A process for the generation of energy and/or hydrocarbons and other products utilizing carbonaceous materials. In a first process stage (P1) the carbonaceous materials are supplied and are pyrolysed, wherein pyrolysis coke (M21) and pyrolysis gas (M22) are formed. In a second process stage (P2), the pyrolysis coke (M21) from the first process stage (P1) is gasified, wherein synthesis gas (M24) is formed, and slag and other residues (M91, M92, M93, M94) are removed. In a third process stage (P3), the synthesis gas (M24) from the second process stage (P2) is converted into hydrocarbons and/or other solid, liquid, and/or gaseous products (M60), which are discharged. The three process stages (P1, P2, P3) form a closed cycle. Surplus gas (M25) from the third process stage (P3) is passed as recycle gas into the first process stage (P1), and/or the second process stage (P2), and pyrolysis gas (M22) from the first process stage (P1) is passed into the second process stage (P2), and/or the third process stage (P3).

Exemplary embodiments provide a pyro gasifyer apparatus and method that may be used in a pyro-gasification system. According to an example embodiment, a loading unit may receive waste and a pyro gasifier unit may receive the waste and convert it into purified syngas through a two-stage process using exhaust gas and a gasifying agent. An engine may receive the purified syngas and generate the exhaust gas, such that a gasifying unit may generate the gasifying agent using energy provided by the exhaust gas. A control unit may monitor and control the amount of the purified syngas, the exhaust gas, and the gasifying agent.

The invention present provides a method (and suitable apparatus) to convert biomass to ethanol, comprising gasifying the biomass to produce raw syngas; feeding the raw syngas to an acid-gas removal unit to remove at least some CO.sub.2 and produce a conditioned syngas stream; feeding the conditioned syngas stream to a fermentor to biologically convert the syngas to ethanol; capturing a tail gas from an exit of the fermentor, wherein the tail gas comprises at least CO.sub.2 and unconverted CO or H.sub.2; and recycling a first portion of the tail gas to the fermentor and/or a second portion of the tail gas to the acid-gas removal unit. This invention allows for increased syngas conversion to ethanol, improved process efficiency, and better overall biorefinery economics for conversion of biomass to ethanol.

The invention pertains to a system for extracting hydrogen from an organic feedstock, comprising: a thermolyzer supplied with the organic feedstock and adapted to heat it up the feedstock to a temperature of at least 800? C. while conveying it inside a gasification chamber by an auger and to collect a thermogas, a duct line to convey the thermogas to a high temperature reformer exposing it to a temperature comprised between 1200? C. and 1,400? C. and releasing a high temperature reformed gas, a duct line conveying the high temperature reformed gas to a heat chamber of the thermolyzer, the heat chamber comprising a chamber outlet to release the reformed gas after circulation in the heat chamber, a duct line conveying the reformed gas from the chamber outlet to an installation adapted to separate hydrogen from the reformed gas, and a hydrogen storage for the hydrogen produced by the installation.

A process for the generation of energy and/or hydrocarbons and other products utilizing carbonaceous materials. In a first process stage (P1) the carbonaceous materials are supplied and are pyrolysed, wherein pyrolysis coke (M21) and pyrolysis gas (M22) are formed. In a second process stage (P2), the pyrolysis coke (M21) from the first process stage (P1) is gasified, wherein synthesis gas (M24) is formed, and slag and other residues (M91, M92, M93, M94) are removed. In a third process stage (P3), the synthesis gas (M24) from the second process stage (P2) is converted into hydrocarbons and/or other solid, liquid, and/or gaseous products (M60), which are discharged. The three process stages (P1, P2, P3) form a closed cycle. Surplus gas (M25) from the third process stage (P3) is passed as recycle gas into the first process stage (P1), and/or the second process stage (P2), and pyrolysis gas (M22) from the first process stage (P1) is passed into the second process stage (P2), and/or the third process stage (P3).

The present invention relates generally to processes for hydromethanating a carbonaceous feedstock in a hydromethanation reactor to a methane-enriched raw product stream, and more specifically to processing of solid char by-product removed from the hydromethanation reactor to improve the carbon utilization and thermal efficiency of the overall process and thereby lower the net costs of the end-product pipeline quality substitute natural gas.

A reactor configuration is proposed for selectively converting gaseous, liquid or solid fuels to a syngas specification which is flexible in terms of H.sub.2/CO ratio. This reactor and system configuration can be used with a specific oxygen carrier to hydro-carbon fuel molar ratio, a specific range of operating temperatures and pressures, and a co-current downward moving bed system. The concept of a CO.sub.2 stream injected in-conjunction with the specified operating parameters for a moving bed reducer is claimed, wherein the injection location in the reactor system is flexible for both steam and CO.sub.2 such that, carbon efficiency of the system is maximized.

A system for using carbonaceous material includes a steam reformer, a hydrocarbon reformer, and at least one gas-cleanup system. Also described are methods of producing liquid fuel and/or chemicals from carbonaceous material.

Provided is a pressurizing system which includes: a pressurizing nozzle configured to supply a pressurizing gas into a hopper (3) where pulverized coal is accumulated; a filter configured to face a space in the hopper (3) where the pulverized coal is accumulated, and to allow the pressurizing gas to pass through the filter, the filter being provided at an end of the pressurizing nozzle; buffer tanks (5a), (5b) in which a pressurizing gas to be supplied to the hopper (3) is collected at a first predetermined pressure; and a pressure control means configured to start, at a time of starting pressurization of the hopper (3), supply of a pressurizing gas at a second predetermined pressure which is lower than the first predetermined pressure of the pressurizing gas collected in the buffer tanks (5a), (5b).

In a method for cooling a hot synthesis gas containing at least one condensable constituent part, in particular tar, during which the synthesis gas in a multi-stage cooling process passes through a first cooling stage, a second cooling stage and a third cooling stage one after the other and the synthesis gas after an at least partial cooling is at least subjected to a separation step for separating the at least one condensable constituent part, the synthesis gas is cooled in the first cooling stage to a temperature above the condensation temperature of the at least one condensable constituent part and the second cooling stage comprises the recirculating of a part quantity of synthesis gas branched off after the third cooling stage and the at least one separation step into the synthesis gas flow.