Abstract: A fluid bed process and system for retorting hydrocarbon-containing material, such as oil shale, coal and tar sand, in which hydrocarbon-containing material and heat carrier material are fed into a mixing chamber, mixed and rapidly transported upwardly by a lift gas through a lift pipe into a solids-containing vessel to retort the hydrocarbon-containing material with minimal thermal cracking of the liberated hydrocarbons to increase the recovery of condensable hydrocarbons. The retorted material can be conveyed to a dilute phase lift pipe and combustor vessel where carbon residue in the retorted material is combusted leaving hot spent material that can be fed into the mixing chamber as heat carrier material.

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: A fluid coking process is provided in which a polymetaphosphoric acid, a salt of a polymetaphosphoric acid or precursors thereof are present in the fluid coking zone.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method for the retorting of oil shale comprising passing feed comprising oil shale to a contacting zone wherein the feed oil shale is contacted with heat transfer medium to heat said shale to retorting temperature. Retorting of the feed oil shale is substantially effected to form fluid material having heating value and forming partially spent oil shale comprising inorganic and carbonaceous material. At least a portion of the partially spent oil shale is passed to a combustion zone wherein the partially spent oil shale is contacted with oxidizing gas comprising oxygen to substantially combust carbonaceous material and forming spent oil shale. At least a portion of the spent shale is passed to a cooling zone to remove heat from the spent shale and at least a portion of the spent shale from the cooling zone is recycled to the contacting 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: The condensible parts are removed from the distillation gas of oil shale, a portion of the remaining amount of gas is removed and the rest is heated, e.g., by the combustion gas of the distillation residue and used without the addition of any more materials to distill oil shale. The installation for this consists of a distillation cyclone reactor, whose gas outlets are connected to an oil separator and whose tangential feed nozzles are connected by way of a blower and a heat exchanger to the oil separator.

Abstract: A process for preheating oil shale in which the oil shale is partially preheated to 200.degree. F. to 400.degree. F. in a first lift pipe followed by final preheat to temperatures of between 400.degree. F. and 650.degree. F. in a second lift pipe. Hydrocarbons released from the oil shale in both the first and second lift pipes are incinerated in an incinerator/recuperator. In order to provide adequate incineration and combustion of the hydrocarbons released in the first, low temperature lift pipe, the entrainment gas or first gas stream is a low Btu gas preferably produced from conventional gasification of carbonaceous material. The low Btu entrainment gas along with released hydrocarbons is utilized as a fuel in the incinerator/recuperator and also may be utilized for other combustion applications in oil shale pyrolysis processing. In oil shale pyrolysis carried out with ceramic balls as heat exchange bodies, a portion of the low Btu entrainment gas is conveniently utilized to fuel the ball heater.

Abstract: Staged combustion of a retorted carbon containing solid comprising partially burning residual carbonaceous material in a dilute vertical combustion zone and completing the combustion in a second combustion zone where a second fraction of retorted carbon containing solids is introduced and fines are also removed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method and apparatus for the retorting of oil shale and the formation of spent oil shale having improved cementation properties. The improved method comprises passing feed comprising oil shale to a contacting zone wherein the feed oil shale is contacted with heat transfer medium to heat said shale to retorting temperature. The feed oil shale is substantially retorted to form fluid material having heating value and forming partially spent oil shale containing carbonaceous material. At least a portion of the partially spent oil shale is passed to a combustion zone wherein the partially spent oil shale is contacted with oxidizing gas comprising oxygen and steam to substantially combust carbonaceous material forming spent oil shale having improved cementation properties.

