Apparatus and gasification of carbonaceous solid materials

An apparatus for thermochemical conversion of solid carbonaceous materials into fluid fuels using a fluid source of oxygen and an external source of concentrated radiation, comprising:

• a reactor having a wall defining a cavity;
• a source of concentrated radiation comprises a source concentrated solar energy;
• a radiation inlet positioned in the wall for passing concentrated radiation into the cavity;
• and
• at least one inlet for introducing a fluid reactant flow of a source of oxygen and particles of carbonaceous material into direct exposure to the concentrated radiation in the cavity so as to heat and thermochemically convert the particles into fluid fuel, wherein the at least one inlet comprises at least one oxygen inlet for introducing a flow of said source of oxygen, and an inlet for said particles wherein the oxygen inlet and particle are co-planar whereby said particles are entrained by said flow of said source of oxygen to provide said reactant flow.