Gasification of solid carbonaceous fuels

Claim 1

IN THE GASIFICATION OF A SOLID CARBONACEOUS FUEL TO PRODUCE A CO-CONTAINING GAS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES FORMING AT LEAST TWO STREAMS OF SUBDIVIDED SOLID CARBONACEOUS FUEL SUSPENDED IN AN OXYGEN-RICH GAS, REGULATING THE RATIO OF OXYGEN TO FUEL IN ONE OF SAID STREAMS TO OBTAIN COMPLETE COMBUSTION OF A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE CARBON TO CO2 WITH A RELATIVELY HIGH FLAME TEMPERATURE, REGULATING THE RATIO OF OXYGEN TO FUEL IN THE OTHER OF SAID STREAMS TO PROVIDE A SUFFICIENT EXCESS OF FUEL TO OBTAIN INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION OF ONLY PART OF THE CARBON TO CO WITH A RELATIVELY LOWER FLAME TEMPERATURE AND WITH RESIDUAL UNREACTED CARBON, AND INTRODUCING SAID STREAMS FROM SPACED POINTS INTO A COMBUSTION ZONE MAINTAINED AT SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND THEREIN DIRECTING SAID STREAMS TOWARD EACH OTHER IN AXIALLY INBULENT INTERMIXING OF THE RESULTING FLAMES AND COMBUSTION PRODUCTS, THE RELATIVELY HIGH FLAME TEMPERATURE OF SAID ONE STREAM PROVIDING SUFFICIENT THERMAL ENERGY TO EFFECT ENDOTHERMIC REACTION OF A MAJOR PORTION OF THE CO2 CONTAINED THEREIN WITH THE EXCESS UNREACTED CARBON CONTAINED IN SAID OTHER STREAM WHEREBY TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT GAS RICH IN CO AND H2 AND CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 10% CO2.