Systems and methods for producing synthetic gas are provided. The method can include gasifying a carbonaceous feedstock in the presence of an oxidant within a gasifier to provide a raw syngas. The raw syngas can be cooled within a cooler to provide a cooled syngas. The cooled syngas can be processed within a purification system to provide a treated syngas. The purification system can include a saturator adapted to increase a moisture content of the cooled syngas. The treated syngas and a first heat transfer medium can be introduced to a methanator to provide a synthetic gas, a second heat transfer medium, and a methanation condensate. At least a portion of the methanation condensate can be recycled from the methanator to the saturator.

Systems and methods for producing substitute natural gas

Integrated catalytic gasification processes are provided involving generating steam for converting carbonaceous materials to combustible gases, such as methane. Generally, steam generated from the combustion of a biomass is provided to a catalytic gasifier, wherein under appropriate temperature and pressure conditions, a carbonaceous feedstock is converted into a plurality of product gases, including, but not limited to, methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.

Steam Generation Processes Utilizing Biomass Feedstocks

The present invention relates to processes for preparing gaseous products, and in particular, methane via the catalytic gasification of carbonaceous feedstocks in the presence of steam and an oxygen-rich gas stream. The processes comprise using at least one catalytic methanator to convert carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the gaseous products to methane and do not recycle carbon monoxide or hydrogen to the catalytic gasifier.

Processes for gasification of a carbonaceous feedstock

A self-sustaining process for producing high quality liquid fuels from biomass in which the biomass is hydropyrolyzed in a reactor vessel containing molecular hydrogen and a deoxygenating catalyst, producing a partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis liquid, which is hydrogenated using a hydroconversion catalyst, producing a substantially fully deoxygenated hydrocarbon liquid and a gaseous mixture comprising CO and light hydrocarbon gases (C1-C3). The gaseous mixture is reformed in a steam reformer, producing reformed molecular hydrogen, which is then introduced into the reactor vessel for hydropyrolizing the biomass. The deoxygenated hydrocarbon liquid product is further separated to produce diesel fuel, gasoline, or blending components for gasoline and diesel fuel.

Hydropyrolysis of biomass for producing high quality liquid fuels

The present invention provides a system and method for converting biomass into fluid hydrocarbon products to minimize the use of fossil fuels, provide energy and chemical feedstock security, and sustainable and/or carbon neutral electric power. One disclosed embodiment comprises performing fast pyrolysis on biomass to produce pygas and char using a maximum processing temperature of about 650 °C. The pygas is provided to an independent reactor without the addition of an oxidizing agent for catalytically converting the pygas to hydrocarbons using a maximum processing temperature of about 650 °C. The present invention also concerns a system comprising fast pyrolysis means producing a pygas and char, independent catalytic conversion means downstream of the fast pyrolysis for converting the pygas to hydrocarbons, and a hydrogen source, external to the system and/or produced by a steam reformer by steam reformation of at least a portion of the hydrocarbons, coupled to catalytic conversion means.

Process and system for thermochemical conversion of biomass

The present invention relates to processes for preparing gaseous products, and in particular methane, via the hydromethanation of a carbonaceous feedstock in the presence of steam, syngas, a hydromethanation catalyst and an oxygen-rich gas stream.

Processes for hydromethanation of a carbonaceous feedstock

Processes for the catalytic conversion of a carbonaceous composition into a gas stream comprising methane are provided. In addition, the processes provide for the generation of a hydrogen-enriched gas stream and, optionally, a carbon monoxide-enriched gas stream, which can be mixed or used separately as an energy source for subsequent catalytic gasification processes.

Processes for the separation of methane from a gas stream

Systems to convert a carbonaceous feedstock into a plurality of gaseous products are described. The systems include, among other units, four separate gasification reactors for the gasification of a carbonaceous feedstock in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst into the plurality of gaseous products including at least methane. Each of the gasification reactors may be supplied with the feedstock from a single or separate catalyst loading and/or feedstock preparation unit operations. Similarly, the hot gas streams from each gasification reactor may be purified via their combination at a heat exchanger, acid gas removal, or methane removal unit operations. Product purification may comprise trace contaminant removal units, ammonia removal and recovery units, and sour shift units.

Four-Train Catalytic Gasification Systems

Steam generating gasification reactors for providing high-pressure and high- temperature steam for catalytic gasification of a carbonaceous feedstock can be based on oxygen blown gasification reactors adapted for processing a slurry feedstock comprising at least 40% water. The exhaust from the slurry gasifier comprises at least steam, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The slurry composition and the oxygen to fuel ratio can be varied to control the ratio of carbonaceous gases in the generator exhaust. By directing substantially all of exhaust gases produced from the slurry gasification reactor through the catalytic gasifier and subsequent gas separation and sequestration processes, a greatly higher energy efficiency and decreased carbon footprint can be realized.

Earl T. Robinson

Papers

Processes for gasification of a carbonaceous feedstock

Processes for hydromethanation of a carbonaceous feedstock

Processes for the separation of methane from a gas stream

Four-Train Catalytic Gasification Systems

Steam Generating Slurry Gasifier for the Catalytic Gasification of a Carbonaceous Feedstock