Process for treating oil shale

Patent · Tue Feb 17 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:6552415

Reed, Jr, T G

A process and apparatus are described for decomposing kerogen and recovering oil, high btu gas, and energy for the process. A crushed oil shale is fed to a rotary preheater (300/sup 0/ to 350/sup 0/F), hence into a rotary retort (850/sup 0/ to 1,050/sup 0/F) where the kerogen is decomposed and the oil evaporated, removed, and condensed. From the retort, the crushed shale goes to a hopper where any residual oil is stripped out by super-heated steam leaving a char on the crushed shale. The stripped shale is fed into a furnace wherein the char is burned to provide heat for the process. To supplement the char and provide enouogh btu's for the process, it is necessary to add a small amount of coal to the feed. The hot gases from the furnace first pass into contact with the rotary retort and, hence, indirectly heat the oil shale in the retort. The hot furnace gases (or a portion thereof) then pass into direct contact with the crushed oil-shale feed in the preheater. (10 claims)

• Assignee: EDB-83-040816
• Patent Number(s): US 3939057
• OSTI ID: 6552415
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
DECOMPOSITION
DESIGN
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAT TREATMENTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
KEROGEN
MATERIALS
OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANTS
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC MATTER
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
RETORTING
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE