TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The gasification agent comprises steam, oxygen and/or air. The synthesis gas comprises hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO). The ratio of H2 to CO is of 0.5-4. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprises at least one Co, Fe, Ni, ruthenium (Ru), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), and/or their oxides. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst further comprises at least one metal selected from Group IA, IIA, IIIB or IIB of the Periodic Table and/or their oxides, lanthanide metal and/or its oxide, and/or actinide metal and/or its oxide. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst further comprises at least one lithium (Li), boron (B), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), barium (Sc), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), actinium (Ac), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), cerium (Ce), thorium (Th) and/or their oxides. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst further comprises a support, the support comprising at least one alumina, zirconia, silica, aluminum fluoride, fluorided alumina, bentonite, ceria, zinc oxide, silica-alumina, silicon carbide and/or molecular sieve. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprises a composition of formula Co(M1)a(M2)b Ox. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprises Co supported on alumina, the Co loading being at least 5 wt.%. The Fischer-Tropsch catalyst further comprises Re and/or Ru. The alcohol-forming catalyst comprises a catalyst metal of niobium (Nb), (Ta), Mo, W, (technetium) Tc and/or Re, in free form or combined form. The catalyst further comprises a cocatalyst metal of yttrium, a lanthanide series metal, and/or actinide series metal, in free form or combined form. The catalyst is in the form of particulate solids. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel, the catalyst is coated on interior walls of the process microchannels or grown on interior walls of the process microchannels. The catalyst is supported on a support having a flow-by configuration, a flow-through configuration, or a serpentine configuration. The catalyst is supported on a support having the configuration of a foam, felt, wad and/or fin. The catalyst is supported on a support in the form of a fin assembly comprising several parallel spaced fins. The catalyst comprises a graded catalyst.M1=Fe, Ni, Ru, Re and/or Os;M2=Li, B, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ac, Ti, Zr, Ce and/or Th;a and b=0-0.5;andx=number of oxygens needed to fulfill the valency requirements of the elements present.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel in thermal contact with a heat exchanger, the catalyst is in the process microchannel. The microchannel reactor comprises several process microchannels and several heat exchange channels, the catalyst is in the process microchannels. The microchannel reactor comprises several process microchannels and several heat exchange channels, the catalyst is in the process microchannels, each heat exchange channel is in thermal contact with at least one process icrochannel, at least one manifold for flowing synthesis gas into the process microchannel, at least one manifold for flowing product out of the process microchannels, at least one manifold for flowing a heat exchange fluid into the heat exchange channels, and at least one manifold for flowing the heat exchange fluid out of the heat exchange channels. The several microchannel reactors are positioned in a vessel, each microchannel reactor comprising several process microchannels and several heat exchange channels, the catalyst is in the process microchannels, each heat exchange channel is in thermal contact with at least one process microchannel, the vessel is equipped with a manifold for flowing the synthesis gas to the process microchannels, a manifold for flowing the product from the process microchannels, a manifold for flowing a heat exchange fluid to the heat exchange channels, and a manifold for flowing the heat exchange fluid from the heat exchange channels. Each microchannel reactor comprises 100-50000 process microchannels, and the vessel comprises 1-1000 microchannel reactors. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel having an internal dimension of width or height of up to 10 mm and length of up to 10 meters. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel and at least one heat exchange channel, the process microchannel and heat exchange channel is made of a material comprising: aluminum, titanium, nickel, copper or their alloy, steel, monel, inconel, brass, quartz and/or silicon. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel, fluid flowing in the process microchannel contacting surface features in the process microchannel, the contacting of the surface features imparting a disruptive flow to the fluid. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel and at least one heat exchange channel, the heat exchange channel comprising a microchannel. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel having at least one heat transfer wall and the heat flux for heat exchange within the microchannel reactor is of 0.01-500 watts per square centimeter of surface area of the at least one heat transfer wall. