Patent ID: 8465562

Claim:
A system for producing syngas from biomass materials, the system comprising: multiple parallel reactors configured in an array, each of the reactors defining an internal passage, each of the internal passages defining an entrance to the reactor thereof, the array being arranged so that the entrances of the reactors lie on a common two-dimensional surface, the reactors and the internal passages thereof being adapted to contain a compacted biomass material moving in parallel directions from the entrances of the reactors and through the internal passages thereof and to contain a reaction of the compacted biomass material by which gases are formed therefrom within the reactors; feeder devices extending through each of the entrances of the reactors and into each of the internal passages of the reactors, the feeder devices being operable to deliver a loose biomass material to each of the reactors, compact the loose biomass material within the internal passage of each of the reactors, and form from the loose biomass material the compacted biomass within the internal passages of the reactors; a hopper configured to contain the loose biomass material and from which the loose biomass material is delivered by the feeder devices to each of the reactors; means for heating the compacted biomass material within the reactors to a volatilization temperature at which organic molecules within the compacted biomass material break down to form ash and the gases formed therefrom, the gases comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases; means for inhibiting dilution and combustion of the compacted biomass material when heated by the heating means within the internal passages of the reactors by inhibiting ingress of air into each of the internal passages of the reactors through the entrances thereof, the inhibiting means comprising the feeder devices and the compacted biomass material within the internal passages of the reactors; gas passages having ports that gather the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases within the internal passages of the reactors, the gas passages for conducting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases from each of the reactors; and means for removing the ash from the reactor.