Improved processes and systems are disclosed for producing renewable hydrogen suitable for reducing metal ores, as well as for producing activated carbon. Some variations provide a process comprising: pyrolyzing biomass to generate a biogenic reagent comprising carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas; converting the pyrolysis off-gas to additional reducing gas and/or heat; reacting at least some of the biogenic reagent with a reactant to generate a reducing gas; and chemically reducing a metal oxide in the presence of the reducing gas. Some variations provide a process for producing renewable hydrogen by biomass pyrolysis to generate a biogenic reagent, conversion of the biogenic reagent to a reducing gas, and separation and recovery of hydrogen from the reducing gas. A reducing-gas composition for reducing a metal oxide is provided, comprising renewable hydrogen according to a hydrogen-isotope analysis. Reacted biogenic reagent may also be recovered as an activated carbon product. Many variations are disclosed.

A method of generating hydrogen gas includes providing a colony of sulfur-reducing bacteria and a colony of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The colonies can be submerged in a body of water. The colony of sulfur-reducing bacteria can be used to convert at least a portion of sulfates present in the body of water to hydrogen sulfide. The colony of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria can be used to convert the hydrogen sulfide to sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid can react with manganese to produce hydrogen gas and manganese sulfate.

A method of separating oxygen from a body of water includes providing a colony of denitrifying bacteria submerged in the body of water. The colony of denitrifying bacteria can be used to convert at least a portion of nitrogen oxides present in the body of water to nitrogen gas. The method can also include collecting the nitrogen gas and bubbling the nitrogen gas through a portion of water from the body of water to remove dissolved oxygen from the portion of water. This can form a mixture of the nitrogen gas and oxygen gas.

A process for producing acetic acid includes: (a) reacting, via a catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) reaction, a CPO reactant mixture in a CPO reactor to produce a hydrogen-lean syngas; wherein the hydrocarbons include equal to or greater than about 3 mol % C2+ alkanes; wherein the hydrogen-lean syngas includes hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and unreacted hydrocarbons; and wherein the hydrogen-lean syngas is characterized by a hydrogen to carbon monoxide (H2/CO) molar ratio of from about 0.7 to about 1.3. Also included is (b) feeding at least a portion of the hydrogen-lean syngas and dimethyl ether (DME) to a DME carbonylation unit to produce methyl acetate and a hydrogen-enriched syngas characterized by a H2/CO molar ratio of from about 1.8 to about 2.2; and (c) feeding at least a portion of the methyl acetate and water to a methyl acetate hydrolysis reaction zone to produce acetic acid and a methanol stream.

A process for producing hydrogen-lean syngas includes the steps of reacting, via a catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) reaction, a CPO reactant mixture in a CPO reactor to produce the hydrogen-lean syngas, wherein the CPO reactant mixture includes hydrocarbons and oxygen. The hydrocarbons include greater than or equal to about 3 mol % C2+ alkanes, wherein the CPO reactor include a CPO catalyst, and wherein the hydrogen-lean syngas include hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, and unreacted hydrocarbons The hydrogen-lean syngas is characterized by a molar ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide (H2/CO) in a range of from about 0.8 to about 1.6. A system for carrying out the process is also provided.

A plant, such as a hydrocarbon plant, is provided, which consists of a syngas stage for syngas generation and a synthesis stage where said syngas is synthesized to produce syngas derived product, such as hydrocarbon product. The plant makes effective use of various streams; in particular CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2. A method for producing a product stream, such as a hydrocarbon product stream is also provided.

A plant, such as a hydrocarbon plant, is provided, which consists of a syngas stage for syngas generation and a synthesis stage where said syngas is synthesized to produce syngas derived product, such as hydrocarbon product. The plant makes effective use of various streams; in particular CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2. The plant does not comprise an external feed of hydrocarbons. A method for producing a product stream, such as a hydrocarbon product stream is also provided.

The present disclosure relates to cogeneration of power and one or more chemical entities through operation of a power production cycle and treatment of a stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen. A cogeneration process can include carrying out a power production cycle, providing a heated stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, cooling the heated stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen against at least one stream in the power production cycle so as to provide heating to the power production cycle, and carrying out at least one purification step so as to provide a purified stream comprising predominately hydrogen. A system for cogeneration of power and one or more chemical products can include a power production unit, a syngas production unit, one or more heat exchange elements configured for exchanging heat from a syngas stream from the syngas production unit to a stream from the power production unit, and at least one purifier element configured to separate the syngas stream into a first stream comprising predominately hydrogen and a second stream.

The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing hydrogen by steam reforming and high-temperature electrolysis. Steam reforming produces a synthesis gas from a carbon-containing starting material and steam. Process heat generated in the context of the steam reforming is utilized for producing steam from water. Thus-produced steam is utilized as reactant for producing an electrolysis product in a high-temperature electrolysis step, wherein the electrolysis product includes at least hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is separated from the synthesis gas produced by steam reforming and from the electrolysis product produced by high-temperature electrolysis.

Systems and methods for direct crude oil upgrading to hydrogen and chemicals including separating an inlet hydrocarbon stream into a light fraction and a heavy fraction comprising diesel boiling point temperature range material; producing from the light fraction syngas comprising H.sub.2 and CO; reacting the CO produced; producing from the heavy fraction and separating CO.sub.2, polymer grade ethylene, polymer grade propylene, C.sub.4 compounds, cracking products, light cycle oils, and heavy cycle oils; collecting and purifying the CO.sub.2 produced from the heavy fraction; processing the C.sub.4 compounds to produce olefinic oligomerate and paraffinic raffinate; separating the cracking products; oligomerizing a light cut naphtha stream; hydrotreating an aromatic stream; hydrocracking the light cycle oils to produce a monoaromatics product stream; gasifying the heavy cycle oils; reacting the CO produced from gasifying the heavy cycle oils; collecting and purifying the CO.sub.2; and processing and separating produced aromatic compounds into benzene and paraxylene.