I

TH~ ~RACTION OF OIL FPOV SHALVB.

G ~NTI''RAL :

I n oon1equenoe of the continually growing 011 requirement•

of all countries of the orld and. the r1 e1ng pro4uot1on oo ta of

pltrol..,_m and ooal, the ut1l1oa.t1on of aha.le atta.1na e•en greater I ~•J'tanoe. It 11 particularly advantageous 'ftben the aha.lea

(Whet her outorop or d_.p laid) are present 1n ln.rge ••am• , wh1oh ".V

the u•• of au1ta.ble ma.ohtnery can be uron at Yery lo ooet.

Coapoa1t1on and oharaoteriat1oa of the ebalea vary with the1l'

ooourenoe . Bea14e the aha.lea of F.stbonla , Au1t ra111. snd South

Afri ca, wb1ob haYe oil content of ao • 30~, even 40 , one f1nda extensi ve

abale bed• of 8 - lSi yield (1200 - 2500 koal/K) 1n Bulgaria , Jugo-

al arta , France, Spain, Scotland. and North Amerloa.. Poorer yield1~

shal e• tr1th an o 11 content of bet"een 4 a.nd 6~ are t ouncl l n Germsny

and J r anoe .

The inorganic matter of o1& ahal.ea oompr1ae •1lioa (o11"o~30 -50~ ) ,

alu mina. ( 8 - 15%) ,aa well &D oa.loium oe.rbOna.te (18 .. 45~) e.n4

magnesi um carbOnate (2 - 10;£) 1n vazying qus.nt1tiea a.ooording to

aouroe . frequently pyrite• (a • lO k ) 111 p1"elent. Th poorer ahale»

lbow a proportionally g1" a.t er ~ua.nt 1ty of lime. The inorga.n1o

composition of the shale i a vital, a.11 it can influence the p1"0oeaa1ng

arut the qu~l1ty of the produot a a o• ' c1eo1a1vely.

P~OBL~Ka OF OIL SHAL~ DISTILLATIONI.

The moa• important problem 1a that of getting th111 optimum yield

of good ~ual1ty 011 .

e••ent1al.

'nlerefore attention to the following potntt 11

I n aa wah &I the shl.le haa a high orgo.n1c content, it incl1nea to

flow - relat ively •Pe~king melt - during heating. Also under the

i nfluence of the gaa developed, a elling take• plaoe. In order to

attai n ~high yield of Oil by a oont1nuow• prooeas, particular

meaaurea are dem".Ulded (o t section on Tunnel etort) anci high/

6.

I u e oon4enae4. Where the ~s.• atll'l ownte.i ne an apPreciable quantity

Tbe prooe•• l a regulated from e. oontrob point. In th1o 1'1"-Y the

plant can oe ad$pted to th6 i~~~vidualitiea of tbe ~.- aa,er isl. Thia

retort a.llo~• the teaperature .. o be ao rt~gula.t e t hat tile ohar a\lt er1atioa

of tb e 1'eo1 c1ue oan 'be \nflueuoeci wit b regar d. o tae prod.uot 1on of

tu1l41ng a:..t ttrlal.

Tbt r etort waa a.l1lt a.t f 1:ra'G to ptooea 60 t ona per aay l!.nd

t hen. developed. to a: ~uble--.1de4 oven f eJ by a oo= on ~opper . v ... ob

cbe.rober oonta1na a gra.te of 10 m length by 6 m br ea.c:tth. Suoh '

doubla• lli4ec1 retort allort a a t h raust:hPU1f o! · .• ~ . .: tona PeT day of la:r

The ~exformanoa oan be i mproved 1Gh bet t er gr~d~ ehale.

Thi retor' rondera oconomio the oont1nuoua proo~az1ng o!

aho.lea o: l u .. oil oont "~t.

a nd ow Personn~ and oo! re~irementa, 1t i a Peoi~ly aul~~blo f or

t he h 1:dlillg of large mauaea of 0\ll.. O..:O.P llnAl • ·

YigM__FROll "11RTTi'VB~ I SH SHAL"'.

Oil oon~ent 6 . 0% (Y.' iacher aualy la) di ze 0 - GO mm.

c.v. 1050 k oal/k~.

