Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable mediums for determining the composition of gaseous fuel. An initial gaseous fuel stream is provided that includes methane, non-methane hydrocarbons, and inert gases. Air is mixed into the initial fuel stream upstream of a first catalyst. The first catalyst oxidizes only the non-methane hydrocarbons of the initial fuel stream to produce a resultant fuel stream comprising methane and inert gases. Air is mixed into the resultant fuel stream downstream of the first catalyst and upstream of a second catalyst. The second catalyst oxidizes only the methane hydrocarbons of the resultant fuel stream to produce an output fuel stream. Mole ratios of the methane, the non-methane hydrocarbons, and the inert gases of the initial fuel stream are each determined.

A fuel cell system and method for using a peak shaving gas, the system including: a fuel inlet configured to receive fuel from a fuel source; a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) reactor configured to at least partially oxidize the fuel during startup of the system; a blower configured to provide air to the CPOx reactor; a gas analyzer configured to determine a composition of fuel provided to the CPOx reactor from the fuel inlet; an oxidation catalyst configured to reduce an O.sub.2 content of fuel received from the CPOx reactor; a reforming catalyst configured to partially reform fuel received from the oxidation catalyst; and a stack of fuel cells configured to generate electricity using fuel received from the reforming catalyst.

The present disclosure relates to a power production system that is adapted to achieve high efficiency power production with carbon capture when using a solid or liquid hydrocarbon or carbonaceous fuel. More particularly, the solid or liquid fuel first is partially oxidized in a partial oxidation reactor that is configured to provide an output stream that is enriched in methane content. The resulting partially oxidized stream can be cooled, filtered, additionally cooled, and then directed to a combustor of a power production system as the combustion fuel. The partially oxidized stream is combined with a compressed recycle CO.sub.2 stream and oxygen. The combustion stream is expanded across a turbine to produce power and passed through a recuperator heat exchanger. The recycle CO.sub.2 stream is compressed and passed through the recuperator heat exchanger and optionally the POX heat exchanger in a manner useful to provide increased efficiency to the combined systems.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel gas supply line, an oxidizing agent gas supply line, a fuel gas discharge line, and a reformer provided in the fuel gas supply line. A first circulating line circulates the fuel gas from the fuel gas discharge line to an upstream side of the reformer in the fuel gas supply line as a first circulating gas. The circulation device is provided in the fuel gas supply line, and suctions the first circulating gas by using the flow of the fuel gas flowing through the fuel gas supply line as a driving flow. A second circulating line circulates the fuel gas from a downstream side of the circulation device in the fuel gas supply line or the fuel gas discharge line to the upstream side of the circulation device in the fuel gas supply line as a second circulating gas.

A process for producing methanol includes the following steps (a) reacting, via a catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) reaction, a CPO reactant mixture (hydrocarbon, oxygen, and optionally steam) in a CPO reactor to produce syngas including H.sub.2, CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2O, and unreacted hydrocarbons; and wherein the CPO reactor includes a CPO catalyst; (b) introducing the syngas to a methanol reactor to produce a methanol reactor effluent stream (methanol, water, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbons); and (c) separating the methanol reactor effluent stream into a crude methanol stream, a hydrogen stream, a CO.sub.2 stream, and a purge gas stream. The crude methanol stream comprises includes methanol and water; wherein the purge gas stream includes carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons; and the CO2 stream includes at least a portion of the CO2 of the methanol reactor effluent stream; and (d) recycling at least a portion of the CO2 stream to the CPO reactor.

Power generation systems and methods using solid oxide fuel cell(s) (SOFC) are provided. For example, a power generation system can include a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) reactor, an array of one or more fuel cell stacks, and a self-diagnostic system. The CPOx reactor is operable to generate a hydrogen rich gas from a hydrocarbon fuel. The array of one or more fuel cell stacks includes at least one SOFC and is coupled to the CPOx reactor. The fuel cell stacks are operable to generate electrical power and heat from an electrochemical reaction of the hydrogen rich gas and oxygen from an oxygen source. This power generation system can be composed of off-the-shelf parts and components, making this unit inexpensive to manufacture, operate and to maintain as well as easier to operate.

A system having a catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) reactor operable to produce a CPO reactor effluent characterized by a hydrogen to carbon monoxide (H.sub.2/CO) molar ratio and an M ratio (H.sub.2—CO.sub.2)/(CO+CO.sub.2); a steam methane reforming (SMR) reactor operable to produce an SMR reactor effluent characterized by a H.sub.2/CO molar ratio greater than that of the CPO reactor effluent, and an M ratio greater than that of the CPO reactor effluent. The system includes a flow line(s) configured to combine at least a portion of the CPO reactor effluent with at least a portion of the SMR reactor effluent to provide a combined syngas stream upstream or downstream of a heat exchanger operable to transfer heat from at least a portion of the CPO reactor effluent, at least a portion of the SMR reactor effluent, or the combined syngas stream to the first portion and/or the second portion of hydrocarbons.

A system having a catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) reactor to produce, from a CPO reactant mixture, a CPO reactor effluent characterized by a hydrogen to carbon monoxide (H2/CO) molar ratio and a M ratio defined as (H2−CO2)/(CO+C=2). The system includes a water-gas shift (WGS) reactor configured to produce a hydrogen enriched reactor effluent from at least a portion of the CPO reactor effluent, wherein the hydrogen enriched reactor effluent is characterized by a H2/CO molar ratio that is greater than the H2/CO molar ratio of the CPO reactor effluent. The system includes a CO2 separator operable to remove a portion of the CO2 from the hydrogen enriched reactor effluent to yield the syngas, wherein the syngas is characterized by a M ratio that is greater than the M ratio of the CPO reactor effluent and of the hydrogen enriched reactor effluent. Processes for producing the syngas and producing methanol therefrom are also provided.

A system that combines partial hydrocarbon oxidation with methane reforming is provided. The system advantageously uses products or partial products from the partial hydrocarbon oxidation to form the syngas, mixture of alcohols and other oxygenated hydrocarbons.

A process for producing methanol including the following steps: (a) reacting, via a catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) reaction, a CPO reactant mixture (hydrocarbons, oxygen, and optionally steam) in a CPO reactor to produce syngas; wherein the CPO reactor has a CPO catalyst; and wherein the syngas includes hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, and unreacted hydrocarbons; (b) introducing the syngas to a methanol reactor to produce a methanol reactor effluent stream; wherein the methanol reactor effluent stream includes methanol, water, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbons; and (c) separating the methanol reactor effluent stream into a crude methanol stream and a vapor stream. The crude methanol stream comprises includes methanol and water. The vapor stream includes hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbons; and wherein the crude methanol stream has water in an amount of less than about 10 wt. %, based on the total weight of the crude methanol stream.