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The Kiviter process for retorting large particle oil shale

Conference · · Oil Shale Symposium Proceedings; (USA)
OSTI ID:6776602
 [1];  [2]
  1. Oil Shale Research Institute, Kohtla-Jarve, Estonian (UA)
  2. V.I. Lenin PO Slantsekhim, Kohtla-Jarve, Estonian (UA)

In recent years considerable interest has been shown to the experience of commercial-scale processing of oil shale as an alternative feedstock for the production of liquid fuels. The evaluation of different retort systems, however, should be made with due consideration of the specific properties of different oil shales, influencing the efficiency of the retorting process. The author's studies of oil shale samples extracted from the world's largest oil shale formations in the USA and Brazil as well as those of kukersite (Baltic oil shale) processed in the USSR on a commercial scale, show that the latter is characterized by several technological properties which complicate it's thermal processing. Relatively high levels of specific heat consumption for the retorting process and a high organic matter content make it necessary to process kukersite in special retorting systems. Due to the specific properties of kukersite the concept employing cross current flow of heat carrier gas through the shale bed proved to be most acceptable for the retorting of this particular shale. Compared with the traditionally employed counter current flow of heat carrier gas this concept is more preferable providing for more uniform distribution of the heat carrier through the fuel bed. It enables to modify the height of the retorting chamber and thus to practically eliminate the dependence of the unit throughput rate on the velocity of the heat carrier gas in the retorting chamber, and to perform the process in a thin oil shale bed. The authors discuss how generators employing cross current heat carrier flow (the Kiviter process) are widely applied in the U.S.S.R. for retorting of kukersite, characterized by a high organic content and bituminization upon heating.

OSTI ID:
6776602
Report Number(s):
CONF-8904193--
Journal Information:
Oil Shale Symposium Proceedings; (USA), Journal Name: Oil Shale Symposium Proceedings; (USA) Vol. 22; ISSN OSSPD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English