Apparatus and system for processing oil shale

Oil shale processing apparatus including, in combination, a microwave oven having a continuous throughput conveyor passing through said oven and provided with a feed and a discharge end, said conveyor ends being disposed on opposite sides of and exterior with respect to said oven, first means coupled to said oven for applying a negative pressure therein said for withdrawing vapors and gases from the interior of said oven, an input hopper, first and second heat exchanger means disposed between said hopper and said conveyor feed end, said first heat exchanger being coupled to said first means for preheating incoming oil shale ore by said withdrawn vapors and gases as said oil shale passes from said hopper through said first heat exchanger means to said conveyor feed end, said second heat exchanger means being proximate to and operably separate from said first heat exchanger means to additionally preheat said incoming oil shale, a spent-shale heat exchanger disposed underneath said discharge end of the conveyor for heating air with spent shale, an air blower in communication with said spent-shale heat exchanger, conduit means for air-flow coupling said spent-shale heat exchanger to said second heat exchanger means, and third means for recovering said withdrawn vapors and gases coupled to said first means subsequent to said first heat exchanger means.