Abstract: An apparatus and process for thermally de-manufacturing tires and other materials. The apparatus is a retort chamber with various zones in which tires are combusted to provide energy for the thermal depolymerization reaction, depolymerization takes place, and products leave the retort chamber. In one embodiment, the process reacts water with iron present in steel-belted tires to produce hydrogen, which helps to break sulfur-sulfur bonds in vulcanized materials. The water also helps control the temperature of the reaction, which allows for control over the types and relative amounts of the various depolymerization products.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and a method for producing a pyrolysis liquid, wherein the pyrolysis liquid is formed by means of pyrolysis from a raw material by forming, and a pyrolysis reactor, a gaseous pyrolysis product by pyrolysis and condensing it in a condenser into a pyrolysis liquid, and feeding circulation gas into the pyrolysis reactor. The circulation gas is conducted by a liquid ring compressor into the pyrolysis reactor and purified before being conducted into the pyrolysis reactor, and the pyrolysis liquid is used as the liquid layer in the liquid ring compressor.

Abstract: A method and a device for the hot-repairing of the heating flues of a coke-oven battery according to which the completed sections of a heating flue still under construction are heated by means of a heated gas. The heated gas comprises the air usually provided for combustion in the heating flues during coking operations. The air is guided through the flow paths provided for in the coke-oven battery for combustion air and waste gases as well as through the regenerator, heated as it passes through the flow paths and then guided through the heating flues to be repaired. The completed section of the heating flue is separated from the non-completed portion by an air-reversion device that also directs the heated air.

Abstract: The metal stresses in a delayed coke drum are reduced by externally cooling the coke drum near the junction of the drum shell and the supporting skirt thereof during the quench step. This reduces the metal stresses at the area around the welds of the drum skirt.

Abstract: The biomass, particularly lump wood, is supplied to a shaft reactor at its top and is initially preheated to temperatures of about 150.degree. to 280.degree. C. and dried by a counterflowing hot gas. This is followed by a treatment in an underlying carbonizing zone, the upper portion of which is supplied with hot purging gas at a temperature of 250.degree. to 600.degree. C. The hot purging gas flows downwardly through the carbonizing zone co-currently with the wood. A gas mixture which contains purging gas and gas produced by carbonization is withdrawn from the lower portion of the carbonizing zone and is at least in part combusted outside the shaft reactor to produce a combustion gas, which is used at least in part as hot purging gas.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for heating a carbonization drum is especially used for heating a carbonization drum for a low-temperature-carbonization combustion process. Heating gas heated in a heat exchanger is guided in a heating gas loop from the heat exchanger through the carbonization drum. A heat sink is provided for cooling the heating gas. In order to control an energy supply to the carbonization drum, the heating gas is guided back again at least partially and in a controlled fashion through a bypass line, in which the heat sink is disposed, to the heat exchanger, while bypassing the carbonization drum. The heating gas can also be delivered partially and in a controlled fashion through the heat sink to the carbonization drum. A distribution of the heating gas into a maximum of three paths is ensured by a configuration of lines and control devices.

Abstract: A process for the pyrolysis of carbonation materials such as wood which comprises directly or indirectly heating the carbonaceous material with flue gases. When carbonization commences the direct heating is stopped while indirect heating continues until carbonization is complete. There is also described an application for effecting the process.

Abstract: Coke is produced from coal by coking the coal, and optionally by drying and/or preheating the coal prior to coking, and further optionally by dry cooling the coke subsequent to coking. At least the coking step is achieved in a pressure tight container which may be a transportable or tippable container. The coking step is performed in the container by conducting a gas through the container in direct or indirect heat exchange relationship with the coal and forming coke. The coking step includes a phase of lump coke formation achieved by heating the coal in a temperature range of between approximately 250.degree. and 600.degree. C. by indirect heat exchange only.

