Two stage partial combustion process for solid carbonaceous fuels

A process for the production of a hydrogen and carbon monoxide-containing gas by partial combustion of a non-slurried solid carbonaceous fuel with an oxidant gas which comprises the steps of:

• a. preheating the oxidant gas, being air or oxygen diluted with steam, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, or mixtures thereof, to a temperature of from 200.degree. to 1300.degree. C;
• b. mixing the preheated oxidant gas with the unslurried solid carbonaceous fuel having a partial size such that 70% is smaller than 200 mesh in proportions such that the atomic ratio of oxygen to total carbon in the fuel is from about 0.9 to about 1.4;
• c. injecting the mixture into a first reaction zone at a linear velocity of from 10 to 200 m/sec;
• d. passing the mixture through the first reaction zone, maintained at a temperature of from 1200.degree. to 1700.degree. C and a pressure of from 1 to 200 kg/cm.sup.2, absolute, with a residence time of from 0.02 to 20 seconds to convert from about 70 to about 90% of the fuel to a partial combustion product made up principally of hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
• e. passing the combustion product from the first zone through a second reaction zone, maintained at an average temperature at least 100.degree. C lower than that of the first zone and at a pressure up to 200 kg/cm.sup.2, absolute, with a residence time of from 0.5 to 40 seconds wherein the remaining solid carbonaceous fuel is substantially completely converted to a partial combustion reaction product made up principally of hydrogen and carbon monoxide without formation of soot.