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.

Disclosed is a pyrolysis system (1) comprising a pyrolysis reactor (2) arranged for producing pyrolysis gas and a first condensing unit (3) arranged to cool the pyrolysis gas to a first temperature to condense a first pyrolysis liquid (20). The system further comprises a second condensing unit (4) arranged to cool the pyrolysis gas to a second temperature to condense a second pyrolysis liquid (21), wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature. The system also comprises a return conduit (5) arranged to guide a portion of the pyrolysis gas back into the pyrolysis reactor (2) to drive the pyrolysis process, and heating means (6) arranged to increase the temperature of the portion of the pyrolysis gas before it reenters the pyrolysis reactor (2). The pyrolysis reactor (2) is a fixed bed counterflow pyrolysis reactor (2) comprising a pyrolysis gas outlet (7) arranged at an upper part (8) of the pyrolysis reactor (2) through which the produced pyrolysis gas leaves the pyrolysis reactor (2), a pyrolysis gas inlet (9) arranged at a lower part (10) of the pyrolysis reactor (2), through which the heated pyrolysis gas reenters the pyrolysis reactor (2), a feedstock inlet (11) arranged at the upper part (8) of the pyrolysis reactor (2) through which feedstock (19) enters the pyrolysis reactor (2) and a char outlet (12) arranged at the lower part (10) of the pyrolysis reactor (2), through which char produced in the pyrolysis reactor (2) leaves the pyrolysis reactor (2). Furthermore, a method for producing producing purified pyrolysis gas and pyrolysis liquids and use of a pyrolysis system (1) is disclosed.

A biomass conversion system is disclosed. The system comprises a syngas generator, a cleanup engine and a power producing engine. The power producing engine is coupled to a load, such as an electrical generator. Methods of controlling the power producing engine in response to changes in load are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the air-to-fuel ratio, spark timing, and/or recirculation gases are varied to change the power of the power producing engine. In other embodiments, the power producing engine is throttled by limiting the amount of clean syngas that enters the engine.

A method of producing liquid fuel and/or chemicals from a carbonaceous material entails combusting a conditioned syngas in pulse combustion heat exchangers of a steam reformer to help convert carbonaceous material into first reactor product gas which includes carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases. A portion of the first reactor product gas is transferred to a hydrogen reformer into which additional conditioned syngas is added and a reaction carried out to produce an improved syngas. The improved syngas is then subject to one or more gas clean-up steps to form a new conditioned syngas. A portion of the new conditioned syngas is recycled to be used as the conditioned syngas in the pulse combustion heat exchangers and in the hydrocarbon reformer. A system for carrying out the method include, a steam reformer, a hydrocarbon reformer, first and second gas-cleanup systems, a synthesis system and an upgrading system.

The invention relates to an apparatus for producing syngas, typically from municipal waste. In particular, a gasifier is used in combination with a plasma furnace. The system is configured so that non-airborne char generated in the gasifier is removed from the system prior to delivery to the plasma furnace. This enhances the energy efficiency of the system whilst still yielding excellent yields of syngas.

A process for the manufacture of a useful product from carbonaceous feedstock of fluctuating compositional characteristics, the process 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; sequentially removing ammoniacal, sulphurous and carbon dioxide impurities from the raw synthesis gas to form desulphurised gas and recovering carbon dioxide in substantially pure form; converting at least a portion of the desulphurised synthesis gas to a useful product. Despite having selected a more energy intensive sub-process i.e. physical absorption for removal of acid gas impurities, the overall power requirement of the facility is lower on account of lower steam requirements and thereby leading to a decrease in the carbon intensity score for the facility.

A plant and a method for the production of hydrogen and bicarbonate. The plant includes a gasifier, a reformer, a direct contact exchanger and an apparatus for the production of bicarbonate. The plant is suitable for receiving fuel, oxygen, water, carbonate, brine at the inlet and for producing hydrogen, bicarbonate and calcium chloride at the outlet. The plant uses a self-cleaning direct contact heat exchanger to cool the syngas downstream of the reformer and to produce the superheated steam that feeds the gasifier: this heat exchanger allows the production of hydrogen at low costs and in modular plants.

A method for gasifying carbon-containing materials in which the material for gasification and oxygen, usually in the form of air, are supplied to a gas generator where the gasification takes place in a fixed bed reactor. The product gas is drawn off via a product gas line and introduced into a hot gas filter. A filter, preferably provided with filter candles, removes solids such as particles not yet gasified, ash and foreign bodies, while clean gas passes through and is taken off via a clean gas line. An outlet is provided in the bottom region of the hot gas filter to remove residual solids. The hot gas filter is supplied through a line with oxygen, preferably in the form of air, in its middle height region, between the filter bottom and the outlet.

An integrated biomass conversion system and a method of starting and shutting down the system are disclosed. The integrated biomass conversion system comprises a syngas generator, such as a gasifier, a cleanup engine and a syngas utilization system, which could be a power producing engine or a chemical reactor for chemical or fuel synthesis. The cleanup engine operates rich and at high temperatures so that the tars exhausted by the syngas generators are destroyed and not allowed to foul other components. An orderly sequence to start and shut down the integrated biomass conversion system is disclosed.

Gasifiers, gasification systems, and methods for producing synthesis gas are disclosed. A gasifier can include a gasifier body. A feeder can be positioned to feed an organic material into the gasifier body. A pulse detonation burner can be located under or above the gasifier body and connected to the gasifier body to direct supersonic shockwaves upward into the gasifier body to heat the organic material and to form a jet spouted bed of the organic material or to operate as an entrained flow reactor. An outlet can be located at the gasifier body to allow removal of synthesis gas, residual ash, and other reaction products.