Refining assemblies and methods for refining rich natural gas containing a first methane gas and other hydrocarbons that are heavier than methane gas are disclosed. In some embodiments, the assemblies may include a methane-producing assembly configured to receive at least one liquid-containing feed stream that includes water and rich natural gas and to produce an output stream therefrom by (a) converting at least a substantial portion of the other hydrocarbons of the rich natural gas with the water to a second methane gas, a lesser portion of the water, and other gases, and (b) allowing at least a substantial portion of the first methane gas from the rich natural gas to pass through the methane-producing assembly unconverted. The assemblies may additionally include a purification assembly configured to receive the output stream and to produce a methane-rich stream therefrom having a greater methane concentration than the output stream.

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.

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.

An system for processing biomass comprising a stator, a rotor having an axis of rotation, the rotor being disposed inside the stator and configured to rotate about the axis of rotation therein, a processing chamber defined between the rotor and the stator, an inlet in fluid communication with the processing chamber which is designed to introduce unprocessed biomass into the processing chamber, an outlet in fluid communication with the processing chamber which is designed to carry out processed biomass from the processing chamber and a pump operationally associated with the inlet and the outlet, wherein the pump is configured to pump the unprocessed biomass through the processing chamber.

A process for the methanation of carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide in a feed stream containing carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide is disclosed. This is achieved by a process for the methanation of carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide in a feed stream containing carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide, hydrogen and more than 1 ppb of sulfur, using a catalyst comprising aluminum oxide, an Ni active composition and Mn. It has surprisingly The Mn-containing Ni catalyst has a high sulfur resistance and also a high sulfur capacity.

The invention relates to use of a catalyst comprising particles of nickel dispersed in a porous silica matrix for catalyzing a methanation reaction. There is also described a method for methanation of a feedstock at least comprising gases carbon monoxide and hydrogen, said method comprising contacting the feedstock with the catalyst.

The invention relates to use of a catalyst comprising particles of nickel dispersed in a porous silica matrix for catalyzing a methanation reaction. There is also described a method for methanation of a feedstock at least comprising gases carbon monoxide and hydrogen, said method comprising contacting the feedstock with the catalyst.

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.

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.

The invention relates to an industrial production plant (1), which comprises a first production plant (2), which produces a CO.sub.2-poor and H.sub.2-rich exhaust gas from a carbon-containing feed material and which has an associated first exhaust-gas cleaning device (3) and an associated second exhaust-gas cleaning device (14). The problem addressed by the invention is that of creating a solution by means of which a carbon capture and utilization method can be effectively and efficiently performed. This problem is solved in that the industrial production plant (1) also comprises a gas-processing plant (4), which divides the exhaust gas into a carbon-containing, at least substantially H.sub.2-free partial gas flow (6) and a carbon-free, H.sub.2-rich partial gas flow (7); comprises an apparatus (19) for producing a CO.sub.2-rich gas flow, to which apparatus at least a part of a CO.sub.2-containing exhaust-gas flow (17) arising in a firing apparatus (11) can be fed after flowing through the second exhaust-gas cleaning device (14); and comprises a water electrolysis plant (24), which produces hydrogen (H.sub.2) and oxygen (02), and a second production plant (20), which produces methanol and/or secondary methanol products and which has a CO.sub.2 line connection (21) to the apparatus (19) on one side and an H.sub.2 line connection (23) to the gas-processing plant (4) and the water electrolysis plant (24) on the other side.