The disclosure provides for the integration of a gas fermentation process with a gasification process whereby tail gas from the gas fermentation process is recycled to a dryer of the gasification process. The tail gas from the gas fermentation process is utilized to generate heat which in turn is used to dry feedstock to the gasification process. The heat is typically used to heat a drying gas, such as air, which is then directly or indirectly contacted with the gasification feedstock to dry the gasification feedstock. Dried gasification feedstock provides improved yield and improved quality of syngas as compared to gasification feedstock that is not dried.

Processes, systems, and methods for producing combustible gas from wet biomass are provided. In one aspect, for example, a process for generating a combustible gas from a wet biomass in a closed system is provided. Such a process may include growing a wet biomass in a growth chamber, moving at least a portion of the wet biomass to a reactor, heating the portion of the wet biomass under high pressure in the reactor to gasify the wet biomass into a total gas component, separating the gasified component into a liquid component, a non-combustible gas component, and a combustible gas component, and introducing the liquid component and non-combustible gas component containing carbon dioxide into the growth chamber to stimulate new wet biomass growth.

Provided is a method for producing an organic substance, in which an organic material (metabolite) derived from a microorganism is reduced while retaining a nutritive substance in an organic substance-containing solution discharged from a fermentation tank containing the microorganism, whereby various nutritional elements contained in the organic substance-containing solution can be reused with high efficiency. A method for producing an organic substance by the microbial fermentation of a synthetic gas containing at least carbon monoxide, the method comprising a synthetic gas supply step of supplying the synthetic gas into a fermentation tank containing a microorganism, a fermentation step of subjecting the synthetic gas to microbial fermentation in the fermentation tank, an aerobic fermentation treatment step of subjecting at least a portion of a liquid produced in the fermentation step to an aerobic fermentation treatment in a liquid waste treatment unit, and a recycling step of supplying a liquid produced in the aerobic fermentation treatment step to the fermentation tank, wherein the aerobic fermentation treatment step is carried out in the presence of a nitrifying bacterium inhibitor.

A system and method of producing synthesis gas and bio-oil from biomass. The method comprises producing, in a gasification unit, synthesis gas from a carbonaceous feedstock, optionally cooling the synthesis gas discharged from the gasification unit, channeling the synthesis gas towards a hydrothermal processing unit, wherein the hydrothermal processing unit is configured to process a biomass feedstock contained in a pressurized water stream, transferring, in the hydrothermal processing unit, heat from the synthesis gas to the biomass feedstock, and producing a hydrothermal product from the biomass feedstock in the pressurized water stream.

A method and device for sustainable, simultaneous production of energy in the forms electricity, hydrogen gas and heat from a carbonaceous gas, the method having the following steps: 1. continuously dividing a feed charge of carbonaceous gas into a first feed gas flow and a second feed gas flow, 2. charging the first feed gas flow to a primary SOFC to produce electricity and heat and CO.sub.2, 3. charging the other feed gas flow, to a hydrogen gas forming reactor system to produce hydrogen and CO.sub.2, 4. heating the hydrogen gas forming system at least partially by heat developed in at least one SOFC, 5. optionally capturing the CO.sub.2 formed in the primary SOFC by burning the afterburner gases in pure oxygen and drying the exhaust gas, 6. capturing the CO.sub.2 formed in the hydrogen gas forming reactor system by use of an absorbent.

The invention provides for the integration of a gas fermentation process with a gasification process whereby effluent downstream from the gas fermentation process is recycled to the gasification process. The invention is capable of recycling one or more effluents including biogas generated from a wastewater treatment process, tail-gas generated from the fermentation process, unused syngas generated by the gasification process, microbial biomass generated from the fermentation process, microbial biomass generated from a wastewater treatment process, crude ethanol from the product recovery process, fusel oil from the product recovery process, microbial biomass depleted water, wastewater generated from the fermentation process, and clarified water from a wastewater treatment process to a gasification process.

A waste treatment, pyrolysis and gasification and concerns an apparatus for syngas bio-methanation include a unit for pyrolysis/gasification receiving organic material, the unit for pyrolysis/gasification generating syngas, comprising at least one membrane reactor inside a liquid bath comprising at least one bacteria population, the membrane reactor comprising at least one hollow fiber in contact with the liquid bath, around which a biofilm is formed and into which the syngas from the unit for pyrolysis/gasification flows, so as to convert the syngas into methane. A method for bio-methanation of syngas comprising a step of providing syngas from a unit for pyrolysis/gasification to a membrane reactor inside a liquid bath comprising at least one suitable bacteria population, the membrane reactor comprising at least one hollow fiber in contact with the liquid bath, around which a biofilm is formed and into which the output syngas of the unit for pyrolysis flows, so as to convert the syngas into methane.

Carbon-containing materials, such as biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) or coal are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels, carboxylic acids and equivalents thereof (e.g., esters and salts). For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol, butanol or organic acids (e.g., acetic or lactic acid), salts of organic acids or mixtures thereof. If desired, organic acids can be converted into alcohols, such as by first converting the acid, salt or mixtures of the acid and its salt to an ester, and then hydrogenating the formed ester. Acetogens or homoacetogens which are capable of utilizing a syngas from a thermochemical conversion of coal or biomass can be utilized to produce the desired product.

Provided is a novel apparatus capable of suitably manufacturing an organic substance from a syngas. An apparatus 1 for manufacturing an organic substance includes a syngas producing furnace (11), an organic substance synthesis unit (16), a moisture content raising unit (12), and a moisture content lowering unit (13). The syngas producing furnace (11) is configured to produce a syngas containing carbon monoxide by partly oxidizing a carbon source. The organic substance synthesis unit (16) is configured to produce an organic substance from the syngas. The moisture content raising unit (12) is disposed between the syngas producing furnace (11) and the organic substance synthesis unit (16). The moisture content raising unit (12) is configured to raise a moisture content of the syngas. The moisture content lowering unit (13) is disposed between the moisture content raising unit (12) and the organic substance synthesis unit (16). The moisture content lowering unit (13) is configured to lower the moisture content of the syngas.

The present invention provides a process for producing one or more products for use as a transportation or heating fuel. In various embodiments the process comprises treating a cellulosic feedstock in one or more processing steps that release extractives from the feedstock. A solids-liquid separation is subsequently conducted on the process stream comprising the extractives and solids. An aqueous stream comprising one or more of the extractives may be fed to an anaerobic digester to produce crude biogas from which one or more impurities may optionally be removed. In various embodiments the process further comprises providing a solids stream to a thermal process. A product produced or derived from the thermal process may displace a product made from fossil fuel. One or more products obtained or derived from at least one of the foregoing process steps are provided for use as a transportation or heating fuel. In various embodiments the process enables advantaged fuel credit generation.