Abstract: The macromolecular waste (which is not itself susceptible to microwave heating and may be, for example, plastics or polychlorinated biphenyl) is mixed (B) with pulverulent carbonaceous material, which comprises elemental carbon or is degradable by microwave irradiation to elemental carbon (such as waste tire material). The mix is subjected to microwave irradiation (C) in an inert atmosphere to cause pyrolysis of the plastics. Preferably part of the resulting solids is recycled to the microwave zone (C).

Abstract: A method for the recovery of oil from solid hydrocarbonaceous material and particularly from oil shale by retorting fresh feed shale and heat medium particles using a fluidized bed. The invention uses a self supporting dense phase fluidized bed in a retort without the need to use an external fluid for fluidization.Also described is a control system for the method whereby feed stock input rate is controlled as a function of flow rate of oil vapour products given off, and whereby heat medium particle input rate is controlled as a function of the temperature of either the retort bed or of the oil vapor product.

Abstract: A process and system for low-temperature carbonization of oil shale, oil sands and similar oil-bearing solids includes low-temperature carbonization of oil-bearing solids in a high-pressure fluidized bed reactor in the presence of a substance selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and steam at temperatures substantially between 400.degree.and 600.degree. C. for producing low-temperature carbonization gas. The low-temperature carbonization gas is condensed in at least two stages for producing relatively higher boiling and relatively lower boiling oil fractions. The oil-bearing solids are peripherally mashed with the higher boiling oil fraction of the low-temperature carbonization gas, before introducing the oil-bearing solids into the high-pressure fluidized bed reactor. The oil-bearing solids mashed with the higher boiling oil fraction are returned to the high-pressure fluidized bed reactor.

Abstract: A process for the detection and measurement of wall coke at a specific location in a fluid bed coker through the measurement of the vibrations of the external shell of the coker at the location.

Abstract: Process water is formed when pyrolysis gas obtained in the pyrolytic decomposition of a starting material is cooled. Due to its content of chemical compounds, it is very costly to dispose of or eliminate the process water. A process for reducing the quantity of by-products in the generation of pyrolysis gas recycles the process water to a pyrolysis reactor operating with a fluidized bed. As a result, the process water is reduced in quantity and purified in a simple manner, and the yield of pyrolysis gas is increased.

Abstract: A process for the desulphurization of residuals of petroleum distillation in the form of coke particles having an initial sulphur content greater than about 5% by weight. Desulphurization is effected by means of a continuous electrothermal process based on a plurality of sequentially connected fluidized beds into which the coke particles are successively introduced. The necessary heat generation to desulphurize the coke particles is obtained by using the coke particles as an electrical resistance in each fluidized bed by providing a pair of electrodes that extend into the fluidized coke particles and passing an electrical current through the electrodes and through the fluidized coke particles. A last fluidized bed without electrodes is provided for cooling the desulphurized coke particles after the sulphur level has been reduced to less than about 1% by weight.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the detection and measurement of wall coke at a specific location in a fluid bed coker through the measurement of the vibrations of the external shell of the coker at that location.

Abstract: A method of separating oil in water and other evaporable liquids from drilling mud, bleaching earth, sludge from oil tanks, oil shale or the like, the mud being evaporated at a lower temperature than with conventional evaporation due to the fact that the capillary forces binding the separate fractions in the pores of the mud are destroyed in a friction evaporator.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for fluidized bed mixing of fluids and gases in which the fluid is injected with a high angular velocity through a relatively narrow, preferably single, orifice (3). The angular velocity may be imparted by injecting the fluid at high velocity tangentially at the periphery of the squate chamber (4) so that angular momentum is gained as it spirals inwards towards orifice (3). Optionally, an open-topped hopper (5) for solids is suspended above orifice (3). The lower end of the hopper (5) terminates in a second orifice (7) located vertically above orifice (3). The solid particles are thereby swept radially outwards towards the wall of the chamber (1) in co-current admixture with the fluid.

Abstract: Method for the treatment of fluidized carbon black with gases in a fluidized bed, wherein the carbon black and the treatment gases are conveyed for introduction in an unique operating procedure into the treating region in a countercurrent stream manner. The mass streams of the carbon black and the treating gases are held constant and the mass streams of the starting carbon black or the treated carbon black is regulated with the help of an optical electrical level sensor so that the height of the fluidized bed is held on a predetermined level. An apparatus is shown for the carrying out of the fluidized bed countercurrent process which has a novel carbon black product delivery system and is provided with a optical electrical level sensor means for controlling the level of the fluidized bed. The sensor comprises a hair pin shaped lighting circuit composed of two legs or rods separated by a gap.

