Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for the thermal treatment of feed material containing solids and liquids such as solid waste or the like. The apparatus includes one or more coaxial rotatable drums and one or more free rotating spirals advancing the material in the drums. The material flowing through the drums is heated to form solids and vapors. In one or more embodiments of the apparatus, the hot solids and vapors exchange heat with the cold feed material. An extruder for preparing the solids being produced from the apparatus for disposal and a means for rotating the drums are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for forming a terraced structure in the upper surface of a particulate solid bed, typically oil shale, moving upward through an upflow retort and removing particulate solids from the upper surface, which includes rotating a scraping means comprising a shaft having a plurality of scrapers secured thereto arranged in a vertically spaced-apart relationship and in a radially outwardly-stepped relationship relative to a vertical axis of the shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for inducing and accelerating hydrogen dissociation in a cloud generated from feedstock fed into a chamber defined by the apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a device for thermally stimulating the feedstock to generate the cloud, a device for localizing the cloud within the chamber, a device for electrically stimulating the localized cloud, and a device for photonically stimulating the localized cloud. A method is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting hydrocarbons from tar sands. Stationary heater plates have a central opening therethrough through which a horizontal axle extends. Rotors having a central hub and a number of arms are splined on the axle, one closely sandwiched between every two heater plates. A ring is provided between the heater plates closely outward of the rotor arms. Sand retaining pockets are defined between adjacent arms of each rotor, the rotor hub, the ring and adjacent heater plates. Sand is retained in the sand retaining pockets for about one revolution about the axis between feed and removal positions. While retained in the pockets, the sand is heated and hydrocarbons driven off are collected.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved extractor (10) for removing a liquid from a solid carrier medium in which the liquid is entrained. The extraction process is accomplished by utilizing both percolation and immersion removal methods. The extractor (10) includes a plurality of pools (12, 12') through which the solid entraining the liquid therein is moved in a direction counter-flow to that in which a solvent passes through the extractor (10). Percolation removal is effected at the overflow (48, 48') of each pool (12, 12') as solvent washes through the solids being processed. Immersion is effected at the lower end of a sloped floor (22, 22') of each pool (12, 12') where the solids are soaked in the solvent. A final percolation bath (14) can be provided as a last stage of the extractor (10).

Abstract: The method employs a furnace, wherein organic distillation products released from the binder and the gaseous and particulate decomposition products are burned off. Bodies, placed on the ceramic bottom plate of a truck, are introduced into the pre-heating zone of the furnace, covered with protective coverings, and heated to 200.degree.-600.degree. C. in an oxidizing medium. Thereafter, the coverings are removed in a vestibule, in an inert or slightly reducing medium, and the bodies are introduced into the calcining zone, provided with an inert or slightly reducing medium, to be further heated up to a temperature in the 1000.degree. to 1200.degree. C. range. Lastly, the bodies are cooled in a first cooling zone down to 400.degree.-450.degree. C. in an inert or slightly reducing medium, and in a second zone down to room temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for gas treating a particle bed wherein a uniform temperature gradient is achieved. A support member, such as a grate, serves to support a bed of particles on a surface thereof. The support member is moved in a predetermined direction. Gas is released from a plurality of positions at different depths in the bed.

Abstract: Slugs (4) of products dehydrated by compression are thrust into the tube (11) up to the hearth (15). The hot gases from the hearth passing round the tube (11) heat it up in order to release the gases and carbonize the solids which burn in the form of coke in the bottom (16) of the hearth. Household refuse may thus be eliminated not only without expense but with recovery of energy from it.

Abstract: A oil shale retorting process in which oil shale particles are separated into fines and large particles. The large particles are preheated and combined with hot spent shale from a combustor and introduced into a retorting vessel. The fines are introduced into the disengaging section of the retorting vessel. Retort vapors are processed to produce an upgraded syncrude. The portion of the retort vessel where the oil shale and spent shale are introduced has a smaller diameter than the retorting section.

