Abstract: A method for increasing the fertility of soil for agricultural crop production by producing a biofertilizer containing one or more selected strains of nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria that are compatible with the type of soil and environmental conditions where the biofertilizer is to be applied and rhizobacteria, and applying the biofertilizer to such soil at a rate that is sufficient to accelerate the fertilization performance of the soil for the growth of agricultural products, and to increase the net terrestrial sequestration of CO2.

Abstract: A method for producing a biofertilizer in which a cyanobacteria and other photosynthetic microorganisms naturally occurring in the type of soil to which the biofertilizer is to be applied are reproduced in a closed photobioreactor using byproduct CO2, and the reproduced microorganisms are incorporated in the biofertilizer.

Abstract: An IBTL system having a low GHG footprint for converting biomass to liquid fuels in which a biomass feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. Biomass residues from the direct liquefaction, and optionally additional biomass is pyrolyzed using microwave pyrolysis to produce structured biochar, hydrogen for the liquefaction and upgrading, and CO2 for conversion to algae, including blue green algae (cyanobacteria) in a photobioreactor (PBR). Produced algae and diazotrophic microorganisms are used to produce a biofertilizer that also contains structured biochar. The structured biochar acts as a nucleation agent for the algae in the PBR, as a absorption agent to absorb inorganics from the biomass feed to direct liquefaction or from the liquids produced thereby, and as a water retention agent in the biofertilizer.

Abstract: An ICBTL system and method having a low GHG footprint for converting coal or coal and biomass to liquid fuels and a biofertilizer in which a carbon-based feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and optionally by indirect liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. CO2 produced by the process is used to a produce cyanobacteria containing algal biomass and other photosynthetic microorganisms in a photobioreactor. Optionally, lipids extracted from the some of the algal biomass is hydroprocessed to produce fuel components and biomass residues and the carbon-based feed our gasified to produce hydrogen and syngas for the direct and indirect liquefaction processes. Some or all of the algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms are used to produce a natural biofertilizer. CO2 may also be produced by a steam methane reformer for supplying CO2 to produce the algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms.

Abstract: An IBTL system having a low GHG footprint for converting biomass to liquid fuels in which a biomass feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. Biomass residues from the direct liquefaction, and optionally additional biomass is pyrolyzed using microwave pyrolysis to produce structured biochar, hydrogen for the liquefaction and upgrading, and CO2 for conversion to algae, including blue green algae (cyanobacteria) in a photobioreactor (PBR). Produced algae and diazotrophic microorganisms are used to produce a biofertilizer that also contains structured biochar. The structured biochar acts as a nucleation agent for the algae in the PBR, as a absorption agent to absorb inorganics from the biomass feed to direct liquefaction or from the liquids produced thereby, and as a water retention agent in the biofertilizer.

Abstract: An IBTL system having a low GHG footprint for converting biomass to liquid fuels in which a biomass feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. Biomass residues from the direct liquefaction, and optionally additional biomass is pyrolyzed to produce structured biochar, hydrogen for the liquefaction and upgrading, and CO2 for conversion to algae, including blue green algae (cyanobacteria) in a photobioreactor (PBR). Produced algae and diazotrophic microorganisms are used to produce a biofertilizer that also contains structured biochar. The structured biochar acts as a nucleation agent for the algae in the PBR, as a absorption agent to absorb inorganics from the biomass feed to direct liquefaction or from the liquids produced thereby, and as a water retention agent in the biofertilizer.

Abstract: An IBTL system having a low GHG footprint for converting biomass to liquid fuels in which a biomass feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. Biomass residues from the direct liquefaction, and optionally additional biomass is pyrolyzed to produce structured biochar, hydrogen for the liquefaction and upgrading, and CO2 for conversion to algae, including blue green algae (cyanobacteria) in a photobioreactor (PBR). Produced algae and diazotrophic microorganisms are used to produce a biofertilizer that also contains structured biochar. The structured biochar acts as a nucleation agent for the algae in the PBR, as a absorption agent to absorb inorganics from the biomass feed to direct liquefaction or from the liquids produced thereby, and as a water retention agent in the biofertilizer.

