Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for removing high molecular weight high melting point hydrocarbon vapors from a hydrocarbon vapor offgas stream produced during the liquefaction of a solid waste plastic material to produce an oil that serves as a liquid feedstock for a partial oxidation reaction. The hydrocarbon vapor offgas stream (2) is directly contacted with a water spray (4) at a condensation temperature above the melting point of the high molecular weight hydrocarbons contained in the offgas. This results in the condensation and convenient removal of the high melting point hydrocarbons, referred to as "waxes." One or more subsequent condensation steps can be conducted at lower condensation temperatures to remove the lower temperature condensable hydrocarbons. The remaining uncondensed vapors are then recycled to serve as a heater fuel for the liquefaction of the waste plastic material.

Abstract: This invention is an integrated process which removes acidic gases such as H.sub.2 S, COS and CO.sub.2 from raw synthesis gas. The H.sub.2 S and COS is concentrated and separately recovered. The separately recovered CO.sub.2 is used as a moderator with the purified syngas in a combustion turbine. The process comprises separating H.sub.2 S and COS from a raw synthesis gas by absorption with a liquid solvent, removing coabsorbed CO.sub.2 by stripping the solvent with nitrogen, separating the H.sub.2 S and COS from the solvent and recovering sulfur from the H.sub.2 S and COS. The energy value of the CO.sub.2 and its value as a diluent in reducing NO.sub.x is recovered by using the CO.sub.2 as a moderator during combustion of the purified synthesis gas in a gas turbine.

Abstract: The invention improves the reliability and efficiency of the burning of a synthesis gas as a fuel for a combustion turbine to produce power by incorporating a synthesis gas expander immediately upstream of the combustion turbine. Increased efficiency occurs from the additional power output from the expander and by a reduction or elimination of nitrogen compression from an air separation unit for the control of oxides of nitrogen.

Abstract: The high intracellular water content contained within the cell walls of the bacterial cells of a dewatered biosludge is reduced by removing the intracellular water in a denaturing operation. This operation comprises heating the biosludge at a temperature sufficient to weaken the bacterial cell walls. The weakened cell walls are then exposed to a reduced pressure sufficient to form vapor within the cell and to thus rupture the weakened cell walls and thereby release the intracellular water in the form of a hot aqueous vapor and/or released intracellular water. The water-reduced concentrated biosludge can then serve as a fuel source in a partial oxidation reaction for the production of synthesis gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated process and apparatus for supplying at least a portion of, or substantially all, or all of the reducing gas feedstock to a reduction reactor, such as a reactor for the direct reduction of iron, wherein the reducing gas contacts a feed material at a mean operating gas pressure and effects reduction of the feed material to provide a reduced product. The integrated process includes the production of a hydrogen-rich gas by the partial oxidation of a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce a hydrogen-rich gas, which can also be referred to as a synthesis gas or syngas. The synthesis gas is at a pressure substantially greater than the mean operating gas pressure in the reduction reactor. The synthesis gas is expanded to lower its pressure to substantially the mean operating gas pressure in the DRI reduction reactor to thereby form the reducing gas feedstock at the pressure conditions used for the DRI reaction.