Abstract: This invention discloses a process and apparatus for pyrolyzing particulate coal by heating with a particulate solid heating media in a transport reactor. The invention tends to dampen fluctuations in the flow of heating media upstream of the pyrolysis zone, and by so doing forms a substantially continuous and substantially uniform annular column of heating media flowing downwardly along the inside diameter of the reactor. The invention is particularly useful for bituminous or agglomerative type coals.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the extraction of energy values from l shale containing considerable concentrations of calcium carbonate in an efficient manner. The volatiles are separated from the oil shale in a retorting zone of a fluidized bed where the temperature and the concentration of oxygen are maintained at sufficiently low levels so that the volatiles are extracted from the oil shale with minimal combustion of the volatiles and with minimal calcination of the calcium carbonate. These gaseous volatiles and the calcium carbonate flow from the retorting zone into a freeboard combustion zone where the volatiles are burned in the presence of excess air. In this zone the calcination of the calcium carbonate occurs but at the expense of less BTU's than would be required by the calcination reaction in the event both the retorting and combustion steps took place simultaneously. The heat values in the products of combustion are satisfactorily recovered in a suitable heat exchange system.

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: A method and a system for disposing of the pyrolysis gas generated in a pyrolyzing system to refine the same are presented in which an absorbing agent for eliminating harmful gas is introduced into a thermal reactor in such an amount that a large percent of such agent is unreacted but it is efficiently recovered together with char from the pyrolysis gas and also these recovered materials are utilized to remove oil and tar from water used in cleaning the pyrolysis gas, the recovered solid particles of the char and unreacted absorbing agent and the oil and tar separated from the cleaning water being recirculated in the pyrolyzing system.

Abstract: This invention discloses a process and apparatus for pyrolyzing particulate coal by heating with a particulate solid heating media in a transport reactor. The invention tends to dampen fluctuations in the flow of heating media upstream of the pyrolysis zone, and by so doing forms a substantially continuous and substantially uniform annular column of heating media flowing downwardly along the inside diameter of the reactor. The invention is particularly useful for bituminous or agglomerative type coals.

Abstract: Solid carbonaceous material, especially coal or coal char, is desulfurized by treatment with a limited amount of hydrogen to convert the organic sulfur to sulfide sulfur at an elevated temperature. The thusly formed sulfide sulfur is then removed from the solid carbonaceous material by steam treatment or other means.

Abstract: A process of gasifying fine-grained solid fuels for the production of a product gas that contains hydrogen, carbon oxides and methane comprises a treatment with steam, oxygen and/or carbon dioxide in two interconnected gasifying stages under a pressure in the range from 2 to 150 bars and at temperatures of 500.degree. to 1500.degree. C. In the first gasifying stage, the fuel is gasified in a circulating fluidized bed by a treatment with gasifying stage. The residual solids which become available in the first gasifying stage are fed to the second gasifying stage and are virtually completely gasified therein, except for residual ash, by a treatment with a gasifying agent which includes oxygen. At least one-half of the product gas from the second gasifying stage is fed to the first gasifying stage and used as fluidizing fluid therein.

Abstract: A system is provided for utilizing fines of carbonaceous materials such as particles or pieces of oil shale of about one-half inch or less diameter which are rejected for use in some conventional or prior surface retorting process, which obtains maximum utilization of the energy content of the fines and which produces a waste which is relatively inert and of a size to facilitate disposal. The system includes a cyclone retort (20) which pyrolyzes the fines in the presence of heated gaseous combustion products, the cyclone retort having a first outlet (30) through which vapors can exit that can be cooled to provide oil, and having a second outlet (32) through which spent shale fines are removed. A burner (36) connected to the spent shale outlet of the cyclone retort, burns the spent shale with air, to provide hot combustion products (24) that are carried back to the cyclone retort to supply gaseous combustion products utilized therein.

Abstract: Improved method and apparatus are disclosed for regenerating wet spent carbon containing volatile impurities wherein the wet spent carbon is dried in a drying zone utilizing incinerated reactivation zone gaseous effluent. The inmprovement of the invention provides that the portion of reactivation zone gaseous effluent used to dry the wet spent carbon in the drying zone is continuously recycled to the reactivation zone for incineration to remove any volatile impurities which may have been removed from the wet spent carbon during drying. The balance of the reactivation zone gaseous effluent may be discharged into the atmosphere without further incineration.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for production of synthetic hydrocarbon fuels from peat providing wide variation of the composite proportion of liquid-gas output while maintaining high overall carbon conversion to useful fuel. The process and apparatus utilizes three process stages in a single vessel providing functions of drying wet peat, provisions for addition of both wet and dry peat to a hydropyrolysis zone and gasification of the peat char.

