Disclosed herein are reactors comprising: a) a first mixing zone, b) a first reaction zone, c) a first cooling zone, d) a first H.sub.2O separation zone, e) a second mixing zone, f) a second reaction zone, g) a second cooling zone, and h) a second H.sub.2O separation zone, wherein the first mixing zone is in fluid communication with the first reaction zone, wherein the first reaction zone is in fluid communication with the first cooling zone, wherein the first cooling zone is in fluid communication with the first H.sub.2O separation zone, wherein the first H.sub.2O separation zone is in fluid communication with the second mixing zone, wherein the second mixing zone is in fluid communication with the second reaction zone, wherein the second reaction zone is in fluid communication with the second cooling zone, and wherein the second cooling zone is in fluid communication with the second H.sub.2O separation zone.

The invention is directed to a process for the preparation of a syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a methane comprising gas, which process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting the methane comprising gas with an oxidising gas in an autothermal reformer to obtain a hot raw syngas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen; (b) cooling the hot raw syngas resulting from step (a) to obtain the syngas, wherein step (b) comprises cooling the hot raw syngas by indirect heat exchange against the methane comprising gas used in step (a) and wherein sulphur is added upstream of cooling step (b). The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of hydrocarbon products in which a feed syngas is prepared in the process as described above followed by a desulphurisation treatment and the desulphurised syngas is subsequently converted into hydrocarbon products in a Fischer-Tropsch process.

A process for the manufacture of a useful product from carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics, comprising the steps of: continuously providing the carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics to a gasification zone; gasifying the carbonaceous feedstock in the gasification zone to obtain raw synthesis gas; recovering at least part of the raw synthesis gas from the gasification zone and supplying at least part of the recovered raw synthesis gas to a partial oxidation zone; equilibrating the H.sub.2:CO ratio of the raw synthesis gas in the partial oxidation zone to obtain equilibrated synthesis gas; recovering at least part of the equilibrated synthesis gas from the partial oxidation zone and treating the gas to remove impurities and generate a fine synthesis gas; and converting the optionally adjusted fine synthesis gas into the useful product in a further chemical reaction requiring a usage ratio.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of preparing synthetic fuel using natural gas extracted from a stranded gas field on land or at sea as a raw material through a compact GTL process or a GTL-FPSO process. A parallel-type gas purification unit for controlling a molar ratio of synthetic gas and a concentration of carbon dioxide in the synthetic gas, in which a CO.sub.2 separation device and a bypass unit are disposed in parallel, is provided and, thus, the gas purification unit may prepare the synthetic gas by a steam carbon dioxide reforming (SCR) reaction using natural gas having different CO.sub.2 contents of various stranded gas fields and then supply the synthetic gas having an optimum composition suitable for a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.

Methods for production of multiple biofuels through thermal fractionation of biomass feedstocks are described. The products of said methods are also described.

Catalysts for converting carbon dioxide and methane to synthesis gas include an alumina supported copper-nickel alloy composition having the formula Ni.sub.xCu.sub.y. The catalyst comprises about 70% to about 98% by weight of alumina in the catalyst, wherein x is an atomic percentage nickel content and y is an atomic percentage copper content, and wherein a ratio of x to y is about 3:1 to about 10:1. In one embodiment, the Ni—Cu catalyst composition according to the present disclosure is derived by state of the art electronic structure calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT).

A system and method for converting waste and secondary materials into synthesis gas (syngas) through the use of a molten metal bath gasifier for the initial breakdown of waste feeds and an A/C plasma reactor for complete dissociation of waste feeds into syngas, and an anaerobic digester. The system includes a heat recovery and steam power generation process for the production of electricity. The system produces a net output of electricity above plant load sufficient for the co-production of renewable Hydrogen and Oxygen. The process does not require the use of fossil fuels or fossil feedstocks during normal operations, and it eliminates combustion produced stack emissions or landfill residuals.

Embodiments include a method for converting renewable energy source electricity and a hydrocarbon feedstock into a liquid fuel by providing a source of renewable electrical energy in communication with a synthesis gas generation unit and an air separation unit. Oxygen from the air separation unit and a hydrocarbon feedstock is provided to the synthesis gas generation unit, thereby causing partial oxidation reactions in the synthesis gas generation unit in a process that converts the hydrocarbon feedstock into synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is then converted into a liquid fuel.

A portable fuel synthesizer, comprising a portable housing, an electrical power source utilizing the hydrocarbon gas as fuel and connected to the portable housing, a boiler utilizing the hydrocarbon gas as fuel and connected to the portable housing, a reactor connected to the boiler to react the hydrocarbon gas to the hydrocarbon liquid, the reactor connected to the portable housing, at least one temperature sensor connected to the reactor to sense at least one temperature of the reaction, at least one pressure sensor connected to the reactor to sense at least one pressure of the reaction and a control system controlling the at least one of at least one temperature of the reaction and the at least one pressure of the reaction, the control system connected to the portable housing.

The present invention provides an improved process for removing heat from an exothermic reaction. In particular, the present invention provides a process wherein heat can be removed from multiple reaction trains using a common coolant system.