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel and at least one heat exchanger comprising at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the at least one process microchannel, the process microchannel having fluid flowing in it in one direction, the heat exchange channel having fluid flow in a direction that is co-current, counter-current or cross-current to the flow of fluid in the process microchannel. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel and at least one heat exchanger, the at least one process microchannel is in thermal contact with at least one heat exchange channel, the length of the process microchannel and the length of the heat exchange channel is about the same. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel and at least one heat exchanger containing a heat exchange zone or two heat exchange zones in thermal contact with the at least one process microchannel, the heat exchange zone having at least one heat exchange channel, the heat exchange channels extending lengthwise at right angles relative to the lengthwise direction of the process microchannel, the heat exchange zone extending lengthwise in the same direction as the process microchannel, the length of the heat exchange zone is shorter than the length of the process microchannel, the process microchannel having an entrance and an exit, the heat exchange zone is positioned at or near the process microchannel entrance, and the length of one of the heat exchange zone is shorter than the length of the other heat exchange zone. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel and at least one heat exchanger, a tailored heat exchange profile being provided along the length of the process microchannel, the local release of heat given off by the reaction conducted in the process microchannel being matched with cooling provided by the heat exchanger. The microchannel reactor comprises several process microchannels, the process microchannels are formed by positioning a waveform between planar sheets. The microchannel reactor further comprises several heat exchange channels in thermal contact with the process microchannels, the heat exchange channels are formed by positioning a waveform between planar sheets. The microchannel reactor is constructed of stainless steel with at least one copper or aluminum waveform being used for forming microchannels within the microchannel reactor.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The carbonaceous material is gasified in a counter-current fixed bed gasifier, co-current fixed bed gasifier, fluidized bed gasifier, entrained flow gasifier, molten metal reactor, or plasma based gasification system. The carbonaceous material is gasified in the presence of a gasification agent. The carbonaceous material contacts steam and molten metal in a molten metal reactor and reacts to form the synthesis gas. The synthesis gas produced in step (A) comprises H2 and CO, and prior to step (B), an additional amount of H2 is added to the synthesis gas. The synthesis gas produced in step (A) further comprises solid particulates, the solid particulates being removed from the synthesis gas prior to step (B). The synthesis gas produced in step (A) further comprises water, at least part of the water being removed from the synthesis gas prior to step (B). The catalyst used in step (B) is a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, the reaction that is conducted in the microchannel reactor during step (B) is a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, and the product comprises at least one hydrocarbon. The catalyst used in step (B) is an alcohol-forming catalyst, the reaction that is conducted in the microchannel reactor during step (B) is an alcohol-forming reaction, and the product comprises at least one alcohol. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel, the temperature at the entrance to the process microchannel is within 80 degrees C of the temperature at the outlet of the process microchannel. The pressure in the microchannel reactor is up to 50 atmospheres. The temperature in the microchannel reactor is of 150-300 degrees C. The contact time within the microchannel reactor is up to 2000 milliseconds. The conversion of CO in the microchannel reactor is of 10-99%. The selectivity to methane in the product is up to 25%. The product is further processed using separation, fractionation, hydrocracking, hydroisomerizing and/or dewaxing. The product is further processed to form an oil of lubricating viscosity or a middle distillate fuel. The product is further processed to form a fuel. The pressure in the microchannel reactor is up to 100 atmospheres. The temperature in the microchannel reactor is of 200-500 degrees C. The Quality Index Factor for the microchannel reactor is less than 50%. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel, the superficial velocity for fluid flowing in the process microchannel is at least 0.01 m/s. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel, the space velocity for fluid flowing in the process microchannel is at least 1000 hour-1. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel, the pressure drop for fluid flowing in the process microchannel is up to 10 atmospheres per meter. The microchannel reactor comprises at least one process microchannel, the Reynolds number for the flow of fluid in the process microchannel is of 10-4000. The steam is used as a heat exchange fluid in the microchannel reactor during step (B) and the carbonaceous material is gasified in the presence of a gasification agent during step (A), the steam from step (B) is used as the gasification agent during step (A). Nitrogen is separated from air in a nitrogen separator prior to step (A) to provide an oxygen enriched air or purified oxygen and the carbonaceous material is gasified during step (A) in the presence of the oxygen enriched air or purified oxygen. The nitrogen is separated from the air in a microchannel separator using an ionic liquid as an absorbent liquid. The carbonaceous material is pyrolyzed prior to step (A) resulting in the formation of a pyrolytic oil, the pyrolytic oil is gasified during step (A). During step (A) synthesis gas is formed in a gasifier and a Fischer-Tropsch tail gas is produced during step (B), the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas is converted to synthesis gas in a steam methane reforming microchannel reactor, the synthesis gas from the steam reforming microchannel reactor is combined with the synthesis gas from the gasifier. The synthesis gas formed during step (A) contains carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide is separated from the synthesis gas prior to step (B). The synthesis gas formed during step (A) contains carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide is separated from the synthesis gas and combined with the Fischer-Tropsch tail gas in the steam methane reforming microchannel reactor. The carbonaceous material comprises polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride, and the synthesis gas formed during step (A) comprises an ethylene-rich synthesis gas. The synthesis gas that is formed during step (A) is cooled in at least one heat exchanger prior to step (B), where the at least one heat exchanger is microchannel heat exchanger. The synthesis gas contains contaminants and prior to step (B) the contaminants are separated from the synthesis gas using a microchannel separator containing an ionic liquid. The synthesis gas contains contaminants and prior to step (B) the contaminants are separated from the synthesis gas using a temperature swing adsorption or a pressure swing adsorption microchannel separator. The synthesis gas contains contaminants and prior to step (B) the contaminants are separated from the synthesis gas using a microchannel separator containing nanofibers or a nano-composite film. The synthesis gas contains contaminants and prior to step (B)(I) the contaminants are separated from the synthesis gas using a zinc oxide (ZnO) guardbed. The catalyst used in step (B) is a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, the catalyst comprising cobalt and a support, the cobalt concentration is of 35-60 wt.% by weight of the catalyst. The catalyst used in step (B) is a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, the catalyst is prepared by activating a catalyst precursor comprising a cobalt compound and a support with a gas comprising at least 5 mol.% of hydrocarbon. The catalyst used in step (B) is a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, the catalyst is prepared by (a) preparing a liquid mixture of (i) at least one catalyst support or catalyst support precursor, (ii) at least one metal-containing compound, where the metal comprises vanadium (V,) chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo) and/or tungsten (W), and (iii) at least one polar organic compound which acts as a solvent for the metal-containing compound, the liquid mixture comprising water of 0-20 wt.% based on the total weight of the mixture; (b) converting the mixture to a paste or solid residue; and (c) combusting the residue in an oxygen-containing atmosphere to at least partially convert the organic compound to carbon and to form the supported catalyst or catalyst precursor, where the metal comprises Co. The product produced in step (B) is a Fischer-Tropsch product, the process further involves hydrocracking at least part of the Fischer-Tropsch product in a microchannel reactor. The microchannel reactor used to conduct the hydrocracking is the same microchannel reactor used for forming the Fischer-Tropsch product. In the process, the catalyst used in step (B) comprises an alcohol forming catalyst and a dehydration catalyst, the product comprising at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon. Preferred Components: The carbonaceous material comprises coal, oil, biomass and/or solid-waste. The carbonaceous material comprises municipal solid waste, hazardous waste, refuse derived fuel, tires, trash, sewage sludge, animal waste, petroleum coke, trash, garbage, agricultural waste, corn stover, switch grass, wood cuttings, timber, grass clippings, construction demolition materials, plastic material, cotton gin waste, landfill gas, biogas and/or natural gas. The carbonaceous material comprises a non-food carbonaceous material or a food resource. The product comprises at least one hydrocarbon, boiling at a temperature of at least 30 degrees C at atmospheric pressure. The product comprises at least one hydrocarbon boiling above 175 degrees C at atmospheric pressure. The product comprises at least one paraffin and/or at least one olefin of 5-100 carbon atoms. The product comprises at least one olefin, at least one normal paraffin and/or at least one isoparaffin. The product comprises at least one 1-10C alcohol. The product comprises methanol. The product comprises methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-2-propanol, 1-pentanol and/or 2-pentanol. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.