Abstract: Pyrolytic reprocessing of plastic, rubber, or other hydrocarbon materials in which the resultant pyrolysis gas is brought in a cooling stage to a temperature just above the freezing point of water and to a pressure of approximately 0.8 to 1.4 bar of overpressure. The resultant condensate is then separated and heated to a normal storage temperature and the super atmospheric pressure on the condensate reduced to atmospheric pressure. The gas produced thereby comprising C.sub.4 hydrocarbon compounds is supplied to the pyrolysis process as special product gas. By means of this provision, the proportion of aromatic compounds in the pyrolysis gas is raised substantially.

Abstract: A device for the gasification of waste, particularly light waste, is comprised of a reactor having a single fluidized bed including two concentric chambers communicating at the top and bottom wherein the outer chamber is intended to implement the pyrolysis of supplied waste and the inner chamber is intended to implement the combustion of pyrolyzed materials. A circulation of pyrolysis gas and combustion gas is established between the outer chamber and the inner chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrocarbon-containing solids retorting process, such as, for example, shale, coal, tar sands, etc., the particles of which are below 6 mm in size, at a vertical entrainment regime, with superheated steam.As an alternative to the process, the preheating of the solid charge to be fed to the reactor is foreseen, by a stream of retorted solids, removed from the primary separator, when effecting separation of the solid and gaseous phases from the retorting products. Heat exchange to the reactor is augmented by the use of static mixing devices provided in said reactor.

Abstract: There is provided a process and reaction system for the highly efficient utilization of solid fuels with a low content of organic matter, which may have a high sulfur content and a high mineral carbonate content. Carbonate decomposition is minimized and most of the sulfur is removed from the resulting ash which can be used to make construction materials. The process is effected in 3 stages, the first two of these comprising fluidized bed operation. In the first stage pyrolysis, gasification and only partial oxidation of organic matter takes place, in the second stage combustion of residual carbon is effected in the presence of an excess of air. In the third stage the streams of combustible material coming from the first two stages are combusted. Among suitable dilute solid fuels there are low grade oil shales. The operating conditions have to be adjusted according to the nature of the solid fuel type.

Abstract: A method for the supply of hot solid particles, preferably hot spent substrate particles, to a retorting vessel for the extraction of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-containing substrate according to which hot solid particles are supplied to a slide situated at an angle to the horizontal plane, fluidization gas is supplied to the fluidization means of the slide, which fluidization gas is passed through the fluidization means causing fluidization of the hot solid particles on the slide and displacement of the hot fluidized particles alone the slide, at least one draw-off vessel is situated between the slide and retorting vessel which is filled with hot fluidized particles from the slide, and fluidization gas is passed through fluidization means of each filled draw-off vessel causing the hot solid particles therein to flow into a respective inlet of the retorting vessel.

Abstract: Oil-containing solids are dried and heated by contacting them in a drying zone with superheated steam admitted to the zone at a temperature in excess of 200.degree. C. The heated solids may be distilled to remove hydrocarbons therefrom and the resulting proceduce and/or combustion products of the distillation or other combustion products are used to heat a mixed vapor remainder, after separation of said carbon from the vapors formed during the drying, to the temperature of 1200.degree. C. for recirculation to the drying zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for the multi-stage refining of organic bulk materials according to the fluidized bed principle comprising a plurality of horizontally aligned cells (23) including an upper drying chamber (1), a middle degasification chamber (2) and a lower refining chamber (3) separated from each other by an individual gas permeable floor (19) or a gas impermeable floor (20). Adjacent cells are connected to each other by common discharge/charge chutes having vertical separation walls extending therein.

Abstract: An energy efficient process for beneficiating and dewatering high water content carbonaceous materials utilizing a pneumatic stream to entrain, transport, dewater and to carbonize organic carbonaceous material in a fluidized bed. The process utilizes physical separation for principal removal of moisture and reduces contact between organic carbonaceous matter and hot process water, thereby retaining a high organic content in the product fuel. The organic carbonaceous materials are chemically beneficiated during carbonization in a fluidized bed contactor. Heat exchange and heat recovery procedures provide an economical, energy efficient process.

