This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives.

A system and method for torrefying a combination of biomass and biochar colloidal dispersion is provided.

A method of producing a low sulfur tall oil fatty acid by first esterifying the tall oil fatty acid, followed by distillation of the tall oil fatty acid ester, followed by saponification and acidulation to provide a low sulfur tall oil fatty acid. A fuel additive comprising tall oil fatty acid and a sulfur compound, wherein the sulfur compound comprises from about 0.1 to about 20 ppm of the additive. A fuel comprises a hydrocarbon fuel component and the fuel additive.

Refining assemblies and methods for refining rich natural gas containing a first methane gas and other hydrocarbons that are heavier than methane gas are disclosed. In some embodiments, the assemblies may include a methane-producing assembly configured to receive at least one liquid-containing feed stream that includes water and rich natural gas and to produce an output stream therefrom by (a) converting at least a substantial portion of the other hydrocarbons of the rich natural gas with the water to a second methane gas, a lesser portion of the water, and other gases, and (b) allowing at least a substantial portion of the first methane gas from the rich natural gas to pass through the methane-producing assembly unconverted. The assemblies may additionally include a purification assembly configured to receive the output stream and to produce a methane-rich stream therefrom having a greater methane concentration than the output stream.

The present invention relates to methods of producing industrial products from plant lipids, particularly from vegetative parts of plants. In particular, the present invention provides oil products such as biodiesel and synthetic diesel and processes for producing these, as well as plants having an increased level of one or more non-polar lipids such as triacylglycerols and an increased total non-polar lipid content. In one particular embodiment, the present invention relates to combinations of modifications in two or more of lipid handling enzymes, oil body proteins, decreased lipid catabolic enzymes and/or transcription factors regulating lipid biosynthesis to increase the level of one or more non-polar lipids and/or the total non-polar lipid content and/or mono-unsaturated fatty acid content in plants or any part thereof. In an embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for extracting lipids. In another embodiment, the lipid is converted to one or more hydrocarbon products in harvested plant vegetative parts to produce alkyl esters of the fatty acids which are suitable for use as a renewable biodiesel fuel.

A method for removing hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) from an acid gas comprises feeding the gas to a membrane separation unit, collecting the product gas from the membrane unit, heating the permeate stream to the necessary inlet temperature for catalytic oxidation of H.sub.2S and feeding the heated permeate stream to a catalytic oxidation unit, where H.sub.2S is oxidized to SO.sub.2. The heating of the permeate stream is accomplished by using a fraction of the feed gas to heat the permeate stream in a separate heater or by using a steam-fired heater. The method is especially suited for use on an off-shore facility.

To provide a method for producing a solid fuel that can efficiently evaporate moisture contained in a slurry by enhancing heat exchange efficiency.

The method for producing a solid fuel of the present invention includes the steps of: preparing a slurry by mixing powdery low-grade coal and oil; evaporating moisture contained in the slurry by heating; and separating the slurry obtained after the evaporation step into solid and liquid, wherein the evaporation step includes the steps of: preheating the slurry in a first circulation route; and heating the preheated slurry in a second circulation route that is different from the first circulation route. Preferably, in the preheating step and the heating step, a multitubular heat exchanger is used, the heating medium is supplied to the shell side, and the slurry is supplied to the tube side. Preferably, the process steam generated in the evaporation step is used as the heating medium for anyone of the preheating step and the heating step, and externally introduced steam is used as the heat medium for the other.

In a natural gas dehydration system and method, a first stream of natural gas and water vapor having a first pressure and a first temperature is mixed with a second stream of natural gas and water vapor having a second, lower pressure than the first pressure and a second temperature to form a third stream of natural gas and water vapor. The pressure and temperature of the third stream is then reduced and at least part of the water is separated from the third stream to form a fourth stream of natural gas and water vapor having a lower water vapor content than the third stream. In response to a temperature of the third stream being above a predetermined temperature, causing the fourth stream to extract heat from the first stream prior mixing the first and second streams. Then, the fourth stream is flowed to a distribution pipeline or a storage system.

A method for production of renewable natural gas (RNG) from biogases containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) combines temperature swing adsorption (TSA) for removal of VOCs, a form of pressure swing adsorption (PSA) for nitrogen separation, and membrane gas separation technology for carbon dioxide removal. TSA systems may improve removal of VOCs relative to PSA systems, may reduce RNG plant operating costs, and may simplify RNG plant operation. Methane recovery may be improved by using equilibrium PSA systems instead of dynamic PSA systems for methane separation.

A biomass solid fuel manufacturing method, including: a heating step of carbonizing a biomass molded body formed by molding raw material biomass, in an external heating type rotary kiln, in which the rotary kiln includes a non-heating zone that is provided on an upstream side of a kiln body and is not provided with a heating unit on an outer circumference, the non-heating zone includes a spiral blade on an inner circumferential surface, and in the heating step, the biomass molded body is introduced to the non-heating zone of the kiln body.