Gasification process

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF CONTINUOUSLY AND COMPLETELY GASIFYING FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS SOLIDS WET WITH WATER BY REACTION WITH A MIXTURE OF OXYGEN AND STEAM, WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING SAID SOLIDS WET WITH WATER INTO A FREELY FLUIDIZED BED OF SAID SOLIDS IN A DRYING ZONE, PASSING SAID SOLIDS FROM SAID DRYING ZONE DOWN THROUGH A PREHEATING ZONE OF RESTRAINED FLUIDIZATION WHEREIN TOP-TOBOTTOM MIXING OF SAID SOLIDS IS IMPEDED AND SAID SOLIDS ARE PREHEATED TO AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE BY CONTACT WITH THE HOT GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF GASIFICATION, PASSING SAID SOLIDS FROM SAID PREHEATING ZONE TO A FREELY FLUIDIZED PRIMARY GASIFICATION ZONE WHEREIN A MAJOR PORTION OF THE CARBON IN SAID SOLIDS IS GASIFIED BY REACTION WITH OXYGEN AND STEAM, PASSING THE PARTIALLY GASIFIED SOLIDS FROM SAID PRIMARY GASIFICATION ZONE DOWN THROUGH A SECONDARY GASIFICATION ZONE OF RESTRAINED FLUIDIZATION WHEREIN TOP-TOBOTTOM MIXING OF SAID SOLIDS IS IMPEDED AND SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE CARBON REMAINING IN SAID SOLIDS IS GASIFIED BY REACTION WITH OXYGEN AND STEAM, AND INTRODUCING A MINOR PORTION OF THE OXYGEN AND STEAM REQUIRED FOR THE GASIFICATION INTO SAID SECONDARY GASIFICATION ZONE AND THE REMAINING MAJOR PORTION THEREOF INTO SAID PRIMARY GASIFICATION ZONE.