A system (1, 1A) for manufacturing an aromatic compound according to the present invention includes: a first manufacturing device (2) that synthesizes a target substance from natural gas; a second manufacturing device that synthesizes an aromatic compound by a catalytic reaction from the natural gas and supplies a mixed gas mainly including unreacted methane and by-product hydrogen to the first manufacturing device (2) to manufacture the target substance; and a hydrogen separation device (3, 3A) that separates hydrogen from purge gas generated from the first manufacturing device (2) and supplies the same to the second manufacturing device (4, 4A) to regenerate the catalyst used for the catalytic reaction.

Certain configurations described herein comprise a reformer that is operative to liberate hydrogen gas from a hydrogen-rich feedstock in a catalytic reforming reaction, where a hydrogen purifier is effective to remove and purify hydrogen gas, in a thermally integrated assembly combining the reformer and purifier. Methods of using the combined reformer/purifier are also described.

A multiple adiabatic bed reforming apparatus and process are disclosed in which stage-wise combustion, in combination with multiple reforming chambers with catalyst, utilize co-flow and cross-flow under laminar flow conditions, to provide a reformer suitable for smaller production situation as well as large scale production. A passive stage by stage fuel distribution network suitable for low pressure fuel is incorporated and the resistances in successive fuel distribution lines control the amount of fuel delivered to each combustion stage.

The invention relates to a process for the production of liquid hydrocarbons by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in which the reforming section of the plant comprises a process line comprising autothermal reforming (ATR) (5) or catalytic partial oxidation (CPO), and a separate process line comprising steam methane reforming (SMR) (8).

Process for the production of synthesis gas by catalytic steam reforming of a hydrocarbon containing feedstock in parallel in an autothermal steam reformer and heat exchange reformer, the heat for the steam reforming reactions in the heat exchange reformer being provided by indirect heat exchange with the combined effluent of the heat exchange reformer and a portion of the autothermal steam reformer.

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.

A plant and process for producing a hydrogen rich gas are provided, said process including the steps of: steam reforming a hydrocarbon feed into a synthesis gas; shifting the synthesis gas and conducting the shifted gas to a hydrogen purification unit, subjecting CO.sub.2-rich off-gas from the hydrogen purification unit to a carbon dioxide removal in a low temperature CO.sub.2-removal section and recycling CO.sub.2-depleted off-gas rich in hydrogen to the process. A drying unit upstream the CO.sub.2-removal section is provided, under the addition of regeneration gas produced in the plant and process.

A system and method for temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor is provided. The system and method involves introducing a specific quantity of cooling air or trim air in between stages in a multistage oxygen transport membrane based reactor or furnace to maintain generally consistent surface temperatures of the oxygen transport membrane elements and associated reactors. The associated reactors may include reforming reactors, boilers or process gas heaters.

In various implementations, methanol is produced using a (CO+H.sub.2) containing synthesis gas produced from a combined PDX plus EHTR or a combined ATR plus EHTR at a pressure of 70 bar to 100 bar at the correct stoichiometric composition for methanol synthesis so that no feed gas compressor is required for the feed to the methanol synthesis reactor loop.

A device and method for producing a reformate fuel from a hydrocarbon gas source. The invention enables the conversion of a dilute hydrocarbon gas into a more easily consumable reformate fuel. Gases having low concentrations of hydrocarbons are concentrated using a concentrator into a gaseous or liquid concentrated VOC fuel. The concentrated VOC fuel is then converted into a reformate using a reformer. The reformate is more easily consumed by an energy conversion device such as a combustion engine, fuel cell, sterling engine or similar device that converts chemical energy into kinetic or electrical energy. The reformer enables complex hydrocarbon fuels that are not normally suitable for use in an energy conversion device to be converted into a reformate. The reformate may be directly supplied into the energy conversion device.