Treatment of carbonaceous shales or sands to recover oil and pure carbon as products

US4519894A · kind A · utility

Inventor

• David G. Walker · Baytown, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 17, 1984
• Grant date: May 28, 1985
• Expiry date: Aug 17, 2004

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C10G1/02
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A carbon-containing solid (such as oil shale or tar sand) is treated with air in a six-stage vertical shaft to make producer gas, oil and a pure carbon as products. The top and bottom stages of the vertical shaft are fed to pre-heat incoming solid and to scavenge sensible heat from the processed solid. One stage is a direct retort and makes a gas stream which is a mixture of producer gas and oil. Another stage is a gas producer which converts fixed carbon on the solid to carbon monoxide by reaction with air and carbon dioxide. A fifth stage preheats incoming air. The sixth stage cools and purifies hot carbon monoxide-rich producer gas. The oil and producer gas products are made by direct retorting of the solid with air followed by a separation step. The pure carbon product is made by separating pure carbon monoxide from the carbon monoxide-rich producer gas followed by reacting the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and the pure carbon product.