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: Heat is recovered from a hot particulate solid by passing the solid through a heat recovery zone having a countercurrent flow of gas and internal means for controlling backmixing and residence times, said internal means also containing a circulating heat transfer fluid.

Abstract: In a process for pyrolyzing a particulate hydrocarbon-containing solid an improvement comprising removing entrained fines from the product vapors leaving the principal pyrolysis zone and pyrolyzing any remaining hydrocarbons in the fines in a supplemental pyrolysis zone.

Abstract: Combustor and process for burning particularized oil shale by preburning separate fine and coarse particle feedstreams prior to mixing in the main combustion zone.

Abstract: Oil shale particles separated into coarse- and fine-particle streams prior to retorting in a downward moving bed, wherein the fine particles enter the retort below the top of the fluidized bed to minimize entrainment before pyrolysis occurs.

Abstract: Combustor and process for burning particularized oil shale by preburning separate fine and coarse particle feedstreams prior to mixing in the main combustion zone.

Abstract: Residual carbon in pyrolyzed solids burned by combusting a fine fraction separating in a first dilute phase combustion zone and mixing the fine fraction and the bulk of the pyrolyzed solids in a second dilute phase combustion zone.

Abstract: A combination of a retorting process with a granular filtration zone whereby finely divided solids are removed from hydrocarbonaceous vapors. Raw hydrocarbon-containing particles such as shale are retorted by contacting them with heat carrier particles, and the resulting hydrocarbonaceous vapors withdrawn from the retort are contaminated with entrained, finely divided solids. These solids are removed from the hydrocarbonaceous vapors by passing the contaminated vapors at substantially the retorting temperature transversely through a downwardly moving bed of solid contact material maintained at approximately retorting temperature. The solid contact material is selected from retorted solids, heat carrier particles and mixtures of them. The mixture of finely divided solids and contact material withdrawn from the granular filtration may be returned to the process.