The present invention relates to a gasification process of a solid carbonaceous material by catalysis in molten salts. A carbonaceous material is contacted, for a defined period in the presence of air with a first molten salt bath. The first molten salt bath includes at least one chloride type salt chosen from NaCl, MgCl.sub.2, CaCl.sub.2), KCl, FeCl.sub.2 and which has a melting point greater than or equal to 300? C., a density greater than 1 measured in the liquid state and at atmospheric pressure. The gases formed are recovered, and are contacted with a second molten salt bath optionally different from said first bath and, at the outlet of said second bath, the recovered gases are either stored optionally under pressure, or reinjected into said first bath or said second bath.

A compact, transportable batch-process supertorrefaction system includes at least one supertorrefying unit, a liquid tank containing molten salt, and a wash tank including a plurality of basins containing water having different temperatures and different salinity. The liquid tank and the wash tank sequentially supply the molten salt and the water to a receiving space of the at least one supertorrefying unit to supertorrefy the biomass into charcoal and to rinse and cool the charcoal, respectively. The plurality of basins of the wash tank sequentially supply water having different temperatures and salinity to the same receiving space to gradually rinse and cool the charcoal. The biomass is not moved in the at least one supertorrfeying unit during biomass supertorrefaction. The charcoal is not moved during charcoal cooling.

A compact, transportable batch-process supertorrefaction system includes at least one supertorrefying unit, a liquid tank containing molten salt, and a wash tank including a plurality of basins containing water having different temperatures and different salinity. The liquid tank and the wash tank sequentially supply the molten salt and the water to a receiving space of the at least one supertorrefying unit to supertorrefy the biomass into charcoal and to rinse and cool the charcoal, respectively. The plurality of basins of the wash tank sequentially supply water having different temperatures and salinity to the same receiving space to gradually rinse and cool the charcoal. The biomass is not moved in the at least one supertorrfeying unit during biomass supertorrefaction. The charcoal is not moved during charcoal cooling.

A method for processing plastics includes receiving input plastics to be processed. The method further includes driving the input plastics through a reactor chamber having at least two zones each containing heated fluid that is heated to greater temperatures in a subsequent zone such that remaining plastics of the input plastics are exposed to increasingly greater temperatures in each zone of the reactor chamber. The method also includes collecting condensable vapors that flow out of the at least two zones of the reactor chamber. The method further includes condensing the condensable vapors into a liquid condensate. The method also includes removing biochar products from the heated fluid. The method further includes removing contaminants from the reactor chamber.

A method for processing plastics includes receiving input plastics to be processed. The method further includes driving the input plastics through a reactor chamber having at least two zones each containing heated fluid that is heated to greater temperatures in a subsequent zone such that remaining plastics of the input plastics are exposed to increasingly greater temperatures in each zone of the reactor chamber. The method also includes collecting condensable vapors that flow out of the at least two zones of the reactor chamber. The method further includes condensing the condensable vapors into a liquid condensate. The method also includes removing biochar products from the heated fluid. The method further includes removing contaminants from the reactor chamber.

A process for decomposing a hydrocarbon-containing composition includes feeding the hydrocarbon-containing composition to a reactor containing a catalytically active molten metal or a catalytically active molten metal alloy, wherein the metal or alloy catalyzes a decomposition reaction of the hydrocarbon-containing composition into a hydrogen-rich gas phase and a solid carbon phase. The solid carbon phase is insoluble in the metal or alloy. The process may be a continuous process.

This invention details a method and device for recycling polymeric, composite, and industrial rubber waste. It involves a bath of liquid-metal coolant, made by melting metals like lead, bismuth, zinc, aluminum, and copper. This coolant is heated to 50-150? C. above its melting point. A layer of melted salts of alkaline and alkaline-earth metals is formed on the coolant's surface, topped by a purifying layer of melted active alkaline or alkaline-earth metals. Waste is pre-loaded into perforated-wall containers with horizontal partitions and submerged in the coolant bath, then removed after processing. The device includes guide rails, an internal space with a hearth, side walls, roof, inlet and outlet sluices, and a reaction chamber. This process improves desulphurization and dichlorination of pyrolysis products, yielding a solid carbon-containing residue.

This invention details a method and device for recycling polymeric, composite, and industrial rubber waste. It involves a bath of liquid-metal coolant, made by melting metals like lead, bismuth, zinc, aluminum, and copper. This coolant is heated to 50-150? C. above its melting point. A layer of melted salts of alkaline and alkaline-earth metals is formed on the coolant's surface, topped by a purifying layer of melted active alkaline or alkaline-earth metals. Waste is pre-loaded into perforated-wall containers with horizontal partitions and submerged in the coolant bath, then removed after processing. The device includes guide rails, an internal space with a hearth, side walls, roof, inlet and outlet sluices, and a reaction chamber. This process improves desulphurization and dichlorination of pyrolysis products, yielding a solid carbon-containing residue.

A process for the cracking of a carbon-containing feedstock to produce olefins includes contacting, in a reactor system, the carbon-containing feedstock with oxygen gas in the presence of a molten salt matrix consisting of a eutectic mixture of alkali metal carbonates, alkaline earth metal carbonates, or a mixture of any two or more thereof, to generate an olefin-containing product stream; and collecting an olefin from the olefin-containing product stream; wherein: the oxygen is fed with the carbon-containing feedstock in a gas stream comprising from greater than 0 wt % to about 21 wt % oxygen in an inert gas; the process is conducted in the absence of a catalyst comprising a transition metal, a transition metal oxide, a rare-earth metal, a rare earth metal oxide, or a combination of any two or more thereof; and the process is conducted in the absence of a glass-forming oxide.

A method for processing plastics includes receiving input plastics to be processed. The method further includes driving the input plastics through a reactor chamber having at least two zones each containing heated fluid that is heated to greater temperatures in a subsequent zone such that remaining plastics of the input plastics are exposed to increasingly greater temperatures in each zone of the reactor chamber. The method also includes collecting condensable vapors that flow out of the at least two zones of the reactor chamber. The method further includes condensing the condensable vapors into a liquid condensate. The method also includes removing biochar products from the heated fluid. The method further includes removing contaminants from the reactor chamber.