Manufacture of synthesis gas

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN SYNTHESIS GAS WHICH COMPRISES MAINTAINING A FIRST BED OF SMALL SOLID PARTICLES OF IRON OXIDE IN A FLUIDIZED CONDITION BY SUSPENSION IN A GAS FLOWING AT A SUFFICIENTLY LOW RATE THAT THE BULK OF THE PARTICLES ARE MAINTAINED TOGETHER AS A DENSE, HIGHLY AGITATED PHASE, INTORDUCING SAID IRON OXIDE TO SAID FLUIDIZED BED AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 2500* F. AND IN SUCH QUANTITY AS TO MAINTAIN AN OXYGEN CONTENT OF THE IRON OXIDE AT ABOUT 19 TO 20 WEIGHT PER CENT, INTRODUCING METHANE TO SAID FLUIDIZED BED AS SAID GAS, MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATUER OF THE FLUIDIZED BED IN THE RANGE OF 1600 TO 1650* F. BY MEANS OF SAID IRON OXIDE AND A HEATED PARTICULATE REFRACTORY MATERIAL, AND SAID FLUIDIZED BED TEMPERATUE BEING SUCH THAT OXYGEN IS LIBERATED FROM SAID IRON OXIDE AND SAID METHANE IS OXIDIZED TO CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDOGEN THEREWITH, REMOVING REDUCED AND COOLED IRON OXIDE FROM SAID FLUIDIZED BED AND PASSING SAME BY MEANS OF HOT RECYCLE REGENERATION GAS TO REGENERATION, OXIDIZING AND HEATING SAID REDUCED AND COOLED IRON OXIDE WITH HOT FLUE GASES AND THEREBY ALSO MAINTAINING SAID IRON OXIDE IN A SECOND FLUIDIZED BED, SAID IRON OXIDE BEING OXIDIZED TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT THE OXYGEN CONTENT OF SAME WITHIN SAID FIRST FLUIDIZED BED IS MAINTAINED AT ABOUT 19 TO 20 WEIGHT PER CENT, AND RETURNING SAID OXIDIZED AND HEATED IRON OXIDE TO SAID FIRST FLUIDIZED BED BY MEANS OF RECYCLE SYNTHESIS GAS.