Abstract: A method for low temperature carbonization of coal hydrogenation residues, wherein a coal hydrogenation residue is subjected to a reduced pressure distillation in a one-shaft or multishaft screw extruder, liberated gases and vapors are drawn off, and non-volatilized remaining material is subjected to low temperature carbonization in a screw extruder.

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: 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: Oil is preferably recovered from oil shale through the use of a process involving two separate heating steps. During the first of these steps the shale is heated by contact with a hot gas stream while it is agitated for a period and at a temperature which together are such that any significant further heating will cause the vaporization of pyrolysis products of the kerogen within the shale. During the second heating step the shale is further heated by contact with a hot gas stream while being agitated for a period and to a temperature which together are sufficient to produce and volatilize substantially all of the volatiles which can be obtained from or derived from the shale. After the second heating step the vaporized products and the remaining inorganic mineral matrix are separated, and the volatiles are recovered as oil.

Abstract: A process for retorting an organic oil-bearing solid, notably an oil shale, wherein the heat requirements of the retorting are supplied by the partial indirect heating of internally generated, or in situ combustion gases, and the combustion air, to form a by-product gas which can be burned with air in furnaces without necessity of using supplemental fuel.

Abstract: In the indirect method of retorting oil shale highly heated gases produced out of contact with flames in a heat exchanger are introduced into the retort and release oil vapor and high-value, high BTU gas and oil vapor from the shale which mix with the hot gas so introduced into the retort. Instead of burning the heat value gas of pipeline quality in the heat exchanger which is the present procedure, this invention fires the heat exchanger with abundant, cheap, low-value gas which for example is produced underground in-situ at or near the retort, thereby preserving the high value gas, after condensation of the oil vapor, partially for recirculation through the heat exchanger and retort and for in-plant operations, such a hydrogenation of the extract shale oil to produce refinable crude or for pipeline use.

Abstract: In a process of recovering oil from oil-containing minerals on a traveling grate, hot gases are passed through the bed in a retorting zone, oil is separated from the retort gases in a separating stage, solid carbon in the retorted bed is burnt in a succeeding combustion zone by means of oxygen-containing gases passed through, gases from which the oil has been removed in the separating zone are passed through the bed in a succeeding cooling zone and the heated gases are recycled to the retorting zone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering oil from shale comprises forming a bed of oil bearing shale particles on a plurality of rotatable apertured cylindrical rollers having filler members in the nip between adjacent rollers; transporting the bed by rotating the rollers to frictionally engage the shale particles and transfer them onto and across the filler members to continuously agitate the particles as they are being transported at a velocity substantially lower than the circumferential velocity of the rollers; passing through the moving bed at spaced points a plurality of discrete streams of nonoxidizing gas heated to different temperatures sufficiently high to educe different weight fractions of oil from the kerogen in the shale as vapors into the gas streams; and separating the different weight oil fractions from the gas streams.

Abstract: An oil shale retorting method and apparatus moves a bed of oil bearing shale particles along a generally horizontal path and passes through the bed at spaced points a plurality of discrete nonoxidizing gas streams heated to different oil educting temperatures to vaporize and educe different weight fractions of oil from the kerogen in the shale into the gas streams. Preferably the heated gas streams are also passed through the moving shale bed upstream from distillation of the volatile oil constituents to preheat the shale particles and condense the educted oils which become suspended as stable mists and are mechanically separated from the gas streams. Heat energy is preferably removed from the spent shale particles of the moving bed by burning them with combustion air downstream from the retorting sites, and such heat energy is transferred to the nonoxidizing streams to raise them to different oil educting temperatures before they are passed through the moving bed to educe oil from the shale particles.

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: Process and apparatus for recovering volatile distillates from coal, and other solid carbonaceous fuel sources, by heating the top surface of a bilayer of coal formed of an upper layer of recycled coal and a lower layer of green coal, maintaining the lower level of green coal at a temperature cool enough to condense constituents distilled from the upper layer of recycle coal, and recycling the once passed green coal as recycle coal is disclosed.

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: An improved method and apparatus for making coke wherein the coal is heated by the walls of a multi-cell chamber means and wherein said walls are heated by electric induction in the absence of air; the raw gases from the coal are directed to a by-product plant. The coal is introduced into said chamber means and the coke is discharged from said chamber means in such a way as to provide positive displacement of both the coal and the coke to overcome the sticking and bridging properties of the coal and the coke within said chamber means. Also improved provisions are included for insuring the sealing of said chamber means while operating said chamber means under a positive pressure in order to increase the efficiency of the conversion of coal to coke without causing pollution. The coal, after being coked, is quenched to a temperature below its ignition point before being exposed to the atmosphere to prevent it from burning in order not to cause pollution nor lose yield.

Abstract: Oil-containing materials and part of the hot burnt material which is available after the combustion of solid carbon are charged into a retorting shaft reactor and the oil-containing mineral in the mixture is heated to the retorting temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for retorting oil shale using solar radiation. Oil shale is introduced into a first retorting chamber having a solar focus zone. There the oil shale is exposed to solar radiation and rapidly brought to a predetermined retorting temperature. Once the shale has reached this temperature, it is removed from the solar focus zone and transferred to a second retorting chamber where it is heated. In a second chamber, the oil shale is maintained at the retorting temperature, without direct exposure to solar radiation, until the retorting is complete.

Abstract: Fragile agglomerates with crushed rock fragments, such as fines which are subsequently agglomerated and which result in the crushing of rock fragments, such as oil shale prepared for retorting are mixed and delivered onto conveying means, such as a travelling grate by charging the rock fragments into a bin which delivers through a choke-feed onto the conveyor or travelling grate by introducing the agglomerates through a series of space conducts or tubes terminating inside the bin below the level of the lump material or fragments in the bin where the rock fragments have a downward travel such as to enable the aggregates to defuse from the ends of the spaced pipes into and through the fragments and while so separated and diffused through the fragments move with the fragments onto the grate.

Abstract: In a process for the removal of fines from a bed of oil bearing shale in a travelling grate retort, a fluid such as air, inert gas or process gas is drafted through the bed in order to entrain in the fluid substantially all of the fines in the bed. The fines are then evacuated from the bed thus increasing the permeability of the bed and substantially decreasing the fines in the retorted shale oil.

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: Coal is processed first through a moving bed reactor and then through a fixed bed reactor. Hot carbonized coal char is fed from the first stage reactor to the second stage reactor via a lock hopper and gas is taken off from the reactors either in separate streams or in a common stream.

Abstract: A plant for continuously retorting oil products contained in shales and sands comprising a substantially horizontal retort furnace into which said shales and sands are introduced by means of hoppers and metering devices and placed on metal conveyors moving in counter-current to gases, means being provided for placing said shales and sands onto said conveyors with a suitable thickness and for stirring the shales and sands. One or more combustion chambers are arranged outside said retort furnace for producing hot gases, and one or more input zones are located along the retort furnace for admitting hot gases into the retort furnace, causing the hot gases to mix with circulating gases which have been preheated by removing sensible heat from the exhausted shale and sand material. A direct contact condenser at the furnace head utilizes cold fluid to condense distilled oil products, and a decantation tank is arranged beneath said condenser for freeing the process gases from the dust.

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: 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: Particulate oil shale is subjected to a pyrolysis with a hot, non-oxygenous gas in a pyrolysis vessel, with the products of the pyrolysis of the shale contained kerogen being withdrawn as an entrained mist of shale oil droplets in a gas for a separation of the liquid from the gas. Hot retorted shale withdrawn from the pyrolysis vessel is treated in a separate container with an oxygenous gas so as to provide combustion of residual carbon retained on the shale, producing a high temperature gas for the production of some steam and for heating the non-oxygenous gas used in the oil shale retorting process in the first vessel. The net energy recovery includes essentially complete recovery of the organic hydrocarbon material in the oil shale as a liquid shale oil, a high BTU gas, and high temperature steam.