Abstract: An improved coking process for normally solid carbonaceous materials wherein the yield of liquid product from the coker is increased by adding ammonia or an ammonia precursor to the coker. The invention is particularly useful in a process wherein coal liquefaction bottoms are coked to produce both a liquid and a gaseous product. Broadly, ammonia or an ammonia precursor is added to the coker ranging from about 1 to about 60 weight percent based on normally solid carbonaceous material and is preferably added in an amount from about 2 to about 15 weight percent.

Abstract: Method for traveling fluidized bed distillation of coarse ground tire scrap, rubber vulcanizate (also vulcanized rubber), in a mixture with coarse aggregate. The rubber and aggregates are charges to a vertical still equipped with power burners near the bottom to burn a portion of the carbonaceous residue and supply the needed heat for the distillation process. The volatile materials and the pyrolysis oil vapors are drawn at the top for recovery and processing. Fines are recovered and the aggregate still at elevated temperatures are recycled to the top of the column and reused again with additional ground rubber. Noncondensable gases resulting from the "pyrolysis oil" condensation and recovery system contain high heating value and can be used for combustion needs in the still, or for steam generation.

Abstract: The rapid pyrolysis of lignocellulosic products, especially forest waste, is conducted in a fluidized bed of hot refractory particles. The pyrolysis products, comprising solid carbonaceous residue (i.e., char), tars and gas, escape from the bed and cross an overheating zone comprising a packed bed contactor supplied by a rainfall of hot refractory particles. The carbonaceous solid residue is then separated from the produced gases, a portion of which is recycled to fluidize the bed, and burned in a conveyed bed combustion reactor, thus heating the refractory particles that supply the packed bed contactor and the fluidized bed.

Abstract: The dry distillation of oil shale and like volatilizable materials as carried out by intimately mixing it with a fine-grain hot heat-transfer medium. According to the invention the hot distillation residue is passed in direct heat exchange with a cooling gas and the latter is utilized as one component of a preheating mixed gas which is passed in uniflow with the devolatilizable material through at least one riser. Hot combustion gases can make up other components of these mixed gases.

Abstract: A two-stage process for staged combustion of crushed retorted particles, especially sulfur and nitrogen-bearing shale, provides maximum heat from combustible materials in shale while emissions of carbon monoxide and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen are minimized. In the first stage, combustion is maintained under fluidizing conditions with a substoichiometric amount of oxygen. Off-gases from the first stage are burned in a second-stage combustion zone utilizing an oxygen-containing gas stream controlled to limit emission of carbon monoxide in the flue gas. To minimize production of sulfur oxides, combustion temperature is concurrently maintained below a peak value of 1700.degree. F. by introducing inert gas or recycled decarbonized fines to the first-stage combustion zone to reduce temperature therein.

Abstract: In a magnetically stabilized fluidized bed in which the bed particles continuously move transverse to the flow of the fluidizing fluid, the bed particles have increased fluidity when the bed is operated at or substantially near the locus of transition between the bubbling and stabilized regimes of said bed. More specifically, the particulate bed comprising a transverse flow magnetically stabilized fluidized bed process has greater fluidity when the bed is operated such that the ratio of the difference between the transition velocity and the operating velocity to the difference between the transition velocity and the normal minimum fluidization velocity ranges between -0.1 and +0.5. The increased fluidity facilitates the movement of solids within a vessel as well as the transfer of solids to other vessels.

Abstract: A combustion heater for oil shale heats particles of spent oil shale containing unburned char by burning the char. A delayed fall is produced by flowing the shale particles down through a stack of downwardly sloped overlapping baffles alternately extending from opposite sides of a vertical column. The delayed fall and flow reversal occurring in passing from each baffle to the next increase the residence time and increase the contact of the oil shale particles with combustion supporting gas flowed across the column to heat the shale to about 650.degree.-700.degree. C. for use as a process heat source.

Abstract: In a method for regeneration of moist powder adsorption agent, the moist-charged adsorption agent is first fed into the lower area of a fluidized bed which is provided with an aeration and heat-carrying material; the agent then is fed upwardly through the heat-carrying material while being simultaneously dried, and then the agent is withdrawn together with the vortex gas from the fluidized bed. The agent is separated from the vortex gas in a successively switched separator, and is then fed to a further fluidized bed which is provided with a further aeration and heat-carrying material. The agent is fed in that further bed upwardly through the further heat-carrying material and is simultaneously regenerated. The agent is then discharged together with the further vortex gas from the further fluidized bed. The vortex gases which are withdrawn can be reused as mixing gases during the vortex gas generation.

Abstract: A two-step method and apparatus, according to the fluidized bed principle, for the production of coke, rich gas and pyrolysis tar, with the object of executing the method in a compact apparatus arrangement, with high energy efficiency and high throughput capacity.This is accomplished by a sequence in which the fine grains removed from the drying vapor mixture are removed from the actual pyrolysis process, and a hot gas, alien to the carbonization, is used as fluidization medium in the pyrolysis reactor, and with a hot gas-high performance separator being used for the dust separation from the pyrolysis gas, with the combustion exhaust gas produced in the combustion chamber being used for the indirect heating of the fluidization medium, for the pre-heating of the gas, which is alien to the carbonization, and for the direct heating in the dryer.

Abstract: Coal and residual oil are simultaneously processed in a reactor with a combustion zone at the bottom and a fluidized bed on top of it. The residual oil is injected into heat exchange relationship with the top of the fluidized bed where it is cracked with heat generated by the combustion.

Abstract: Retorted shale particles are recovered from a retort and delivered to a gas lift for transport to a fluidized combustor by passage, serially, through a sealing vessel, a crusher preferably operating at retort pressure, and a surge vessel. In the sealing vessel, a sealing gas is introduced, and after commingling with the shale, the gas passes countercurrently to the shale and enters the retort, thus sealing the retort gases in the retort while separating the retorted shale from the retort gases. Retorted shale from the sealing vessel is transported to a crusher, wherein the shale is reduced in size to that suitable for combustion under fluidized conditions. To prevent the crushed shale from packing, the shale is passed to a surge vessel, wherein the crushed shale is held as a fluidized bed, from which the crushed shale is continuously withdrawn at a regulated rate and introduced into the gas lift leading to the fluidized combustor.

Abstract: A fluidized bed charcoal particle production system, including apparatus and method, wherein pieces of combustible waste, such as sawdust, fragments of wood, etc., are continuously disposed within a fluidized bed of a pyrolytic vessel. Preferably, the fluidized bed is caused to reach operating temperatures by use of an external pre-heater. The fluidized bed is situated above an air delivery system at the bottom of the vessel, which supports pyrolysis within the fluidized bed. Charcoal particles are thus formed within the bed from the combustible waste and are lifted from the bed and placed in suspension above the bed by forced air passing upwardly through the bed. The suspended charcoal particles and the gaseous medium in which the particles are suspended are displaced from the vessel into a cyclone mechanism where the charcoal particles are separated. The separated charcoal particles are quenched with water to terminate all further charcoal oxidation.

Abstract: Superheated steam generated by passing wet steam through a superheater containing a fluidized or partially fluidized bed of hot particulate solids recovered from a retorting process especially useful in a process for recovering hydrocarbon vapors from a hydrocarbonaceous solid such as oil shale.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for narrowing the distribution of residence times of any size particle and equalizing the residence times of large and small particles in fluidized beds. Particles are moved up one fluidized column and down a second fluidized column with the relative heights selected to equalize residence times of large and small particles. Additional pairs of columns are staged to narrow the distribution of residence times and provide complete processing of the material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for converting solid carbonaceous material, such as oil-shale, to a discriminate range of liquid and gaseous products, which process includes treating the carbonaceous material with an inert gas, at relatively short gas and long solids residence times in two or more temperature zones.

Abstract: A horizontal fluid bed retorting process is provided for preheating, retorting, combusting, and recovering heat from oil shale and other solid hydrocarbon-containing material. In the process, the combustor and heat recovery chambers share a common heat-conductive metal wall with and are positioned in side-by-side relationship to the cellular preheating and retorting chambers. The heat of combustion in the combustor and the heat recovered from the combusted shale or other material in the heat recovery chamber are transferred by conduction into the retorting and preheating chambers, respectively, to provide the process heat requirements for preheating and retorting the oil shale or other feed. The oil shale or other feed is fluidly moved in a generally horizontal S-shaped flow pattern through the preheating and retorting chambers in countercurrent flow to the combusted material in the combustor and heat recovery chambers.

