solar gasifier

[djh]

There's an interesting process/project reported at http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/24712/?ref=rss&a=f

Copernican was acquired by Sundrop Fuels in 2008, and its solar-reactor technology is now at the heart of a 1.5-megawatt thermal solar gasification demonstration facility in Colorado.

The gasifier system consists of ceramic tubes that pass through a furnace. The gasifier is mounted atop a tower surrounded by a field of solar concentrating mirrors that reflect sunlight back to the furnace. As the biomass is dropped through the intensely hot ceramic tubes, it is vaporized into syngas.

I expect Ivan and Ken will come up with a Navi-solar-gasifier prototype by the end of the week.