Oil shale processing apparatus and method

Patent · Tue Apr 12 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:5074306

Pao, S S; Fox, J V; Rendall, J S

A process for extraction of bitumen oil from oil shale is described comprising: a. crushing a quantity of oil shale ore to yield particles; b. mixing the crushed ore with a quantity of organic solvent to form a slurry, the solvent being at a temperature sufficient to strip out water from the slurry; c. transferring the slurry to a conversion means and allowing the ore to decrepitate under solvent supercritical temperatures and pressures for a time period whereby kerogen in the slurry is converted to a solvent soluble quantity of bitumen oils; d. transferring the slurry to an extraction means under the supercritical temperatures and pressures and allowing further reaction whereby further production of bitumen oils occur and the bitumen oils dissolve in the solvent to form an extract phase, leaving a solids phase comprising shale; e. transferring the solids phase to a solvent washing means and washing the solids with fresh solvent in a countercurrent fashion under the supercritical temperatures and pressures, whereby further extract is produced, leaving spent shale; f. withdrawing the extract from the extraction and solvent washing means, and transferring the extract to a distillation column pressure below supercritical, thereby stripping the solvent therefrom to yield bitumen oils and recycling the solvent; and g. withdrawing a quantity of spent shale and solids from the solvent washing means, and h. desolventising the shale and recycling the solvent by passing the spent shale and solids through a separator vessel at a pressure below supercritical, passing the flashed off solvent and water through a condenser and separator, taking the shale component from the separator vessel and passing it through a rotary drum at atmospheric pressure, and adding water to the shale. The shale is at a temperature such that steam is produced which strips any remaining solvent from the shale and cools the shale.

• Assignee: Duo-Ex Corp., Albuquerque, NM
• Patent Number(s): US 4737267
• OSTI ID: 5074306
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CLEANING
COMMINUTION
CRUSHING
DESIGN
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXTRACTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANTS
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PRESSURIZING
PROCESS SOLUTIONS
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLURRIES
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SOLVENTS
SUSPENSIONS
TAR
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
WASHING