This application relates to the production of functionalized lower hydrocarbons and more particularly to the process of converting ethanol to functionalized lower hydrocarbons. In particular embodiments, the ethanol to functionalized lower hydrocarbon conversion is catalyzed by a Zn.sub.xZr.sub.yA.sub.vQ.sub.sMn.sub.wO.sub.z mixed oxide catalyst or a bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst. In particular embodiments, the ethanol to be converted is present at molar concentrations in the reactor feed equal to or exceeding 14%.

The present invention provides materials for improving the ignition of gaseous reactants in metal catalyzed oxidation reactions comprising a metal catalyst gauze, preferably, a platinum/rhodium catalyst gauze, having in contact therewith, from 0.25 to 1.5 wt. %, based on the weight of the metal catalyst gauze, of one or more pieces of previously used metal catalyst gauze. Further, methods of making the metal catalyst materials comprise shaping the pieces of previously used metal catalyst gauze and placing them equidistant from each other in contact with or on the surface of the metal catalyst gauze. And methods of using the materials comprise feeding into the reactor a gas mixture of oxygen or air and one or more reactant gases, and igniting the gas mixture at the surface of one or more or all of the pieces of previously used metal catalyst.

A process for treating effluent streams in a renewable transportation fuel production process is described. One or more of the sour water stream and an acid gas stream are treated directly in thermal oxidation section. The process allows the elimination or size reduction of a sour water stripper unit, waste water treatment plant, and sulfur recovery unit.

A synthesis gas production apparatus (reformer) to be used for a synthesis gas production step in a GTL (gas-to-liquid) process is prevented from being contaminated by metal components. A method of suppressing metal contamination of a synthesis gas production apparatus operating for a GTL process that includes a synthesis gas production step of producing synthesis gas by causing natural gas and gas containing steam and/or carbon dioxide to react with each other for reforming in a synthesis gas production apparatus in which, at the time of separating and collecting a carbon dioxide contained in the synthesis gas produced in the synthesis gas production step and recycling the separated and collected carbon dioxide as source gas for the reforming reaction in the synthesis gas production step, a nickel concentration in the recycled carbon dioxide is not higher than 0.05 ppmv.

Disclosed are a method and a membrane module for the separation of oxygen from air during biomass gasification. The method comprises employing a membrane module as disclosed herein and using gas exiting the membrane module to heat incoming fresh air, more than 50% of heat energy contained in the gas exiting the membrane module being utilized to preheat the fresh air. The fresh air is further heated to a temperature of from 800° C. to 900° C. by directly feeding combustion gas or synthesis gas from the biomass gasification into a combustion space of the membrane module.

An elemental sulfur recovery unit comprising a thermal unit configured to combust an acid gas feed comprising hydrogen sulfide, an oxygen source, and a fuel gas to create a reaction furnace outlet stream, comprising elemental sulfur, a waste heat boiler configured to capture heat from the reaction furnace outlet stream to create a waste heat boiler effluent, a condenser configured to condense the waste heat boiler effluent to produce a non-condensed gases stream and a condensed stream comprising elemental sulfur, a process gas reheater configured to generate a hot gases stream, a hydrogenation reactor configured to convert the hot gases stream to create a hydrogenation effluent comprising hydrogen sulfide, a process desuperheater configured to cool the hydrogenation effluent to generate a cooled effluent, and an absorber unit configured to absorb the hydrogen sulfide from the cooled effluent to produce a hydrogen sulfide recycle stream and a waste gas stream.

A waste incinerator, in a vertical structure and including from the top down: a drying section, a destructive distillation section, a reduction section, and a combustion section. The combustion section includes: two layers of grate bars, a first combustion layer, a second combustion layer, and a third combustion layer. The heat produced from the combustion in the combustion section is used to heat the carbide in the reduction section. The heated carbide reduces CO.sub.2 produced in the combustion into CO (coal gas). The coal gas ascends to the destructive distillation section through the ambient coal gas chamber to heat and destructively distillate the waste to produce the pyrogenic coal gas and the carbide. The carbide drops to the combustion section for combustion, and the pyrogenic coal gas and the coal gas are collected by the draft fan.

An apparatus is provided that receives waste and generates electrical power or thermal energy with minimal NOx emissions. A gasifier is provided that receives the waste and air to produce fuel gas for delivery to a fluidly coupled reformer. The reformer receives the fuel gas, recycled flue gas, and air to auto-thermally produce a reformed fuel gas and destroy fuel gas pollutants at a first temperature without a catalyst. A burner is fluidly coupled to the reformer and receives recycled flue gas and air to oxidize the reformed fuel gas at a second temperature that prevents nitrogen oxide formation, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature. A quench chamber is fluidly coupled to the burner and receives flue gas from the burner for quenching with recycled flue gas. A heat recovery system is fluidly coupled to the reformer, burner, and quench chamber to extract usable energy.

Methods of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) are provided. Aspects of the methods include contacting an aqueous capture ammonia with a gaseous source of CO.sub.2 under conditions sufficient to produce an aqueous ammonium carbonate. The aqueous ammonium carbonate is then combined with a cation source under conditions sufficient to produce a solid CO.sub.2 sequestering carbonate and an aqueous ammonium salt. The aqueous capture ammonia is then regenerated from the from the aqueous ammonium salt. Also provided are systems configured for carrying out the methods.

An ammonia plant system upgrade utilizing both a direct and indirect multistage chilling system in the ammonia plant air compression train to increase process air flow to the secondary ammonia reformer of an existing ammonia plant as well as upgrades to provide more pre-heating along with increased process air flow.