Abstract: High purity CO is made quite efficiently with regard to energy consumption from CO.sub.2 -free gas streams containing at least 25% by volume CO and also containing H.sub.2 and small amounts of other gases such as N.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 by (1) complexing the CO in aqueous copper ammonium acylate absorbent solution, (2) stripping the absorbent solution with a small stream of purified CO to desorb traces of noncomplexed gases and (3) decomplexing the absorbent solution to separate purified CO, a small portion of which is recycled to the stripping step.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are reformed with steam to produce synthesis gas or hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This reforming process can be improved if after the carbon monoxide in the reformer effluent is removed, the remaining effluent, essentially hydrogen, is recycled to the reformer. Carbon dioxide must be added to the reformer inlet in an amount to balance the hydrogen present in the recycle. By this process larger quantities of carbon monoxide relative to the hydrogen produced can be realized.