Abstract: A process for producing ethanol which comprises reacting methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, characterized in that the reaction is carried out in the presence of (a) a solvent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, and ethers and (b) a catalyst comprising a cobalt compound, a ruthenium compound and a tertiary phosphine in the absence of iodine, bromine, an iodine compound or a bromine compound is disclosed. According to this invention, ethanol can be produced from methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a high selectivity to neat ethanol.

Abstract: A method and a system for disposing of the pyrolysis gas generated in a pyrolyzing system to refine the same are presented in which an absorbing agent for eliminating harmful gas is introduced into a thermal reactor in such an amount that a large percent of such agent is unreacted but it is efficiently recovered together with char from the pyrolysis gas and also these recovered materials are utilized to remove oil and tar from water used in cleaning the pyrolysis gas, the recovered solid particles of the char and unreacted absorbing agent and the oil and tar separated from the cleaning water being recirculated in the pyrolyzing system.