TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The catalyst is iridium, and adsorbed onto a solid carbon substrate. The bed comprises silica sand, dolomite, and/or olivine. The catalyst comprising a metal is an iridium catalyst (preferably iridium acetate). The packed bed reactor contains a catalyst comprised of copper, nickel and/or chromium, adsorbed on an inert material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Apparatus: In the apparatus (a1), the capped cylinders are arranged on the distributor plate so as to form a repeating rectilinear or triangular pattern, and extend up from the distributor plate a distance between one and four inches, where the outlet holes have a diameter from one sixteenth to one quarter inch, and the channel of the capped cylinders have a diameter from one quarter inch to one inch. The distiller separates hydrogen from a mixture comprising methyl acetate, acetic acid, water and methanol, where the hydrogen fraction is fed to the ethanol reactor; and has a second distiller separating components of the mixture comprising methyl acetate, acetic acid, water and methanol. The second distiller separates a mixture of methyl acetate and methanol from a mixture comprising acetic acid and water; and has a third distiller separating components of the mixture comprising methyl acetate, methanol, and the promoter. The third distiller separates a promoter fraction from a mixture comprising methyl acetate and methanol, where the mixture of methyl acetate and methanol is fed to the ethanol reactor, and the promoter fraction is fed to the methyl acetate reactor. The methyl acetate reactor has a catalyst comprising indium, or iridium acetate. The methyl acetate reactor operates in gas phase at 200-300degreesC and at a pressure of 1000-1500 kPa. The methyl acetate reactor is a packed bed reactor, where the packed bed contains the catalyst adsorbed onto activated carbon. The ethanol reactor employs a catalyst comprising copper, nickel and/or chromium on an inert material. The ethanol reactor operates in the gas phase at 225-300degreesC and at a pressure of 3500-4500 kPa; and with a ratio of hydrogen to methyl acetate of 0:1 to 15:1. The apparatus (a2) has a pervaporator for separating acetic acid and water, where the ethanol reactor is a packed bed reactor having a heterogeneous catalyst. The methanol reactor includes a catalyst comprised of metallic compounds, suspended in an inert liquid, where the carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methanol are in the gas phase; and operates with the reactants and products in gas phase, at a temperature of 200-300degreesC and at a pressure of 4700-5500 kPa. The methanol reactor is capable of receiving steam, and reacting carbon monoxide with steam to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The apparatus (a2) additionally comprises a compressor that compresses syngas to a pressure of 2400-3500 kPa and a heater that heats the syngas to 220-450degreesC, and passes the syngas to a steam reformer that comprises a base metal catalyst, where the steam reformer converts hydrocarbons contained in the syngas to carbon monoxide and hydrogen; a compressor that compresses syngas to a pressure of 4700-5500 kPa, and a heater that heats the syngas to 220-300degreesC, reactor; a flash distiller receiving the output of the ethanol reactor and separating hydrogen, where the methanol reactor is capable of receiving hydrogen from the flash distiller, and a methanol distiller receiving methanol and ethanol from the ethanol reactor, and separating methanol, where the methanol reactor is capable of receiving methanol from the methanol distiller; a steam gasifier with a fluidized bed that receives biomass and steam and outputs syngas, where the steam gasifier has tubes embedded in the bed that receive hot gases, and further the tubes heat the bed. The steam gasifier is a vessel having vertical walls, where such walls form a rectangle having a distribution plate as a floor; a burner that combusts a fuel to produce the hot gases; an air blown gasifier that receives biomass and produces low BTU syngas, where the low BTU syngas is the fuel burned in the burner; a heat recovery steam generator that receives hot gases from the steam, gasifier and generates steam; and a pressurized steam dryer that receives steam from the heat recovery steam condensate, where the dried biomass is added to the steam gasifier and to the air-blown gasifier, and the condensate is fed to the heat recovery steam generator. The methanol reactor operates at a pressure of 4700-5500 kPa, and a temperature of 220-300degreesC, where the methyl acetate reactor is a packed bed reactor, having a catalyst composed of iridium acetate adsorbed onto activated carbon, and the reactor operates at a pressure of 900-1500 kPa, and at 200-300degreesC.