Hydrocarbon synthesis process and the production of synthesis gas

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF NORMALLY LIQUID HYDROCARBONS AND THE LIKE FROM CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN WHEREIN COAL IS SUBJECTED TO REACTION WITH OXYGEN AND STEAM TO PRODUCE A GAS STREAM RICH IS CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN AND CONTAINING CARBON DIOXIDE AND HYDROCARBONS, AND CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN ARE SUBJECTED TO A HYDROCARBON SYNETHESIS REACTION PRODUCING A SYNTHESIS ELLUENT COMPRISING NORMALLY LIQUID HYDROCARBONS AND A GASEOUS RESIDUE INCLUDING NORMALLY GASEOUS HYDROCARBONS ADMIXED WITH HYDROGEN, CARBON MONOXIDE AND CARBON DIOXIDE; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES SEPARATING CARBON DIOXIDE FROM SAID GAS STREAM AND FROM A PORTION OF SAID GASEOUS RESIDUE, AND THEREAFTER CONVERTING THE HYDROCARBONS IN SAID GAS STREAM AND IN SAID PORTION OF SAID GASEOUS RESIDUE TO ADDITIONAL CABON MONOXIDE, AND HYDROGEN BY REACTING SAID HYDROCARBONS IN ADMIXTURE WITH SAID CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN WITH SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT ONLY FOR REACTION WITH SAID HYDROCARBONS AT A TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 2,000 TO ABOUT 2,500* F. AND AT A PRESSURE ABOVE ABOUT 20 ATMOSPHERES IN AN UNPACKED REACTION ZONE AND IN THE ABSENCE OF A CATALYST TO PRODUCE A MIXTURE COMPRISING CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM HYDROCARBONS AND CARBON DIOXIDE.