Method for the production of synthesis gas

A method for the continuous production of synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen by autothermally gasifying solid combustibles in the presence of a gasification medium, in a pressure reactor at a temperature in the range of 800.degree.-1700.degree. C. and a pressure of from 10-150 bar, which comprises:

• introducing into a screw machine which contains two parallely ordered shafts a finely divided solid combustible;
• moistening and intimately mixing said solid combustible with 2 to 30% by weight of water;
• degasing and compressing said moist solid combustible to a pressure higher than that of the reactor;
• adding the gas-tight, compressed and moist solid combustible to a reaction chamber through a burner, where said combustible is brought into contact with a gasification medium;
• thereby
• evaporating the water in said compressed and moist solid combustible and producing a comminuted dispersion of said solid combustible in a mixture of said gasification medium and said water vapor;
• reacting said combustible dispersion to give a raw synthesis gas and
• removing said raw synthesis gas from said reactor.