Improved processes and systems are disclosed for producing renewable hydrogen suitable for reducing metal ores, as well as for producing activated carbon. Some variations provide a process comprising: pyrolyzing biomass to generate a biogenic reagent comprising carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas; converting the pyrolysis off-gas to additional reducing gas and/or heat; reacting at least some of the biogenic reagent with a reactant to generate a reducing gas; and chemically reducing a metal oxide in the presence of the reducing gas. Some variations provide a process for producing renewable hydrogen by biomass pyrolysis to generate a biogenic reagent, conversion of the biogenic reagent to a reducing gas, and separation and recovery of hydrogen from the reducing gas. A reducing-gas composition for reducing a metal oxide is provided, comprising renewable hydrogen according to a hydrogen-isotope analysis. Reacted biogenic reagent may also be recovered as an activated carbon product. Many variations are disclosed.

An integrated refinery process for the disposal of metal-containing spent coked catalyst from hydrotreating and/or hydrocracking unit operations includes introducing the spent coked catalyst into a membrane wall gasification reactor in the form of flowable particles along with predetermined amounts of oxygen and steam based upon an analysis of the hydrocarbon content of the coke, and optionally, a liquid hydrocarbon; gasifying the feed to produce synthesis gas and a slag material; recovering and subjecting the slag material to further processes in preparation for a leaching step to solubilize and form one or more active phase metal compounds that are recovered from the leaching solution, either separately by sequential processing, or together. The recovered active metal compounds can be used, e.g., in preparing fresh catalyst for use in the refinery's hydroprocessing units.

Ceramic compositions with catalytic activity are provided, along with methods for using such catalytic ceramic compositions. The ceramic compositions correspond to compositions that can acquire increased catalytic activity by cyclic exposure of the ceramic composition to reducing and oxidizing environments at a sufficiently elevated temperature. The ceramic compositions can be beneficial for use as catalysts in reaction environments involving swings of temperature and/or pressure conditions, such as a reverse flow reaction environment. Based on cyclic exposure to oxidizing and reducing conditions, the surface of the ceramic composition can be converted from a substantially fully oxidized state to various states including at least some dopant metal particles supported on a structural oxide surface.

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses of producing hydrogen. The methods comprise: (a) contacting a plastic with a catalyst and a gas feed; and (b) applying a microwave at a first temperature. The apparatuses comprise: a reactor for mixing plastic with a catalyst to form a mixture; an inlet for introducing a gas feed; a microwave generator; an optional temperature sensor; and an outlet configured to exhaust the product hydrogen formed in the reactor.

The present disclosure provides an integrated method and apparatus for catalytic cracking of heavy oil and production of syngas. A cracking-gasification coupled reactor having a cracking section and a gasification section is used as a reactor in the method. A heavy oil feedstock is fed into a cracking section to contact with a bed material in a fluidized state that contains a cracking catalyst, a catalytic cracking reaction is conducted under atmospheric pressure to obtain light oil-gas and coke. The coke is carried downward by the bed material into a gasification section to conduct a gasification reaction to generate syngas; the syngas goes upward into the cracking section to merge with the light oil-gas, and is guided out from the coupled reactor and enter a gas-solid separation system. Oil-gas fractionation is performed to a purified oil-gas product output from the gas-solid separation system to collect light oil and syngas products.

A process for processing carbonaceous material, the process comprising: delivering a carbonaceous material to a reactor; delivering a catalyst to the reactor; processing the carbonaceous material at a relatively low temperature within the reactor to decompose the carbonaceous material to base compounds.

The disclosure relates to a rotary kiln catalytically enhanced oxy-fuel gasification and oxy-fuel combustion system—power plant including an air separation unit arranged to separate oxygen from air and produce a stream of substantially pure liquid oxygen; rotary kiln gasifiers to convert municipal solid waste, biomass, alternate wastes, coal, or hydrocarbon fuels into a synthesis gas in the presence of oxygen, carbon dioxide, high temperature steam and lime catalysts; an oxy-fuel fired boiler arranged to combust synthesis gas, in the presence of substantially pure oxygen gas, to produce an exhaust gas comprised of water and carbon dioxide; and a carbon dioxide removal unit arranged to recover carbon dioxide gas from the exhaust gas, recycle a portion of the recovered carbon dioxide gas for use in the rotary kiln gasifier, and liquefy the remainder of the recovered carbon dioxide gas for removal from the plant. In this new plant, the carbon dioxide removal unit is thermally integrated with the air separation unit or alternately the liquid oxygen storage and supply system by directing a stream of liquid oxygen to the carbon dioxide removal unit to liquefy the recovered carbon dioxide gas, the liquid oxygen thereby evaporating and forming cold oxygen gas which is heated prior to consumption in the rotary kiln and oxy-fuel fired boiler.

A catalytic method for producing gaseous products from a fuel and a gaseous reagent having the steps of: providing a catalyst and the fuel to a reactor vessel such that the catalyst and the fuel are in fluid communication with each other within the reactor vessel, where the catalyst is a mixture of reduced metal oxides; and contacting the fuel and catalyst with the gaseous reagent within the reactor vessel at a reaction temperature to produce gaseous products, where the gaseous reagent contains at least CO.sub.2 or H.sub.2O, where the fuel comprises a carbonaceous source, and wherein the gaseous products are CO or syngas.

Improved processes and systems are disclosed for producing renewable hydrogen suitable for reducing metal ores, as well as for producing activated carbon. Some variations provide a process comprising: pyrolyzing biomass to generate a biogenic reagent comprising carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas; converting the pyrolysis off-gas to additional reducing gas and/or heat; reacting at least some of the biogenic reagent with a reactant to generate a reducing gas; and chemically reducing a metal oxide in the presence of the reducing gas. Some variations provide a process for producing renewable hydrogen by biomass pyrolysis to generate a biogenic reagent, conversion of the biogenic reagent to a reducing gas, and separation and recovery of hydrogen from the reducing gas. A reducing-gas composition for reducing a metal oxide is provided, comprising renewable hydrogen according to a hydrogen-isotope analysis. Reacted biogenic reagent may also be recovered as an activated carbon product. Many variations are disclosed.

Improved processes and systems are disclosed for producing renewable hydrogen suitable for reducing metal ores, as well as for producing activated carbon. Some variations provide a process comprising: pyrolyzing biomass to generate a biogenic reagent comprising carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas; converting the pyrolysis off-gas to additional reducing gas and/or heat; reacting at least some of the biogenic reagent with a reactant to generate a reducing gas; and chemically reducing a metal oxide in the presence of the reducing gas. Some variations provide a process for producing renewable hydrogen by biomass pyrolysis to generate a biogenic reagent, conversion of the biogenic reagent to a reducing gas, and separation and recovery of hydrogen from the reducing gas. A reducing-gas composition for reducing a metal oxide is provided, comprising renewable hydrogen according to a hydrogen-isotope analysis. Reacted biogenic reagent may also be recovered as an activated carbon product. Many variations are disclosed.