Control method in reactions between hydrocarbons and metal oxides

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS IN WHICH A HYDROCARBON IS PARTIALLY REACTED IN A CONVERSION ZONE WITH A READILY REDUCIBLE METAL OXIDE TO PRODUCE OXIDES OF CARBON, HYDROGEN AND WATER AND THE RESULTING MIXTURE CONTAINING UNREACTED HYDROCARBONS IS SUBJECTED TO A REFORMING OPERATION WITHIN THE SAME CONVERSION ZONE TO PRODUCE A "MAKE GAS" COMPRISING CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES SUPPLYING TO SAID CONVERSION ZONE OXYGEN AS METAL OXIDE EQUIVALENT TO AT LEAST MORE THAN ONE ATOM OF OXYGEN FOR EACH ATOM OF CARBON ADDED AS HYDROCARBON, PRODUCING A "MAKE GAS" IN SAID CONVERSION ZONE CONTAINNG A MINOR QUANTITY OF CARBON DIOXIDE, PASSING A GAS SREAM COMPRISING A MINOR PORTION OF SAID "MAKE GAS" TO A ZONE INDICATING THE CARBON DIOXIDE CONTENT OF SAID GAS, SUBJECTING ANOTHER PORTION OF SAID "MAKE GAS" TO A REFORMING OPERATION IN A REFORMING ZONE CONTROLLED TO INSURE COMPLETE REACTION OC ANY HYDROCARBON BY CARBON DIOXIDE AND WATER CONTAINED IN SAID "MAKE GAS", PASSING THE GASEOUS EFFLUENT FROM SAID LAST-NAMED ZONE TO A ZONE INDICATING THE CARBON DIOXIDE CONTENT OF SAID EFFLUENT AND CONTROLLING THE REACTION CONDITIONS IN SAID FIRST-NAMED REACTION ZONE RESPONSIVE TO THE CARBON DIOXIDE CONTENT OF SAID GAS RESPONSIVE TO INSURE THE DESIRED METHANE CONVERSION.