Abstract: In the apparatus, concentric, radially spaced tubes are secured to each other and rotated about a common horizontal long axis. Selectively placed and configured lift elements repeatedly lift and drop feed material in the two tubes. Advance elements cause the feed material introduced into the feed end of the structure to advance through the inner tube where it is progressively heated, dehydrated and its hydrocarbon content is largely vaporized. The hydrocarbon vapors are removed from the opposite product end of the structure. The remaining solid material falls from the end of the inner tube into a combustion zone in the outer tube. Oxygen supplying means are provided for causing the carbon coatings on the particles in the combustion zone to burn to produce heat employed in the processing of the feed material. The solid particles in the outer tube are moved back toward the feed end by advancing elements.

Abstract: A dry thermal processor for recovering hydrocarbons from oil sand solids comprises concentric, radially spaced, horizontal inner and outer tubular members connected for rotation together. The inner member provides a substantially open preheat zone and vaporization zone while the outer member provides, in the annular space between the tubular members, a substantially open combustion zone and heat transfer zone. The ends of the outer member are sealed by stationary feed end and product end structures. Advance means move the oil sand solids from the feed end structure through the preheat and vaporization zones to the product end structure and back through the combustion and heat transfer zones. Rotation of the inner member causes size reduction of the oil sand feed in the preheat zone, and oversize is discharged directly into the annular space at the second end of the preheat zone.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed for purification of petroleum coke to produce an economical low sulfur product suitable for electrode production. Finely ground green coke is treated on an enclosed circular grate apparatus and subjected to sequential treatments in which hot gases are passed through a deep permeable bed of coke on the grate in a series of separate treating zones including a preheat zone, a heating and calcining zone, a desulfurizing zone in which hydrogen rich gas is passed through the heated bed, a reduction gas generation zone in which hydrocarbon and steam pass through hot coke to form hydrogen, and a cooling zone.Adequate temperatures for calcination and desulfurization are achieved and the proper heating rate is obtained without overheating the metal parts of the hearth by use of radiant and hot gas heating means in the calcining zone and in the desulfurizing zone and by introducing the air and/or fuel gas near the bottom of the coke bed.

Abstract: Crushed oil shale is segregated into a major portion of relatively large particles and a minor portion of "fines," such as will pass through 1/8-inch screen openings. The large particles are subjected to retorting in an upflowing bed in countercurrent contact with a downflowing hot eduction gas, while the fines are fed onto and controllably transported across the hot planar surface of a free-standing truncated cone of spent shale at the top of the retort.

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: Means and method of operating a tunnel kiln in which green carbon articles are baked in the ware (article) space of a baking zone by heat produced by the combustion of fuel directed to chambers adjacent the zone. The combustion chambers are connected in fluid communication with flues extending lengthwise of the kiln, the flues having a pressure gradient that extends lengthwise of the flues. The method of the invention includes the step of changing the pressure gradient within the flues such that a pressure differential between the combustion chambers and the ware space is effected that causes products of combustion to flow into the ware space from the combustion chambers in amounts sufficient to impede and prevent the deposition of coke formations on the walls of the space without burning the carbon articles.

Abstract: Bodies are press-molded from a mixture of particulate fuel and a binder. These bodies are heated to a temperature between about 600.degree.-900.degree. C. in a rotary furnace to degas them. The degassing is carried out without subjecting the bodies to mechanical stresses and without permitting combustion of the expelled volatile gases. The resulting shaped coke has a greatly improved abrasion resistance.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for converting a substance containing organic matter into hydrocarbon vapors and solids residue by feeding the substance into the upstream portion of a substantially cylindrical retort having a substantially horizontal longitudinal axis, substantially conveying the substance through the retort toward the downstream portion thereof, heating the retort by means of a fluidized bed of heated particles to a sufficient temperature to convert the substance into hydrocarbon vapors and solids residue and removing the hydrocarbon vapors and solids residue from the retort.