Abstract: A method for producing synthetic fluids from TGFA's harvested from genetically modified seed crops in which all of the fatty acids in the TGFA's from the seeds of a crop have the same carbon atom chain length, preferably C12 or C14, and the synthetic fluids produced by the method. The TGFA's are hydroprocessed to cleave the fatty acids from the glycol backbone and to hydrodeoxygenate and isomerize the fatty acids to form single carbon chain length isoparaffins having a controlled degree of branching with minimum cracking. Controlled mixtures of hydrocarbon components, in which each hydrocarbon component of the mixture has a different single carbon atom chain length, are produced.

Abstract: An ICBTL system having a low GHG footprint for converting coal or coal and biomass to liquid fuels in which a carbon-based feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and optionally by indirect liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. CO2 produced by the process is used to produce algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms in a photobioreactor. Optionally, lipids extracted from the some or all of the algal biomass is hydroprocessed to produce fuel components and biomass residues and the carbon-based feed our gasified to produce hydrogen and syngas for the direct and indirect liquefaction processes. Some or all of the algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms are used to produce a natural biofertilizer. CO2 may also be produced by a steam methane reformer for supplying CO2 to produce the algal biomass and photosynthetic microorganisms.

Abstract: An integrated coal-to-liquids process is provided to minimize carbon dioxide emissions and efficiently make use of carbon resources, by recovering carbon dioxide emissions from Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) facilities, using the recovered carbon dioxide in at least one carbonylation reaction step for converting ammonia to urea and then converting urea into dimethyl carbonate.

Abstract: A method for producing synthetic fluids from TGFA's harvested from genetically modified seed crops in which all of the fatty acids in the TGFA's from the seeds of a crop have the same carbon atom chain length, preferably C12 or C14, and the synthetic fluids produced by the method. The TGFA's are hydroprocessed to cleave the fatty acids from the glycol backbone and to hydrodeoxygenate and isomerize the fatty acids to form single carbon chain length isoparaffins having a controlled degree of branching with minimum cracking. Controlled mixtures of hydrocarbon components, in which each hydrocarbon component of the mixture has a different single carbon atom chain length, are produced.

Abstract: A method for determining a set of operating parameters for developing a commercial-scale Fischer-Tropsch catalytic plug flow process comprising the steps of: selectively feeding fresh feed gas to the inlet the first laboratory scale plug flow reactor stage of a composite multi-stage series-connected reactor, said reactant feed gas including CO and H2, said composite reactor having at least three series-connected reactor stages, the catalyst beds of the reactor stages of said composite reactor being laboratory scale and including crushed or powdered catalyst particles or commercial-size catalyst particles; and sampling and measuring the unreacted feed gas and reaction products and by products in the effluents of each of said reactor stages.

Abstract: A method for determining a set of operating parameters for a commercial scale plug flow catalytic process and reactor system for hydroprocessing dirty feedstocks, comprises the steps of: feeding selected partial pressures of said feedstock and hydrogen to the inlet the first reactor stage of a first composite multi-stage series-connected laboratory scale plug flow reactor including at least three reactor stages, the catalyst beds of each of said reactor stages including catalyst particles capable of catalyzing the removal by hydrogen of heteroatoms from said heterocyclic molecules; sampling the effluents of each of said reactor stages; measuring the concentration of heterocyclic molecules in said dirty feedstock in the concentrations of heterocyclic molecules and intermediate and final products and by products of the catalytic reaction in the effluents of each of said reactor stages.

Abstract: A method for investigating longitudinally dependent properties of the composite catalyst bed of a laboratory scale plug flow reactor, comprises the steps of: supplying fresh reactant feed to the inlet of said composite catalyst bed; sampling and measuring the amounts of fresh reactant feed and amounts and characteristics of reaction products and byproducts at a plurality of positions along the length of said catalyst bed; based on the amounts of fresh reactant feed and amounts and characteristics of reaction products and byproducts at said plurality of positions, determining information concerning longitudinal gradients occurring in the composite catalyst bed of said plug flow reactor.

