Patent ID: 8349288

Claim:
A process for enhancing the operability of hot gas cleanup for the production of synthesis gas, comprising: providing a stream of producer gas, obtained from steam hydrogasification, comprising methane, water and sulfur impurities; autothermally reforming the producer gas at a temperature and pressure sufficient to generate a stream of synthesis gas comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, steam, and sulfur impurities at a temperature of between 550° C. to 750° C.; after the step of autothermally reforming performing a step of cooling said synthesis gas to thereby effect condensation of the steam, and removing the steam; after the step of condensing and removing the steam performing a step of heating the synthesis gas to a sulfur removal temperature of between 250° C. to 400° C.; removing, after the step of heating the syngas, said sulfur impurities from the heated synthesis gas stream using a metal oxide sorbent to thereby produce a cleaned synthesis gas; and removing nitrogen from the cleaned synthesis gas.