GB586992A - - Google Patents

Abstract

586,992. Distilling shale. STANDARD OIL DEVELOPMENT CO. May 28, 1943, No. 8592. Convention date, July 2, 1942. [Class 55 (i)] [Also :in Group III] A method of continuously distilling shale comprises powdering the raw shale, preheating the powder to 300-500‹F. by adding a heated gas, discharging the shale mixed with a carrier gas into a distillation zone, also discharging into the distillation zone a quantity of hot spent shale at a temperature of 1000-1600‹F., allowing the raw shale and the hot spent shale to remain in contact with each other at a temperature of 600- 1150‹F. to effect distillation, withdrawing the gaseous products from the distillation zone, withdrawing spent shale from the distillation zone and discharging it to a combustion zone in admixture with an oxidizing gas, allowing the spent shale to remain in the combustion zone to effect combustion of its combustibles and returning the burned shale to the distillation zone. As shown, the powdered shale, after preheating in a vessel 12, flows, by the action of gravity together with a carrier gas, through a pipe 20 into a distillation vessel 26 where it is mixed with hot spent shale, the gaseous products of the distillation being removed through the pipe 18 for further treatment and the solid products through the pipe 52 to a vessel 35 where, by the addition of an oxidizing gas, they are completely burned. Part of the spent shale in the vessel 35 is returned to the distillation vessel 26 through a pipe 36 and part through a pipe 67, a heat exchanger 69 and finally discharged from the system. Oil may be added to the vessel 35 if there is insufficient combustible material remaining in the shale after distillation. Temperatures are given for each stage of the process.