A system includes a flow-through electric generator and an electrolytic cell. The flow-through electric generator includes a turbine wheel, a rotor, and a stator. The turbine wheel is configured to receive natural gas from a natural gas pipeline and rotate in response to expansion of the natural gas flowing into an inlet of the turbine wheel and out of an outlet of the turbine wheel. The rotor is coupled to the turbine wheel and configured to rotate with the turbine wheel. The flow-through electric generator is configured to generate electrical power upon rotation of the rotor within the stator. The electrolytic cell is configured to receive a water stream and the electrical power from the flow-through electric generator. The electrolytic cell is configured to perform electrolysis on the water stream using the received electrical power to produce a hydrogen stream and an oxygen stream.

A method for reforming carbon dioxide and methane by using a catalyzed plasma reactor, the method includes providing a dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor including a catalyst bed in a plasma discharge zone, injecting a reaction gas into the plasma reactor, generating plasma within the plasma discharge zone of the plasma reactor, generating a reformed gas by interaction between the plasma and the catalyst bed, and separating the reformed gas. The reaction gas includes methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and inert gas, the reformed gas includes carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and the oxygen is about 2 volume percent to about 15 volume percent of a total volume of the reaction gas.

Electrically heated reforming reactors and associated reforming processes are disclosed, which benefit from a number of advantages in terms of attaining and controlling the input of heat to catalytic conversion processes such as in the reforming of hydrocarbons (e.g., methane) using H.sub.2O and/or CO.sub.2 as an oxidant. The disclosed reactors provide the ability to target the input of heat to specific regions within a catalyst bed volume. This allows for the control of the temperature profile in one or more dimensions (e.g., axially and/or radially) and/or otherwise tailoring heat input for processing specific reformer feeds, achieving specific reformer products, effectively utilizing the catalyst, and/or compensating for a number of operating parameters (e.g., flow distribution). Dynamic control of the heat input may be used in response to changes in feed or product composition and/or catalyst activity.

A method of enhancing diesel fuel combustion by adding reformed hydrogen to the diesel fuel, by: (a) extracting hydrogen gas from liquid diesel fuel with a reformer/hydrogen generation system; (b) bubbling and agitating the extracted hydrogen gas into the liquid diesel fuel to form a homogenous mixture of hydrogen gas in liquid diesel fuel; (c) compressing the homogenous mixture of hydrogen gas in liquid diesel fuel at high pressures; and then (d) receiving both air and the compressed homogenous mixture of hydrogen gas in liquid diesel fuel into a combustion chamber.

A synthesis gas plant for producing a synthesis gas, where the synthesis gas plant includes a reforming section arranged to receive said feed gas and provide a combined synthesis gas, wherein said reforming section includes an electrically heated reforming reactor, a fired reforming reactor and an optional third reforming reactor. The reforming section is arranged to output a combined synthesis gas. An optional post processing unit downstream the reforming section is arranged to receive said combined synthesis gas stream and provide a post processed synthesis gas stream. A gas separation unit arranged to separate the combined synthesis gas stream or the post processed synthesis gas stream into a condensate, a product synthesis gas and an off-gas. At least a part of the off-gas is recycled from said gas separation unit to said one or more burners. Also, a process for producing synthesis gas from a feed gas comprising hydrocarbons.

The present disclosure relates to a plasma reactor for plasma-based gas conversion comprising a pin electrode extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, an opposing electrode opposing a discharge tip of the 10 pin electrode, a plasma chamber for confining a glow discharge plasma, and an electrically-insulating body that comprises an inner bore extending along the longitudinal axis from a bore entrance to a bore exit. The second end of the pin electrode comprises a discharge tip. The pin electrode penetrates the inner bore from the bore entrance and extends at least partly through the inner bore and a15 radial wall of a portion of the inner bore located between the second end of the pin electrode and the opposing electrode, is radially delimiting the plasma chamber. The plasma reactor is further configured for varying an electrode separation distance between the discharge tip of the pin electrode and the opposing electrode.

Systems and methods are described for electrically heated chemical processes utilizing conductive refractory materials. A heating apparatus may include a conductive refractory material without separate heating elements; and a furnace for heating hydrocarbons. The furnace includes one or more process tubes that are configured to receive a process vapor or fluid such that the process vapor or fluid does not contact the conductive refractory material. The conductive refractory material may be at least partially disposed within the furnace and configured to receive electrical power from a power source and to generate heat such that the conductive refractory material directly radiates heat within the furnace. A method of operating a chemical process may include providing such a furnace; and applying electricity directly to the conductive refractory material such that the conductive refractory material increases in temperature and provides heat to a chemical process.

The invention relates to a device (4) for carrying out a chemical rection in a plasma (223), wherein the device (4) comprises a source for generating electromagnetic waves (211), at least one first reactor (200), at least one connecting piece (230) and a second reactor (240). The invention also relates to a method for carrying out the chemical reaction using the device (4).

A process of quickly starting a hydrogen generator from cold conditions. The generator, which converts a fuel and an oxidant under catalytic partial oxidation conditions into a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, is intended for onboard integration with an internal combustion engine (ICE) of a transportation vehicle. Fast start of the hydrogen generator allows for rapid hydrogen augmentation of the ICE with the advantages of a more stable combustion and a reduction in hydrocarbon and NOx emissions.

Electrically heated reforming reactors and associated reforming processes are disclosed, which benefit from a number of advantages in terms of attaining and controlling the input of heat to catalytic conversion processes such as in the reforming of hydrocarbons (e.g., methane) using H.sub.2O and/or CO.sub.2 as an oxidant. The disclosed reactors provide the ability to target the input of heat to specific regions within a catalyst bed volume. This allows for the control of the temperature profile in one or more dimensions (e.g., axially and/or radially) and/or otherwise tailoring heat input for processing specific reformer feeds, achieving specific reformer products, effectively utilizing the catalyst, and/or compensating for a number of operating parameters (e.g., flow distribution). Dynamic control of the heat input may be used in response to changes in feed or product composition and/or catalyst activity.