Production of ammonia synthesis feed gas

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A MIXTURE OF HYDROGEN AND NITROGEN IN THE RELATIVE PROPORTIONS OF APPROXIMATELY THREE VOLUMES OF HYDROGEN PER VOLUME OF NITROGEN WHICH COMPRISES REACTING FOSSIL CARBONACEOUS FUEL IN FIRST REACTION ZONE WITH AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS COMPRISING SUSBTANTIALLY PURE OXYGEN AD THE SOLE SOURCE OF FREE OXYGEN AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 2250*F. IN RELATIVE PROPORTIONS SUCH THAT THE CARBON CONTIENT OF SAID FUEL IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY CONVERTED TO CARBON MONOXIDE, SUBJECTING ADDITIONAL FOSSIL CARBONACEOUS FUEL TO REACTION WITH AIR IN A SECOND REACTION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 2250*F. IN RELATIVE PROPORTIONS SUCH THAT THE CARBON CONTENT OF SAID FUEL IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY CONVERTED TO CARBON MONOXIDE, FORMING A MIXTURE CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE AND NITROGEN; COMBINING THE PRODUCTS OF SAID REACTIONS COMPRISING CARBON MONOXIDE AND NITROGEN TOGETHER WITH ANY HYDROGEN CONCEMITANTLY PRODUCED IN RELATIVE PROPORTIONS SUCH THAT THE COMPOSITE STREAM CONTAINS AT LEAST THREE VOLUMES OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN PER VOLUME OF NITROGEN; SUBSEQUENTLY CONVERTING CARBON MONOXIDE IN SAID COMPOSITE STREAM SUSBTANTIALLY COMPLETELY TO CARBON DIOXIDE BY REACTION WITH STEAM THEREBY PRODUCING HYDROGEN; AND REMOVING STEAM AND CARBON OXIDES FROM THE RESULTING GAS STREAM THEREBY PRODUCING A GASEOUS MIXTURE BY HYDROGEN AND NITROGEN CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY THREE VOLUMES HYDROGEN PER VOLUME OF NITROGEN.