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.

The present invention provides a process for the manufacture of a useful product from carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics, the process 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; optionally adjusting the H.sub.2:CO ratio of at least part of the fine synthesis gas to obtain adjusted fine synthesis gas; and converting the optionally adjusted fine synthesis gas into the useful product in a further chemical reaction requiring a usage ratio; wherein the fine synthesis gas H2:CO ratio is below the usage ratio and wherein any optional adjustment of at least part of the fine synthesis gas H.sub.2:CO ratio is effective to increase the H.sub.2:CO ratio in the fine synthesis gas to a level at, nearer to or above the usage ratio; wherein the H.sub.2:CO ratio of the raw synthesis gas fluctuates during operation of the process as a result of the fluctuating compositional characteristics of the carbonaceous feedstock by a percentage of ±x; and the H.sub.2:CO ratio of the equilibrated synthesis gas does not fluctuate during operation of the process or fluctuates during operation of the process as a result of the fluctuating compositional characteristics of the carbonaceous feedstock by a percentage±y, y being a lower percentage than x.

An exemplary reactor system may include a first reactor, a second reactor, a third reactor, and a fourth reactor. The first reactor may be in parallel with the second reactor and the third reactor. The second reactor and third reactor may be in series. The fourth reactor may be configured to receive reduced oxygen carriers from the other reactors, generate oxidized oxygen carriers, and provide the oxidized oxygen carriers back to the other reactors. Carbonaceous feedstock may be used within one or more reactors.

A biomass gasifier for producing syngas. The biomass gasifier includes a first tube having an air distribution manifold that extend within the gasification chamber. The first tube is rotatably positioned within a second tube, where the second tube is connected to a mixer below the air distribution manifold. The first tube has an air passage that is fluidly connected to an air source to deliver air to the combustion chamber through a plurality of air outlets within the air distribution manifold for distribution. The first tube is independently rotated from the second tube to evenly distribute air within the combustion chamber and the second tube with the mixer are rotated to agitate the biomass within the combustion chamber once a desired operating temperature range within the combustion chamber has been achieved.

A biomass gasifier for producing syngas. The biomass gasifier includes a first tube having an air distribution manifold that extend within the gasification chamber. The first tube is rotatably positioned within a second tube, where the second tube is connected to a mixer below the air distribution manifold. The first tube has an air passage that is fluidly connected to an air source to deliver air to the combustion chamber through a plurality of air outlets within the air distribution manifold for distribution. The first tube is independently rotated from the second tube to evenly distribute air within the combustion chamber and the second tube with the mixer are rotated to agitate the biomass within the combustion chamber once a desired operating temperature range within the combustion chamber has been achieved.

The present invention concerns a process for the manufacture of one or more useful products comprising: gasifying a carbonaceous feedstock comprising waste materials and/or biomass in a gasification zone to generate a raw synthesis gas; optionally partially oxidising the raw synthesis gas in a partial oxidation zone to generate partially oxidised raw synthesis gas; supplying at least a portion of the, optionally partially oxidised, raw synthesis gas to a clean-up zone to remove contaminants and provide a clean synthesis gas; optionally shifting the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of the clean synthesis gas in a hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio shifting zone to generate shifted clean synthesis gas; supplying the, optionally shifted, clean synthesis gas to a first further reaction train to generate at least one first useful product and a tailgas; optionally upgrading the first useful product in a second further reaction train to generate a second useful product and a light gas fraction; and diverting selectively on demand a portion of at least one of the carbonaceous feedstock, the clean synthesis gas, the tailgas and the light gas fraction to heat or power generation within the process, in response to external factors to control the carbon intensity of the overall process and enable GHG emission savings.

A feedstock delivery system transfers a carbonaceous material, such as municipal solid waste, into a product gas generation system. The feedstock delivery system includes a splitter for splitting bulk carbonaceous material into a plurality of carbonaceous material streams. Each stream is processed using a weighing system for gauging the quantity of carbonaceous material, a densification system for forming plugs of carbonaceous material, a de-densification system for breaking up the plugs of carbonaceous material, and a gas and carbonaceous material mixing system for forming a carbonaceous material and gas mixture. A pressure of the mixing gas is reduced prior to mixing with the carbonaceous material, and the carbonaceous material to gas weight ratio is monitored. A transport assembly conveys the carbonaceous material and gas mixture to a first reactor where at least the carbonaceous material within the mixture is subject to thermochemical reactions to form the product gas.

A two-stage syngas production method to produce a final product gas from a carbonaceous material includes producing a first product gas in a first reactor, separating char from the first product gas to produce separated char and char-depleted product gas, and separately reacting the separated char and the char-depleted product gas with an oxygen-containing gas in a second reactor to produce a final product gas. The separated char is introduced into the second reactor above the char-depleted product gas. The solids separation device may include serially connected cyclones, and the separated char may be entrained in a motive fluid in an eductor to produce a char and motive fluid mixture prior to being transferred to the second reactor. A biorefinery method produces a purified product from the final product gas.

The present invention provides a process and apparatus for converting feedstock comprising biomass and/or carbon-containing solid waste material to synthesis gas. The process comprises supplying the feedstock to a gasifier comprising a fluidized bed zone and a post-gasification zone and contacting the feedstock with a gasification agent at a plurality of different operating temperatures based on the ash softening temperature of the feedstock and finally recovering the synthesis gas. The apparatus is configured to perform the process and comprises a plurality of nozzles arranged at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane of the gasifier.

A method for processing feedstock is described, characterized in that incoming feedstock is processed to selectively recover biogenic carbon material from the incoming feedstock. In some embodiments the incoming feedstock is comprised of mixed solid waste, such as municipal solid waste (MSW). In other embodiments the incoming feedstock is comprised of woody biomass. In some instances, the incoming feedstock is processed to selectively recover biogenic carbon material from the incoming feedstock to produce a processed feedstock having biogenic carbon content of 50% and greater suitable for conversion into biogenic carbon Fischer Tropsch liquids. The high biogenic carbon Fischer Tropsch liquids may be upgraded to biogenic carbon liquid fuels. Alternatively, the incoming feedstock is processed to selectively recover plastic material from the incoming feedstock to produce a processed feedstock having biogenic carbon content of 50% or less.