An optical network comprising an optical network element comprising a first optical transmitter, a first controller, an optical receiver, a second optical transmitter, a second controller and optical receiver apparatus. Said first controller is arranged to control said first optical transmitter to generate and transmit a first optical signal in response no second optical signal being detected. Said first controller is arranged to iteratively generate and transmit said first optical signal at different wavelengths of a plurality of wavelengths until said second optical signal is detected, and is further arranged to subsequently maintain generation and transmission of said first optical signal at said wavelength at which said second optical signal is detected. Said second controller is arranged to control said second optical transmitter to generate and transmit said second optical signal following detection of said first optical signal by said optical receiver apparatus.

A bottom fraction of a product of a hydrocatalytic reaction is gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions. In one embodiment, one or more volatile organic compounds is also vaporized using heat generated in the gasification process. In one embodiment, an overhead fraction of the hydrocatalytic reaction is further processed to generate higher molecular weight compounds. In another embodiment, a product of the further processing is separated into a bottom fraction and an overhead fraction, where the bottom fraction is also gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions.

A system and method for processing biomass into hydrocarbon fuels that includes processing a biomass in a hydropyrolysis reactor resulting in hydrocarbon fuels and a process vapor stream and cooling the process vapor stream to a condensation temperature resulting in an aqueous stream. The aqueous stream is sent to a catalytic reactor where it is oxidized to obtain a product stream containing ammonia and ammonium sulfate. A resulting cooled product vapor stream includes non-condensable process vapors comprising H.sub.2, CH.sub.4, CO, CO.sub.2, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.

A method for producing -rich synthesis gas comprises the following steps: decomposing a hydrocarbon-containing fluid into an H.sub.2/C-aerosol in a first hydrocarbon converter by supplying energy which is at least partly provided in the form of heat; introducing at least a first stream of the H.sub.2/C-aerosol into a first sub-process which comprises the following steps: directing at least a part of the H.sub.2/C-aerosol from the first hydrocarbon converter into a first C-converter; introducing CO.sub.2 into the first C-converter and mixing the CO.sub.2 with the H.sub.2/C-aerosol introduced into the first C-converter; converting the mixture of H.sub.2/C-aerosol and CO.sub.2 into a synthesis gas at a temperature of 800 to 1700 C.; mixing additional H.sub.2 with the synthesis gas for the production of H.sub.2-rich synthesis gas. In a second sub-process running in parallel with the first sub-process, hydrogen H.sub.2 and carbon dioxide CO.sub.2 are produced from a hydrocarbon-containing fluid, wherein at least a portion of the CO.sub.2 produced in the second sub-process is introduced into the first C-converter; and wherein at least a portion of the H.sub.2 produced in the second sub-process is mixed with the synthesis gas from the first C-converter. The CO.sub.2 which is needed for the conversion of C in the first C-converter can thereby be provided independently of an external source, and the entire operational sequence is easily controllable.

The invention relates to a process for producing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and a carbon-containing product in at least one reaction apparatus, wherein the at least one reaction apparatus comprises a bed of carbon-containing material and is characterized in that the bed of carbon-containing material in the at least one reaction apparatus is alternately heated to a temperature of >800 C. and, no later than upon reaching a temperature of 1800 C., cooled to a maximum of 800 C., wherein hydrogen and carbon monoxide are produced during the heating phase and carbon and hydrogen are produced during the cooling phase.

A method producing synthetic hydrocarbons includes producing synthesis gas. An initial step, carbon or a mixture of carbon and hydrogen is brought into contact with water at a temperature of 800-1700 C. The synthesis gas is converted into synthetic functionalised and/or non-functionalised hydrocarbons by means of a Fischer Tropsch process wherein it is brought into contact with a suitable catalyst, and wherein water in which a portion of the synthetic hydrocarbons is dissolved results as a by-product. At least a portion of the water that is produced as a by-product is supplied to the initial step. The hydrocarbons that are dissolved in the water decompose into particle-like carbon and hydrogen at the high temperature. The carbon is converted into CO in the presence of water and at a high temperature and forms a portion of the synthesis gas that is produced. In this way, a costly process for cleaning half of the water that is produced as a by-product is avoided.

The disclosure provides a metal ferrite oxygen carrier for the chemical looping combustion of solid carbonaceous fuels, such as coal, coke, coal and biomass char, and the like. The metal ferrite oxygen carrier comprises MFe.sub.xO.sub.y on an inert support, where MFe.sub.xO.sub.y is a chemical composition and M is one of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Co, Mn, and combinations thereof. For example, MFe.sub.xO.sub.y may be one of MgFe.sub.2O.sub.4, CaFe.sub.2O.sub.4, SrFe.sub.2O.sub.4, BaFe.sub.2O.sub.4, CoFe.sub.2O.sub.4, MnFeO.sub.3, and combinations thereof. The MFe.sub.xO.sub.y is supported on an inert support. The inert support disperses the MFe.sub.xO.sub.y oxides to avoid agglomeration and improve performance stability. In an embodiment, the inert support comprises from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the metal ferrite oxygen carrier and the MFe.sub.xO.sub.y comprises at least 30 wt. % of the metal ferrite oxygen carrier. The metal ferrite oxygen carriers disclosed display improved reduction rates over Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, and improved oxidation rates over CuO.

This invention relates to a unique cycle for generating electricity at high efficiency and with zero carbon emissions. The cycle's fundamental energy carrier is hydrogen (H2), with H2 undergoing each unit process in the cycle either within water (H2O) molecules or as H2 gas. The heat source driving the cycle, through generation of steam, is a small nuclear reactor known in the industry as a small modular reactor (SMR). This steam's primary purpose is to provide the feed source for H2 production, which occurs in an Underground Coal Gasifier (UCG). The invention's high generation efficiency, accompanied by zero carbon emissions, derive from the UCG's steam/coal reactions and from conversion of the H2 into electricity by solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). These SOFCs produce, as their only waste stream, pure H2O. This H2O is then fed back for steam generation using the SMR's heat, which re-initiates the cycle. All unit processes use proven, commercially available technologies. The invention is directly applicable to any location where significant coal deposits exist.

A method for producing a synthesis gas for producing a fuel from a biomass raw material includes supplying hydrogen to the biomass raw material such that a mass ratio represented by [mass of hydrogen gas]/[mass of biomass] is 0.01 to 0.03, in which supplying steam is not provided.

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.