Process for maximizing oil yield in the retorting of oil shale

Patent · Tue Jan 26 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5750782

Chiaramonte, G R

An improved method is disclosed for retorting oil shale with heat-carrying bodies comprising relatively coarse attrition resistant, non-oil sorbing, shale ash particles wherein oil recovery is maximized. After retorting, the spent oil shale and heat-carrying bodies are transferred to a reheating vessel or combustor. The reheating vessel contains a dense phase fluidized bed wherein the fixed carbon contained in the spent shale is combusted at temperatures between 1100/sup 0/F and 1600/sup 0/F to reheat the heat-carrying bodies. The invention is based on the finding that the decomposition of kerogen, which is present as a binder in raw oil shale, leaves pores within kerogen-rich shale which results in relatively large surface areas. Attrition of the kerogen-rich shale in the dense phase fluidized bed at a superificial gas velocity of 7-14 ft/sec reduces the size of this porous, friable material and allows it to be removed in the exit gas stream as fines. The larger particles remaining in the fluidized bed originated as kerogenlean shale and thus lack the surface area and resulting sorption capacity to adversely affect retorting. These relatively coarse, attrition resistant, non-oil sorbing particles thus may be used effectively as heat-carrying bodies. In another feature of the invention, recovery of sensible heat from the coarse and fine combusted spent shale particles is accomplished in two separate coarse and fine fluidized bed coolers operated at specific conditions to maximize heat transfer and energy utilization.

• Assignee: Tosco Corp
• Patent Number(s): US 4312740
• OSTI ID: 5750782
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUE GAS
FLUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HEAT
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT RECOVERY
KEROGEN
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PROCESS HEAT
RECOVERY
RETORTING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SHALE GAS
SHALE OIL
SPENT SHALES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WASTES