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: Process for burning a pyrolyzed carbon containing solid in a staged turbulent bed to provide hot heat transfer material for use in pyrolyzing additional carbon containing solids.

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: Method of mixing particulate materials comprising contacting a primary source and a secondary source thereof whereby resulting mixture ensues; preferably at least one of the two sources has enough motion to insure good mixing and the particulate materials may be heat treated if desired.Apparatus for such mixing comprising an inlet for a primary source, a reactor communicating therewith, a feeding means for supplying a secondary source to the reactor, and an inlet for the secondary source. Feeding means is preferably adapted to supply fluidized materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of a gas having a high heating value and a gasification furnace used for carrying out the process. The process of this invention is characterized in that a powdery coal is reacted with a hydrogen gas at a temperature of between 400.degree. and 900.degree. C. and a pressure of 20 and 100 Kg/cm.sup.2 in such a state that the powdery coal forms a layer on a dispersing plate from the surface of which the hydrogen gas is emitted and which is inclined so that the coal layer may move thereon in the down grade direction thereof. The gasification furnace of this invention is characterized by the provision of a housing 11 which defines therein a reaction chamber, and a dispersing plate 36 provided in the housing for dividing the housing into an upper space A and a lower space B and laterally inclined with a predetermined gradient.

Abstract: A pyrolyzing apparatus having a pyrolysis fluidized bed chamber and an incineration fluidized bed chamber or chambers each directly adjacent and communicated with the pyrolysis fluidized bed chamber through an opening or openings in a partition wall above a common perforated bottom plate, the respective levels of the fluidized beds being controlled by regulating the pressure(s) in free board(s) of the fluidized bed chambers.

Abstract: Carbonaceous material is gasified in a first pyrolysis zone substantially in an absence of free oxygen by heating with a solid heating media. The carbonaceous material is conducted through the first pyrolysis zone in turbulent flow to provide for the rapid transfer of heat to effect the gasification.Gaseous products are recovered while char products are introduced into a second pyrolysis zone for additional gasification. The second pyrolysis zone is maintained substantially free of free oxygen. Gasification in the second pyrolysis zone is effected by the transfer of heat from a heating media to the char products produced in the first pyrolysis zone.Gaseous products from the second pyrolysis zone are recovered.The char products from the second pyrolysis zone can be heated to a temperature sufficient for use as a solid heating media.The gaseous product from the first pyrolysis zone, after separation from the char product, can be cooled to a lower temperature to condense a liquid product therefrom.

Abstract: A process for the transfer of heat between solids is described in which a particulate solid is allowed to fall at a substantially uniform rate through a dilute phase fluidized bed of another particulate solid.

Abstract: A technique is described which enables agglomerating coals (caking coals) to be flash pyrolyzed in a fluidized-bed reactor without agglomerates forming in the fluidized-bed. The technique requires the inert particles of the fluidized-bed to be coarser and denser than the particulate coal being pyrolyzed. With this arrangement the momentum of the inert particles in the fluidized-bed is believed to destroy the agglomerates as they form.

Abstract: An integral gasifier including a pretreater section and a gasifier section separated by a distribution grid is defined by a single vessel. The pretreater section pretreats coal or other carbon-containing material to be gasified to prevent caking and agglomeration of the coal in the gasifier. The level of the coal bed of the pretreater section and thus the holding or residence time in said bed is selectively regulated by the amount of pretreated coal which is lifted up a lift pipe into the gasifier section. Thus, the holding time in the pretreater section can be varied according to the amount of pretreat necessary for the particular coal to be gasified.

