A method of generating syngas as a primary product from renewable feedstock, fossil fuels, or hazardous waste with the use of a cupola. The cupola operates selectably on inductive heat alone, chemically assisted heat, or plasma assisted heat. Additionally, the operation of the cupola is augmented by the use of direct acting carbon or graphite rods that carry electrical current for additional heat generation into the metal bath that is influenced by the inductive element. The method includes the steps of providing a cupola for containing a metal bath; and operating an inductive element to react with the metal bath. Feedstock in the form of a combination of fossil fuel, a hazardous waste, and a hazardous material is supplied to the cupola. A plasma torch operates on the metal bath selectably directly and indirectly. Steam, air, oxygen enriched air, and oxygen are supplied in selectable combinations.

The present invention includes a method for converting renewable energy source electricity and a hydrocarbon feedstock into a liquid fuel by providing a source of renewable electrical energy in communication with a synthesis gas generation unit and an air separation unit. Oxygen from the air separation unit and a hydrocarbon feedstock is provided to the synthesis gas generation unit, thereby causing partial oxidation reactions in the synthesis gas generation unit in a process that converts the hydrocarbon feedstock into synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is then converted into a liquid fuel.

Process for manufacturing a hydrogen-containing synthesis gas from a natural gas feedstock, comprising the conversion of said natural gas into a raw product gas and purification of said product gas, the process having a heat input provided by combustion of a fuel; said process comprises a step of conversion of a carbonaceous feedstock, and at least a portion of said fuel is a gaseous fuel obtained by said step of conversion of said carbonaceous feedstock.

A method for producing synthesis gas may involve introducing a hydrocarbon-containing coke-oven gas and a carbon dioxide-containing converter gas into a first reaction zone where hydrogen present in the hydrocarbon-containing coke-oven gas reacts at least partly with carbon dioxide to form water, which reacts thermally with hydrocarbon to form synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The method may further involve introducing an oxygen-containing gas in a second reaction zone, and using the oxygen-containing gas and some hydrogen from the first reaction zone to produce thermal energy. Still further, the method may involve supplying the thermal energy produced in the second reaction zone to the first reaction zone.

A two-stage gasification reactor may include a reactor lower section and a reactor upper section. The reactor lower section may include (a) a lower reactor body, (b) two primary feed nozzles, configured to introduce at least one of a dry feedstock or a first slurried feedstock and located on opposing terminal ends of the lower reactor body, and (c) at least two secondary feed nozzles, configured to introduce a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock, located on the lower reactor body. The reactor upper section may include (a) an upper reactor body, (b) at least one upper feed nozzle, configured to introduce at least one of a dry feedstock or a first slurried feedstock, located on the upper reactor body, and (c) an outlet.

A reactor system comprising a first reactor assembly, a first pressure transition assembly, a second reactor assembly and a second pressure transition assembly.

Vortex arc reactor apparatus and method provide a nozzle with converging, throat, and diverging portions. Input structure inputs a reactant and an oxidant into the converging portion. Ignition structure ignites the input reactant and oxidant. A vortex-creating structure creates a vortex of the ignited reactant and oxidant in the converging portion. The input structure, the vortex-creating structure, and the nozzle converging and throat portions are configured to provide a throat-portion-vortex of ignited reactant and oxidant that has an angular velocity which provides (i) negatively-charged particles in an exterior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, (ii) positively-charged particles in an interior portion of the throat-portion-vortex, and (iii) at least one arcing reaction between the positively-charged particles and the negatively-charged particles, to form syngas and at least one aromatic liquid in the nozzle diverging portion. Gas/liquid separation structure is preferably configured to separate the formed syngas from the at least one aromatic liquid.

In a process for treating wastewater from a combined gasification and Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) process, feedstock derived from Municipal Solid Waste or the like is gasified in a reactor (R) and treated in a cleanup unit (C) which generates a first wastewater stream (1st WWT STREAM) containing salts and inorganic pollutants. The first wastewater stream is treated in a treatment unit (T1) to remove inorganic pollutants derived from the syngas. The treatment comprises a) degassing, and subsequently b) neutralising the first wastewater stream before treatment in a Dissolved Air Flotation unit (72c) and filtering in a moving sand bed or similar (72d) to remove solids, and a stripping process to remove ammonia. A second wastewater stream (2.sup.nd WWT Stream) containing organic pollutants but being low in salts arises from the F-T process and is treated separately to allow recycling within the F-T process.

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.

This disclosure provides a system and method for conversion of raw syngas and tars into refined syngas, while optionally minimizing the parasitic losses of the process and maximizing the usable energy density of the product syngas. The system includes a reactor including a refining chamber for refining syngas comprising one or more inlets configured to promote at least two flow zones: a central zone where syngas and air/process additives flow in a swirling pattern for mixing and combustion in the high temperature central zone; at least one peripheral zone within the reactor which forms a boundary layer of a buffering flow along the reactor walls, (b) plasma torches that inject plasma into the central zone, and (c) air injection patterns that create a recirculation zone to promotes mixing between the high temperature products at the core reaction zone of the vessel and the buffering layer, wherein in the central zone, syngas and air/process additives mixture are ignited in close proximity to the plasma arc, coming into contact with each other, concurrently, at the entrance to the reaction chamber and method of using the system.