Abstract: Moist bulk coal is supplied into a fluidized bed drier into which is introduced a first heat carrier gas to thereby dry the moist coal to form dried coal. The dried coal is discharged from the drier and is transferred to a generally horizontal bulk material conveyor. A second heat carrier gas is injected through the bottom of the bulk material conveyor, thereby transporting the coal generally horizontally and preheating the coal to form preheated coal. The preheated coal is then discharged from the bulk material conveyor and is filled into a selected charging opening of a coke oven battery.

Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbons from oil bearing shale which comprises placing the shale in pulverized form into a retort and simultaneously processing under retorting conditions.

Abstract: A three-cycle process as disclosed for drying and preheating coking coal using the heat from cooled coke. Cooling gas is passed over hot coke to heat the cooling gas and cool the coke. The heated cooling gas is then passed through a waste heat boiler and then back to the hot coke in a coke cooling chamber. This completes the first closed cycle. Water is supplied to the waste heat boiler to form steam. The steam is supplied to a fluidized bed of wet coal to indirectly preheat and dry the wet coal in a second cycle. The wet coal is fluidized using fluidizing gas which converts water in the wet coal into steam. Some of the steam is condensed from the combination of fluidizing gas plus steam and then the fluidizing gas is returned to the bed. Steam from the waste heat boiler is also supplied to the fluidizing gas before it re-enters the bed to heat the fluidizing gas.

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: Pollutant-containing gases which are generated in a steel-making and/or coking plant are mixed with fresh air in at least one stream and passed through an incandescent bed of minerals, e.g. the sintering cake of an ore-sintering furnace. The resulting gases are then subjected to gas cleaning in at least one filtering or washing station.

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: A method of producing abrasion resistant coke from brown coal briquets in a shaft furnace comprises charging the coke briquets into the top of the furnace and removing coke from the bottom of the furnace while directing inert hot combustion gases into the furnace and through the briquets at a plurality of vertically spaced levels throughout the height of the shaft furnace. Gases are directed at temperatures to effect and successively lower stages of the furnace the preheating, predrying, carbonization, and cooling of the charge. Gases are collected in each of the preheating and predrying stages by the use of a tubular suction arm which extends substantially across the width of the furnace and includes a performated bottom and sidewalls which extend partly below the bottom and are provided with a saw-tooth configuration so as to withdraw the gases through the space below the bottom and through the perforations of the bottom and to effect entrainment of dust from the charge in so doing.

Abstract: Prior to starting up a plant in which fine coke is produced by mixing high bituminous lignite coal with circulating hot fine coke serving as a heat carrier in the plant, hot inert gas is admitted into the mixing unit in which the coal and coke are admixed. Only after all parts of the plant are thus preheated, the operation of the plant is started up.

Abstract: Equipment and method for treating solid waste in which a substantially nonoxidizing atmosphere is provided through which the shredded solid waste falls under gravity, unsupported and non-contacted, to prevent fusion of the plastics with each other, with other materials in the solid waste, or with the walls or components in the treating equipment. The unique atmosphere also allows a high treatment temperature to accelerate the debonding of fibrous combustible matter and fusion of the plastics into dense particles for substantially complete separation and recovery of plastics from the lighter fibrous but non-fusible combustible matter through gas classification during the fall. This same atmosphere also produces a clean, substantially, homogeneous, storageable and highly combustible fuel derived from the fibrous combustible matter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous process to produce shale oil from oil shales. It comprises an improvement, the purpose of which is to remove relatively small and up to substantial amounts of the water present as steam; and to prevent pitch formation, and "stickiness" in a second or retorting stage of the process, carried out at a much higher temperature.The first step may consist of a fixed vertical vessel in one aspect of the process or alternately a much smaller rotating horizontal vessel than that used in the second step of the process. The first step is conducted at a temperature from ambient, preferably 212.degree. F. up to 550.degree. F. The second or retorting step is conducted at 800.degree. F. to 1000.degree. F. Indirect heating of the oil shales is employed in all cases.