Abstract: Disclosed is an oil shale retorting process which is suitable for retorting lean oil shale containing less than 0.13 liters of oil per kilogram of shale. The raw shale is preferably retorted in a staged turbulent bed and the retorted hydrocarbonaceous vapors containing entrained shale fines are withdrawn therefrom. The fines are concentrated in a portion of the liquid product and fed to a combustion with the previously retorted shale to provide the heat required for retorting the raw shale.

Abstract: A process for gasifying finely-divided coal in a fixed bed gasifier, the process comprising: charging finely-divided coal to a stirred semi-fluidized carbonizer reaction zone where the coal is contacted with oxygen and agglomerated into coal derived particulate solids of a size suitable as a feedstock to a fixed bed gasifer and thereafter passed to a fixed bed gasifer.

Abstract: In the fluidized carbonization and calcination of coal to form a reactive coal calcinate for admixture with bituminous binder for briquetting, curing, and coking to produce form coke, the improvement of recovering medium BTU gases in the overheads by using as the fluidizing medium oxygen diluted with steam or carbon dioxide and removing the steam or carbon dioxide from the overheads.

Abstract: A fixed fluidized particulate solids bed heat recovery vessel or steam generator having indirect heat exchange means within a bed of fluidized carbonaceous solids, such as coke, pelleted carbon black and the like, and introduction of a gas containing entrained solids to effect fluidization of the bed of carbonaceous solids wherein in a preferred embodiment, the reaction effluent from a carbon black reaction zone comprising carbon black suspended in a non-oxidizing gas is preferably quenched, e.g., using water and/or cooled recycled reaction effluent and is then further cooled using a fluidized fixed bed of carbonaceous solids having a cooling coil within the fluidized bed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for pyrolyzing agglomerative coals which comprises introducing a fluidized bed of hot char particles into a pyrolysis chamber or reactor, and injecting upwardly into the chamber a high velocity jet of agglomerative coal particles in a carrier gas, the fluidized hot char particles surrounding the high velocity coal jet and heating the coal particles to yield gaseous products and char. The hot char particles in the fluidized state and disposed around the coal jet are entrained in the upwardly expanding coal jet and mixed with the coal particles, so that by the time the coal particles contact the pyrolysis chamber wall, such coal particles being heated by the char have passed through the tacky state and are no longer tacky and do not adhere to the chamber wall. The gaseous product and char formed during pyrolysis are rapidly removed from the pyrolysis chamber, and such char can be separated, e.g.

Abstract: A process for producing a feedstock for a fixed bed gasifier from finely-divided coal by treating the coal in a first stirred semi-fluidized carbonizer reaction zone to produce particulate coal derived solids larger than the finely-divided coal charged to the first carbonizer and thereafter charging the particulate coal derived solids so produced to a second stirred semi-fluidized carbonizer reaction zone to produce particulate coal derived solids of a size consist greater than 1/4 inch which is charged to a fixed bed gasifier.

Abstract: Fine grained coal is fed into a first chamber of a generally horizontally extending fluidizing bed reactor while a stream of hot solid heat exchange material is passed through the chamber. The coal is then subjected to a fluidizing action with a low nitrogen and low oxygen content so as to degas the coal particles and obtain the combustible gases and liquid byproducts. The coke particles thus formed are then passed into an adjoining second chamber which acts as the combustion chamber and are subjected therein to fluidization with air and burning. Steam is generated in water-filled conduits passing through said second chamber. The heat exchanger particles are simultaneously heated up and are continuously fed back into the first zone of the reactor to contact fresh coal introduced thereinto.

Abstract: A method of reducing the sulfur content of coal, reduced to dust, by means of its own or external thermal energy and by means of rapid coking and/or rapid partial destructive distillation of the coal. The coal dust, which has been ground to less than 0.1 mm and, if necessary, preoxidized in 1 to 4 seconds at 350.degree. to 450.degree. C., is brought to a reaction temperature of 700.degree. to 1100.degree. C. This reaction temperature may be reached directly, either by means of carrier or heating gas heated to over 1000.degree. C., or by means of the partial combustion of the coal with air or oxygen, at heating rates greater than 20,000.degree. C./min. This reaction temperature may also be reached indirectly, at heating rates of less than 20,000.degree. C./min, by means of gaseous, liquid, or turbulent heating carriers. The coal dust is allowed to stand for 1 to 6 seconds at a pressure of 1 to 15 bar until the coke dust and gas which are produced separate from one another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling dustlike or fine-grained reaction residue emanating from a reactor is disclosed. According to the method reaction residue emanating from a reactor passes downwardly into a cooling shaft where it is maintained in the form of a pile of bulk material under a gas pressure of 20 to 200 bars while cooling gas passes upwardly through said cooling shaft in counter-current and is removed at the top of said cooling shaft into the reactor. The apparatus comprises means for effecting cooling of such reactor residue.

Abstract: A single retort and accumulator structure includes two heating zones for successively removing volatile material from dried crushed coal so that the resultant calcined char has less than about 7 weight percent volatile material and is suitable as a raw material for producing formcoke. In the first zone (carbonizing zone) heat carrying solids are introduced with crushed coal to heat the powdered coal to a temperature in the order of about 800.degree. F. to 1000.degree. F. and produce a carbonized char containing about 10% to 20% by weight of volatile material. The resultant carbonized char is fed onto a trommel, or rotating cylindrical or tapered screen, and the char passes through the screen into a calcining fluidized bed zone. The fluidized bed is maintained by upwardly directed jets of an oxygen containing gas and steam. The temperature of the fluidized bed zone is in the vicinity of about 1200.degree. F. to 1600.degree. F.

Abstract: A novel thermal reactor or incinerator of a fluidized bed type is provided wherein residua which have descended to the bottom of the fluidizing bed are transferred to a discharge opening by a plurality of hollow cylindrical rotors disposed above the bottom plate of a vessel of the reactor or incinerator, each of the rotors being provided with a plurality of perforations in the cylindrical wall through which gas or air is injected into inert solid or sand particles to form the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A method of generating gas and coke dust by means of rapid degasification and rapid vaporization, with simultaneous extensive desulfurization, of coal ground into dust. In a first step, one portion of coal is subjected to complete or partial vaporization. In a second step, which immediately follows the first step, another portion of coal is subjected to degasification in the same or in associated reaction chambers. In the degasification, the solid and gaseous products obtained during the vaporization which are at a higher temperature level than that of the degasification step, transfer heat directly to the coal introduced into the degasification step, thus for covering the heat required for the degasification.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for regenerating wet spent carbon containing volatile impurities wherein the wet spent carbon is dried in a drying zone utilizing incinerated reactivation zone gaseous effluent. The reactivation zone gaseous effluent is derived by reactivating dried spent carbon in a reactivation zone at pyrolysis conditions to remove volatile components from the adsorbent. Removal is effected utilizing combustion gases. The reactivation zone gaseous effluent is comprised of the combustion gases, the vaporized volatile impurities, and, where steam is employed in the reactivation zone to remove fixed carbon, substantial quantities of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. By interposing the incineration zone between the drying and reactivation zone, efficiency of the overall process is maximized.

Abstract: At least a portion of coke produced in a hearth-type furnace is fed into an activation reactor, and at least a portion of the waste gas from the hearth-type furnace is fed to the activation reactor to act as a heating gas and/or an activation gas for the coke feed. Hot waste gas from the activation reactor is passed to a waste-heat boiler. Active coke which has at least partially lost its adsorption capacity may be fed into the furnace in mixture with the coal or alone, or it may be fed directly into the activation reactor for re-activation of the coke.

