Oil shale retorting
A process is described for retorting oil shale having a low arsenic content and for producing hydrogen from oil shale in high yields. The oil shale is passed upward through a gas-heated pyrolysis zone to vaporize the oil. The spent, coke-laden shale is passed downward through gasification-combustion zone to produce hydrogen-rich heating gas and substantially pure hydrogen for use in catalytic refining of the shale oil. Air or oxygen is introduced to the gasification-combustion zone to burn part of the residual coke, thereby heating the spent shales to gasification temperatures. Steam is injected concurrently with the oxidizing gas to gasify unburned coke via the water-gas reaction. Improved hydrogen yields and purity and more effective shale retorting are achieved by recycling hot product gas for eduction into admixture with the gasifier product between the gasification and pyrolysis zones, and eliminating recycle to the gasification-combustion zone. (14 claims)
- Assignee:
- Union Oil Co. California
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4043897
- OSTI ID:
- 6601918
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Method and apparatus for retorting oil shale
Method and apparatus for retorting oil shale
Related Subjects
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASIFICATION
HEATING
MATERIALS
OIL SHALES
RECOVERY
RETORTING
SPENT SHALES
STEAM INJECTION
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES