High liquid yield process for retorting various organic materials including oil shale

Patent · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:867488

Coburn, Thomas T ^[1]

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1. Livermore, CA

This invention is a continuous retorting process for various high molecular weight organic materials, including oil shale, that yields an enhanced output of liquid product. The organic material, mineral matter, and an acidic catalyst, that appreciably adsorbs alkenes on surface sites at prescribed temperatures, are mixed and introduced into a pyrolyzer. A circulating stream of olefin enriched pyrolysis gas is continuously swept through the organic material and catalyst, whereupon, as the result of pyrolysis, the enhanced liquid product output is provided. Mixed spent organic material, mineral matter, and cool catalyst are continuously withdrawn from the pyrolyzer. Combustion of the spent organic material and mineral matter serves to reheat the catalyst. Olefin depleted pyrolysis gas, from the pyrolyzer, is enriched in olefins and recycled into the pyrolyzer. The reheated acidic catalyst is separated from the mineral matter and again mixed with fresh organic material, to maintain the continuously cyclic process.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4948495
• OSTI ID: 867488
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/208/201/585/
acidic
adsorbs
alkenes
appreciably
bed temperature
catalyst
circulating
combustion
continuous
continuously
continuously withdrawn
cool
cyclic
cyclic process
depleted
enhanced
enriched
fresh
gas
including
including oil
introduced
liquid
liquid product
liquid yield
maintain
material
materials
materials including
matter
mineral
mineral matter
mixed
molecular
molecular weight
oil
oil shale
olefin
olefins
organic
organic material
organic materials
output
prescribed
process
product
provided
pyrolysis
pyrolysis gas
pyrolyzer
recycled
reheat
reheated
result
retorting
retorting process
separated
serves
shale
sites
spent
stream
surface
swept
temperatures
various
various organic
weight
weight organic
whereupon
withdrawn
yield
yield process
yields