Bench scale retorting of Kentucky oil shale: comparison of a fixed bed to 1 1/2 and 3 inch fluid bed retorts

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Am. Chem. J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6697564

Rubel, A M; Carter, S D

Bench scale fluid bed retorting of Kentucky oil shale has provided evidence that for the small particle sizes used in this study increases in oil yield, which have been shown to be feasible for eastern US shale, is primarily due to decreased cracking of oil vapors and that release of hydrocarbons from the shale depends on pyrolysis temperature and not the retorting technology used. The following information presented supports this statement: Under fluid bed conditions where oil vapors are rapidly removed from the retort more oil and less gas are produced than any fixed bed retorting conditions. Under fluid bed conditions, the proportion of CH/sub 4/ in the gas increases with increasing bed temperature at the expense of a lower proportion of C4's in the hydrocarbon gas. CH/sub 4/ produced under modified Fischer Assay conditions is greater than that obtained at a comparable bed temperature in the fluid bed. Oil yield from the fluid bed retorting Ohio Oil Shale is maximized at a bed temperature of 575/sup 0/C under retorting conditions used in this study. Removal of volatile matter as measured by TG from the shale depends on retorting temperature and not retorting method. Increases in the fixed carbon content of the spent shale relative to the raw shale are accompanied by decreased oil yields, increased gas make and increased CH/sub 4/ production in both fixed and fluid bed retorts. Under modified Fischer Assay conditions, 10% more carbon as determine by elemental analysis is left on the spent shale than a fluid bed run at the same maximum bed temperature; TG analysis of the spent shale indicates that this residual carbon is coke.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington
• OSTI ID: 6697564
• Report Number(s): CONF-840415-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Chem. J.; (United States) Journal Volume: 29:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
040500 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Properties & Composition
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION IV
FISCHER ASSAY
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
INFORMATION
KENTUCKY
MATERIAL BALANCE
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OIL SHALES
OIL YIELDS
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PYROLYSIS
RETORTING
SHALE GAS
SHALE OIL
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
YIELDS