1b rough put. - r;a ton p~I day.

011 zoeoovery ( ithout Spirit) 68~ of Tischer a• a.y.

011 - GpGo. Cr av. ~t l5~C - 0 . 956 kg/1. 1b .:i Ol.' l. 3~.

G3.a - 550 ~m3/Ton ::.ha.lo.

c. v. - u . 30 u~ 'am3•

H~a\ ~e~i~c~ 0, ~ctor~ G60 k o 1/~g ah le.

v· ith i:tC:rc~•o or :reu1 dual carbon 'th~ oil reoovsry amoun'te "Go 90p

;,.44 tbe G~t.a o. v. 1000 - 1600 k o l/Nm3 .

5. I out by me3nl of a mov11~ gi"!!.t e • 'l'he ahale from the teed. hopper

... enter• fir at the 4l"J1ng a~d Prehen.t1ng zonee ~ncl then by mesne of &

the aov113g srate finds 1ta 'IT&)' through retort proper. It reate f~m

in rt. lay r of from 1. 5 t o 3 . 0 m cleptb on ~he grate.

The apeed of tbt abale ~nrough the ret on i a l'egulat !4 bJ the

at rck ,., of tb e rook er ·;b 1 e~ aetua.t ee the gate. Tb._ end a of tb I

r etort art open 1 0 tbat tht aptnt sha.l 1 • delivered "-• 1ly, even ~then

it aonal ate of great s1nt8red p1eoea.

'l'he ab.ale wb1cb pn.e aea ¥hrough the r~tort o~ be prooesee4 \!fithout

any prel1mtnuy a1ev1ng. Thi a 1• ma.de poee1 ble by thl!t f act that th&

f 1Z\GII, aft or Paea1ng the dry1r.g zone, a%t' Ol"OU$ht b1 " sp~1 al lead to

~he \lpPtr l~..y ero of t b& fuel bed. Tht 4ry1nt; ot .. t be ahe.le 11

ao oOIIIPl1~eri by mee.na of beat t4, 1r.ert g a.a h i cb oomen f:rcm otli er

parte of t he r tort and 'f7h1oh ia o1roule.t ed by me3-UI of f a.ne.

Soi'U ~"eel recyol e gsa h e"'.t ~~ to 50n - eno co in oPeo1 1 pr.-.h'lat era

11 uetd ln tb(ll Pl'e - st @wi:ng 2.one wb1ob fol l ow• t h e ge.a1fioat ion of the

coafcuet1blee 1n lb1ob aerated. o r OX)'gsnat ed. •aah ga••• are auoked do'm

through tho leyer ~ rt~eans of e. fan . Tbu • t h" "oool:illg " zone 1 a

controlled tba.t sa,1f1oat1on 1• oompleted. 'bJ the time the enu. of the

~Q~ing gr~t • ia ruaohed. Tb• aompl ete retorting witb 1te aQaomp~nyi~

~as1f1cat 1on of t be ~eaid.ue requ1rea 12 - lS boure U paok1ng by

dr~•• f'orm~tton 1o to be ~vo1:1ed.

The Proot•• of gae1f1oat1on os.n be ragulated by epray i:cg the hot

rea1due w1t b retort water or by the ac1d1t1on of more or leaa ateam to

the gaa1fy1 ng med1Wil. A further pOal1bil1ty of oontroll iJlg t h e

temper,turt ia by the i nter mittent 1ntroduot1on ot air and permanent

gal to the 001ibuat1on layer. The SftPal'at. w1th .. ra.wal or t h e gae

formed here by allows the reoovny bee idee t hat for b eat1 ng,. of a gaa of

go od oom~ro1 1\l orth. Witb the h llll P of these method• on oan not only

regul'\te t h proo'' '* "but ~ o h1n~ter t h e p :r:oduot1on o! dr\lae "h iob ttould

tend. to 1nterupt the flow through the r etort.

The gae from the •atweing• zone 11 drawn off by a fa.n and Paeaea

thrOUgh a aurfaoe oooler and eleot~filter in •h1ob the oil m1ats are/

4o LUBGI SORUBBr.R GAS OVF.N: •

The ahale, wev1ouely broken down to a a1se of froa 10 to 80 11111

1a taken b)' a continuoua arrangement to a deli very ma.oh 1n~ from Whence

it 1a fed int o the retort.

