Patent ID: 7736471

Claim:
A method for treating a feedstock, the method comprising the steps of: providing a reactor vessel having a reaction chamber; inputting the feedstock into the reaction chamber; connecting an oxidant source to a heating lance having an outflow end; introducing carbon solids and a sub-stoichiometric amount of oxidant into the lance; positioning the outflow end of the heating lance in the reaction chamber for outflow of partial oxidation products including carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide into the reaction chamber; operating the heating lance to pyrolyze at least a portion of the feedstock and produce a process effluent for evacuation from the reaction chamber, wherein the process effluent includes gas and carbon solids; and introducing at least a portion of the carbon solids generated in the operating step into the lance for partial oxidation therein, wherein oxidation reactions come to completion within the lance to maintain an overall net-reducing state in the reaction chamber.