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The promoter is an alkyl halide (preferably methyl iodide). The heat exchange medium receives heat generated from producing a mixture comprising methyl acetate, hydrogen, methanol, acetic acid, and water, or from producing a mixture comprising ethanol. The packed bed reactor is used for producing the mixture comprising ethanol. The fuel is low-BTU synthesis gas produced by gasifying biomass in an air-blown gasifier; or is selected from methane, natural gas, landfill gas, or gas obtained by anaerobically digesting manure or biosolids. In the apparatus (a2), the fuel is selected from methane, natural gas, landfill gas, liquid fuels derived from petroleum, heating oils, diesels, fuels derived from biomass, bio-diesel, Fischer-Tropsch liquids, or gases produced by the anaerobic digestion of manure or biosolids. Preferred Method: In the method (p1), the step of converting the syngas additionally involves compressing the syngas to produce compressed syngas, heating the compressed syngas to produce heated compressed syngas, steam reforming the heated compressed syngas to produce reformed syngas, recompressing the reformed syngas to produce compressed reformed syngas, and converting the compressed reformed syngas into a mixture comprising methanol, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen; and removing the carbon dioxide from the mixture. The removal of the carbon dioxide from the mixture involves at least partial heating using heat from a heat exchange medium. The pressure and temperature of the heated compressed syngas is 2400-3500 kPa and 220-450 (preferably 220-300)degreesC, respectively. The pressure and temperature of the compressed reformed syngas is 4700-5500 kPa and 220-300degreesC, respectively. In the method (p1), the step of converting the compressed reformed syngas into the mixture comprising methanol additionally involves: bubbling the compressed reformed syngas through a slurry to produce methanol, where the slurry contains a metallic catalyst suspended in an inert liquid; and adding steam to the compressed reformed syngas to produce hydrogen that is added to the compressed reformed syngas; and removing carbon dioxide, where the step of converting the compressed reformed syngas into methanol is carried out at a pressure of 4700-5500 kPa, and at a temperature of 220-300degreesC. The method (p1) additionally involves use of a promoter fraction that is recycled to the mixture comprising methyl acetate, hydrogen, methanol, acetic acid and water; and an acetic acid fraction that is recycled to the mixture comprising ethanol. The production of the mixture comprising ethanol is carried out in the gas phase at 160-300degreesC and at pressure of 3500-4500 kPa. The production of the mixture comprising ethanol is carried out with a ratio of hydrogen to methyl acetate of 0:1 to 15:1 (preferably approximately 10:1). The production of the mixture comprising methyl acetate, hydrogen, methanol, acetic acid and water is carried out in a packed bed carbonylation reactor. The packed bed carbonylation reactor is packed with an activated carbon material on which is adsorbed the metal catalyst. The production of the mixture comprising methyl acetate, hydrogen, methanol, acetic acid and water is performed in the gas phase at a pressure of 1000-1500 kPa, and at 200-300degreesC. The step of separation involves: distilling the mixture comprising methyl acetate, hydrogen, methanol, acetic acid and water to separate and recycle unreacted components and promoter. The distilling additionally involves distilling the mixture comprising methyl acetate, hydrogen, methanol, acetic acid and water to produce a hydrogen fraction and a mixture comprising acetic acid, methyl acetate, methyl iodide, methanol and water. The method (p1) additionally involves distilling the mixture comprising acetic acid, methyl acetate, methyl iodide, methanol and water to produce a mixture comprising methyl acetate and methyl iodide, and a mixture comprising acetic acid and water; distilling the mixture of methyl acetate and methyl iodide to produce a methyl acetate fraction and a methyl iodide fraction, and removing water from the mixture comprising acetic acid and water to produce an acetic acid fraction; and separating the mixture comprising ethanol to produce an ethanol, methanol, and second hydrogen fraction, and recycling the methanol stream and the second hydrogen fraction to the converting the syngas to the mixture comprising methanol step, where separating the mixture comprising ethanol is at least partially heated using heat from a heat exchange medium. The step of providing syngas additionally involves either: gasifying