The present invention proposes a plant (110) for producing reaction products. The plant (110) comprises at least a preheater (114). The plant (110) comprises at least one raw material supply (118) which is adapted for supplying at least one raw material to the preheater (114). The preheater (114) is adapted for preheating the raw material to a predetermined temperature. The plant (110) comprises at least one electrically heatable reactor (122). The electrically heatable reactor (122) is adapted for at least partially converting the preheated raw material into reaction products and byproducts. The plant (110) comprises at least one heat integration apparatus (132) which is adapted for at least partially supplying the byproducts to the preheater (114). The preheater (114) is adapted for at least partially utilizing energy required for preheating the raw material from the byproducts.

Processes for converting methane and/or other hydrocarbons to synthesis gas (i.e., a gaseous mixture comprising H.sub.2 and CO) are disclosed, in which at least a portion of the hydrocarbon(s) is reacted with CO.sub.2. At least a second portion of the methane may be reacted with H.sub.2O (steam), thereby improving overall thermodynamics of the process, in terms of reducing endothermicity (ΔH) and the required energy input, compared to “pure” dry reforming in which no H.sub.2O is present. Such dry reforming (reaction with CO.sub.2 only) or CO.sub.2-steam reforming (reaction with both CO.sub.2 and steam) processes are advantageously integrated with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to yield liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Further integration may involve the use of a downstream finishing stage involving hydroisomerization to remove FT wax. Yet other integration options involve the use of combined CO.sub.2-steam reforming and FT synthesis stages (optionally with finishing) for producing liquid fuels from gas streams generated in a number of possible processes, including the hydropyrolysis of biomass.

A natural gas liquid plant is retrofitted with a bolt-on unit that includes an absorber that is coupled to an existing demethanizer by refrigeration produced at least in part by compression and expansion of the residue gas, wherein ethane recovery can be increased to at least 99% and propane recovery is at least 99%, and where a lower ethane recovery of 96% is required, the bolt-on unit does not require the absorber, which could be optimum solution for revamping an existing facility. Contemplated configurations are especially advantageous to be used as bolt-on upgrades to existing plants.

A high voltage discharge generating a plasma wave front is disposed within a headspace over an oil-containing liquid in order to create various chemical changes within the headspace, and ultimately within the liquid in order to inactivate various microbes, synthesize new chemicals, speed separation of a mixture, and aid in oil extraction. Such a discharge may be repeated at an optimum duration and duty-cycle to maximize the chemical effects of the non-equilibrium plasma at a substantially lower temperature than for an equilibrium plasma.

Metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbents are disclosed, along with methods of removing sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon feed stream using these adsorbents.

The invention includes a gas processing system for transforming a hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into outflow gas products, where the system includes a gas delivery subsystem, a plasma reaction chamber, and a microwave subsystem, with the gas delivery subsystem in fluid communication with the plasma reaction chamber, so that the gas delivery subsystem directs the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the plasma reaction chamber, and the microwave subsystem directs microwave energy into the plasma reaction chamber to energize the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma reaction chamber, which plasma effects the transformation of a hydrocarbon in the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the outflow gas products, which comprise acetylene and hydrogen. The invention also includes methods for the use of the gas processing system.

Processes and systems for upgrading natural gas liquids. At least a portion of the natural gas liquid components in a shale gas stream can be dehydrogenated to their corresponding olefin derivatives prior to separating any methane from the liquids. Further processing subsequent to dehydrogenation could include various separations, oligomerizing olefins produced in the dehydrogenation step, recovering desired products, etc. The order of the processing steps subsequent to dehydrogenation could be adjusted in various cases.

A cryogenic distillation tower for separating a feed stream. The tower includes a distillation section. A controlled freeze zone section is situated above the distillation section and forms a solid from the feed stream. The controlled freeze zone section includes a spray assembly in an upper section and a melt tray assembly in a lower section. The melt tray assembly includes at least one vapor stream riser that directs the vapor from the distillation section into liquid retained by the melt tray assembly, and one or more draw-off openings positioned to permit a portion of the liquid to exit the controlled freeze zone section. The portion of the liquid indirectly exchanges heat with a heating fluid. One or more return inlets return the portion of the liquid to the melt tray assembly after it has been heated in the heat exchanger.

Metal nanoparticle-deposited, nitrogen-doped carbon adsorbents are disclosed, along with methods of removing sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon feed stream using these adsorbents.

Provided are an apparatus and a method for separation and recovery of propane and heavier hydrocarbons from LNG. The apparatus has, from the upstream side toward the downstream side of LNG supply, first column (3) equipped with first column overhead condenser (2), first column bottom reboiler (4) and side reboiler (5), and second column (14) equipped with second column overhead condenser (11) and second column bottom reboiler (15). The first column (3) separates methane and a part of ethane as an overhead vapor and separates remaining ethane and C3 or higher hydrocarbons as a bottom liquid. The second column (14) separates ethane as an overhead vapor and separates C3 or higher hydrocarbons as a bottom liquid.