Abstract: A method for determining a set of operating parameters for a commercial scale plug flow catalytic process and reactor system for hydroprocessing clean feedstocks in the presence of hydrogen, comprises the steps of: supplying a clean hydrocarbon feedstock to the inlet of a composite multistage series-connected laboratory scale plug flow reactor, the stages of said laboratory scale reactor each containing a catalyst suitable for the hydroprocessing of said feedstock; hydrocracking and isomerizing hydrocarbon molecules; sampling and measuring the concentration of reactants and catalytic process products and byproducts in the effluents of each of said reactor stages of said laboratory scale reactor for determining the nature of the catalytic reactions taking place in each such stage.

Abstract: A catalytic process development apparatus and method for simulating a commercial scale methanol and/or DME to propylene catalytic conversion system that includes a plurality of series-connected plug-flow reactors. The method involves simulating the operation of the series-connected plug-flow reactors by operating a series of multistage series-connected laboratory scale plug-flow reactors, the stages of which each containing a zeolite catalyst bed, each of the laboratory scale reactors corresponding to a separate one of the commercial scale series-connected reactors. Fresh feed, including methanol and/or DME, is supplied to the first of the laboratory scale reactor stages, and selected ones of steam, methanol and/or DME, contaminants and reaction products are supplied to selected ones of the laboratory scale reactor stages. The simulation is repeated at different sets of operating conditions and catalyst characteristics.

Abstract: An integrated coal-to-liquids process is provided to minimize carbon dioxide emissions and efficiently make use of carbon resources, by recovering carbon dioxide emissions from Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) facilities, using the recovered carbon dioxide in at least one carbonylation reaction step for converting ammonia to urea and then converting urea into dimethyl carbonate.

Abstract: A heavy hydrocarbon composition with utility as a heavy hydrocarbon base stock comprising at least 95 wt % paraffin molecules, of which at least 90 wt % are isoparaffin, containing hydrocarbon molecules having consecutive numbers of carbon atoms, is a liquid at 100° C., at which temperature its kinematic viscosity, as measured by ASTM D-445, is above 8 cSt, has an initial boiling point of least 850° F. (454° C.) and an end boiling point of at least 1000° F. (538° C.), wherein the branching index (BI), as measured by the percentage of methyl hydrogens, and the branching proximity (CH2>4), as measured by the percentage of recurring methylene carbons which are four or more carbon atoms removed from an end group or branch, of said isoparaffinic hydrocarbon molecules, are such that: (a) BI?0.5(CH2>4)<15; and (b) BI+0.85(CH2>4)<45; as measured over the heavy hydrocarbon composition as a whole.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a catalyst useful for conducting carbon monoxide hydrogenation reactions, especially Fischer-Tropsch reactions. The steps of the process begin with the activation, or reactivation, of a deactivated catalyst, or with the preparation and activation of a fresh catalyst. In accordance with the latter, the steps of the process comprise, first contacting, in one or more steps, a powder or preformed, particulate refractory inorganic support with a liquid, or solution in which there is dispersed or dissolved a compound, or salt of a catalytically active metal, or metals, to impregnate and deposit the metal, or metals, upon the support, or powder. The metal, or metals, impregnated support is calcined following each impregnation step to form oxides of the deposited metal, or metals.

Abstract: An IBTL system having a low GHG footprint for converting biomass to liquid fuels in which a biomass feed is converted to liquids by direct liquefaction and the liquids are upgraded to produce premium fuels. Biomass residues from the direct liquefaction, and optionally additional biomass is pyrolyzed using microwave pyrolysis to produce structured biochar, hydrogen for the liquefaction and upgrading, and CO2 for conversion to algae, including blue green algae (cyanobacteria) in a photobioreactor (PBR). Produced algae and diazotrophic microorganisms are used to produce a biofertilizer that also contains structured biochar. The structured biochar acts as a nucleation agent for the algae in the PBR, as a absorption agent to absorb inorganics from the biomass feed to direct liquefaction or from the liquids produced thereby, and as a water retention agent in the biofertilizer.