Process and apparatus for exothermic reactions

Claim 1

IN THE GENERATION OF A SYNTHESIS GAS COMPOSED ESSENTIALLY OF HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE BY THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REACTION OF REACTANTS COMPRISING A GASIFORM HYDROCARBON AND OXYGEN, CONTINUOUSLY TRANSPORTING A STREAM OF SOLID HEAT CARRIER BODIES THROUGH A HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS GENERATION ZONE WHERE SAID BODIES ARE RAISED TO A HIGH TEMPERATURE, THE STREAM OF HOT HEAT CARRIED BODIES FROM THE GENERATION ZONE IS THEREAFTER DIVIDED INTO A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE STREAMS, SAID SEPARATE STREAMS OF HEAT CARRIER BODIES ARE CONDUCTED THROUGH SEPARATE PERHEATED ZONES, THE SEPARATE STREAMS OF HEAT CARRIER BODIES FROM THE PREHEATING ZONES ARE REJOINED AND RETURNED TO THE INLET OF THE GAS GENERATION ZONE, CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING EACH SAID REACTANT SEPARATE LY TO EACH OF SAID PREHEATING ZONES, PASSING EACH REACTANT COUNTERCURRENTLY IN CONTACT WITH THE HOT STREAM OF HEAT CARRIER BODIES IN THE RESPECTIVE PREHEATING ZONE TO EFFECT A SEPARATE PREHEAT THEREOF, INTERMINGLED THE PREHEATED REACTANTS FROM THE INDIVIDUAL PREHEATING ZONES, EFFECTING REACTION OF TH EINTERMINGLED REACTANTS IN SAID GENERATION ZONE TO FORM A REACTION PRODUCT COMPOSED ESSENTIALLY OF HYDROGEN AND CARBON MONOXIDE AND LIBERATE SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITIES OF HEAT IN CONTACT WITH THE HEAT CARRIERD BODIES THEREIN, AND WITHDRAWING THE DESIRED PRODUCT GAS FROM THE GAS GENERATION ZONE.