Abstract: A reactor vessel for maintaining a staged moving bed of solids, in the presence of countercurrently flowing gas stream, having a diameter of at least one meter and a pressure drop across the body of solids approximately equal to that of a fully fluidized bed and a method for using same to thermally process a granular solid composed of a broad distribution of particle sizes.

Abstract: The instant disclosure relates to the feeding of pulverized hydrocarbonaceous solids, such as coal, coke, tar sands, oil shale, etc., into a high pressure reactor for retorting or gasification of the solids. The pulverized hydrocarbonaceous solids are mixed with a motive fluid and pressurized in a jet ejector. The pulverized solid/motive fluid mixture is then separated by a cyclone separator. The operation may be repeated in successive stages to achieve the desired pressures. The pressurized solids from the cyclone separator are introduced into the reactor, and motive fluid from the separator is recirculated to the jet ejector.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for retorting a hydrocarbonaceous solids using a fluidized bed of heat-transfer material above a packed bed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a combined fluidized bed retorting and combustion system particularly useful for extracting energy values from oil shale. The oil-shale retort and combustor are disposed side-by-side and in registry with one another through passageways in a partition therebetween. The passageways in the partition are submerged below the top of the respective fluid beds to preclude admixing or the product gases from the two chambers. The solid oil shale or bed material is transported through the chambers by inclining or slanting the fluidizing medium distributor so that the solid bed material, when fluidized, moves in the direction of the downward slope of the distributor.

Abstract: Retorted shale particles are recovered from a retort and delivered to a gas lift for transport to a fluidized combustor by passage, serially, through a sealing vessel, a crusher preferably operating at retort pressure, and a surge vessel. In the sealing vessel, a sealing gas is introduced, and after commingling with the shale, the gas passes counter-currently to the shale and enters the retort, thus sealing the retort gases in the retort while separating the retorted shale from the retort gases. Retorted shale from the sealing vessel is transported to a crusher, wherein the shale is reduced in size to that suitable for combustion under fluidized conditions. To prevent the crushed shale from packing, the shale is passed to a surge vessel, wherein the crushed shale is held as a fluidized bed, from which the crushed shale is continuously withdrawn at a regulated rate and introduced into the gas lift leading to the fluidized combustor.

Abstract: Heat transfer particles of fluidizable size are selected for recycling to the pyrolysis zone to broaden usable size range of oil shale feed. These recycle particles should all be of a fluidizable size and when mixed with the raw oil shale the total amount of fluidizable particles should comprise not less than about 60 weight percent of the particles in the mixture. This process is especially useful when the heat transfer material is recycled oil shale particles. The present invention is particularly advantageous when the oil shale is pyrolyzed in a vertical retorting vessel containing a fluidized bed above a packed bed of particles.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are extracted from a hydrocarbon-bearing substrate, e.g. shale oil, bituminous coal, tar sand, in the substantial absence of oxygen at temperatures above 400.degree. C., by passing substrate particles through a plurality of successive stages in which the substrate is mixed with a solid heat-bearing medium, the mixture being maintained in a fluidized-bed condition, and the liberated hydrocarbons being removed by passage of an inert stripping gas in cross-current flow with respect to the passage of the substrate particles. The average cross-sectional area of at least one or more of the stages subsequent to the first one is preferably smaller than the average cross-sectional area of one or more of the preceding stages.An apparatus for carrying out the process is described.

Abstract: Devolatizable fine-grained material which contains hydrocarbons is devolatilized by means of fine-grained solids which have been heated to temperatures of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. The devolatilizable fine-grained material is mixed with the heated solids and is thus heated to temperatures of about 400.degree. to 900.degree. C. The mixture is passed through a dwell zone, and gaseous and vaporous devolatilization products are withdrawn and cooled. The heated solids are fed to the dwell zone as a loosened stream in a trickling and/or agitated state of motion, and the devolatilizable fine-grained material is introduced into said stream in order to be admixed thereto. The heated solids and the devolatilizable fine-grained material can be mixed in a weight ratio of 3:1 to 12:1. The stream of trickling heated solids can be deflected at least in part.

Abstract: A fluid bed retorting process is provided in which solid heat carrier material and solid hydrocarbon-containing material, such as oil shale, tar sand and coal, are fluidly moved in a lateral direction until they spill over an upright barrier into an overflow discharge outlet. The solids can be premixed in the retort before entering the laterally moving fluid bed in a premixing fluidizing chamber or with a conical deflector. Upright annular or transverse baffles can be positioned in the fluid bed to minimize lateral backmixing of solids and can also extend above the surface of the fluid bed to minimize wave propagation. Any unfluidized coarse particles can also be moved laterally by gravity flow and jet deflectors.

