Patent ID: 8268026

Claim:
A process for converting carbonaceous feed material to synthesis gas and controlling a desired ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in the synthesis gas, comprising: providing to a steam hydrogasification reactor (a) hydrogen in a first quantity and (b) a slurry formed from a second quantity of water and carbonaceous material; wherein the first quantity is determined by a first ratio of hydrogen to carbon content in the carbonaceous material, wherein the second quantity is determined by a second ratio of water to solid content in the carbonaceous material; generating in a steam hydro-gasification reaction a quantity of steam by superheating the water in the slurry and reacting in the steam hydro-gasification reaction the slurry with the hydrogen at a temperature and pressure sufficient to generate a product gas comprising methane, carbon monoxide, and steam; removing impurities from the product gas; subjecting the resultant product gas in a steam methane reformer to steam methane reforming with the quantity of steam, wherein the quantity of steam is effective to produce the desired ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in the synthesis gas; wherein the steam methane reformer obtains the product gas from the steam hydrogasification reactor; and wherein the first and second ratios are adjusted such as to achieve the desired ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in the synthesis gas effluent of the steam methane reformer.