PATENTS

      145.     BARR, F. T., AND MARTIN, H. Z.  (Standard Oil Development Co.).  Manufacture of Gas Mixtures Containing Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen.  United States Patent 2,592,377.  Apr. 8, 1952: appl. filed Aug. 8, 1946, Serial No. 689,156: 14 claims (Cl. 48-206).

Steam, preheated to about 1,200°-1,600° F., is passed upward through a fluidized bed of finely divided coal in a gas generator where it reacts at 1,600°-1,800° F. to form water gas.  About 0.5-3.0 lb. of steam per lb. of coal is sufficient.  The gas generation zone also contains a fluidized, finely divided Fe oxide in sufficient amount (2-10 lb. per lb. of coal) to supply the O₂ necessary to support the reaction.  Steam velocities of about  1-4 ft. per sec. Are maintained, and under the conditions of particle sizes and gas flow the fluidized solids are classified ranging from a lower dense layer consisting substantially of reduced and unreduced Fe oxide to a middle layer or reacting coal and Fe oxide and an upper layer of coal undergoing gasification with steam.  The spent oxide can thus be withdrawn from the bottom of the generator and passed to the reoxidizer and then returned to the generator.  About 40-130 ft.³ of air per lb. of coal and temperatures of 1,700°-1,900° F. are sufficient to promote reoxidation.  The gasification zone is operated at pressures ranging from atmospheric to 400 p. s. i. g.