The r etort, 11lh1cb t akes the form of a double-ehafted oven, aona1ata

of a drying zone and a •at ~wing• zone &I well a a a gae1f1cst1on zon~

fort he rea1dual carbon from the operation. Drying and •atefting •

are eff eoted W1 th the helP of reorole gaa . In t h e aclj oin1ns

gaa1f1oat1on sone the residual oarbon 1e gaa1!1ed with the aid of

a1 r and et eam. The ga.a thua formtcl hal an u pper o. V. of 800 - 1300

~ K.a::.l / N. m • I n residue• of lo" oa:rbOn oont ent 1t 1a r eoyoled into

the •newi ng • zone and aeeiata i n at t ain11'18 i h e heat requirement.

'Where the r oi <!ual oa.rbon of tha shale 1e h igh only a port ion of the

g &al need by recycl ed; the r emaindel' oan be divert ed for other uses.

The hea.t1ng of th e ciroul~aea i n t h e dryi ng and. • at ewi ng •

zonea ia effected by admixtur e with gaaea f r om apeoial oombuat1on

chusber a.

'l'he &Pent shale ia • 1thdrawn meoha.a1cally from the gaa1f1ca.t1on

zone into a hopper from 1th ioh i t is led out by a eana of & double

aluio1.

Tho v6lat1l e mat t er from the •stewing " zone 1a cooled 'bY i ndi rect

tube oondeneera a.nd aeparate4 by an Eleotro-filt er.

btar 1n~ gaa 1 a aorubbe4 for Kaphtha.

The light oil

'!'bia retort hae a. throughput of from 300 - 400 tons ahal~ per

clay. 'l'he prooeaa i a oomilet ely a.utomatio ao that a perliOnnel of

thr• e oan oontrol a row of thea• r etorla.

Aa a re.ult of ita simplicity and meohan1oal power , t he unit

lend• i t self to high performance prooe•st qg.

TRF. l!OVI NG GRAT " R~OFT :

The ab&le 11 previously oruahed t o 60 •· Tbe 0 - 60 grade 1a

oonttnuoa"WlY fed to the retort, whioh oon•teta of a feed hopper, a

4ry1q and prebeat11lg sone, a pre•atew1ng" and a •at owiDg 1 and

gaa1f toat i on zone. The dry t ng takee pl ace in the bot t om part of the

feed hopPer wbioh lead• into the 1nol1ned at ewi~ oh&Dlbar conta1n1ng

the pre-ooot1• and reoyole ga• son••·

3 .

/'<$)1Jtn be ditt1llecl giving h i gh o il yield Q.Ild, at the a&JDe time, gaa of

a o&lorifio value from 4,000 - ? ,000 koa.l /Hm3. Suoh a ret or; of the

da,j.

(b ) LURGI SCRUaBFR G~S OVEN:

'l'b.ia ret ort lf'as or1g1rJ.a:lly developed. fc.r the distillation of brofln

ooal and a.nthzaoit e l.!ld ha.a been a4apt ed for oil shale.

by meana of scrubbed gaa ta.koa pl a.oe i u a. 'bla.~t-fur·na.oe oonai st1ng of

drying , at ewi ng, and ga.sif 1cat1on z one•· Tn. i a type of retort lenda

it s el f ;pe.'rt1cula.rly well to the extrt~tct1on of middl e quality oil iila.lee

Vfbo Ge r e~ 1<1uee ha.ve a. ;,u!fio1 ently higb melting point .

of the retoJ<t itt 300 - 400 t .ons per day.

(c ) LUR~ I - SCE~~IZ~R OVFN:•

The 03.P&e1 ty

On a proposal fro• Dr. Schweizer, the discontinuous prooees r t>tort

for t h e d1at1llat1on of low y1eld1r.g sha les • a a de veloped. The oven

oons1sta .of s.n iron cylinder diob is filled w· ith t he shale to be

prooeeeed. After i gnition of the topmost s t rat um ~~ith the help of

extraneous comrustible mat erial, the ga aes a.l' e dra.«n down through t he

st1a.le a l ong with s.ir so tba:t t h e ga.s1fioa.t1on zone gradually deGoonds

through t he retor~ - Capacity about 50 t ons ~er day.

