In a process for steam reforming of oxygenates, especially at low steam-to-carbon (S/C) ratios, a feed gas containing oxygenates, such as ethanol, is converted into syngas over a ternary carbide catalyst. Then the reformed gas is either transformed into desired chemicals or mixed into the feed stream to the reformer in a plant, such as an ammonia or methanol plant. The preferred ternary carbide is nickel zinc carbide.

A catalyst composition suitable for the ethanol reforming process at low temperature with enhanced stability on long term, comprises a noble metal, such as platinum or rhodium, and a transition non-noble metal, such as nickel or cobalt, supported by a carrier comprising, cerium, zirconium, optionally aluminium, supplemented with potassium. It is provided also a method for the stable production of hydrogen from an ethanol containing gas stream, comprising subjecting the gas stream to catalytic ethanol reforming as to form a rich H2 stream, using the catalyst as defined above.

Hydrogen generation assemblies, hydrogen purification devices, and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include a permeate frame with a membrane support structure having first and second membrane support plates that are free from perforations and that include a plurality of microgrooves configured to provide flow channels for at least part of the permeate stream. In some embodiments, the assemblies may include a return conduit fluidly connecting a buffer tank and a reformate conduit, a return valve assembly configured to manage flow in the return conduit, and a control assembly configured to operate a fuel processing assembly between run and standby modes based, at least in part, on detected pressure in the buffer tank and configured to direct the return valve assembly to allow product hydrogen stream to flow from the buffer tank to the reformate conduit when the fuel processing assembly is in the standby mode.

The present invention is generally directed to the efficient production of low-carbon methanol, ethanol or mixtures of methanol and ethanol from captured CO.sub.2 and renewable H.sub.2 at a generation site. The H.sub.2 is generated from water using an electrolyzer powered by renewable electricity, or from any other means of low-carbon H.sub.2 production. An improved catalyst and process is described that efficiently converts H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 mixture to syngas in a one-step process, and alcohols, such as methanol and ethanol, are produced from the syngas in a second step. The liquid methanol and ethanol, which are excellent H.sub.2 carriers, are transported to a production site, where another improved catalyst and process efficiently converts them to syngas. The syngas can then be used at the production site for the synthesis of low carbon fuels and chemicals, or to produce purified low carbon H.sub.2. The low carbon H.sub.2 can be used at the production site for the synthesis of low-carbon chemical products or compressed for transportation use.

Method and apparatus for synthesizing compounds by a low temperature plasma dual-electric field aided gas phase reaction are provided. The method utilizes two different electrode corona discharge fields in a plasma aided reactor to form a plasma dual-electric field, using electric energy to convert gas into gas molecules, atoms, ions and/or free radicals, and then reforming and reducing to obtain organic compounds such as aliphatic hydrocarbons, higher carbon ethers, higher carbon alcohols, higher carbon esters, lower carbon alcohols, and the like; also inorganic compounds such as N.sub.2, O.sub.2, H.sub.2SO.sub.4, NH.sub.3, and the like. The apparatus includes a reactor having a plasma region of two different corona discharge fields, wherein an alternating current corona discharge field or a positive corona discharge field is set in the first electric field, and a negative corona discharge field is set in the second electric field.

Photo-thermal catalysts and methods of use are described. The photo-thermal catalyst can include a photo-active metal oxide and, optionally, a plasmon resonance material. The photo-thermal catalyst has a temperature of 150 C. to 400 C. and is in contact with electromagnetic radiation. The photo-thermal catalyst can be used in a photo-thermal method to generate hydrogen from alcohols.

Iron-based homogeneous catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed in the catalytic dehydrocoupling of ethanol to produce ethyl acetate and hydrogen. As both ethanol and ethyl acetate are volatile materials, they can be readily separated from the catalyst by applying vacuum at room temperature. The hydrogen by-product of the reaction may be isolated and utilized as a feedstock in other chemical transformations.

An ethanol engine system stabilizes components of reformed gas generated by a reformer and a calorific value of fuel supplied to an engine. The ethanol engine system includes a reservoir tank for an aqueous ethanol solution, a first supply device that supplies the aqueous ethanol solution to the reformer, a separator that cools mixed gas fed from the reformer, including the reformed gas, condenses water vapor included in the mixed gas and separates into gas and liquid, a reformed gas supply device that supplies the reformed gas separated by the separator to the engine, a recovery tank that collects a recovery solution separated by the separator, and a first recovery solution supply device that supplies the recovery solution in the recovery tank to the reformer or a second recovery solution supply device that supplies the recovery solution in the recovery tank to a combustion chamber of the engine.

Hydrogen generation assemblies, hydrogen purification devices, and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include a permeate frame with a membrane support structure having first and second membrane support plates that are free from perforations and that include a plurality of microgrooves configured to provide flow channels for at least part of the permeate stream. In some embodiments, the assemblies may include a return conduit fluidly connecting a buffer tank and a reformate conduit, a return valve assembly configured to manage flow in the return conduit, and a control assembly configured to operate a fuel processing assembly between run and standby modes based, at least in part, on detected pressure in the buffer tank and configured to direct the return valve assembly to allow product hydrogen stream to flow from the buffer tank to the reformate conduit when the fuel processing assembly is in the standby mode.

A non-autothermal adiabatic reactor is described, including a reactor vessel defining an interior volume therein for adiabatic reaction, an inlet assembly including one or more inlets arranged to introduce reactant(s) to the interior volume of the reactor vessel, a foam material body having a conversion catalyst thereon and/or therein, positioned in the interior volume of the reactor vessel for contacting thereof by the reactant(s) introduced to the interior volume, and an outlet arranged to discharge reaction product(s) from the reactor vessel. The non-autothermal adiabatic reactor is advantageously used to produce hydrogen from an ethanol or other hydrocarbon feedstock.