the partial combustion of coal to produce synthesis gas , which is substantially carbon monoxide and hydrogen , and particulate flyslag , is well known , and a survey of known processes is given in &# 34 ; ullmanns enzyklopadie der technischen chemie &# 34 ;, vol . 10 ( 1958 ), pp . 360 - 458 . several such processes for the preparation of hydrogen and carbon monoxide , flyslag gases are currently being developed . accordingly , details of the gasification process are related only insofar as is necessary for understanding of the present invention . in general , the gasification is carried out by partially combusting the coal with a limited volume of oxygen at a temperature normally between about 1050 ° c . and about 2000 ° c . if a temperature of between 1050 ° c . and 2000 ° c . is employed , the product gas may contain very small amounts of side products such as tars , phenols and condensable hydrocarbons , as well as the molten or sticky particles mentioned . suitable coals include lignite , bituminous coal , sub - bituminous coal , anthracite coal , and brown coal . in order to achieve a more rapid and complete gasification , initial pulverization of the coal is preferred . particle size is preferably selected so that 70 % of the solid coal feed can pass a 200 mesh sieve . the gasification is preferably carried out in the presence of oxygen and steam , the purity of the oxygen preferably being at least 90 % by volume , nitrogen , carbon dioxide and argon being permissible as impurities . if the water content of the coal is too high , the coal should be dried before use . the atmosphere will be maintained reducing by the regulation of the weight ratio of the oxygen to moisture and ash free coal in the range of 0 . 6 to 1 . 0 , preferably 0 . 8 to 0 . 9 . the specific details of the equipment and procedures employed form no part of the invention , but those described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 350 , 103 , and 4 , 458 , 607 , both incorporated herein by reference , may be employed . although , in general , it is preferred that the ratio between oxygen and steam be selected so that from 0 . 1 to 1 . 0 parts by volume of steam is present per part by volume of oxygen , the invention is applicable to processes having substantially different ratios of oxygen to steam . the oxygen used is preferably heated before being contacted with the coal , preferably to a temperature of from about 200 ° c . to 500 ° c . the details of the gasification reactor system form no part of the present invention , and suitable reactors are described in british pat . no . 1501284 and u . s . pat . no . 4 , 022 , 591 . the high temperature at which the gasification is carried out is obtained by reacting the coal with oxygen and steam in a reactor at high velocity . a preferred linear velocity is from 10 to 100 meters per second , although higher or lower velocities may be employed . the pressure at which the gasification can be effected may vary between wide limits , preferably being from 1 to 200 bar . residence times may vary widely ; common residence times of from 0 . 2 to 20 seconds are described , with residence times of from 0 . 5 to 15 seconds being preferred . in order to illustrate the invention more fully , reference is made to the accompanying schematic drawing . the drawing is of the process flow type in which auxiliary equipment , such as valves , pumps , holding vessels , etc ., have been omitted therefrom . all values are merely exemplary or calculated . accordingly , pulverulent coal is passed via line ( 1 ) into a coal dryer ( 2 ) where the coal is dried , suitably at a temperature of about 200 ° c . the dry coal is subsequently discharged through a line ( 3 ) and passed into a gasification reactor ( 4 ) where it is gasified at a temperature of about 1500 ° c . to about 2000 ° c ., a pressure of about 35 atmospheres absolute , with oxygen , which is supplied through a line ( 5 ). the gasification produces a product or synthesis gas containing sticky molten particles which is removed from the upper portion ( 6 ) of the reactor , and a slag which is removed from the lower portion of the reactor via line ( 7 ). the gasification product is passed upward via conduit or quench zone ( 8 ) where it is quenched by cooled synthesis gas supplied via line ( 9 ) and indirect heat exchange with steam , and is then passed via duct 8 ( a ) through a boiler or heat exchange zone ( 10 ) where it is cooled to a temperature of about 200 ° c . the walls and tubes of quench zone ( 8 ) in contact with the synthesis gas are coated with titanium diboride . in the heat exchange zone ( 10 ), water , which is supplied through line ( 11 ), is converted by indirect heat exchange to high pressure steam , the steam being discharged through a line ( 12 ). the cooled gasification product is passed through a line ( 13 ) to a series of cyclones ( 14 ) where the bulk of the particulates ( flyslag ) is removed and sent via line ( 15 ) to storage . the synthesis gas then passes via line ( 16 ) to a series of purification steps designated as ( 17 ) where a final , cooled product synthesis gas is removed via line ( 18 ). a portion of the cooled gas is recycled via line ( 19 ) to quench zone ( 8 ) for quenching the hot gas from reactor ( 4 ). a partially cooled , impure gas is removed and utilized ( not shown ). while the invention has been illustrated with particular apparatus , those skilled in the art will appreciate that , except where specified , other equivalent or analogous units may be employed . the term &# 34 ; zone &# 34 ;, as employed in the specification and claims , includes , where suitable , the use of segmented equipment operated in series , or the division of one unit into multiple units to improve efficiency or overcome size constraints , etc . for example , a series of scrubbers might be employed , with different aqueous solutions , at least the bulk of the &# 34 ; loaded &# 34 ; solutions being sent to one or more strippers . parallel operation of units is , of course , well within the scope of the invention .