smaller than a lower threshold, the control unit 7 causes electric power to be supplied to the electrolysis unit 60 from the renewable power generating unit 5 and the commercial power grid 8 for production of hydrogen, and controls, based on the power index, the amount of hydrogen supplied by a hydrogen supply pump 64 and the amount of commercial power supply from the commercial power grid 8 to the electrolysis unit 60.

A process for the manufacture of a useful product from carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics, the process comprising the steps of: continuously providing the carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics to a gasification zone; gasifying the carbonaceous feedstock in the gasification zone to obtain raw synthesis gas; sequentially removing ammoniacal, sulphurous and carbon dioxide impurities from the raw synthesis gas to form desulphurised gas and recovering carbon dioxide in substantially pure form; converting at least a portion of the desulphurised synthesis gas to a useful product. Despite having selected a more energy intensive sub-process i.e. physical absorption for removal of acid gas impurities, the overall power requirement of the facility is lower on account of lower steam requirements and thereby leading to a decrease in the carbon intensity score for the facility.

The present invention is directed to unique processes, catalysts and systems for the direct production of liquid fuels (e.g., premium diesel fuel) from synthesis gas produced from natural feedstocks such as natural gas, natural gas liquids, carbon dioxide or other similar compounds or materials. In one aspect, the present invention provides a process for the production of a hydrocarbon mixture comprising the steps of: a) reducing a catalyst in-situ in a fixed bed reactor; b) reacting a feed gas that contains hydrogen and carbon monoxide with the catalyst to produce a hydrocarbon product stream, wherein the hydrocarbon product stream comprises light gases, a diesel fuel and a wax, and wherein the diesel fuel fraction is produced without requiring the hydroprocessing of wax, and wherein the catalyst comprises one or more metals deposited on a gamma alumina support at greater than about 5 weight percent, and wherein platinum or rhenium is included on the support in an amount ranging from about 0.01 weight percent and about 2 weight percent as a promoter, and wherein the catalyst has surface pore diameters between about 100 and 150 Angstroms, sub-surface pore diameters between 10 and 30 Angstroms a crush strength greater than about 3 lbs./mm, a mean effective pellet radius less than about 600 microns, and a BET surface area greater than about 100 m.sup.2/g, and wherein the diesel fuel comprises more than about 70 percent C.sub.8-C.sub.24 hydrocarbons.

The invention relates to a a method for producing a synthesis gas for use in the production of a hydrocarbon product, particularly a synthetic fuel, said method comprising the steps of: providing a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising biogas; optionally, purifying the hydrocarbon feed stream in a gas purification unit; optionally, prereforming the hydrocarbon feed stream together with a steam feedstock in a prereforming unit; carrying out steam methane reforming in a reforming reactor heated by means of an electrical power source; providing the synthesis gas to a synthetic fuel synthesis unit, preferably a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis unit, for converting said synthesis gas into hydrocarbon product and producing a tail gas. The invention also relates to a system for producing a synthesis gas for use in the production of a hydrocarbon product, particularly a synthetic fuel.