The present invention relates to methods of preparing carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) by reacting biomass, a biomass component (e.g., lignin, ligno-cellulose, cellulose, hemiceullose or combination thereof) or a carbohydrate from any source with a polyoxometalate catalyst such as H.sub.5PV.sub.2Mo.sub.10O.sub.40, or solvates thereof, in the presence of a concentrated acid, under conditions sufficient to yield carbon monoxide (CO); followed by electrochemical release of hydrogen (H.sub.2). The carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) may be combined in any desired proportion to yield synthesis gas (Syngas). The present invention further relates to methods for preparing H.sub.2, CO and formic acid/formaldehyde from biomass, a biomass component and/or from carbohydrates.

A method for operating a coke oven plant, comprising providing a blast furnace gas stream and a coke oven gas stream treating a part of the blast furnace gas stream in a CO converter unit to obtain a treated blast furnace gas stream, subjecting the treated blast furnace gas stream in a CO.sub.2-depletion unit to obtain a primary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream, mixing the primary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream with a proportion of the blast furnace gas stream in a first mixing unit to obtain a secondary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream, mixing the secondary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream with a proportion of the coke oven gas stream in a second mixing unit to obtain a tertiary CO.sub.2-depleted gas stream, feeding said tertiary CO.sub.2-depleted gas stream to an underfiring system of a coke oven from the coke oven plant to convert coal to coke thereby producing a coke oven gas and an exhaust gas, where properties of the secondary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream are determined by a first analyzer downstream the first mixing unit are determined by properties of the tertiary CO.sub.2-depleted gas stream in a second analyzer downstream the second mixing unit, wherein the proportion of the blast furnace gas stream and the proportion of the coke oven gas stream are controlled based on said properties determined by said first and second analyzers to adjust at least one of CO.sub.2 content, CO content, H.sub.2 content, Wobbe Index, stoichiometric combustion air demand and Lower Heating Value in said tertiary CO.sub.2-depleted gas stream thereby controlling operation of the underfiring system.

A method for operating a coke oven plant, comprising providing a blast furnace gas stream and a coke oven gas stream treating a part of the blast furnace gas stream in a CO converter unit to obtain a treated blast furnace gas stream, subjecting the treated blast furnace gas stream in a CO.sub.2-depletion unit to obtain a primary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream, mixing the primary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream with a proportion of the blast furnace gas stream in a first mixing unit to obtain a secondary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream, mixing the secondary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream with a proportion of the coke oven gas stream in a second mixing unit to obtain a tertiary CO.sub.2-depleted gas stream, feeding said tertiary CO.sub.2-depleted gas stream to an underfiring system of a coke oven from the coke oven plant to convert coal to coke thereby producing a coke oven gas and an exhaust gas, where properties of the secondary CO.sub.2-depleted blast furnace gas stream are determined by a first analyzer downstream the first mixing unit are determined by properties of the tertiary CO.sub.2-depleted gas stream in a second analyzer downstream the second mixing unit, wherein the proportion of the blast furnace gas stream and the proportion of the coke oven gas stream are controlled based on said properties determined by said first and second analyzers to adjust at least one of CO.sub.2 content, CO content, H.sub.2 content, Wobbe Index, stoichiometric combustion air demand and Lower Heating Value in said tertiary CO.sub.2-depleted gas stream thereby controlling operation of the underfiring system.

A method of producing liquid fuel and/or chemicals from a carbonaceous material entails combusting a conditioned syngas in pulse combustion heat exchangers of a steam reformer to help convert carbonaceous material into first reactor product gas which includes carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases. A portion of the first reactor product gas is transferred to a hydrogen reformer into which additional conditioned syngas is added and a reaction carried out to produce an improved syngas. The improved syngas is then subject to one or more gas clean-up steps to form a new conditioned syngas. A portion of the new conditioned syngas is recycled to be used as the conditioned syngas in the pulse combustion heat exchangers and in the hydrocarbon reformer. A system for carrying out the method include, a steam reformer, a hydrocarbon reformer, first and second gas-cleanup systems, a synthesis system and an upgrading system.

A method of producing liquid fuel and/or chemicals from a carbonaceous material entails combusting a conditioned syngas in pulse combustion heat exchangers of a steam reformer to help convert carbonaceous material into first reactor product gas which includes carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases. A portion of the first reactor product gas is transferred to a hydrogen reformer into which additional conditioned syngas is added and a reaction carried out to produce an improved syngas. The improved syngas is then subject to one or more gas clean-up steps to form a new conditioned syngas. A portion of the new conditioned syngas is recycled to be used as the conditioned syngas in the pulse combustion heat exchangers and in the hydrocarbon reformer. A system for carrying out the method include, a steam reformer, a hydrocarbon reformer, first and second gas-cleanup systems, a synthesis system and an upgrading system.

A method of producing syngas comprising receiving raw syngas from a gasification unit; introducing the raw syngas and water to a syngas scrubber to produce unshifted syngas; introducing a first portion of unshifted syngas to a first cooling unit to produce cooled unshifted syngas and a first aqueous condensate comprising cyanide in an amount of 5-200 ppmw; recycling the first aqueous condensate to the syngas scrubber; introducing a second portion of unshifted syngas to a water gas shift unit to produce shifted syngas; introducing the shifted syngas to a second cooling unit to produce cooled shifted syngas and a second aqueous condensate comprising cyanide in an amount of less than 2.5 ppmw; contacting the cooled shifted syngas with the cooled unshifted syngas to produce modified syngas; and introducing the second aqueous condensate to a sour water stripper to produce stripped water and an acid gas comprising H.sub.2S, CO.sub.2, and ammonia.

A method of processing raw oil sands material that includes bitumen. The method includes, in a predistillation process, heating the raw oil sands material to between approximately 535 C. and at least approximately 600 C. to at least partially vaporize the bitumen, to provide atmospheric gas oil and vacuum gas oil from the bitumen, and to provide coked oil sands material that includes carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand. The coked oil sands material is heated to approximately 900 C., to produce a dry barren hot oil sands material and syngas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases. Heat energy is transferred from at least a portion of the barren hot oil sands material to the raw oil sands material.

A method of processing raw oil sands material that includes bitumen. The method includes, in a predistillation process, heating the raw oil sands material to between approximately 535 C. and at least approximately 600 C. to at least partially vaporize the bitumen, to provide atmospheric gas oil and vacuum gas oil from the bitumen, and to provide coked oil sands material that includes carbon-heavy hydrocarbons and sand. The coked oil sands material is heated to approximately 900 C., to produce a dry barren hot oil sands material and syngas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases. Heat energy is transferred from at least a portion of the barren hot oil sands material to the raw oil sands material.

An integrated plant for the conversion of a hydrocarbon gas such as natural gas to useful hydrocarbon liquid fuels and feed-stocks comprises an H2+CO syn-gas generation system which provides feed gas to a Fischer-Tropsch catalytic hydrocarbon synthesis system with an associated power and heat energy system.

An integrated plant for the conversion of a hydrocarbon gas such as natural gas to useful hydrocarbon liquid fuels and feed-stocks comprises an H2+CO syn-gas generation system which provides feed gas to a Fischer-Tropsch catalytic hydrocarbon synthesis system with an associated power and heat energy system.