Method of preparing synthesis gas at elevated pressures

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUSLY GENERATING CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN WHICH COMPRISES PASSING A STREAM OF A HYDROCARBON GAS AND A REACTANT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STEAM, CARBON DIOXIDE AND A MIXTURE THEREOF INTO A REACTION ZONE MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE 1,200* F. AND A PRESSURE ABOVE ABOUT 150 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH GAUGE INTO CONTACT WITH A BED OF SOLID CONTACT MATERIAL IN PARTICLE FORM MAINTAINED IN DENSE FLUID PHASE CONDITION BY THE FLOW OF REACTANTS THERETHROUGH, EFFECTING REACTION BETWEEN SAID HYDROCARBON AND SAID REACTANT WITHIN SAID REACTION ZONE TO FORM CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN, SUBJECTING CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL TO COMBUSTION IN A SEPARATE COMBUSTION ZONE MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 1,800 TO 3,600* F. AND A PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE PRESSURE IN SAID REACTION ZONE AND PASSING THE RESULTING COMBUSTION GASES MAINTAINED UNDER SAID ELEVATED PRESSURE THROUGH AID FLUIDIZED BED OF SOLID CONTACT MATERIAL IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE THEREWITH TO SUPPLY HEAT TO SAID REACTION ZONE.