Abstract: A reactor for the continuous thermal treatment of solids, particularly carbonaceous adsorbents comprises two superimposed fluidizing beds, below them a combustion chamber for receiving a fuel- or oil-air mixture, an intermediate regeneration space between the fluidizing beds and a similar space above the upper fluidizing bed. A gas outlet is provided in the top regeneration space to which also the inlet for the material to be treated leads. The outlet for the treated materials is provided on the intermediate regeneration space. The two spaces are connected by a channel through which the overrun of treated material passes from the upper to the intermediate regeneration space. This channel leads from the upper space through the wall of the reactor to the outside and reverts then through the wall back into the intermediate space. Valve means are provided for regulating the flow in the connecting channel.

Abstract: Carbonaceous material is gasified in a first pyrolysis zone substantially in an absence of free oxygen by heating with a solid heating media. The carbonaceous material is conducted through the first pyrolysis zone in turbulent flow to provide for the rapid transfer of heat to effect the gasification.Gaseous products are recovered while char products are introduced into a second pyrolysis zone for additional gasification. The second pyrolysis zone is maintained substantially free of free oxygen. Gasification in the second pyrolysis zone is effected by the transfer of heat from a heating media to the char products produced in the first pyrolysis zone.Gaseous products from the second pyrolysis zone are recovered.The char products from the second pyrolysis zone can be heated to a temperature sufficient for use as a solid heating media.The gaseous product from the first pyrolysis zone, after separation from the char product, can be cooled to a lower temperature to condense a liquid product therefrom.

Abstract: The invention is directed to improving the quality of fluidization of fluidized solids and comprises the addition of fluidization promoters in particle form that have a smaller density and particle size than the neat solids. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the catalyst is a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst and the fluidization promoter comprises carbon particles.

Abstract: A fluidized stream of coal particles is introduced into the bottom of a vertical reaction zone in a fluidized bed process at a velocity of greater than about 200 ft/sec in a vertically upwards direction, wherein agglomeration of the fluidized bed is prevented. A separate liquid hydrocarbon stream is simultaneously introduced as a separate injection stream in a vertically upwards direction, said coal particles and said liquid hydrocarbons being rapidly and uniformly dispersed within the fluidized bed and reacted therein with a suitable reagent.

Abstract: In the multi-stage fluidized carbonization of coal to produce, oil, gas and char, oil containing vapors from the first stage are used as the fluidizing gas to dry the incoming coal feed. The oil vapor pressure of the fluidizing gas is maintained at a value under 10 mm. to prevent oil condensation in the fluidized drying vessel. The technique makes possible the recovery of sensible heat from the first stage overheads.

Abstract: A process for pyrolysis of coal wherein the subdivided coal is preheated, pyrolyzed, and subjected to heat recovery after pyrolysis, heat transfer being effected by contacting the subdivided coal as a dilute-phase fluidized bed in the first stage of dual preheating zones with a first particulate heat carrier, with a second particulate heat carrier in a dense-phase fluidized bed in the second preheating stage, followed by pyrolysis in a dense-phase fluidized bed pyrolysis zone. The separate particulate heat carriers are employed in such manner that one mass of heat carrier is utilized for preheating the subdivided coal in the first stage and heat recovery, and a second mass of heat carrier is utilized for pyrolysis of the coal and the second stage preheating.

Abstract: A method of heating multi-fractional materials is disclosed wherein additional streams of heat carrier gas of a comparatively high temperature are introduced in a stream of heat carrier which has a maximum-temperature heating zone and a comparatively low-temperature heating zone provided in the process flow. The additional streams are supplied only to the comparatively low-temperature heating zone in the main stream of heat carrier, thereby raising the temperature of the heat carrier stream. Multi-fractional materials are heated as they enter the comparatively low-temperature heating zone in the heat carrier stream and before they have entered the maximum-temperature zone.The apparatus for implementing the method of heating consists of a plurality of heaters connected in a series relationship and having inlet tubes for supply of heat carrier and the materials to be heated, a means adapted for separating heated materials from waste heat carrier, and discharge tubes for the above products.