A method for heating a partial oxidation reactor system including a burner system is provided. The method includes utilizing a flue gas stream derived from combustion process using an oxygen rich stream and a hydrocarbon fuel stream. The method may include a first burner system utilized during normal plant operation performing partial combustion, a second burner system utilized for heating during start-up phase performing complete combustion. The first burner system may be different than, or the same as, the second burner system. The method may include a second flue gas stream exiting the partial oxidation reactor, and wherein at least a portion of the second flue gas stream is recycled back to the burner system. The method may include a third flue gas stream derived from a downstream located equipment, wherein at least of portion of the third flue gas stream is recycled back to the burner system.

The present invention is a combustion strategy using a swirl burner tip, which is one of stoichiometric mixture of reactants (2H.sub.2+O.sub.2.fwdarw.2H.sub.2O) with added high quality dry steam (H.sub.2O (g)) as a thermal diluent. The amount of dry steam can be determined by the safety requirements of the reactants and the desired temperature of post-flame gases. It can be appreciated that the design of the swirl burner tip is for safe handling of the reactants, and for rapid and thorough mixing of the reactants so combustion occurs in a nearly premixed configuration exterior of the swirl burner tip. The H.sub.2/O.sub.2 ratio is fixed to consume all H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 (stoichiometric), with dry steam (H.sub.2O (g)) strategically added to the reactants. The burner tip is configured to create counter swirling reactant flows separate from each other.

The technology relates to a method of producing synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2), wherein the synthesis gas is produced by a reduction reaction of a first flow comprising a carbon source and an excess of hydrogen in contact with an Oxy-flame. The hydrogen comes from a reducing stream, a first portion of which ends up in the first flow, and a second part of which is used to generate the Oxy-flame by combustion of the hydrogen in the presence of a second flow comprising oxygen (O.sub.2), the second flow coming from an oxidizing stream. The first flow and the second flow are at a distance from each other such that the Oxy-flame supports the reaction between the carbon source and the hydrogen. A reactor, which can have different configurations, is also proposed for implementing the method.

The present invention relates to integrating a hot oxygen burner with an auto thermal reformer of reducing in a system for generating synthesis gas.

Reactor (1) for partial oxidation of a fuel (2) with an oxidant (3) to a synthesis gas (4) comprising CO and H2, the reactor (1) includes: a vessel (5) enclosing a reaction chamber (6) for the partial oxidation of said fuel (2) in the presence of said oxidant (3); a burner (7) arranged to feed said fuel (2) and said oxidant (3) to said reaction chamber (6); said burner (7) comprises: a first passage (9) for said oxidant (3) and a second passage (2) for said fuel (2), said first (9) and said second passage (11) are coaxially arranged one around the other; an ignition mean (13) and a flame detection sensor (14), wherein said ignition mean (13) and said flame detection sensor (14) are movable within the burner between a start-up position (30) proximal to the reaction chamber (6) and a second retracted position (31) distanced from said reaction chamber (6).

A burner for producing synthesis gas by partial oxidation of liquid or gaseous, carbon-containing fuels in the presence of an oxygen-containing oxidant and a moderator, which burner can be operated uncooled, i.e. without a fluid coolant being passed through the burner, is proposed. Steam or carbon dioxide or else mixtures of these materials are used as moderator. This is achieved by the feed channels being configured so that mixing of the fuel, the moderator and the oxidant occurs only outside the burner.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, and a burner. The burner has anode off-gas apertures and first and second cathode off-gas apertures. In a cross section of the burner at a cutting plane that passes a first cathode off-gas aperture, an anode off-gas aperture, and a second cathode off-gas aperture that are aligned on a straight line when seen in plan view, the first cathode off-gas aperture is provided on one side of the anode off-gas aperture such that a vector of an ejecting direction of cathode off-gas forms a first acute angle with a vector of an ejecting direction of anode off-gas, and the second cathode off-gas aperture is provided on the other side of the anode off-gas aperture such that the vector of the ejecting direction of cathode off-gas forms a second acute angle with the vector of the ejecting direction of anode off-gas.

Apparatus and methods of use thereof for the production of carbon-based and other nanostructures, as well as fuels and reformed products, are provided.

The present invention relates to a process and plant for producing a hydrogen- and carbon oxides-having synthesis gas by partial oxidation of a carbonaceous feedstock having nitrogen compounds. The invention takes advantage of the different solubility of NH.sub.3 and CO.sub.2 as the synthesis gas stream is cooled. Water is condensed continuously throughout the cooling of the synthesis gas stream. NH.sub.3 preferentially dissolves or condenses into the liquid phase during cooling, but at relatively high temperatures, above about 80 to 100? C. Further condensation at lower temperatures then preferentially dissolves or condenses CO.sub.2 into the liquid phase. Thus, the formation of ammonium salts during cooling of the synthesis gas is prevented.

The invention relates to a partial oxidation reactor (POX reactor) for producing a raw synthesis gas stream by partial oxidation of a carbon-containing input stream in gaseous form, in liquid form or in solid, particulate form dispersed in a carrier liquid or a carrier gas in the presence of an oxygen-containing oxidant stream and optionally a moderator stream containing steam and/or carbon dioxide. The invention further relates to a process for producing a raw synthesis gas stream. The partial oxidation reactor according to the invention provides for introducing a cylindrical or frustoconical inlet region having a constant diameter or a diameter that is smaller on the entrance side. The inlet region is arranged upstream of a cylindrical main reactor portion and represents a bottleneck-like section since the largest diameter of the inlet region is smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical main reactor portion.