A process and apparatus for producing a synthesis gas for use as a gaseous fuel or as feed into a Fischer-Tropsch reactor to produce a
liquid fuel in a substantially self-sustaining process. A
slurry of particles of carbonaceous material in water, and
hydrogen from an internal source, are fed into a hydro-gasification reactor under conditions whereby
methane rich producer gases are generated and fed into a steam pyrolytic reformer under conditions whereby synthesis gas comprising
hydrogen and
carbon monoxide are generated. A portion of the
hydrogen generated by the steam pyrolytic reformer is fed through a hydrogen purification filter into the hydro-gasification reactor, the hydrogen therefrom constituting the hydrogen from an internal source. The remaining synthesis gas generated by the steam pyrolytic reformer is either used as fuel for a gaseous fueled engine to produce
electricity and / or process heat or is fed into a Fischer-Tropsch reactor under conditions whereby a
liquid fuel is produced.
Molten salt loops are used to transfer heat from the hydro-gasification reactor, and Fischer-Tropsch reactor if
liquid fuel is produced, to the steam generator and the steam pyrolytic reformer.