Abstract: A process comprising heating coal in a substantially air-free environment to liberate volatile materials and produce coke, condensing at least some of the volatile materials so liberated to liquefied products and dispersing the coke therein to form a coke slurry, feeding the coke slurry to a slurry pipeline, and pumping the coke slurry through the pipeline to a destination.Apparatus comprising a tube furnace having an external heating means for indirectly heating powdered coal therein in a substantially air-free environment to a temperature adequate to liberate volatile materials and produce coke, means to feed powdered coal to the furnace under pressure and force the volatile materials and coke produced in the furnace through the furnace to a condensing means in which at least some of the volatile materials are condensed with the coke dispersed therein to form a coke slurry, and means to convey the coke slurry from the condensing means to a pipeline for transport to a destination.

Abstract: Process and apparatus are disclosed for recovering liquid and gaseous fuel from solid hydrocarbon-containing mineral material such as bitumen-containing mineral materials exemplified by tar sands or oil-bearing diatomites, without expensive pretreatment to separate the hydrocarbon containing material from material containing no hydrocarbon. The hydrocarbon-containing material is agglomerated into discrete pieces that are treated on a traveling grate such as a circular traveling grate and subjected to sequential treatments in which hot gases are passed upwardly or downwardly through a relatively deep permeable bed of the pieces on the grate, in several treating zones separated by transverse gas seals and sealed at the side edges by suitable gas seals. All, or essentially all, of the heat required is obtained in a coke burn-off zone from combustion of coke that remains in the material on the grate after the volatile hydrocarbons have been removed by distillation in an earlier distillation zone.

Abstract: Adjacent alternating rows of relatively coarse and fine coal are deposited onto a horizontal moving grate running through a coking furnace.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the extraction of petroleum from tar sands, bituminous shale, and other petroleum bearing materials, and the separation of the extracted petroleum into its several fractions.

Abstract: Crushed oil shale is segregated into a major portion of relatively large particles and a minor portion of "fines" which will pass through screen openings up to about 1/4 inch in size. The large particles are subjected to retorting as an upflowing moving bed in countercurrent contact with downflowing hot eduction gas, while the fines are retorted by controlled distribution over the hot upper surface of the bed of retorted large particles.

Abstract: A process for producing formcoke composed of char and selected binders comprising process steps in which non-oxidative thermal carbonization is employed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for feeding an oxidant such as air and/or a fuel rich gas within the confines of a substantially air tight enclosure employed in the heat treatment of volatile containing materials which are deposited on the floor of a rotary hearth mounted within the enclosure. A larger number of air and/or fuel rich gas inlet ports are provided in the roof of the enclosure at the outer periphery thereof than at the central or intermediate areas of the enclosure to thus provide a more oxidizing atmosphere at the outer peripheral area of the enclosure than at the central and intermediate areas of the enclosure. The oxidant is admitted into the furnace enclosure through concentrically arranged rows of inlet openings formed in the roof of the enclosure.

Abstract: In a continuous process for recovery of values contained in a solid carbonaceous material, the carbonaceous material is comminuted and then subjected to flash pyrolysis in the presence of a particulate heat source fed over an overflow weir to form a pyrolysis product stream containing a carbon containing solid residue and volatilized hydrocarbons. After the carbon containing solid residue is separated from the pyrolysis product stream, values are obtained by condensing volatilized hydrocarbons. The particulate source of heat is formed by oxidizing carbon in the solid residue.

Abstract: A carbonaceous material is pyrolyzed by introducing the carbonaceous material to a fast fluidized bed contained by a perforated wall and introducing a particulate source of heat through the perforations of the wall at an angle inclined to the path of travel of the carbonaceous material. The radially introduced particulate source of heat prevents carbonaceous material from caking on the walls of the bed.