Abstract: Liquid fuel is produced by feeding a biomass feedstock into a one stage atmospheric pressure thermo-catalytic plasma gasifier, contacting the feedstock with oxygen or steam or both to obtain a syngas stream; splitting the syngas stream into first and second streams; conveying the first stream to a water gas shift reactor for producing a modified syngas stream containing CO and hydrogen; the second stream bypassing the water gas shift reactor and being added to the modified syngas steam; optionally reforming natural gas by steam methane reforming to produce a synthetic gas and optionally adding the synthetic gas to the water gas shift reactor; thereby obtaining a syngas having a H2:CO ratio of about 1:1 to about 2:1; subjecting the syngas to a Fischer Tropsch reaction thereby producing a wax product; and subjecting the product to a hydrogen cracking process to produce liquid fuel; and apparatus therefore.

Abstract: A process for producing liquid fuel from biomass feed stock comprising feeding a biomass feedstock into a one stage atmospheric pressure thermo-catalytic plasma gasifier, contacting the feedstock with oxygen or steam or both to obtain a syngas stream; splitting the syngas stream into first and second streams; conveying the first stream to a water gas shift reactor for producing a modified syngas stream containing CO and hydrogen; the second stream bypassing the water gas shift reactor and being added to the modified syngas steam; optionally reforming natural gas by steam methane reforming to produce a synthetic gas and optionally adding the synthetic gas to the water gas shift reactor; thereby obtaining a syngas having a H2:CO ratio of about 1:1 to about 2:1; subjecting the syngas to a Fischer Tropsch reaction thereby producing a wax product; and subjecting the product to a hydrogen cracking process to produce liquid fuel; and apparatus therefore.

Abstract: An apparatus for one stage thermo-catalytic plasma gasification and vitrification of organic material comprising: a generally funnel-shaped reactor having an upper section and a lower section, the lower section comprising a first, wider portion connected by a frustoconical transition to a second, narrower portion, and being suitable to receive a catalyst bed, and the upper section having at least one gas exhaust port; a plurality of inlets for the material from a plurality of directions located at the upper part of the lower section for introducing material into the upper portion of the lower section; a gas inlet system disposed around the lower section to provide gas into the lower section through one or more intake ports in the lower section; and a plurality of plasma arc torches mounted in the lower section to heat the catalyst bed and material, along with a method for plasma treatment of biomass.

Abstract: Devices and methods for generating a low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma are disclosed. A method of generating a low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma that comprises coupling a high-frequency power supply to a tuning network that is connected to one or more electrodes, placing one or more non-conducting housings between the electrodes, flowing gas through the one or more housings, and striking and maintaining the plasma with the application of said high-frequency power is described. A technique for the surface treatment of materials with said low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma, including surface activation, cleaning, sterilization, etching and deposition of thin films is also disclosed.