A method for converting carbonaceous raw materials and in particular biomass into hydrogen, includes the steps of: gasification of the carbon-containing raw materials in a gasifier, wherein heated water vapour is introduced into the gasifier and used for gasification; and cleaning of the hydrogen-containing synthesis gas produced in the gasification, wherein the gasification is an allothermal gasification and the heated water vapour is used both as gasification agent and as heat carrier for the gasification, wherein energy not used for H2 production is at least partially reused for the production and/or superheating of water vapour.

Materials, methods to prepare, and methods of use for producing an H.sub.2 rich synthesis gas stream from coal free of nitrogen is described. One embodiment of the method comprises. The method includes an oxygen carrier at least partially reduced using a fuel in a reactor forming a reduced metal oxide comprised of first series3d block-transition metals or mixture thereof. The reduced metal oxide is reacted with the solid fuel/steam to produce H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2/CO in the reactor; and the reduced metal oxide is added separately or simultaneously with a solid fuel while not impregnating the solid fuel with the reduced metal oxide.

Materials, methods to prepare, and methods of use for producing an H.sub.2 rich synthesis gas stream from coal free of nitrogen is described. One embodiment of the method comprises. The method includes an oxygen carrier at least partially reduced using a fuel in a reactor forming a reduced metal oxide comprised of first series3d block-transition metals or mixture thereof. The reduced metal oxide is reacted with the solid fuel/steam to produce H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2/CO in the reactor; and the reduced metal oxide is added separately or simultaneously with a solid fuel while not impregnating the solid fuel with the reduced metal oxide.

An industrial high temperature reformer and the reforming method in which a temperature of the reforming furnace is maintained at 1000 C. or higher by burning the coke, and a temperature of at least an upper half of the reforming furnace is maintained at 1200 C. or higher by burning the syngas, thereby producing syngas at a capacity of 500 m.sup.3/hour or more by reforming all carbonaceous feedstock which is supplied to the reforming furnace.

An industrial high temperature reformer and the reforming method in which a temperature of the reforming furnace is maintained at 1000 C. or higher by burning the coke, and a temperature of at least an upper half of the reforming furnace is maintained at 1200 C. or higher by burning the syngas, thereby producing syngas at a capacity of 500 m.sup.3/hour or more by reforming all carbonaceous feedstock which is supplied to the reforming furnace.

A process for producing dry synthetic natural gas (SNG, Synthetic Natural Gas) from solid or liquid, carbonaceous fuel, substantially consisting of the following process steps: a) gasification of a solid or liquid, carbonaceous fuel to a raw synthesis gas b) cooling of the gas, separation of solids and the gas condensate c) raw gas conversion d) washing of the gas with methanol for separating hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and moisture, wherein the methanol is circulated via a regeneration plant, e) methanation, f) condensation of moisture by means of cooling and/or cold water, g) further drying of the gas by condensation at low temperature by adding methanol to avoid the formation of ice.

A process for producing dry synthetic natural gas (SNG, Synthetic Natural Gas) from solid or liquid, carbonaceous fuel, substantially consisting of the following process steps: a) gasification of a solid or liquid, carbonaceous fuel to a raw synthesis gas b) cooling of the gas, separation of solids and the gas condensate c) raw gas conversion d) washing of the gas with methanol for separating hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and moisture, wherein the methanol is circulated via a regeneration plant, e) methanation, f) condensation of moisture by means of cooling and/or cold water, g) further drying of the gas by condensation at low temperature by adding methanol to avoid the formation of ice.

A fuel production system and a fuel production method are provided which can efficiently perform adjusting of a synthesis gas composition by hydrogen supply, while suppressing the generated amount of carbon dioxide by a system overall. A fuel production system includes: a gasification furnace which gasifies a biomass raw material to generate a synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide; a liquid fuel production device which produces a liquid fuel from the synthesis gas generated by the gasification furnace; a hydrogen supply pump which supplies hydrogen to a raw material supply area or a synthesis gas discharge area; a byproduct sensor which detects a byproduct amount generated inside the gasification furnace; and a controller which switches a hydrogen supply location by the hydrogen supply pump between the raw material supply area and synthesis gas discharge area, based on the byproduct amount detected by the byproduct sensor.

A fuel production system and a fuel production method are provided which can efficiently perform adjusting of a synthesis gas composition by hydrogen supply, while suppressing the generated amount of carbon dioxide by a system overall. A fuel production system includes: a gasification furnace which gasifies a biomass raw material to generate a synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide; a liquid fuel production device which produces a liquid fuel from the synthesis gas generated by the gasification furnace; a hydrogen supply pump which supplies hydrogen to a raw material supply area or a synthesis gas discharge area; a byproduct sensor which detects a byproduct amount generated inside the gasification furnace; and a controller which switches a hydrogen supply location by the hydrogen supply pump between the raw material supply area and synthesis gas discharge area, based on the byproduct amount detected by the byproduct sensor.

A method, system, and apparatus for decomposing a biomass feedstock include providing a layer of inert particulate matter, such as sand, to line and insulate the bottom surface of a main chamber of a reactor where pyrolysis and oxidation are conducted to produce char and producer gases as primary products. In an embodiment, feedstock positioned in a side region of the reaction chamber insulates side walls of the main chamber from heat in the center region of the main chamber. In an embodiment of the method, a rate of removal of solid products such as char from the reactor is controlled in response to a temperature detected at a position of an extraction tube inlet of the reactor. Activated charcoal may be obtained as a primary product using the system and method, by feeding oxygen into the reactor at an inlet positioned adjacent to an inlet to the extraction chamber.