Inductive bath plasma cupola

A method of producing syngas by converting a feedstock to syngas, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cupola comprising a single open chamber with an upper portion and a lower portion, the cupola further comprising a feedstock inlet, a syngas outlet, a slag drain, and a liquid metal bath, wherein the liquid metal bath fills the lower portion, wherein the upper portion comprises an open chamber above the liquid metal bath, wherein an inductive element at least partially surrounds the liquid metal bath;
• depositing a feedstock to the upper portion of the cupola through the feedstock inlet, wherein the feedstock falls through the open chamber onto the liquid metal bath;
• creating a syngas and a slag product from the feedstock, wherein the syngas is created by the feedstock being deposited on the liquid metal bath;
• operating a first plasma torch within the upper portion of the cupola, wherein the heat from the metal bath and the first plasma torch provide the heat to convert the feedstock to syngas and wherein the first plasma torch is configured to direct energy into the liquid metal bath;
• operating a second plasma torch in an exit section exterior to the cupola to heat the syngas after it exits the cupola;
• and
• removing a slag product from a top portion of the liquid metal bath through the slag drain, wherein the slag drain comprises an opening on an outer wall of the upper portion of the cupola that removes the slag product to an exterior of the cupola.

A method of producing syngas by converting a feedstock in a chamber to syngas by the application of heat, the chamber having an inlet for feedstock and an outlet for syngas, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing said chamber in the form of a cupola containing an open chamber comprising an upper portion and a bottom portion filled with a liquid metal bath;
• depositing a feedstock to the upper portion of the cupola through the feedstock inlet, wherein the feedstock falls through the open chamber onto the liquid metal bath;
• operating an inductive element to react with a metal or metal alloy in the liquid metal bath to melt the metal or metal alloy, wherein the inductive element at least partially surrounds the liquid metal bath, and wherein the heat from the liquid metal bath provides the heat to convert the feedstock to syngas, and wherein the syngas is created by the feedstock being deposited on the liquid metal bath;
• supplementing' said step of operating an inductive element by the further step of propagating a selectable one of a first plasma torch and electricity into the liquid metal bath to supplement heating of the cupola, wherein the selectable one of the first plasma torch and electricity is configured to direct energy into the liquid metal bath;
• operating a second plasma torch in an exit section exterior to the cupola to heat the syngas after it exits the cupola;
• and
• removing a slag product from a top portion of the liquid metal bath through the slag drain, wherein the slag drain comprises an opening on an outer wall of the upper portion of the cupola that removes the slag product to an exterior of the cupola.