A method for producing synthesis gas may involve introducing a hydrocarbon-containing coke-oven gas and a carbon dioxide-containing converter gas into a first reaction zone where hydrogen present in the hydrocarbon-containing coke-oven gas reacts at least partly with carbon dioxide to form water, which reacts thermally with hydrocarbon to form synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The method may further involve introducing an oxygen-containing gas in a second reaction zone, and using the oxygen-containing gas and some hydrogen from the first reaction zone to produce thermal energy. Still further, the method may involve supplying the thermal energy produced in the second reaction zone to the first reaction zone.

A method for producing synthesis gas may involve introducing a hydrocarbon-containing coke-oven gas and a carbon dioxide-containing converter gas into a first reaction zone where hydrogen present in the hydrocarbon-containing coke-oven gas reacts at least partly with carbon dioxide to form water, which reacts thermally with hydrocarbon to form synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The method may further involve introducing an oxygen-containing gas in a second reaction zone, and using the oxygen-containing gas and some hydrogen from the first reaction zone to produce thermal energy. Still further, the method may involve supplying the thermal energy produced in the second reaction zone to the first reaction zone.

Systems and methods are provided for improving the integration of fluidized coking systems that include an associated gasifier with other refinery and/or chemical plant processes. The improved integration can be based on one or more types of integration improvements. In some aspects, the integration can allow for improved carbon capture. In other aspects, the integration can allow for production of higher quality synthesis gas, which can then facilitate production of various chemicals, such as ammonia or urea. In still other aspects, the integration can allow for incorporation of H.sub.2S generated during the fluidized coking and gasification into a fertilizer product. In yet other aspects, the integration can allow the fluidized coking system to continue to operate even when the associated refinery and/or chemicals production processes are off-line. In still other aspects, the integration can allow two or more of the above integration advantages, or three or more, such as up to all of the above integration advantages.

Systems and methods are provided for improving the integration of fluidized coking systems that include an associated gasifier with other refinery and/or chemical plant processes. The improved integration can be based on one or more types of integration improvements. In some aspects, the integration can allow for improved carbon capture. In other aspects, the integration can allow for production of higher quality synthesis gas, which can then facilitate production of various chemicals, such as ammonia or urea. In still other aspects, the integration can allow for incorporation of H.sub.2S generated during the fluidized coking and gasification into a fertilizer product. In yet other aspects, the integration can allow the fluidized coking system to continue to operate even when the associated refinery and/or chemicals production processes are off-line. In still other aspects, the integration can allow two or more of the above integration advantages, or three or more, such as up to all of the above integration advantages.

A method of carrying out direct thermal decomposition of a hydrocarbon compound into carbon and hydrogen comprises: introducing a gaseous feed stream comprising at least one hydrocarbon compound into a reactor; and removing at least hydrogen gas and particulate carbon formed by thermal decomposition from the reactor. The method includes providing in the reactor a layer permeable to the particulate carbon and comprising loose particles other than the particulate carbon in a gas phase and passing the gaseous feed stream through the layer. The loose particles other than the particulate carbon comprise particles comprising a catalyst on a carrier. The method includes removing at least part of the layer from the reactor, separating constituents of the removed part, the constituents including some of the particles comprising a catalyst on a carrier, and returning the separated particles comprising a catalyst on a carrier to the layer.

A method of carrying out direct thermal decomposition of a hydrocarbon compound into carbon and hydrogen comprises: introducing a gaseous feed stream comprising at least one hydrocarbon compound into a reactor; and removing at least hydrogen gas and particulate carbon formed by thermal decomposition from the reactor. The method includes providing in the reactor a layer permeable to the particulate carbon and comprising loose particles other than the particulate carbon in a gas phase and passing the gaseous feed stream through the layer. The loose particles other than the particulate carbon comprise particles comprising a catalyst on a carrier. The method includes removing at least part of the layer from the reactor, separating constituents of the removed part, the constituents including some of the particles comprising a catalyst on a carrier, and returning the separated particles comprising a catalyst on a carrier to the layer.

A method is disclosed for operating a mass spectrometer vacuum interface, the vacuum interface comprising an evacuated expansion chamber downstream of a plasma ion source wherein the expansion chamber is pumped by an interface vacuum pump to provide an interface pressure in the chamber; the method comprising using a controller to automatically, or according to user input, control the throughput of the interface vacuum pump to control the interface pressure dependent on one or more operating modes of the spectrometer.

The present invention relates to a process for production of high yield of hydrogen by carrying out the dry reforming of the dry gas generated from the process itself by utilizing the same catalyst for cracking and producing high yield of light olefins such as ethylene, propylene and butylenes from residue feedstocks.

A new process for the decomposition of hydrocarbon feed stream(s) that achieves the conversion of a hydrocarbon feed stream to hydrogen and filamentous carbon, with minimal resulting production of carbon oxides is described herein. In this invention it is proposed to achieve the hydrocarbon conversion by the use of dual fluidized bed reaction zones, fluidly connected, for (i). hydrocarbon reaction (the reactor) and (ii). catalyst regeneration and heating (the regenerator) and to use a transition metal supported catalyst to achieve high hydrocarbon conversion and to produce high quality filamentous carbon.

A hydrogen production apparatus includes: a first heating furnace including: a first accommodating tank in which a moving bed of a catalyst containing any one or more of iron, nickel, copper, and aluminum is formed; and a heating tube, which is provided in the first accommodating tank, and through which a heat medium passes; a second heating furnace including: a burner that burns fuel to generate an exhaust gas; and a second accommodating tank in which a fluidized bed of the catalyst discharged from the first heating furnace is formed with the exhaust gas; and a furnace for the pyrolysis including a third accommodating tank in which a fluidized bed of the catalyst discharged from the second heating furnace is formed with a raw material gas containing hydrocarbon.