Among other things, the present invention encompasses the applicant's recognition that epoxide carbonylation can be performed industrially utilizing syngas streams containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and varying amounts carbon dioxide. Contrary to expectation, the epoxide carbonylation reaction proceeds selectively in the presence of these mixed gas streams and incorporates excess CO in the syngas stream into valuable chemical precursors, resulting in hydrogen streams substantially free of CO. This is economically and environmentally preferable to performing WSGR which releases the excess carbon as CO2. The integrated processes herein therefore provide improved carbon efficiency for processes based on coal or biomass gasification or steam methane reforming.

Porous, extruded titania-based materials further comprising one or more quaternary ammonium compounds and/or prepared using one or more quaternary ammonium compounds, Fischer-Tropsch catalysts comprising them, uses of the foregoing, processes for making and using the same and products obtained from such processes.

A method for preparing aromatics from syngas, which includes a) contacting a raw material stream containing syngas with a catalyst in a reaction zone under reaction conditions sufficient to convert at least part of the raw material to obtain a reaction effluent; b) separating the reaction effluent to obtain at least a recycle stream containing gas-phase hydrocarbons having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and unconverted syngas and a liquid stream containing hydrocarbons having 5 or more carbon atoms; c) returning the recycle stream to the reaction zone; and d) separating aromatic products from the liquid stream, wherein the catalyst includes at least one of an inert carrier-confined highly dispersed metal oxide material, an acidic molecular sieve, and, optionally, graphite powder and a dispersant.

Processes for producing high biogenic concentration Fischer-Tropsch liquids derived from the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (MSW) feedstock that contains a relatively high concentration of biogenic carbon (derived from plants) and a relatively low concentration of non-biogenic carbon (derived from fossil sources) wherein the biogenic content of the Fischer-Tropsch liquids is the same as the biogenic content of the feedstock.

Methods and apparatus for compact and easily maintainable waste reformation. Some embodiments include a rotary oven reformer adapted and configured to provide synthesis gas from organic waste. Some embodiments include a rotary oven with simplified operation both as to reformation of the waste, usage of the synthesized gas and other products, and easy removal of the finished waste products, preferably in a unit of compact size for use in austere settings. Yet other embodiments include Fischer-Tropsch reactors of synthesized gas. Some of these reactors include heat exchanging assemblies that provide self-cleaning effects, efficient utilization of waste heat, and ease of cleaning.

The present invention is directed to a process for the production of a syngas suited for further conversion to fine chemicals and/or automotive fuels from biomass by a thermochemical process conducted in a several steps procedure, said process comprising; a) Providing a stream of biomass material; b) Providing an aqueous alkaline catalyst stream comprising sodium and/or potassium compounds; c) Mixing comminuted biomass and alkaline catalyst and optional additives to form an alkaline biomass slurry or suspension; d) Treating alkaline biomass slurry or suspension in a hydrothermal treatment reactor at a temperature in the range of 200-400 C. and a pressure from 10-500 bar, forming a bio-oil suspension comprising liquefied biomass and spent alkali catalyst; e) Directly or indirectly charging the bio-oil suspension from step d), after optional depressurization to a pressure in the range 10-100 bar, heat exchange and separation of gases, such as CO2, steam and aqueous spent catalyst into a gasification reactor operating in the temperature range of 600-1250 C. thereby forming a syngas and alkali compounds; and f) Separating alkali compounds from a gasification reactor or from syngas and recycling alkali compounds directly or indirectly to be present to treat new biomass in the hydrothermal biomass treatment reactor of step d) and/or recycling aqueous alkali salts to a pulp mill chemicals recovery cycle.

A unique process and catalyst is described that operates efficiently for the direct production of a high cetane diesel type fuel or diesel type blending stock from stochiometric mixtures of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This invention allows for, but is not limited to, the economical and efficient production high quality diesel type fuels from small or distributed fuel production plants that have an annual production capacity of less than 10,000 barrels of product per day, by eliminating traditional wax upgrading processes. This catalytic process is ideal for distributed diesel fuel production plants such as gas to liquids production and other applications that require optimized economics based on supporting distributed feedstock resources.

A process to prepare paraffins and waxes is provided, the process comprising: subjecting a Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising paraffins having from 10 to 300 carbon atoms to a hydrogenation step, thereby obtaining a hydrogenated Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising 10 to 300 carbon atoms; separating the hydrogenated Fischer-Tropsch product stream, thereby obtaining at least a fraction comprising 10 to 17 carbon atoms and a fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms; separating the fraction comprising 18 to 300 carbon atoms, thereby obtaining one or more first light waxes having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75 C. and a second heavy wax having a congealing point in the range of 75 to 120 C.; and hydrofinishing one or more wax fractions having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75 C. thereby obtaining one or more hydrofinished wax fractions having a congealing point in the range of 30 to 75 C.

Processes for producing high biogenic concentration Fischer-Tropsch liquids derived from the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (MSW) feedstock that contains a relatively high concentration of biogenic carbon (derived from plants) and a relatively low concentration of non-biogenic carbon (derived from fossil sources) wherein the biogenic content of the Fischer-Tropsch liquids is the same as the biogenic content of the feedstock.

A method for preparing aromatics from syngas, which includes a) contacting a raw material stream containing syngas with a catalyst in a reaction zone under reaction conditions sufficient to convert at least part of the raw material to obtain a reaction effluent; b) separating the reaction effluent to obtain at least a recycle stream containing gas-phase hydrocarbons having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and unconverted syngas and a liquid stream containing hydrocarbons having 5 or more carbon atoms; c) returning the recycle stream to the reaction zone; and d) separating aromatic products from the liquid stream, wherein the catalyst includes at least one of an inert carrier-confined highly dispersed metal oxide material, an acidic molecular sieve, and, optionally, graphite powder and a dispersant.