The invention relates to a method for the disposal of a composite material, in particular a composite material contaminated, for example, by radioactivity and containing fluorine impurities. The inventive method for the disposal of a component containing a composite material with a composite matrix and a technical fiber, is characterized in that the component is chemically gasified, wherein the composite material is technically completely decomposed into its basic components, wherein in a first step the composite matrix is dissolved and in a subsequent step the remaining starting materials and intermediate products are thermally decomposed and reacted with added process gases, wherein at least in the subsequent step a reactive gas is supplied and the subsequent step is conducted endothermically.

A process and system for the generation gaseous fuels, the process comprising gasifying a carbonaceous fuel with vitiated air in the presence of lime and water to provide calcium carbonate, a gaseous fuel and heat; the system comprising a reactor for the gasification of the carbonaceous fuel with vitiated air in the presence of lime and water, and a heat exchanger to extract heat from the gaseous fuel. Use in the generation of gaseous fuels, in energy distribution and in grid energy firming.

Methods and systems for producing light olefins are disclosed. A feedstock comprising crude oil is distilled to produce a plurality of streams including a naphtha stream and a vacuum residue stream. The naphtha is fed to a steam cracking unit to produce light olefins, C.sub.4 hydrocarbons, pyrolysis gasoline and pyrolysis oil. The vacuum residue stream is hydrocracked to produce additional naphtha and heavy unconverted oil. The heavy unconverted oil and the pyrolysis oil from steam cracking unit can be deasphalted to produce deasphalted oil and pitch product. The deasphalted oil can be further hydrocracked to produce naphtha. The pitch product can be gasified to produce synthesis gas, which is further used to produce methanol. The methanol can be used to react with isobutylene of the C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream from steam cracker to produce methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).

A two-reactor catalytic system including a catalytic membrane gasification reactor and a catalytic membrane water gas shift reactor. The catalytic system, for converting biomass to hydrogen gas, features a novel gasification reactor containing both hollow fiber membranes that selectively allow O.sub.2 to permeate therethrough and a catalyst that facilitates tar reformation. Also disclosed is a process of converting biomass to H2. The process includes the steps of, among others, introducing air into a hollow fiber membrane; mixing the O.sub.2 permeating through the hollow fiber membrane and steam to react with biomass to produce syngas and tar; and reforming the tar in the presence of a catalyst to produce more syngas.

The present invention is directed to modifications of bitumen and heavy oil upgrading and refining processes to synthesize synthetic crude oil and other valuable synthesized hydrocarbon products in an efficient manner along with the production of commercially valuable co-products from by-products formed by the upgrading process.

The description describes the integration of a gas fermentation process with a gasification process whereby effluent from the gas fermentation process is recycled to the gasification process. The one or more effluents which can be recycled include a stream comprising microbial biomass, a product stream comprising at least a portion of the at least one fermentation product, a by-product stream comprising fusel oil, and a waste water stream comprising microbial biomass. The stream comprising biomass can be dried before it is passed to the gasification zone. At least a portion of the waste water stream can be passed to the gasification process where one use is to replace at least a portion of the process water. The waste water stream can be further processed to produce a clarified water stream and a biogas stream comprising methane either or both of which can be passed to the gasification process.

Methods and systems for producing light olefins are disclosed. A feedstock comprising crude oil is distilled to produce a plurality of streams including a naphtha stream and a vacuum residue stream. The naphtha is fed to a steam cracking unit to produce light olefins, C.sub.4 hydrocarbons, pyrolysis gasoline and pyrolysis oil. The vacuum residue stream is hydrocracked to produce additional naphtha and heavy unconverted oil. The heavy unconverted oil and the pyrolysis oil from steam cracking unit can be deasphalted to produce deasphalted oil and pitch product. The deasphalted oil can be further hydrocracked to produce naphtha. The pitch product can be gasified to produce synthesis gas, which is further used to produce methanol. The methanol can be used to react with isobutylene of the C.sub.4 hydrocarbon stream from steam cracker to produce methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).

A process for synthesising hydrocarbons is described comprising the steps of (a) making a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from a feedstock in a synthesis gas generation unit, (b) removing carbon dioxide to produce a carbon dioxide stream and purified synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide for synthesis gas in a Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis unit wherein (i) at least a portion of the FT water stream is fed to an electrolysis unit to provide an oxygen stream, which is fed to the synthesis gas generation unit. Carbon dioxide stream recovered from the carbon dioxide removal unit and a portion of the hydrogen stream produced by the electrolysis unit are fed to a reverse water-gas shift unit to produce a carbon monoxide stream, with carbon monoxide stream from the reverse water-gas shift unit fed to the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis unit.

The description describes the integration of a gas fermentation process with a gasification process whereby effluent from the gas fermentation process is recycled to the gasification process. The one or more effluents which can be recycled include a stream comprising microbial biomass, a product stream comprising at least a portion of the at least one fermentation product, a by-product stream comprising fusel oil, and a waste water stream comprising microbial biomass. The stream comprising biomass can be dried before it is passed to the gasification zone. At least a portion of the waste water stream can be passed to the gasification process where one use is to replace at least a portion of the process water. The waste water stream can be further processed to produce a clarified water stream and a biogas stream comprising methane either or both of which can be passed to the gasification process.

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.