The new BorgCo Lava Lamp is a large plinth one metre high surmounted by a glass cylinder, capped by a conical mirror.

The plinth contains an electrolysis unit which splits water into oxygen and hydrogen.

The gases pass up pipes, through valves and flashback arrestors to a blowpipe, above which is positioned - on fireclay supports - a refractory crucible filled with real lava.

The crucible is surrounded by a triple-walled glass cylinder with argon between the sections.

The crucible is heated until the lava starts to glow and finally melts. The water from the combustion is condensed and returned to the reservoir for re-use.

The conical mirror at the top of the cylinder assembly deflects the light and heat out into the surroundings.

Not suitable for use outdoors. Not suitable for use in areas where moisture may be present. Not suitable for use near flammable furnishings. Not suitable for use near children, animals, birds, or insects. Not suitable for use in heated areas. Not suitable for use in enclosed premises. Not suitable for use in areas lacking adequate ventilation. Not suitable for use.

And "instant-on" version is under development.
-- 8th of 7, Jun 19 2017

XKCD What If? https://what-if.xkcd.com/122/
This solves some of the more obvious problems, like what transparent material to use for the body of the lamp. [hippo, Jun 19 2017]

Hmm. I'm not seeing the lava, though. Isn't there something that's transparent at lavic temperatures?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 19 2017


Oh, and //Not suitable for use.// [marked-for-tagline]
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 19 2017


//animals, birds, or insects// OK, just spotted this one. All buns past, present and future are rescinded until this is fixed.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 19 2017


Perhaps you could select a different "lava" than "common lava". There are lots of substances that volcanoes spew, and some of them are solid at room temperature, but melt at lower temperatures than other solid substances. So, pick the lowest-melting-point substance that you can reasonably say is a volcanic solid substance, and proceed with this Idea.
-- Vernon, Jun 22 2017


What keeps the glass from melting?
-- RayfordSteele, Jun 22 2017


You see you're all just hidebound conventionalists. Obviously the shape form and function of a genuine molten lava lamp will be a bit different. The lava can't be enclosed in glass, it has to be free in the air. And we want it to glow in all directions, so it can't be constrained inside a crucible. Ergo the molten lava has to spew out of the top and cascade down the sides. It's obvious really.
-- pocmloc, Jun 22 2017


Nice.

<later>

OK, the molten lava can't be "pumped" - it has to be driven upwards by gas pressure, or maybe a HELIP for iron-rich magmas. So, the lava has to "well up" from the centre of the bowl - maybe through a vertical pipe - then return, presumably under gravity, to the heating area before it thickens and solidifies.

One of those chocolate fountain thingies would be a good analogy, although dipping your finger in to get a taste might be inadvisable.

Simple thermo-syphon probably won't work.

Some sort of Stirling pump, using molten rock ?

Obsidian is volcanic... the design could be prototyped using molten glass.
-- 8th of 7, Jun 22 2017


//Isn't there something that's transparent at lavic temperatures?//

Nothing...

so, a Bell jar.
-- FlyingToaster, Jun 22 2017



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