Patent ID: 8394863

Claim:
A method for controlling the proportions of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane in a syngas stream leaving a feedstock reformer, in which a non-char solid organic material based feedstock having a moisture content in a range of about 5% to 20% is introduced into the feedstock reformer at an elevated temperature, said process comprising: adjusting a contact time of the feedstock at elevated temperatures in the reformer within a range of from about 0.4 seconds to about 5.0 seconds, wherein the contact time is a function of the internal volume of the reformer divided by the flow rate of the syngas exiting the reformer, and adjusting the exit gas temperature of the syngas as it leaves the reformer to between about 871° C. (1600° F.) and about 1204° C. (2200° F.), to achieve proportions of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane most closely approximate those desired given the intended use of the syngas.