A feedstock gas, such as natural gas, is introduced into a mixing chamber. A combustible gas is introduced into a combustion chamber, for example simultaneously to the introduction of the feedstock gas. Thereafter, the combustible gas is ignited so as to cause the combustible gas to flow into the mixing chamber via one or more fluid flow paths between the combustion chamber and the mixing chamber, and to mix with the feedstock gas. The mixing of the combustible gas with the feedstock gas causes one or more products to be produced.

The process and apparatus according to the invention allow the production of hydrocarbons and ammonia without the use of catalysts. For this purpose, waste gases containing CO.sub.2 or N.sub.2 from an upstream process are fed to compression reactors. In addition, hydrogen from an electrolyzer is fed to these reactors to enable hydrogenation of the fed substances. Methane, alcohols and ammonia, for example, can be produced by this process. In order to increase the yield of the process, it is planned to raise the reactant pressure with the aid of a compressor.

A feedstock gas, such as natural gas, is introduced into a mixing chamber. A combustible gas is introduced into a combustion chamber, for example simultaneously to the introduction of the feedstock gas. Thereafter, the combustible gas is ignited so as to cause the combustible gas to flow into the mixing chamber via one or more fluid flow paths between the combustion chamber and the mixing chamber, and to mix with the feedstock gas. The mixing of the combustible gas with the feedstock gas causes one or more products to be produced.

A method of charging and/or discharging energy in reusable fuel workpieces or particles includes a solar furnace with counter-flowing workpieces and gas, to exchange heat therebetween, with the exiting gas and workpieces being at about ambient temperature. A further aspect employs a production plant including a reduction reactor configured to use excess electrical energy generated by renewable power generators to charge and/or discharge solid-state thermochemical fuel. Another aspect includes a fuel flow control valve using air pulses. An oxygen-deprived and reusable fuel, such as magnesium manganese oxide, or magnesium iron oxide, is also provided. In another aspect, an apparatus for producing a solid-state fuel includes a reduction reactor including a reactor chamber configured to receive concentrated solar energy, and a reactor tube having a recuperation zone, a reduction zone, and a quenching zone, wherein the reduction zone passes through the reactor chamber. A discharged solid-state fuel is configured to be fed down the reactor tube and a low-oxygen gas is configured to flow up the reactor tube.

Fluidic systems and methods in which oscillatory flow is employed are generally described. In some instances, one or more solenoids are used to drive the oscillation of a magnetically-susceptible body which creates oscillatory flow of a fluid in a fluidic channel in fluid communication with a channel containing the magnetically-susceptible body.

A method of assembling and/or operating apparatus for undertaking a chemical reaction. The apparatus includes a housing in which a precursor of a receptacle is arranged. A fluid (F1) may be introduced into said precursor to cause the precursor to inflate.

A pulse jet system and method is disclosed. In an example, the pulse jet system includes a combustion chamber, intake ports to deliver combustion agents to the combustion chamber, an expansion chamber to cool a combustion product following combustion of the combustion agents in the combustion chamber, and an exhaust to exit the cooled gas from the expansion chamber. In another example, the pulse jet system includes a combustion chamber with intake ports to deliver combustion agents to the combustion chamber, wherein the combustion chamber is part of a four cycle engine. The pulse jet system also includes an expansion chamber to cool a combustion product following combustion of the combustion agents in the combustion chamber.

The invention discloses a method for producing bio-fuel (BF) from a high-viscosity biomass using thermo-chemical conversion of the biomass in a production line (10) with pumping means (PM), heating means (HM) and cooling means (CM). The method has the steps of 1) operating the pumping means, the heating means and the cooling means so that the production line is under supercritical fluid conditions (SCF) to induce biomass conversion in a conversion zone (CZ) within the production line, and 2) operating the pumping means so that at least part of the production line is in an oscillatory flow (OF) mode. The invention is advantageous for providing an improved method for producing biofuel from a high-viscosity biomass. This is performed by an advantageous combination of two operating modes: supercritical fluid (SCF) conditions and oscillatory flow (OF).

The present invention concerns a reactor and a process for the hydrothermal treatment of an aqueous mixture, such as watery biomass. The reactor according to the invention comprises (31) an inlet for receiving the aqueous mixture, (32) a tube-shaped reactor interior, which is inclined at an angle in the range of 1-45°; (33) a first zone in the reactor interior (32) comprising means (5) for heating the aqueous mixture; (34) a second zone in the reactor interior (32) for keeping the aqueous mixture at the predetermined temperature; (35) a third zone in the reactor interior (32) for cooling the aqueous mixture; (38) an outlet for discharging a hydrothermally treated aqueous mixture, and (43) an outlet for discharging gas, wherein inlet (31) and outlet (43) are positioned at the top part of the reactor and outlet (38) at the bottom part of the reactor. The inclined nature of the reactor ensures that all gases are efficiently removed from the liquid effluent, and the CO.sub.2 formed during the process is used to improved efficacy of the hydrothermal treatment.

The invention provides a method for preparing graphene which method comprises the steps of: (a) forming a graphite/water mixture; and (b) introducing the graphite/water mixture into a cavitation reactor using at least two offset nozzles; a cavitation reactor for use in the method wherein the cavitation reactor has a cavitation chamber wherein the cavitation chamber has at least two offset inlet nozzles which are directed towards the centre of the cavitation chamber and at least one outlet; and graphene having a carbon content of at least about 98 wt %.