The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing pure hydrogen from an input gas containing hydrogen and hydrocarbons, in particular from a hydrogen-containing refinery off-gas, by steam reforming in a steam reforming stage and multi-stage hydrogen enrichment. According to the invention the input gas containing hydrogen and hydrocarbons is separated in a first hydrogen enrichment stage into a hydrogen-enriched substream and a hydrogen-depleted substream, wherein at least a portion of the hydrogen-enriched substream is supplied to a second hydrogen enrichment stage or introduced into the pure hydrogen product stream and at least a portion of the hydrogen-depleted substream is supplied to the steam reforming stage as a reforming feed stream or as part thereof and/or to the burners as a fuel gas stream.

A method for decreasing the SFFC of a steam reforming plant, including establishing a base operating mode. Then modifying the base operating mode by introducing the shift gas stream into a solvent based, non-cryogenic separator prior to introduction into the pressure swing adsorption and introducing the compressed hydrogen depleted off-gas stream in a membrane separation unit, wherein the membrane is configured to produce the hydrogen enriched permeate stream at a suitable pressure to allow the hydrogen enriched permeate stream to be combined with carbon dioxide lean shift gas stream, prior to introduction into the pressure swing adsorption unit without requiring additional compression. Thereby establishing a modified operating mode. Wherein said pressure swing adsorption unit has a modified overall hydrogen recovery. Wherein said modified operating mode has a modified hydrogen production, a modified hydrogen production unit firing duty, a modified SCO2e, and a modified SFFC.

A method for decreasing the SFFC of a steam reforming plant, including establishing a base operating mode. Then modifying the base operating mode by introducing the shift gas stream into a solvent based, non-cryogenic separator prior to introduction into the pressure swing adsorption and introducing the compressed hydrogen depleted off-gas stream in a membrane separation unit, wherein the membrane is configured to produce the hydrogen enriched permeate stream at a suitable pressure to allow the hydrogen enriched permeate stream to be combined with carbon dioxide lean shift gas stream, prior to introduction into the pressure swing adsorption unit without requiring additional compression. Thereby establishing a modified operating mode. Wherein said pressure swing adsorption unit has a modified overall hydrogen recovery. Wherein said modified operating mode has a modified hydrogen production, a modified hydrogen production unit firing duty, a modified SCO2e, and a modified SFFC.

A method to produce syngas from a feed oil comprising the steps of increasing a pressure of a slurry catalyst; increasing a temperature of the pressurized slurry stream; increasing a pressure of the feed oil; increasing a temperature of the pressurized feed stream; mixing the hot slurry stream and the hot oil stream; increasing a temperature of the mixed stream in a combined heater to produce a hot mixed stream; maintaining upgrading reactions of hydrocarbons in the supercritical reactor to produce a supercritical effluent; reducing a pressure of the supercritical effluent; separating the depressurized effluent in a separator to produce a gas stream; separating the gas stream to produce a light hydrocarbon stream; mixing the light hydrocarbon stream and a catalyst feed; introducing the hot feed to a steam reformer; maintaining water gas shift reactions of the light hydrocarbon gases in the steam reformer to produce a reformer effluent.

The invention includes a gas processing system for transforming a hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into outflow gas products, where the system includes a gas delivery subsystem, a plasma reaction chamber, and a microwave subsystem, with the gas delivery subsystem in fluid communication with the plasma reaction chamber, so that the gas delivery subsystem directs the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the plasma reaction chamber, and the microwave subsystem directs microwave energy into the plasma reaction chamber to energize the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma reaction chamber, which plasma effects the transformation of a hydrocarbon in the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the outflow gas products, which comprise acetylene and hydrogen. The invention also includes methods for the use of this gas processing system.

The invention provides a thermal cracking system which comprises a reactor, and a feed module or a solid product discharge module. The feed module transports a feed material from the outside environment to the reactor. While being transported, the feed material is heated by the feed module to become molten and fills up the interior of the feed module, thereby preventing air from entering the reactor. The solid product discharge module transports a solid product from the reactor to the outside environment. One end of the solid product discharge module is connected with the reactor. The other end of the solid product discharge module comprises a first opening interfacing with the outside environment. When the solid product is transported to the outside environment, the opening size of the first opening is selected such that the speed at which the solid product is entering the solid product discharge module form the reactor is equal to or greater than that at which the solid product is leaving the solid product discharge module, through the first opening, and into the outside environment. Benefit of the invention includes a higher production efficiency and enhanced safety for a thermal cracking system at industrial scale.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for hydrogen production as well as apparatuses useful in such systems and methods. Hydrogen is produced by steam reforming of a hydrocarbon in a gas heated reformer that is heated using one or more streams comprising combustion products of a fuel in an oxidant, preferably in the presence of a carbon dioxide circulating stream.

A catalyst for decomposition of hydrocarbons that is hard to cause deterioration of catalytic properties and suitable for producing hydrogen in a highly efficient manner for a long period is provided. The catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons includes a nickel-containing layer exposed on a support layer selected from the group consisting of iron, cast iron, steel, copper, nickel, copper alloy, and iron nickel alloy. The catalyst for decomposition of hydrocarbons is produced by contacting a raw material of the catalyst with methane gas at an elevated temperature of 800° C. for 4 to 72 hours with an average residence time beyond 14 minutes. The catalyst further includes an interlayer comprising copper between the support layer and the nickel-containing layer, or the support layer is copper or copper alloy.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods useful for power production. In particular, a power production cycle utilizing CO.sub.2 as a working fluid may be configured for simultaneous hydrogen production. Beneficially, substantially all carbon arising from combustion in power production and hydrogen production is captured in the form of carbon dioxide. Further, produced hydrogen (optionally mixed with nitrogen received from an air separation unit) can be input as fuel in a gas turbine combined cycle unit for additional power production therein without any atmospheric CO.sub.2 discharge.

A method for producing hydrogen and carbon from hydrocarbons in a reaction chamber is provided. The method includes introducing a hydrocarbon into a chamber such that the hydrocarbon rotates in a first direction. The method includes generating a direct current (DC)-based plasma from a portion of the hydrocarbon, wherein the hydrocarbon is heated to a temperature greater than 1,000° C. at least in part by the DC-based plasma. The method includes rotating the DC-based plasma in a second direction that is different from the first direction. The method includes converting the hydrocarbon into elemental constituents of the hydrocarbon comprising carbon solid and hydrogen gas. The method includes separating the carbon solid from the hydrogen gas to provide a solid part and a gas part.