A process for the manufacture of a useful product from carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics, comprising the steps of: continuously providing the carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics to a gasification zone; gasifying the carbonaceous feedstock in the gasification zone to obtain raw synthesis gas; recovering at least part of the raw synthesis gas from the gasification zone and supplying at least part of the recovered raw synthesis gas to a partial oxidation zone; equilibrating the H.sub.2:CO ratio of the raw synthesis gas in the partial oxidation zone to obtain equilibrated synthesis gas; recovering at least part of the equilibrated synthesis gas from the partial oxidation zone and treating the gas to remove impurities and generate a fine synthesis gas; and converting the optionally adjusted fine synthesis gas into the useful product in a further chemical reaction requiring a usage ratio.

A burner combustion chamber (3), a burner (7) for performing a burner combustion in the burner combustion chamber (3) a reformer catalyst (4) to which burner combustion gas is fed, and a heat exchange part (13a) for heating the air fed to the burner (7) are provided. A switching device (16, 17) able to switch an air flow route for introducing the outside air to the burner (7) between a high temperature air flow route (13) for introducing the outside air flowing within the heat exchange part (13a) and heated at the heat exchange part(13a) to the burner (7) and a low temperature air flow route (14) for feeding the outside air, which does not flow within the heat exchange part (13a) and thereby is lower in temperature than the outside air heated at the heat exchange part (13a), to the burner (7) is provided.

A burner combustion chamber (3), a reformer catalyst (4) to which burner combustion gas is fed, and a heat exchange part (13a) for heating the air fed to the burner (7) are provided. When the temperature of the reformer catalyst (4) exceeds the allowable catalyst temperature (TX) or when it is predicted the temperature of the reformer catalyst (4) will exceed the allowable catalyst temperature (TX), the air circulation route for guiding air to the burner (7) is switched from a high temperature air circulation route (13) for guiding air heated by the heat exchange part (13a) to the burner (7) to a low temperature air circulation route (14) for guiding air not flowing within the heat exchange part (13a) and lower in temperature than the air heated at the heat exchange part (13a) to the burner (7).

A method for drying a catalytic oxidation furnace, the method including: 1) charging a feed gas including oxygen and natural gas, and a temperature control gas to a catalytic oxidation furnace loaded with a catalyst; 2) preheating a mixed gas including the feed gas and the temperature control gas to increase the temperature of the mixed gas, and stopping the preheating when the temperature of the mixed gas achieves a temperature adapted to trigger the oxidation reaction of the mixed gas; and 3) within the molar ratio of the temperature control gas to the feed gas being 0.1-7:1.3-1.6, reducing the molar ratio of the temperature control gas to the feed gas such that the rise of the temperature of the mixed gas conforms to the temperature rising rate of the drying-out curve of a heat insulation refractory material of the catalytic oxidation furnace.

A method for producing a refractory lining in a combustion chamber operating in a reducing atmosphere. The lining includes at least one or more Zirconia (Zr)-based refractory lining members comprising one or more Zr-based parts. The Zr-based parts comprise at least 90 wt. %, preferably at least 95 wt. %, of monoclinic ZrO.sub.2 and/or partially stabilized ZrO.sub.2 and/or fully stabilized ZrO.sub.2, wherein the total content of tetragonal and cubic ZrO.sub.2 amounts to at least 20 wt. %, preferably more than 35 wt. %, as well as Zr based refractory lining members and methods for manufacturing the Zr based refractory lining members.

A refractory lining in a combustion chamber operating in a reducing atmosphere. The lining includes at least one or more Zirconia (Zr)-based refractory lining members comprising one or more Zr-based parts. The Zr-based parts comprise at least 90 wt. %, preferably at least 95 wt. %, of monoclinic ZrO.sub.2 and/or partially stabilized ZrO.sub.2 and/or fully stabilized ZrO.sub.2, wherein the total content of tetragonal and cubic ZrO.sub.2 amounts to at least 20 wt. %, preferably more than 35 wt. %, as well as Zr based refractory lining members and methods for manufacturing the Zr based refractory lining members.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for removing impurities from a gasification gas, wherein the gasification gas which includes at least tars and/or undesired hydrocarbons is supplied to a catalytic reformer which has at least one catalyst bed, oxygen containing gas is injected onto the surface of the catalyst bed, the gasification gas is arranged to flow through the catalyst bed and arranged to contact with the oxygen containing gas in the catalyst bed, and a purified gas is discharged from the catalytic reformer. Further, the invention relates to the use of the method.

A process for producing synthesis gas, the process including the steps of: a) in a reforming reactor, reacting a hydrocarbon feed stream together with an oxidant gas stream, thereby producing a first synthesis gas stream; b) providing a heated CO.sub.2 rich gas stream to an adiabatic post converter including a second catalyst active for catalyzing steam methane reforming, methanation and reverse water gas shift reactions; and c) in the adiabatic reforming post converter, letting at least a part of the first synthesis gas stream and the heated CO.sub.2 rich gas stream undergo steam methane reforming, methanation and reverse water gas shift reactions to thereby provide a product gas stream, the product gas stream being a synthesis gas stream. Also, a system for producing synthesis gas.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for purifying gas, wherein the gas which includes at least tars and/or undesired hydrocarbons is supplied to a catalytic treatment reactor which has at least one catalyst zone including at least one catalyst element with a catalyst, oxygen gas is fed into the catalyst element of the catalyst zone in the catalytic treatment reactor and is supplied through the catalyst element, the gas is arranged to flow to the catalyst zone and arranged to contact with the oxygen gas and the catalyst, and a purified gas is discharged from the catalytic treatment reactor. Further, the invention relates to the use of the method.

Herein discussed is a hydrogen production system comprising: a catalytic partial oxidation (CPDX) reactor; a steam generator; and an electrochemical (EC) reactor; wherein the CPDX reactor product stream is introduced into the EC reactor and the steam generator provides steam to the EC reactor; and wherein the product stream and the steam do not come in contact with each other in the EC reactor. In an embodiment, the EC reactor generates a first product stream comprising CO and CO.sub.2 and a second product stream comprising H.sub.2 and H.sub.2O, wherein the two product streams do not come in contact with each other.