In a method for physical and thermochemical treatment of biomass, the biomass moisture content is reduced in a dryer and ammonia (NH.sub.3) is also released from the biomass during drying. The dried biomass is then either pyrolyzed in a pyrolysis reactor and the pyrolysis gas is forwarded to and combusted in a combustion device to form flue gas, or is combusted in a combustion facility unit to form flue gas. In either case the flue gas is fed to a mixer. Oxygen (O.sub.2) is metered to the flue gas in the mixer and is fed directly to the dryer as drying gas. As the drying gas passes through the dryer, the sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) contained in the drying gas and/or the sulfur trioxide (SO.sub.3) chemically reacts with the ammonia (NH.sub.3) to form ammonium sulfite ((NH.sub.4).sub.2SO.sub.3) and/or ammonium sulfate ((NH.sub.4).sub.2SO.sub.4). Also a treatment facility physically and thermochemically treats the biomass.

The description describes the integration of a gas fermentation process with a gasification process whereby effluent from the gas fermentation process is recycled to the gasification process. The one or more effluents which can be recycled include a stream comprising microbial biomass, a product stream comprising at least a portion of the at least one fermentation product, a by-product stream comprising fusel oil, and a waste water stream comprising microbial biomass. The stream comprising biomass can be dried before it is passed to the gasification zone. At least a portion of the waste water stream can be passed to the gasification process where one use is to replace at least a portion of the process water. The waste water stream can be further processed to produce a clarified water stream and a biogas stream comprising methane either or both of which can be passed to the gasification process.

A process for preparing synthetic hydrocarbons from a biomass feedstock is provided. The process involves electrolyzing water in an electrolyzer to produce oxygen and hydrogen, using the generated oxygen to gasify a biomass feedstock under partial oxidation reaction conditions to generate a hydrogen lean syngas, adding at least a portion of the generated hydrogen to the hydrogen lean syngas to formulate hydrogen rich syngas, which is reacted a Fischer Tropsch (FT) reactor to produce the synthetic hydrocarbons and water. At least a portion of the water produced in the FT reaction is recycled for use in the electrolysis step, and optionally using heat generated from the FT reaction to dry the biomass feedstock.

The present invention provides a process for the manufacture of a synthetic fuel comprising gasifying a carbonaceous feedstock comprising waste materials and/or biomass to generate a raw synthesis gas; supplying the raw synthesis gas to a primary clean-up zone to wash particulates and ammonia or HCl out of the raw synthesis gas; contacting the synthesis gas in a secondary clean-up zone with a physical solvent for sulphurous materials; contacting the desulphurised raw synthesis gas in a tertiary clean-up zone with a physical solvent for CO.sub.2 effective to absorb CO.sub.2; removing at least part of the absorbed CO.sub.2 in a solvent regeneration stage to recover CO.sub.2 in a form sufficiently pure for sequestration or other use; and supplying the clean synthesis gas to a further reaction train to generate a synthetic fuel.

A system and process for the resultant gas constituent-controlled gasification of a carbonaceous feedstock uses feedback loop-controlled pyrolysis to produce a stable and predictable gas product from a variable or unknown feedstock, such as MSW, that may include methane, ethane, and other desirable hydrocarbon gases, and a solid product, that includes activated Carbon or Carbon.

A continuous system for gasification of a biomass feedstock comprising: a fuel conditioning zone, a gasification zone and a char cooling area.

Systems and processes provide for a thermal process to transform sludge (and a variety of other natural waste materials) into electricity. Dewatered sludge and other materials containing a high amount of latent energy are dried into a powdered biofuel using a drying gas produced in the system. The drying gas is recirculated and is heated by the biofuel produced in the system, waste heat (from turbines or internal combustion engines), gas (including natural gas or digester gas) and/or oil. The biofuel is combusted in a boiler system that utilizes a burner operable to burn biofuel and produce heat utilized in a series of heat exchangers that heat the recirculating drying air and steam that powers the turbines for electricity production.

A method and system for continuous production of contaminant free and size specific biochar using downdraft gasification of variable quality feedstock. The system and process of the present invention includes the transfer of biochar from a gasifier after gasification to a temperature-controlled cooling screw conveyor, into a drum magnet for ferrous metal removal into multiple diverters to separate and remove ungasified materials and non-ferrous metal contaminants, then transferred into a granulator for grinding and screening the biochar to a pre-selected size. By directly attaching a novel and continuous product treatment process to the biochar stream as it exits the gasifier, the particle size, moisture content, carbon content and yield of a contaminant free biochar product can be narrowly controlled and improved to meet strict product quality specifications required by specialty applications.

Systems and methods of producing a solid fuel composition are disclosed. In particular, systems and methods for producing a solid fuel composition by heating and mixing a solid waste mixture to a maximum temperature sufficient to melt the mixed plastics within the solid waste mixture is disclosed.

The invention is directed to a process to prepare a char product and a syngas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a solid torrefied biomass feed comprising the following steps: (i) subjecting the solid biomass feed to a pyrolysis reaction thereby obtaining a gaseous fraction comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and a mixture of gaseous organic compounds and a solid fraction comprising of char particles; (ii) separating the char particles as the char product from the gaseous fraction; (iii) subjecting the gaseous fraction obtained in step (ii) to a continuously operated partial oxidation to obtain a syngas mixture further comprising water and having an elevated temperature and (iv) contacting the syngas mixture with a carbonaceous compound to chemically quench the syngas mixture. The temperature of the syngas is reduced in step (iv) from between 1000 and 1600° C. to a temperature of between 800 and 1200° C.