The particularity of this process is that it use hot ceramic balls for the heat transfer between the retort and a heater.
Also the lifetime of ceramic balls is limited.
Bearings with ceramic balls (and races) have been available since the late 1990s, They are lighter and longer lasting, however significantly more expensive.
The ceramic balls and the liquid fire caused terrific damage when they landed.
The droppings are turned into powder in a special container that rotates for 18 hours with a ceramic ball.
These use fuel molded into ceramic balls, and then circulate gas through the balls.
In one example, a heavily impastoed surface suggests a roughly formed ceramic ball.
Heated ceramic balls fall then through the bed in counter-current direction.
A hybrid ball bearing is a bearing with ceramic balls and races of metal.
Hand-painted black-and-white ceramic balls, above right, are $5 to $16.