Abstract: This invention comprises an apparatus and process for drying and/or heating materials. This invention was designed for use in the production of charcoal from wood feed material; however, it can be used to heat and/or dry many types of materials. Feed material is disposed in a reactor, wherein there is provided a first array of input channels extending through said feed material, through which hot gases are introduced into said feed material, and a second array of output channels extending through said feed material to collect and exit those hot gases and any gases or vapors derived from the heating and/or drying of the feed material.

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: Apparatus for conducting the flash pyrolysis of a primary material, particularly coal, and employing a secondary material, particularly hot char, as a heat source, comprising a rectangular slot for injection of a stream of particulate coal, which communicates with a substantially rectangular reactor or pyrolysis chamber. Wells are positioned on opposite sides of the pyrolysis chamber and in communication therewith, for introduction of fluidized secondary material, particularly hot char, into the pyrolysis chamber for admixture therein with and for heating the stream of primary material, such as coal. The pyrolysis chamber has a transition chamber, and a cylindrical separator chamber communicates with the transition chamber for receiving pyrolysis products. The separator chamber is provided with a tangential inlet, a solids outlet conduit positioned about 90.degree. around the circumference of the separator chamber from the tangential inlet, and a perforate gas receiver.

Abstract: A carbonaceous material with high characteristics of surface area and activity is produced in a continuous process by heating and drying ground pit coal at 200 to 300.degree. C. for 15 to 120 minutes in air, and then heating in two further stages in fluidized bed reactors. The first of these further stages is 400 to 600.degree. C. for 10 to 60 minutes while the second is 800 to 1100.degree. C. for 10 to 60 minutes. Tar is condensed from the offgases of the first further stage and the residual gas is divided and 10 to 95% recycled to the first further stage. Similarly, 10 to 95% of the off-gases from the second further stage are recycled.

Abstract: The coke forms are produced in four stages, each constituted by a respective oven chamber, and in which the briquets are, respectively, preheated, dehydrated or dried, carbonized and cooled. Hot gas circuits are provided, in which the hot gas is composed substantially of burnt lean gas of the carbonization, and, for each stage, the hot gases are recirculated in a separate respective circuit. In the preheating, dehydrating and carbonization stages, the hot gases are heated and produced, or supplemented, in a respective separate combustion chamber with the recirculating hot gas in the carbonization stage being supplemented with cooled lean gas from this stage. The recirculating hot gases are dedusted separately in a dust settling chamber in which their flow velocity is reduced to approximately 0.2 to 2.0 m/sec, with the dust being collected.

Abstract: Hot, non-oxygenous gas at carefully controlled quantities and at predetermined depths in a bed of lump oil shale provides pyrolysis of the contained kerogen of the oil shale, and cool non-oxygenous gas is passed up through the bed to conserve the heat inventory for a viable process. The bed being fed at the top with raw shale and retorted shale being removed at the bottom provides a constant depth, continuously moving bed of shale, for a continuous process.

Abstract: After replacement of the walls of one chamber of a coking battery this one chamber is heated up by withdrawing relatively hot air from another still-hot chamber of the coking battery and injecting it into the cold chamber. This is done by means of a conduit extending between the two chambers and provided with an internal nozzle that conducts the hot gas from the hot chamber to the cool chamber by jet-pump action. This hot gas is mixed with relatively cool air so as slowly to heat the cool chamber up.

Abstract: Oil Shale is partially dehydrated prior to retorting. Both the dehydrating and retorting steps carried out by heat treatment in rotating horizontal cylindrical vessels heated by indirect heat exchange with hot gas. The vapors withdrawn from the retorting step are fractionated to yield products including a heavy conversion oil.

Abstract: In a coking installation moist coal to be converted into coke is dried and preheated by being contacted by a hot drying gas. The hot coke which is formed is subjected to a dry quenching in which at least a portion of the heat lost by the hot coke during the drying quenching thereof is imparted to the drying gas. There is provided a closed flow circuit for the continual recirculation of a body of drying gas. The closed flow circuit includes a portion in which the drying gas comes into contact with moist coal which is to be dried and preheated. When the drying gas comes into contact with the moist coal water vapor becomes mixed with the drying gas. The water vapor is removed from the drying gas by means of condensation.