Abstract: Pyrolysis process and system for recovering product gases and liquids from solid carbonaceous particles.Dual stage fluidized bed retort is disclosed having frusto-conical stages serially connected to promote uniform pyrolysis. Product gases and oil are removed from final fluid bed stage in series. Process includes various energy efficient aspects involving recycle of dilute phase combusted solids as the heat carrier, heavy oil recycle and use of steam and/or product vapors as the source of fluidizing gas for the staged retort.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon-bearing substrate particles are pre-heated by heating the same with a solid heat-bearing medium by indirect counter-current flow using a series of heat transfer loops each containing a circulating heat transfer medium chosen such that the whole series permits a staged rise in temperature of the substrate particles and a staged drop in temperature of the solid heat-bearing medium. Preferably the heat transfer fluid in the loops circulates between the substrate and the hot spent substrate by means of the so-called thermosyphon effect.An apparatus for carrying out the method is described.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method and apparatus for the recovery of hydrocarbons from tar sands, oil shale or oil containing diatomaceous earth. The method comprises passing feed comprising tar sands, oil shale or oil containing diatomaceous earth to a contacting zone wherein the feed is contacted with heat transfer medium in a screw mixing zone to heat said feed to near recovery temperature wherein the feed is at least partially heated to form fluid material having heating value and forming partially spent inorganic matter associated with carbonaceous material; passing a mixture comprising substantially all of the fluid material and partially spent inorganic matter associated with carbonaceous material from the contacting zone to a separation zone wherein solids are partially separated from the fluid material; and recovering fluid material.

Abstract: Solid hydrocarbon-containing material, such as oil shale, coal or tar sand, is fed into a retort through a multiplicity of feed lines to enhance retorting efficiency, throughput and product yield. In the preferred form, larger particles of hydrocarbon-containing material gravitate downwardly through the retort in countercurrent relationship to an upward fluidized stream of smaller particles of hydrocarbon-containing material. This arrangement is especially useful to retort larger particles of hydrocarbon-containing material. One or more streams of intermediate size particles of hydrocarbon-containing material can also be fed into the retort.

Abstract: A drain and sampling valve assembly for a fluidized bed reactor in which a pipe extends from the fluidized bed supporting structure to a location externally of said reactor. A valve seat is supported by said supporting structure and a valve stem is disposed in the pipe and extends for the length of the pipe and has a valve head mounted at one end of the stem for cooperating with the valve seat. A mechanical actuator assembly is provided externally of said reactor for selectively moving the stem relative to the pipe and the movement of the valve head relative to the valve seat to control the flow of material from the fluidized bed into the pipe. A discharge pipe and a sampling valve cooperate with the other end of the first mentioned pipe for selectively controlling the discharge of material from said latter pipe for permitting samples to be taken.

Abstract: A fluidized bed apparatus and a process for the gasification of combustible materials such as biomass heavy hydrocarbon oils and coal. Two or more separate reaction zones connected in series as a closed loop are formed within a tubular housing, through which a bed of particulate heat transfer medium such as sand continuously and successively recirculates while being maintained in the fluidized state. One of the reaction zones serves as a cracking zone for the combustible material and another one of the reaction zones serves as a heat-up zone for thermally regenerating the heat transfer medium by partial or complete combustion of char produced in the cracking zone.

Abstract: Solid heat carrier material and solid hydrocarbon-containing material, such as oil shale, tar sands or coal, are deflected be conical baffles into radially moving fluid beds which alternately flow radially outwardly and inwardly over a series of trays and downwardly into a series of peripheral and axial downcomers for a sufficient residence time to liberate hydrocarbons from the solid hydrocarbon-containing material. A fluidizing gas is injected upwardly into the beds to mix and fluidize most of the solids in the beds as well as to strip and transport the liberated hydrocarbons away from the beds for further processing downstream. Upright annular baffles can be positioned in the beds to minimize radial backmixing of solids and can also extend above the surface of the beds to minimize wave propagation. Any unfluidized coarse particles can be moved downwardly at an angle of inclination by gravity flow and jet deflectors.