A mixed phase pressurized unstabilized hydrocarbon stream is fed into a stabilizer column at a feed pressure. A liquid phase of stabilized hydrocarbon condensate is discharged from a bottom end of the stabilizer column, while a vapor phase of volatile components from the pressurized unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream is discharged from a top end of the stabilizer column. The vapor phase being discharged from the top end of the stabilizer column is compressed and subsequently passed through an ambient heat exchanger wherein partial condensation takes place. The resulting partially condensed overhead stream is separated in an overhead separator into a vapor effluent stream and an overhead liquid stream. After discharging the overhead liquid stream from the overhead separator, it is selectively divided into a liquid reflux stream and a liquid effluent stream. The liquid reflux stream is expanded to the feed pressure and fed into the stabilizer column.

A system (102; 302) for recovering natural gas liquid from a low pressure gas source (110; 310), comprising a gas/gas heat exchanger (104; 304), fluid from the gas source flowing therethrough; at least one separator (108; 308) for receiving the fluid from the gas/gas heat exchanger (104; 304) and separating liquid from the gas, the gas being directed via a connecting pipe (116; 316) to the gas/gas heat exchanger (104; 304) where it cools the fluid from the gas source; characterised in that the connecting pipe (116; 316) includes expansion means (106; 322) for cooling the gas therein and liquid injection means (120; 320) for saturating the gas with liquid.

Gas processing plants and methods are contemplated in CO.sub.2 is effectively removed to very low levels from a feed gas to an NRU unit by adding a physical solvent unit that uses waste nitrogen produced by the NRU as stripping gas to produce an ultra-lean solvent, which is then used to treat the feed gas to the NRU unit. Most preferably, the physical solvent unit includes a flash unit and stripper column to produce the ultra-lean solvent.

The present invention provides an apparatus for molding gas hydrate pellets that includes: a pulverizer in which dehydrated gas hydrates are pulverized; a cooler having a rotating shaft provided therein, comprising a plurality of agitation blades installed along a height direction of the rotating shaft and configured to cool the gas hydrates to a predetermined temperature; a decompressor configured to decompress the cooled gas hydrates to a predetermined pressure; and a pellet molder configured to mold the decompressed gas hydrates to pellets.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.

Biomass based fuel configured to reduce chemical and/or mechanical effects of flue gas on heat transfer surfaces. The biomass based fuel comprises steam-exploded biomass and some combustion additive. The combustion additive is selected from a group of additives that are capable of reducing chemical and/or mechanical effects of flue gas on heat transfer surfaces. The combustion additive may comprise fouling-reducing additive and/or an additive reducing corrosion potential. In addition, a method for manufacturing biomass based fuel configured to reduce chemical and/or mechanical effects of flue gas on heat transfer surfaces. The method comprises providing biomass and steam into a reactor; maintaining said biomass and said steam simultaneously in the reactor, in a pressure of at least 10 bar(a) and at a temperature from 180 C. to 250 C. for at least 2 minutes; and decreasing the pressure in the reactor and/or conveying biomass out of the reactor such that the pressure of the environment of the biomass decreases below 5 bar(a), to produce steam-exploded biomass. The method further comprises adding some combustion additive to the biomass and/or the steam-exploded biomass.

A system and method for separating CO.sub.2 from natural gas, which ensure that no clogging or deterioration occurs in a gas separation membrane even after the gas separation membrane is used to remove carbon dioxide from the natural gas under conditions in which the natural gas is pressurized. First, an H.sub.2S remover removes hydrogen sulfide from raw natural gas. Then, a compressor pressurizes the natural gas from which H.sub.2S has been removed. After that, a cooler cools the pressurized natural gas so as to condense components that are a part of the natural gas. A gas/liquid separator removes the condensed components, and a CO.sub.2 separator, including a separation membrane for separating CO.sub.2 removes CO.sub.2 from the natural gas from which the condensed components have been removed. An expander, which shares a drive shaft with the compressor, expands the natural gas from which CO.sub.2 has been removed and recovers energy therefrom.

Biogas containing H.sub.2S and CO.sub.2 is upgraded by removing H.sub.2S using PTSA and CO.sub.2 using two stages of gas separation membranes. The first stage permeate may optionally be used a regeneration gas stream. The second stage permeate may optionally be used a cool down gas stream. The PTSA unit includes two or more adsorbent beds each selective for water, VOCs, and H.sub.2S over CO.sub.2 and for H.sub.2S over methane.

During hydrothermal carbonization, biomass is converted to biocoal. The reaction yield depends on the reaction conditions, including duration of the carbonization reaction or time period within which the slurry composed of water and biomass remains in the reaction tank and is exposed to pressure and temperature. These conditions should be selected so that the greatest possible dry residue of carbonized material remains in the slurry. It has been shown that the dry residue amount changes during the carbonization reaction with a curve that is similar, to a great extent, to that of the slurry pH value. Because determining the dry residue is difficult during the ongoing reaction, but determining the pH value can be easy during the entire reaction period, the reaction is terminated at a maximum of the pH value corresponding to a maximum of the biocoal dry residue, to the greatest possible extent.

There is provided a method of treatment of sludge, such as municipal or industrial sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, comprising the steps of: preheating an incoming sludge with at least one steam fraction, preferably by direct steam injection, to obtain a preheated sludge; further heating the preheated sludge with a high-temperature steam fraction, preferably by direct steam injection, to obtain a heated sludge; hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of the heated sludge to obtain a HTC-treated sludge; separating a particle-lean fraction from the HTC-treated sludge; wet oxidation of the particle-lean fraction to obtain a heated particle-lean fraction; subjecting the heated particle-lean fraction to a first flashing to obtain the high-temperature steam fraction used in the further heating step; separating a particle-rich fraction from the HTC-treated sludge; subjecting the particle-rich fraction to flashing to obtain at least one steam fraction that is used in the preheating step and a cooled particle-rich fraction.