A method of producing liquid fuel and/or chemicals from a carbonaceous material entails combusting a conditioned syngas in pulse combustion heat exchangers of a steam reformer to help convert carbonaceous material into first reactor product gas which includes carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases. A portion of the first reactor product gas is transferred to a hydrogen reformer into which additional conditioned syngas is added and a reaction carried out to produce an improved syngas. The improved syngas is then subject to one or more gas clean-up steps to form a new conditioned syngas. A portion of the new conditioned syngas is recycled to be used as the conditioned syngas in the pulse combustion heat exchangers and in the hydrocarbon reformer. A system for carrying out the method include, a steam reformer, a hydrocarbon reformer, first and second gas-cleanup systems, a synthesis system and an upgrading system.

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.

System for processing material to generate syngas in a modular architecture may include a plurality of primary reactor chambers and a shared secondary reactor chamber. Each primary reactor chamber includes electrodes protruding into the chamber, the electrodes operable to generate an arc capable to generate first-stage gas from breakdown of the material when electricity is applied to the electrodes. The secondary reactor chamber is operable to receive the first-stage gas generated by the plurality of primary reactor chambers and to receive water vapour. The gas generated within the plurality of primary reactor chambers combine and interact with the water vapour to form second-stage gas. Turbulence can be generated within the secondary reactor chamber to improve mixing of the first-stage gas with the water vapour. Powering of each of the primary reactor chambers can be done with a different phase of power from a multi-phase input to ensure balanced power utilization.

A two-reactor catalytic system including a catalytic membrane gasification reactor and a catalytic membrane water gas shift reactor. The catalytic system, for converting biomass to hydrogen gas, features a novel gasification reactor containing both hollow fiber membranes that selectively allow O.sub.2 to permeate therethrough and a catalyst that facilitates tar reformation. Also disclosed is a process of converting biomass to H2. The process includes the steps of, among others, introducing air into a hollow fiber membrane; mixing the O.sub.2 permeating through the hollow fiber membrane and steam to react with biomass to produce syngas and tar; and reforming the tar in the presence of a catalyst to produce more syngas.

A continuous multi-stage vertically sequenced gasification process for conversion of solid carbonaceous fuel material into clean (low tar) syngas. The process involves forming a pyrolysis residue bed having a uniform depth and width to pass raw syngas there through for an endothermic reaction, while controlling the reduction zone pressure drop, resident time and syngas flow space velocity during the endothermic reaction to form substantially tar free syngas, to reduce carbon content in the pyrolysis residue, and to reduce the temperature of raw syngas as compared to the temperature of the partial oxidation zone.

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 method is provided for thermally processing waste to produce steam and generate energy while minimizing air pollutants in a staged thermal reactor. The method includes gasifying the waste to convert the waste to a fuel gas and a substantially carbon free, inert, granulated, sintered mineral ash and reforming the fuel gas auto-thermally to minimize creation of nitrogen oxide when the fuel gas is combusted. The method further includes burning the reformed fuel gas to minimize creation of nitrogen oxide in a flame region of a fuel gas burner and recirculating cooled flue gas to control oxygen content and temperature during the reforming operation and the burning operation. In one example, reforming the fuel gas converts non-molecular nitrogen species into molecular nitrogen in an auto-thermal non-catalytic reformer unit by decomposition reactions promoted by a prevailing reducing gas atmosphere.

There are provided a cyclone body (50) into which a pressurized mixed fluid of slag and water is guided to centrifuge the slag from the water, and a pressure container (51) for housing the cyclone body (50), the cyclone body (50) being provided in its vertically lower portion with an opening (50d) that opens in the pressure container (51). The cyclone body (50) is provided in its inner peripheral surface with an abrasion-resistant material (56). The pressure container (51) includes a slag receiver (51d) below the opening (50d) of the cyclone body (50) to temporarily store slag.

A multi-stage product gas generation system converts a carbonaceous material, such as municipal solid waste, into a product gas which may subsequently be converted into a liquid fuel or other material. One or more reactors containing bed material may be used to conduct reactions to effect the conversions. Unreacted inert feedstock contaminants present in the carbonaceous material may be separated from bed material using a portion of the product gas. A heat transfer medium collecting heat from a reaction in one stage may be applied as a reactant input in another, earlier stage.

A gasification reactor is provided. The reactor comprises a first gasification area, a second gasification area and a shared combustion area. The shared combustion area is set between the first and second gasification areas. Therein, the (present invention applies interconnected fluidized beds in gasification. The connecting piping between the first and second gasification areas are separately replaced with dense beds to be integrated for forming a single reactor. Thus, the present invention simplifies the system, saves the cost and reduces the operation difficulty.