A process for producing syngas including at least H.sub.2 and CO. The process includes the steps of a) generating a transition metal carbide by reacting a corresponding transition metal oxide with a fuel to produce a stream of syngas; and b) combining the transition metal carbide with oxygen to oxidize the transition metal carbide to regenerate the corresponding transition metal oxide, thereby producing a gas output comprising at least one or more oxidized carbon compounds and heat for autothermal operation.

A process to decompose methane into carbon (graphitic powder) and hydrogen (H.sub.2 gas) without secondary production of carbon dioxide, employing a cycle in which a secondary chemical is recycled and reused, is disclosed.

A method and apparatus for decarbonizing gases using pressure swing in a first and second pressure vessel that each comprise a fixed bed sorbent. Syngas and steam are received in the first pressure vessel. A carbonation reaction is performed in the first pressure vessel that reacts carbonaceous species in the received syngas with the received steam to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Decarbonated syngas is exhausted from first pressure vessel. A calcination reaction is performed in the second pressure vessel to produce carbon dioxide. A vacuum is provided to the second pressure vessel that causes carbon dioxide to exhaust from the second pressurized vessel at a pressure that substantially follows the decomposition pressure line.

Process to conduct a steam cracking reaction in a fluidized bed reactor The disclosure relates to a process to perform a steam cracking reaction, said process comprising the steps of providing a fluidized bed reactor comprising at least two electrodes; and a bed comprising particles, wherein the particles are put in a fluidized state by passing upwardly through the said bed a fluid stream, to obtain a fluidized bed; heating the fluidized bed to a temperature ranging from 500° C. to 1200° C. to conduct the endothermic chemical reaction; wherein at least 10 wt. % of the particles based on the total weight of the particles of the bed are electrically conductive particles and have a resistivity ranging from 0.001 Ohm.Math.cm to 500 Ohm.Math.cm at 800° C. and in that the step of heating the fluidized bed is performed by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed.

In one aspect, a process to decompose a hydrocarbon such as methane into carbon (graphitic powder) and hydrogen (H.sub.2 gas) without secondary production of carbon dioxide, employing a cycle in which a secondary chemical can be recycled and reused, is disclosed.

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 method of producing hydrogen gas is provided. The method can include the steps of providing a reaction vessel containing aluminum, delivering a stream of natural gas to the reaction vessel, in which the natural gas includes methane, and heating the reaction vessel at a temperature in a range of 300 to 800° C., in which the heating causes a chemical reaction between the methane and the aluminum to provide hydrogen gas and aluminum carbide. The method can include delivering steam to the reaction vessel and heating the reaction vessel at a temperature in a range of 300 to 800° C., in which the heating causes a chemical reaction between the methane, steam, and the aluminum to provide hydrogen gas, aluminum carbide, and aluminum oxycarbide.

Integrated refinery processes and systems for generating hydrogen by direct decomposition of hydrocarbons. The integrated processes and systems can be used to capture carbon and sulfur in solid form, reducing carbon dioxide and sulfur oxide emissions. The processes include reacting sour gas with a metal-based sorbent in a reactor to produce sulfur-bearing solids and water, and to partially reform hydrocarbons in the sour gas to produce hydrogen-rich syngas; and cracking remaining hydrocarbons thermally with or without the presence of a catalyst to produce hydrogen and solid carbon.

The present application provides a system and a method for water-based chemical-looping hydrogen generation. The method for water-based chemical-looping hydrogen generation comprises a water-based reduction process of oxygen carrier and a water-based oxidation process of oxygen carrier, wherein in the water-based reduction process of oxygen carrier, an oxygen carrier is reduced with a hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of a steam to produce a hydrogen gas as well as a reduced oxygen carrier and a carbon dioxide; and in the water-based oxidation process of oxygen carrier, the reduced oxygen carrier is oxidized with the steam to produce the hydrogen gas, while the reduced oxygen carrier is oxidized to its original state, thereby forming a chemical-looping. The present application can reduce the energy consumption while improving the efficiency of the hydrogen generation, enabling a zero energy consumption separation of carbon dioxide in the hydrogen generation process.

Systems and methods generally involve processing a gaseous reducing agent and a gaseous reforming agent to produce syngas in the presence of a stable-phase change metal-oxide based oxygen carrier. During operation, an oxygen content is measured for a reactor input stream and a reactor output stream. A percent oxygen depletion of the metal oxide is determined using an initial oxygen content of the metal oxide, the oxygen content of the input stream, and the oxygen content of the output stream. Based on the percent oxygen depletion, a mole ratio of reducing gas to oxidant in the input stream may be adjusted accordingly.