A continuous process for retorting a high molecular weight organic material selected from the group consisting of oil shale, tar sands, solvent refined coal, petroleum residue, polyethylene, polystyrene, heavy oil, bitumen, and rubber wastes, the process comprising the steps of:
- continuously mixing a feed stream, comprised of the organic material and a quantity of mineral matter, with a recycle stream, comprised of a hot acidic catalyst having a temperature in the approximate range from 600 to 800 degrees centigrade, the acidic catalyst being able to appreciably adsorb alkenes on active surface sites when at temperatures in the approximate range from 350 to 500 degrees centigrade, to thereby produce a mixed stream, comprised of the organic material, mineral matter, and not acidic catalyst;
- continuously introducing the mixed stream, comprised of the organic material, mineral matter, and hot acidic catalyst and having a temperature in the approximate range from 425 to 525 degrees centigrade, into a pyrolyzer;
- continuously sweeping a circulating stream, comprised of pyrolysis gas that is enriched in olefins, into the pyrolyzer and through the organic material and hot acidic catalyst of the mixed stream, whereby the olefins or, equivalently, the alkenes in the pyrolysis gas occupy the active surface sites of the acidic catalyst and polymerize slightly while trapping gas precursors to thereby eliminate or diminish gas formation, and whereby pyrolysis occurs and the mixed stream becomes comprised of spent organic material, mineral matter, and relatively cool acidic catalyst, the circulating stream becomes comprised of pyrolysis gas that is relatively depleted in olefins, and a maximized amount of a liquid product is produced;
- continuously removing the liquid product from the pyrolyzer;
- continuously withdrawing the mixed stream, comprised of spent organic material, mineral matter, and relatively cool acidic catalyst, from the pyrolyzer;
- following the continuously withdrawing step, continuously combusting, in air or oxygen, the spent organic material and mineral matter of the mixed stream, whereby the relatively cool acidic catalyst is heated and once again becomes hot acidic catalyst;
- continuously exhausting the circulating stream, comprised of pyrolysis gas that is relatively depleted in olefins, from the pyrolyzer;
- following the continuously exhausting step, continuously enriching the circulating stream in olefin content, whereby the circulating stream once again becomes comprised of pyrolysis gas that is enriched in olefins;
- following the continuously enriching step, continuously using the circulating stream comprised of pyrolysis gas that is enriched in olefins in carrying out the continuously sweeping step;
- following the continuously combusting step, continuously separating the hot acidic catalyst from the mineral matter of the mixed stream, whereby the recycle stream, comprised of hot acidic catalyst, is produced;
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- continuously employing the recycle stream, comprised of hot acidic catalyst, that results from the continuously separating step, in carrying out the continuously mixing step.