Process of making synthesis gas

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR GENERATING SYNTHESIS GAS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN, WHICH COMPRISES SEPARATELY PREHEATING A HYDROCARBON, TO A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 800* F. AND HIGH-PURITY OXYGEN TO A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 600* F., CHARGING THE PREHEATED HYDROCARBON AND HIGH-PURITY OXYGEN DIRECTLY INTO A REACTION ZONE FREE OF CATALYST, MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERTURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 2000* TO 2800* F. SOLELY BY THE EXOTHERMIC REACTION OF SAID PREHEATED HYDROCARBON AND HIGH-PURITY OXYGEN AND AT A PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 100 TO 400 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH GAUGE, SAID HYDROCARBON BEING CHARGED INTO SAID REACTION ZONE AT A SPACE VELOCITY OF AT LEAST 1000 CUBIC FEET PER HOUR PER CUBIC FOOT OF REACTION SPACE, AND REGULATING THE PROPORTIONS OF SAID STREAM SO THAT THE OXYGEN IS ABOUT 5 TO 20 MOL PER CENT IN EXCESS OF THAT STOICHIOMETRICALLY REQUIRED TO CONVERT ALL THE CARBON IN SAID HYDROCARBON TO CARBON MONOXIDE, REACTION SAID HYDROCARBON AND HIGH-PURITY OXYGEN IN SAID REACTION ZONE UNTIL THE HYDROCARBON CONTENT OF THE RESULTANT REACTION GASES IS REDUCED TO THE RANGE OF ABOUT 0.5 TO 2 MOL PER CENT OF HYDROCARBON AND THEREUPON WITHDRAWING FROM SAID REACTION ZONE SAID RESULTANT REACTION GASES, THEREBY MINIMIZING THE FORMATION OF FREE CARBON AND OBTAINING SYNTHESIS GAS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN.