Process for gasifying carbonaceous matter

Claim 1

A process for producing synthesis gas from the reaction of solid particulate carbonaceous material with oxygen and steam, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: a. drying the solid particulate carbonaceous material to essentially zero water content without pyrolysis or oxidation by direct contact with a fluent stream of hot synthesis gas product from step (g); b. separating the dried carbonaceous material from the moist synthesis gas; c. removing the water from the moist synthesis gas from step (b) and heating said water to form steam; d. mixing said steam with oxygen; e. heating said steam and oxygen mixture by direct fluent stream contact with hot ash residue from step (g); f. contacting said dried carbonaceous material directly with said heated steam and oxygen mixture produced in step (e) thereby to gasify said carbonaceous material to produce a hot fluent stream of synthesis gas product and ash residue; g. separating said hot synthesis gas product from said hot ash residue; and h. recovering synthesis gas product from step (c).