biomass in a steam gasifier having a fluidized bed to produce a syngas stream and drying the biomass in a steam dryer to a moisture content of 1-30% prior to gasifying the biomass, removing particulate matter from the syngas stream, cooling the syngas in a syngas heat recovery steam generator to generate steam, and cleaning the syngas stream to remove compounds containing nitrogen or sulfur; or drying biomass in a steam dryer to a moisture content of 1% to less than or equal to 30% before gasifying the biomass in a steam gasifier, transferring condensate from the steam dryer to the flue gas heat recovery steam generator to generate steam, and transferring steam generated by the flue gas heat recovery steam generator to drying biomass in a steam dryer. The gasifying biomass in a steam gasifier is carried out at 750-900degreesC and at a pressure of 100-175 kPa. The gasifying biomass in a steam gasifier additionally involves producing hot flue gases by burning a fuel, and transferring the hot flue gases to a series of tubes embedded in the fluidized bed of the steam gasifier to heat the fluidized bed; venting the hot flue gases to a flue gas heat recovery steam generator, converting steam from the syngas heat recovery steam generator to steam in the flue gas heat recovery steam generator, and transferring the steam to gasifying biomass in a steam gasifier. The method (p1) involves converting syngas in the presence of a catalyst to produce a mixture comprising methanol, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen; producing a mixture comprising acetic acid, carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of at least one catalysts; producing a mixture comprising ethyl acetate by reacting acetic acid, ethanol, and carbon monoxide in the presence of at least one catalysts; and producing a mixture comprising ethanol by reacting ethyl acetate with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst. The production of a mixture comprising acetic acid, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen is carried out at in gas phase at 215-250degreesC and a pressure of 4700-5500 kPa, by using catalyst comprising a Group VIII metal. The production of a mixture comprising ethyl acetate is carried out in liquid phase at 90-110degreesC and 15-25 psi, by using a catalyst comprising sulfur oxide. The production of a mixture comprising ethanol by reacting ethyl acetate with hydrogen is carried out in gas phase at 250-270degreesC and at a pressure of 580-610 psi, in the presence of a catalyst comprising copper, nickel and/or chromium. The method (p1) additionally involves feeding a portion of the ethanol produced by reacting ethyl acetate; and separating hydrogen after producing a mixture comprising acetic acid, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and adding the hydrogen to producing ethanol by reacting ethyl acetate with hydrogen. In the method (p2), reacting the syngas involves:(1) either producing a mixture of methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting the syngas in the presence of at least one catalysts; producing a mixture comprising acetic acid hydrogen and carbon monoxide by reacting the methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of at least one catalysts and water; producing a mixture comprising ethyl acetate and water by reacting the acetic acid with ethanol in the presence of at least one catalysts; and producing a mixture comprising ethanol by reacting the ethyl acetate and hydrogen in the presence of at least one catalysts; or(2) producing a mixture comprising methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting the syngas in the presence of at least one catalysts; producing a mixture comprising acetic acid and hydrogen by reacting the methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of at least one catalysts; and producing a mixture comprising ethanol by reacting the acetic acid and hydrogen in the presence of at least one catalysts; or(3) producing a mixture comprising methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting the syngas into methanol in the presence of a catalyst; producing a mixture comprising methyl acetate and hydrogen by reacting the methanol and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst; and producing a mixture comprising ethanol and methanol by reacting the methyl acetate and hydrogen in the presence of at least one catalysts;(4) producing a mixture comprising methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting the syngas into methanol in the presence of a catalyst; and producing a mixture comprising ethanol by reacting the methanol, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of at least one catalysts; or(5) producing a mixture comprising ethanol by reacting the