Abstract: A process of treating an aqueous liquor which has been used to scrub a hot raw gas produced by the gasification of a solid, liquid or gaseous fuel, which liquor has dissolved therein gaseous pollutant, comprising flashing said liquor from a temperature of at least 100.degree. C and a pressure of at least about 5 bars in at least on preliminary flashing stage to an intermediate pressure in the range of about 1.1 to 4 bars, separating the flashed-off gases containing the bulk of the pollutants from the residual aqueous liquor, and then flashing off the residual liquor to atmospheric pressure. The pollutant gas may contain H.sub.2 S and the gas product of the preliminary flashing can be fed to a Claus process for removing sulfur compounds.

Abstract: A process for producing methanol wherein coal is gasified by a treatment with water vapor and oxygen at elevated temperature, the resulting gas is cooled and is scrubbed with an organic solvent to remove impurities from the gas, the carbon oxides contained in the gas are catalytically reacted with hydrogen to form methanol, and the methanol is separated, the improvement comprises subjecting the residual gas left after the separation of the methanol to a catalytic cracking treatment with water vapor under pressure and at elevated temperature to form hydrogen and carbon oxides and cooling the cracked gas and recycling it to the methanol synthesis.

Abstract: In the production of a gas having a high calorific value and containing more than about 50% methane by volume by a process comprising gasifying a solid fuel under a pressure of about 5 - 150 bars by a treatment with oxygen and water vapor to produce a water vapor-containing raw gas at a temperature of about 350.degree.- 700.degree. C, the improvement which comprises further reacting the water vapor-containing raw gas under a pressure of about 5 - 150 bars with oxygen in a succeeding reactor to produce an intermediate product gas which contains mainly hydrogen, carbon dioxides, and methane and which leaves the reactor at a temperature between about 600.degree. and 950.degree. C, cooling the intermediate product gas and freeing the intermediate product gas from sulfur compounds. A dust fuel and/or liquid hydrocarbon can be added to the raw gas as such or after prereaction with oxygen, the addition advantageously taking place in the succeeding reactor.

Abstract: In the production of a synthesis gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, by a process comprising gasifying a solid fuel under a pressure of about 5-150 bars by a treatment with oxygen and water vapor to produce a water vapor-containing raw gas at a temperature of about 350.degree.-700.degree. C, the improvement which comprises further reacting the water vapor-containing raw gas under a pressure of about 5-150 bars with oxygen in a succeeding reactor to produce an intermediate product gas which leaves the reactor at a temperature between about 800.degree. C and 1400.degree. C, cooling the intermediate product gas, and freeing the intermediate product gas from sulfur compounds. A dust fuel and/or liquid hydrocarbon can be added to the raw gas as such or after prereaction with oxygen, the addition advantageously taking place in the succeeding reactor.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon gasification reaction under normal operation reacts hydrocarbons with oxygen and water vapor under elevated pressures and temperatures to produce a product gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The reactor is provided with a burner through which the hydrocarbons to be gasified are sprayed under pressure, preferably through a burner lance. For interrupting normal reactions and holding the reactor at a desired temperature, the hydrocarbons are fed at a lower rate than during normal operation together with water vapor under a higher pressure than the hydrocarbons. This mixture is fed through the reactor burner which is used for normal operation of the reactor thereby atomizing the hydrocarbons/water vapor mixture. During interrupted operation, air is supplied to the reactor, preferably into the burner chamber thereof.