Oil shale retorting process
Oil shale solids are pyrolyzed or retorted by contact with a non-oxidizing recycle gas in a first retorting zone to produce an effluent containing pyrolysis products and pyrolyzed oil shale solids. Liquid and gaseous product hydrocarbons are recovered from the effluent of the first retorting zone. The pyrolyzed oil shale solids are contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in a combustion zone under conditions such that at least a portion of the organic material in the pyrolyzed solids is burned to produce hot, decarbonized solids and a hot flue gas. At least a portion of the gases in the effluent from the first retorting zone is contacted in the substantial absence of molecular oxygen with a portion of the hot, decarbonized solids produced in the combustion zone in the presence of added hydrocarbon-containing fines, preferably oil shale fines, in a second retorting zone such that the gases are heated and the fines are pyrolyzed to produce pyrolyzed fines and pyrolysis products containing gases and vapors. The gases and vapors in the effluent from the second retorting zone are then recycled to the first retorting zone where they serve as the hot, non-oxidizing recycle gas.
- Assignee:
- Union Oil Company of California
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4530752
- OSTI ID:
- 6501936
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Oil shale retorting process utilizing indirect heat transfer
Retorting process
Related Subjects
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
DECARBONIZATION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUE GAS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PRODUCTION
RECYCLING
RETORTING
SHALE OIL
SIZE
SOLIDS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
WASTES