syngas in the presence of at least one Fischer-Tropsch catalysts; or(6) producing a mixture comprising acetaldehyde by reacting the syngas in the presence of a catalyst; and producing a mixture comprising ethanol by reacting acetaldehyde with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst.In the method (p2), the gasifying biomass in a steam gasifier is carried out at a pressure of 100-175 kPa and at a temperature of 750-900degreesC; and the hot flue gases are provided by gasifying biomass in an air-blown gasifier to produce a low BTU syngas, and burning the low BTU syngas to produce hot flue gases, where the steam gasifier comprises walls and a curved ceiling with an outlet in the ceiling or an upper portion of a wall for the effluent gas stream, and the fluidized bed is maintained at a height sufficiently below the ceiling so that no portion of the fluidized bed may escape through the outlet, and such that the syngas produced resides in the space below the ceiling for a period from one to five seconds. The tubes are arranged in bundles of tubes running parallel with the plane of the plate. The tubes in the bundles, when viewed on end, form a triangular pattern with respect to one another. The distributor plate has several capped cylinders mounted in holes in the distribution plate, and each capped cylinder is hollowed out to form a channel leading from a plenum beneath the distribution plate that carries steam, and out into the bed through at least one outlet holes directed parallel to the plane of the distributor plate. The hollows of the capped cylinders have an inner diameter of 0.25-1 inch and the capped cylinders extend upward from the distribution plate a distance from one to four inches. The outlet holes of the capped cylinders have a diameter from one sixteenth to one quarter inch. The tubes have an inner diameter from one half to four inches. The hot flue gases enter the tubes in the steam gasifier at 1000-1200degreesC, and exit the steam gasifier at 750-900degreesC. In the method (p3), the vessel has vertical walls, a ceiling and an outlet set in the ceiling or in an upper portion of the wall. In the method (p3), the biomass is maintained at a height where none of the bed material may escape through the outlet, and where the gases reside in the space between the bed and the ceiling for a period from 1-5 seconds; and the heating the bed by transmitting hot gases through the tubes step is carried out so that the hot gases enter the tubes at 900-1200degreesC, and the hot gases exit the tubes at 750-900degreesC. The tubes have at least one metallic inserts inside each tube, where the inserts run the length of the tubes. The bed contains one to four tube bundles with a spacing between the tube bundles from two to four feet, and where the lowest tube bundle is from two to four feet above the distributor plate. The step of injecting biomass into the bed is carried out using a tapered screw feeder when the bed is fluidized, and on top of the bed when not fluidized, and such that a plug of biomass is formed near a point where the biomass enters the vessel, in such a manner so as to prevent the entrance of air into the bed, where the bed comprises a mineral material having a particle size of 300 to 400 microns. In the method (p3), the gasifying biomass in an air blown gasifier involves providing a vessel containing a bed of silica sand; fluidizing the bed by injecting air into the bed; placing biomass into the bed; and gasifying the biomass to produce low BTU syngas. In the method (p3), the step of injecting air into the bed involves providing a distributor plate as a floor of the vessel having a several holes, each hole has a capped cylinder mounted in it, each capped cylinder being hollowed so as to have a channel extending from a plenum underneath the distributor plate that carries air, extending to at least one outlet holes drilled in the caps transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cylinders; transmitting air through the cylinders and into the bed in a direction parallel to the distributor plate to fluidize the bed, where the capped cylinders are arranged in a repeating rectilinear or triangular pattern on the distributor plate, or the capped cylinders extend up from the distributor plate a distance between one quarter inch and one inch, and the outlet holes have a diameter from one sixteenth to one quarter inch, and the channel of the capped cylinders have a diameter from one half to one inch. In the method (p3), gasifying the biomass to produce a low BTU syngas additionally involves heating the bed to the operating temperature using a startup burner; and maintaining the temperature by injecting air and biomass into the bed. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.