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US 8,784,649 B2Granted
Method for the pyrolytic extraction of hydrocarbon from oil shale
AssigneeWyssmont Company Inc.
InventorEdward Weisselberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for the pyrolytic extraction of hydrocarbons such as shale oil from kerogen. Oil shale containing kerogen which has been ground into particulate form, is cascaded downwardly between a plurality of rotating trays within a heated processing chamber. As the hydrocarbons are volatized within the chamber, the volatiles are collected and condensed within a condenser or other suitable recovery apparatus.
Claims12
A method for extracting hydrocarbons from oil shale containing kerogen, said method comprising:
- supplying oil shale in particulate form to a material processing chamber having an upper processing zone for volatizing hydrocarbons of a first volatility and a lower processing zone for volatizing hydrocarbons of a second volatility lower than the first volatility at least including shale oil, said material processing chamber including a plurality of vertically displaced material trays contained within said upper processing zone and said lower processing zone;
- passing said oil shale downwardly within said material processing chamber from one material tray to another underlying material tray;
- supplying heat at a first temperature to said upper processing zone and at a second temperature to said lower processing zone for volatizing said hydrocarbons from said kerogen, wherein said first temperature is lower than said second temperature;
- discharging a first oil shale component volatized within said upper processing zone from said material processing chamber;
- discharging a second oil shale component comprising at least shale oil volatized within said lower processing zone from said material processing chamber;
- condensing at least the volatized shale oil component;
- and
- discharging the residual oil shale from said material processing chamber.
5 more elements
A method for extracting hydrocarbons from oil shale containing kerogen, said method comprising:
- supplying oil shale in particulate form to a material processing chamber having an upper processing zone for volatizing hydrocarbons of a first volatility and a lower processing zone for volatizing hydrocarbons of a second volatility lower than the first volatility at least including shale oil, said material processing chamber including a plurality of vertically displaced material trays contained within said upper processing zone and said lower processing zone;
- passing said oil shale downwardly within said material processing chamber from one material tray to another underlying material tray;
- supplying heat at a first temperature to said upper processing zone and at a second temperature to said lower processing zone for volatizing said hydrocarbons from said kerogen, wherein said first temperature is lower than said second temperature;
- discharging a first oil shale component volatized within said upper processing zone from said material processing chamber through a first outlet port;
- discharging a second oil shale component comprising at least shale oil volatized within said lower processing zone from said material processing chamber through a second outlet port;
- condensing at least the volatized shale oil component;
- and
- discharging the residual oil shale from said material processing chamber.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.