Process for the production of fuel gas

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL GAS WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING A CARBONACEOUS FUEL TO PARTIAL COMBUSTION WILTH AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS AT A TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1800 TO 3500*F. AND AT A PRESSURE IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 700 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH GAUGE FORMING A RAW SYNTHESIS GAS COMPRISING MAINLY CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN, PASSING SAID RAW SYNTHESIS GAS TOGETHER WITH SUFFICIENT STEAM TO PROVIDE A GAS MIXTURE COMPRISING IN EXCESS OF 0.7 MOL OF WATER VAPOR PER ATOM OF CARBON AT AN ELEVATED PRESSURE ABOVE 700 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH GAUGE AND A TEMPERATURE ABOVE 1800*F. INTO CONTACT WITH A FIXED BED OF SOLID CARBON, PASSING SAID GAS MIXTURE THROUGH SAID BED AND INTRODUCING STEAM INTO SAID BED ALONG THE PATH OF FLOW OF SAID GAS AND RESULTING REACTION PRODUCTS, SAID ADDED STEAM BEING SUPPLIED IN RELATIVE PROPORTIONS SUFFICIENT TO REMOVE HEAT OF REACTION AND REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE GAS STREAM TO A TERMINAL REACTION TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 1,000 TO 1,700*F. WHEREBY A TEMPERATURE GRADIENT IS MAINTAINED THROUGH SAID BED OF CARBONACEOUS SOLIDS EFFECTING GRADUAL COOLING OF SAID GASEOUS MIXTURE AND GASEOUS REACTION PRODUCTS PASSING THERETHROUGH TO SAID TERMINAL REACTION TEMPERATURE EFFECTING REACTION OF SAID CARBON MONOXIDE, HYDROGEN, WATER VAPOR AND CARBON TO FORM A PRODUCT GAS COMPRISING METHANE AND HAVING A HIGHER HEATING VALUE THAN SAID RAW SYNTHESIS GAS.