(d. ) YOVI NO ORATT:' R'<'TO RT:-

J.. oont i nuous method for the processi ng of low gra.4e shale• has

been mado poaa1ble by th~ di aoov!~Y of thi u retort. A layer of shale

of 1.5/2.0 m thickness 1s moved t hrough an i ncli n ed ch amber by means

of a aov1ng g rate. The shale , which baa been dried. and preheated

by meaaa of scrubber gas, 1s distilled and gaa1f1ed in its paseage

through t he Clha11ber. The extract ion i s effeotecl i n a. l1ke manner t o

the Lurg1-Scbwe1zer method in which -a era.t e<i or oxygenat ed scr ubber gas

ia auoke4. down through t h e ahal e bed. Suoh a unit processes l.'lP to

400 ton• per da.y. This r etort aliiJO lends it self profitably t o high ash

oombu3t1 bles of va.:t i ous t ypes.

a. ., fb\gh building and produot1on effort ne~ded. lever -the-leas the

eoonom1oa of the venture can be ensur ed br the h1gb yi el d of oil and

gaa of high oalor1f io valu~:;.

r 1 ah ffll .s.le!i, the a arbon oont ent of the residue oa.n be ut 111 ae4 "'o hel p

coYer t h a heat r equ1remen' •

'l'he proo•aai ng of shale• of mecUum oi l content 1a no-; Prftjudioecl

by tbe hea.t i r.g of the bitumen thus freed. Witb theae and the poorer

abal ea , the utiliaett :len of the r &oio.ua.l carbon l a an eoonoftl1c neoea• i ty.

By gaa1f1oat1on of tho oarbon additional ~ua~t1t1ee of g~s are «on whloh

!hen the oazbOn content

1 a &Uffioi ent l y h1gh, the gaa gsnera.t ttd. can be u aed for m1n1ng and

prooeaai ng pow~ and a l ao aerve a thi rd purpose. The proo eeda f rom

~eh an en~rgy gene=~t lon can, in !itt1DS o1rcum~tanoeu, aaalgt materi ally

ia the eoonom1oo of !l. '1arka.

Partioulaz importanc e 1a a"' ta.ohed ta the oompl~te g~~.eifioat1on of

t he oarbOn of t h e oompos1t1on and the phyatoal consti tution of the

l'e"1due , eapoc1a.Lly '11'11th regard to the manufacture of bUilding Materi al.

The restd.uea oa.n be uaad f or tb e ms.k1ng of o ement by the a.d.d.1 t1 on of

aui~~ble materi al. Spent aha.l es rich in a111oq, ar e suitable , 'lfiththe

a.ddit1 ~n of lime or o ement f or the prod:uotion of light oonoreto.

Ree14ues with the re~1eite l1me and silica content aot aa suitabl e

bases f or t h e pro~ct1on of binding ~1xturea and porous oonorete.

l>R001-"S9~S FOR THF 1"<'XTiUOTION (ST""'Ul1) A !in nAStFIC TION OF OIL SH.~L'Il'.

Over a&veral 4eeadea of development work, the Lurg~ f i rm have

Th~ eaaenti~l& of

t hea• methode are flret ek8t ohed $Ad then each given 1n g:eat~r detail.

(a) Tunnel ate"'.pg over:-

In oo- npe:ra.t1on 1itb the Fsthouan Rook 011 Oo. a.ncl. uaing the

year- long preParatory work of thts f1r~, Lurge have developed a

t unnel extraction retort for the prooeaei~ of oil bear1Jl8 rooks auob

as oil abale, oil ohalk and oil olay. The extraction 1& acoompllehed

by !Ileana of hut on ea ffb lob move through a tunnel anct ie help~d by

re- oyole ga.ae• h ea.ted i n tube heaters . By the use of a great qua.nt1ty

of scrubber gas. g~od oil bearing rooka, which eo~t en on he~ting, oan/