Means and method for producing fuel gas

Claim 1

THE CONTINUOUS METHOD OF FORMING FUEL GAS OF A DESIRED B. T. U. VALUE FROM A HYDROCARBON WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF HEATING A FLOWING CONTINUOUS MASS OF PEBBLES IN A PEBBLE HEATING ZONE; PASSING SAID HEATED PEBBLES INTO A GAS HEATING ZONE, SAID PEBBLES BEING HEATED IN SAID PEBBLE HEATING ZONE TO A TEMPERATURE SO THAT SAID GAS HEATING ZONE IS MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF BETWEEN 1650* F. AND 2500* F., PASSING STEAM THROUGH SAID GAS HEATING ZONE IN DIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE WITH SAID HEATED PEBBLES, WHEREBY SAID STREAM IS SUPERHEATED; PASSING A MASS OF RELATIVELY COOL PEBBLES THROUGH A CONVERSION ZONE; PASSING SAID SUPERHEATED STEAM INTO SAID CONVERSION ZONE; INTRODUCING A HYDROCARBON MATERIAL INTO SAID CONVERSION ZONE AND REFORMING SAID HYDROCARBON WITH SAID STEAM TO FORM CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN; DEPOSITING CARBON RESULTING FROM SAID REFORMING REACTION ON SAID PEBBLES IN SAID CONVERSION ZONE; PASSING SAID CARBON-BEARING PEBBLES FROM SAID CONVERSION ZONE INTO SAID GAS HEATING ZONE; CONVERTING SAID CARBN TO WATER BY REACTION WITH SAID STREAM IN SAID GAS HEATING ZONE; PASSING SAID RESULTING WATER GAS FROM SAID GAS HEATING ZONE THROUGH SAID CONVERSION ZONE; REMOVING GASEOUS MATERIALS FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CONVERSION ZONE; REMOVING PEBBLES FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID GAS HEATING ZONE; AND PASSING SAID PEBBLES TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID PEBBLES HEATING AND CONVERSION ZONES.