A thermolysis based hydrogen and oxygen generator and a method of generating hydrogen and oxygen can include a high pressure pump for pumping fluid, such fluid provided for separating into at least hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules, a high pressure, high temperature spherical vessel coupled to the high pressure pump, and one or more lasers for focusing energy in a predetermined direction towards the spherical vessel, where the one or more lasers creates heat energy and pressure in the spherical vessel sufficiently to cause the fluid in the spherical vessel to separate into hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules. The generator can further include a power supply for powering the one or lasers and the high pressure pump, a hydrogen storage tank coupled to the spherical vessel for storing the hydrogen molecules, and an oxygen storage tank coupled to the spherical vessel for storing the oxygen molecules.

The present invention provides a method and system (1) for producing oxygen. Oxygen-carrier particles are transferred between a reduction process (10) and an oxidation process (15) connected to form a chemical looping process. The reduction process produces oxygen-depleted carrier particles and an exhaust gas mixture. Oxygen is separated from the exhaust gas mixture, preferably by a condenser (5). The oxygen-depleted carrier particles are returned to the oxidation process for regenerating the oxygen-depleted carrier particles with oxygen. The reduction process is performed during a first time period and the oxidation process is performed in a second time period.

Device and method for purifying a gas mixture to produce a concentrated gas, notably neon, starting from a mixture comprising neon, said device including, in a cold box housing a cryogenic purification circuit comprising, in series, at least one unit for purifying the mixture by cryogenic adsorption at a temperature between 65K and 100K and notably 65K, then a unit for cooling the mixture to a temperature between 25 and 65 K and then a unit for cryogenic distillation of the mixture to produce the concentrated liquid at the outlet of the cryogenic distillation unit, characterized in that the unit for cooling the mixture to a temperature between 25 and 65 K comprises at least one cryocooler that extracts thermal power from the mixture via a heat exchanger.

In a method for separating a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen, a synthesis gas flow from a synthesis gas source is compressed in a compressor and separated into at least three gaseous products. If there is insufficient synthesis gas, at least three separation products are recycled in the compressor in order to separate said products.

A method of removing buffer gas from a mixture comprising the buffer gas and hyperpolarized noble gas is described. The method includes reacting the buffer gas to produce a reaction product different to the buffer gas. The buffer gas may be reactively removed by one or more of oxidation, reduction, polymerization and binding reactions with solid surfaces. The buffer gas may be molecular hydrogen and/or molecular nitrogen. Apparatus for carrying out the method are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a method for producing helium from a source gas stream (1) including at least helium, methane, nitrogen and hydrogen, comprising at least the following consecutive steps: step a): injecting said source gas stream (1) into at least one compressor (3); step b): eliminating the hydrogen and the methane by reacting the stream (4) obtained from step a) with oxygen; step c): eliminating at least the impurities from step b) by temperature swing adsorption (TSA); step d): partially condensing the stream (8) obtained from step c) in order to produce a stream (10) of liquid nitrogen and a gas stream (11) comprising mostly helium; step e): purifying the gas stream (11) obtained from step d) in order to increase the helium content by pressure swing adsorption (PSA) by eliminating the nitrogen and the impurities contained in the gas stream (11) obtained from step d).

A process that is configured for treating natural gas mixed with carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in high concentrations of 30% mole by volume or more. In one embodiment, the process comprises contacting a first feedstream comprising liquid natural gas (LNG) with a feedstock comprising methane to form an overhead product comprising methane vapor and a bottom product comprising carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2). The embodiment can also comprise liquefying the methane vapor to form a LNG product and using the LNG product as the liquid natural gas (LNG) in the first feedstream.

A bottom fraction of a product of a hydrocatalytic reaction is gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions. In one embodiment, an overhead fraction of the hydrocatalytic reaction is further processed to generate higher molecular weight compounds. In another embodiment, a product of the further processing is separated into a bottom fraction and an overhead fraction, where the bottom fraction is also gasified to generate hydrogen for use in further hydrocatalytic reactions.

An eFuels plant and process for producing synthetic hydrocarbons using renewable energy are disclosed. The eFuels plant comprises a hydrocarbon synthesis (HS) system and a renewable feed and carbon/energy recovery (RFCER) system. The RFCER comprises an oxygen-fired heater to provide operational flexibility and efficiency. The oxygen fired heater comprises: a) one or more burners, suitable for accepting feeds comprising a hydrocarbon stream, an oxygen stream, and a diluent gas stream and producing combustion products comprising heat, carbon dioxide, and water; b) a radiant section, comprising a firebox and a radiant coil within the firebox, wherein the firebox is suitable for accepting the combustion products, and the radiant coil absorbs a first portion of the heat to produce first cooled combustion products; c) a convection section, comprising a convection coil and a convection inter-tube space defined by the outer surface of the convection coil, wherein the convection inter-tube space is suitable for accepting the first cooled combustion products to produce second cooled combustion products; and d) a carbon dioxide recovery section, comprising a condensing coil and a condensing inter-tube space defined by the outer surface of the condensing coil, wherein the condensing inter-tube space is suitable for accepting the second cooled combustion products to produce third cooled products comprising a non-condensables stream, comprising carbon dioxide, and a water stream.

A process that is configured for treating natural gas mixed with carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in high concentrations of 30% mole by volume or more. In one embodiment, the process comprises contacting a first feedstream comprising liquid natural gas (LNG) with a feedstock comprising methane to form an overhead product comprising methane vapor and a bottom product comprising carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2). The embodiment can also comprise liquefying the methane vapor to form a LNG product and using the LNG product as the liquid natural gas (LNG) in the first feedstream.