Apparatus for the production of carbon monoxide and hydrogen

Carbon monoxide and hydrogen are produced by spraying a mixture of molten sodium and/or potassium from one nozzle into a chamber maintained at a temperature of 650 DEG C. to 850 DEG C. along with one or more separated sprays containing a slurry of carbon, water and carbon dioxide so that the various sprays contact each other in said hot chamber so constructed so that the reactants are forced into a suitably constructed reactor containing iron and/or its oxide in a semifluid bed powdered condition. Preferably, the reactor contains mixtures of the metals and/or oxides taken from the class of iron, cobalt, nickel and manganese. In a cyclic reaction, the metallic sodium is reconstituted along with continued production of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, the iron type component remaining in the reactor which as a consequence of the reagents and conditions is cyclically oxidized to oxides of iron type elements and reduced to finely divided iron and/or mixtures of iron, cobalt, nickel and manganese. The sodium vapor is condensed rapidly and the carbon monoxide and hydrogen passes to a gas holder. The incoming reagents are fed to the reactor at a temperature of 350 DEG C. to 380 DEG C., which temperature is maintained by appropriate heat exchange obtained from the heat contained in the reaction products. The reconstituted alkali metal is recycled through the reactor along with the preheated and added carbon, carbon dioxide and water. Siliceous ash is extracted from the reactor periodically as a finely divided non-fused powder, principally in the form of calcium metasilicate produced as a consequence of adding finely divided limestone to the reaction mixture.