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.

The invention relates to a method of heating and cooling a feed mixture in a continuous high pressure process for transforming carbonaceous materials into liquid hydrocarbon products in a high pressure processing system adapted for processing a feed mixture at a temperature of at least 340° C. and a pressure of at least 150 bar, the high pressure processing system comprising a first and a second heat exchanger having a heat transfer fluid comprising at least 90% water, preferably at least 99% water circulating in the external part of the first and the second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger comprising a cold internal input side and a hot internal output side, the second heat exchanger comprising a hot internal input side and a cold internal output side, the system further comprising a high pressure water heater and a high pressure water cooler between the first and the second heat exchanger, where the pressurized feed mixture is heated by feeding the feed mixture to the cold internal side of the first heat exchanger, heating and pressurizing the heat transfer fluid to a pressure of at least 240 bar and a temperature of at least 400° C. at the input to the hot external side of the first heat exchanger, where the cooled heat transfer fluid from the first heat exchanger having a temperature in the range 150 to 300° C. is further cooled to a temperature of 60 to 150° C. in the high pressure water cooler prior to entering the cold external side of the second heat exchanger, where the pressurized, heated and converted feed mixture is cooled to a temperature in the range 60 to 200° C. by feeding it to the internal side of the second heat exchanger, and where the partly heated heat transfer fluid is further heated in the high pressure water heater before entering the first heat exchanger.

A device and process for the conversion of aromatic compounds, includes/uses: a unit for the separation of the xylenes suitable for treating a cut comprising xylenes and ethylbenzene and producing an extract comprising para-xylene and a raffinate; an isomerization unit suitable for treating the raffinate and producing an isomerate enriched in para-xylene which is sent to a fractionation train; a pyrolysis unit suitable for treating biomass, producing a pyrolysis effluent feeding, at least partially, the feedstock, and producing a pyrolysis gas comprising CO and H.sub.2; a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction section suitable for treating, at least in part, the pyrolysis gas, producing a synthesis effluent sent, at least in part, to the pyrolysis unit.

The present invention is directed to a process for the production of a syngas suited for further conversion to fine chemicals and/or automotive fuels from biomass by a thermochemical process conducted in a several steps procedure, said process comprising; a) Providing a stream of biomass material; b) Providing an aqueous alkaline catalyst stream comprising sodium and/or potassium compounds; c) Mixing comminuted biomass and alkaline catalyst and optional additives to form an alkaline biomass slurry or suspension; d) Treating alkaline biomass slurry or suspension in a hydrothermal treatment reactor at a temperature in the range of 200-400° C. and a pressure from 10-500 bar, forming a bio-oil suspension comprising liquefied biomass and spent alkali catalyst; e) Directly or indirectly charging the bio-oil suspension from step d), after optional depressurization to a pressure in the range 10-100 bar, heat exchange and separation of gases, such as CO2, steam and aqueous spent catalyst into a gasification reactor operating in the temperature range of 600-1250° C. thereby forming a syngas and alkali compounds; and f) Separating alkali compounds from a gasification reactor or from syngas and recycling alkali compounds directly or indirectly to be present to treat new biomass in the hydrothermal biomass treatment reactor of step d) and/or recycling aqueous alkali salts to a pulp mill chemicals recovery cycle.

A method for converting a feedstock comprising solid hydrocarbons to a sweet synthesis gas, involving the steps a. gasifying said feedstock in the presence of steam, an oxygen rich gas and an amount of sour process gas to form a raw synthesis gas optionally comprising tar, b. optionally conditioning said raw synthesis gas to a sour shift feed gas, c. contacting said sour shift feed gas with a sulfided material catalytically active in the water gas shift process for providing a sour hydrogen enriched synthesis gas, d. separating H.sub.2S and CO.sub.2 from said sour hydrogen enriched synthesis gas, for providing said sour recycle gas and a sweet hydrogen enriched synthesis gas.

The invention relates to a method of heating and cooling a feed mixture in a continuous high pressure process for transforming carbonaceous materials into liquid hydrocarbon products in a high pressure processing system adapted for processing a feed mixture at a temperature of at least 340° C. and a pressure of at least 150 bar, the high pressure processing system comprising a first and a second heat exchanger having a heat transfer fluid comprising at least 90% water, preferably at least 99% water circulating in the external part of the first and the second heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger comprising a cold internal input side and a hot internal output side, the second heat exchanger comprising a hot internal input side and a cold internal output side, the system further comprising a high pressure water heater and a high pressure water cooler between the first and the second heat exchanger, where the pressurized feed mixture is heated by feeding the feed mixture to the cold internal side of the first heat exchanger, heating and pressurizing the heat transfer fluid to a pressure of at least 240 bar and a temperature of at least 400° C. at the input to the hot external side of the first heat exchanger, where the cooled heat transfer fluid from the first heat exchanger having a temperature in the range 150 to 300° C. is further cooled to a temperature of 60 to 150° C. in the high pressure water cooler prior to entering the cold external side of the second heat exchanger, where the pressurized, heated and converted feed mixture is cooled to a temperature in the range 60 to 200° C. by feeding it to the internal side of the second heat exchanger, and where the partly heated heat transfer fluid is further heated in the high pressure water heater before entering the first heat exchanger.

Disclosed is a device for treating high-concentration organic wastewater by catalyst hydrothermal gasification, including a CHG reactor, a temporary wastewater storage tank and a condensing heat exchanger which are sequentially in loop connection. The CHG reactor includes a shell, a thermocouple, a water distribution device, and a packing support. The device of the present disclosure can quickly convert the high-concentration organic wastewater into clean energy or harmless gas at a low temperature under the action of a catalyst, so that the energy consumption of a treatment process is greatly reduced, and the treatment efficiency is improved. The device has potential application prospect.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to methods for biomass gasification to produce sustainable and renewable alternatives to fossil fuels including, but not limited to syngas having a high H.sub.2 content. The method can produce an H.sub.2/CO ratio close to 2:1, which is desirable for further chemical or transportation fuel synthesis. In another aspect, the methods disclosed herein have high yields and make use of agricultural and industrial waste (e.g., hardwood pellets and grain stovers) as starting materials. In a further aspect, the methods disclosed herein can produce useful byproducts including, but not limited to, carbon nanofibers (CNF). This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

The presently disclosed embodiments relate to the utilization of coal-derived fine mineral matter in chemical recycling of plastics or of solid mixed plastic waste. The instantly disclosed mineral based catalyst benefits the processes of catalytic cracking, gasification and steam reforming to maximize carbon utilization and production of plastics of original quality from recycled or renewable feedstocks while reducing the plastic pollution in the environment. The catalyst can be based on inorganic fine mineral matter, a natural ancient mineral mixture found in coal deposits and containing a plurality of transition metals, such as iron, copper, and manganese, as well as calcium, barium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, which can act as co-catalysts. Addition of the catalyst can convert plastic to syngas at a faction of the energy of conventional technologies.