Process for the heat-treatment of carbon-containing feed stock

Claim 1

A PROCESS OF A HEAT TREATING COAL AS A FEED STOCK WHICH COMPRISES PASSING A MIXTURE OF THE FEED STOCK AND A HEATED SOLID HEAT TRANSFER MATERIAL IN A POROUS FLUENT MASS DOWNWARDLY THROUGH A RETORT CHAMBER, MAINTAINING HEAT TRANSFER CONTACT BETWEEN THE FEED STOCK AND SAID HEAT TRANSFER MATERIAL FOR A PERIOD SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT A LOW TEMPERATURE GASIFICATION OF THE FEED STOCK IN A ZONE AT THE UPPER PART OF SAID MASS, THEN PASSING THE MIXED MASS OF REMAINING FEED STOCK AND HEAT TRANSFER MATERIAL THROUGH A SUBJACENT HIGH TEMPERATUE ZONE FOR FURTHER HEAT TREATMENT, SUPPLYING COMBUSTION AIR TO THE LOWER PART OF SAID CHAMBER FOR BURNING THE FEED STOCK RESIDUAL CARBON IN SAID MASS IN A SUBJACENT ZONE BELOW SAID HIGH TEMPEATURE ZONE TO SUPPLY THE HEAT REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROCESS, RETURNING THE HEAT TRANSFER MATERIAL TO THE LOW TEMPERATURE GASIFICATION ZONE WITH A HEAT CONTENT SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT SAID LOW TEMPERATURE GASIFICATION, AND WITHDRAWING GASEOUS END PRODUCTS DIRECTLY FROM THE HIGH TEMPERATURE HEATING ZONE OF SAID CHAMBER.