Petroleum products from oil shale

Abstract

A system for producing petroleum products ( 12 ) from oil shale ( 32 ) includes a kiln line ( 72,152 ) of plural series-connected, substantially horizontally-disposed kilns ( 90,94,104,170,180 ). Crushed oil shale ( 36 ) is advanced through kilns ( 90,94,104,170,180 ) in succession and exhausted from the kiln line ( 72,152 ) substantially freed of hydrocarbons. A heat extraction unit ( 80 ) recovers heat ( 82 ) from hot spent shale ( 78 ). Successive kilns ( 90,94,104,170,180 ) along the advancement of crushed oil shale ( 36 ) are maintained at successively higher temperatures (T 94 ,T 94 ,T 104 ,T 170 ,T 180 ). Pyrolysis is indirectly-driven using kiln-surrounding roasting jackets ( 96,106,182 ), A fuel distinct from hydrocarbons in oil shale ( 32 ), such as natural gas ( 132 ), syngas ( 54 ) from a gasifier ( 48 ), or hydrogen gas ( 62 ) from a separator ( 60 ) provides heat. These combustible gasses are burned in roasting jackets ( 96,106,182 ) or converted by a burner ( 134 ) into hot flue gas ( 136 ) that passes through roasting jackets ( 96,106,182 ). A heated sweep gas ( 142 ) entrains hydrocarbon vapors ( 98,108 ). An acoustic agitator ( 192 ) suppresses clumping of crushed oil shale ( 36 ) A refining unit ( 22 ) proximate the kiln line ( 72,152 ) upgrades into petroleum products ( 12 ) extracted hydrocarbons in vapor ( 74 ) or liquid ( 54 ) states.

1 . A system for producing petroleum products from oil shale, said system comprising:
 (a) a kiln line comprising series-connected, substantially horizontally-disposed, elongated kilns, oil shale containing hydrocarbons being processed in individual of said kilns in succession and being exhausted from said kiln line substantially free of hydrocarbons, each successive of said kilns in the direction of the processing of the oil shale maintaining a corresponding oil shale processing environment at a temperature higher than the temperature of the oil shale processing environment maintained in the preceding of said kilns, and at least one of said kilns being an indirect-fired kiln; and   (b) a heat source employing a fuel distinct from hydrocarbons in the oil shale being processed in said kiln line, the output of said heat source being supplied to said kiln line to drive pyrolysis and to extract hydrocarbons from the oil shale processed through said kiln line.   
     
     
         2 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said output of said heat source comprises combustible gas. 
     
     
         3 . A system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said fuel employed by said heat source comprises a solid fuel. 
     
     
         4 . A system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said heat source comprises a gasifier of said solid fuel, the yield produced by said gasifier corresponding to said output of said heat source. 
     
     
         5 . A system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said gasifier is located proximate to said kiln line, whereby said yield produced by said gasifier reaches said kiln line at a temperature substantially undiminished from the temperature of said yield when said yield leaves said gasifier. 
     
     
         6 . A system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said gasifier produces syngas from coal. 
     
     
         7 . A system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said heat source comprises a hydrogen separator. 
     
     
         8 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said heat source comprises a burner of combustible gas, flue gas from said burner corresponding to said output of said heat source. 
     
     
         9 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said combustible gas comprises natural gas. 
     
     
         10 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said combustible gas comprises syngas. 
     
     
         11 . A system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said syngas is produced by said heat source from a solid fuel. 
     
     
         12 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said heat source further comprises a heat exchanger associated with said burner, said heat exchanger using heat generated in said burner to preheat a sweep gas employed in contact with the oil shale being processed in said indirect-fired kiln in said kiln line. 
     
     
         13 . A system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein flue gas exhausted from said indirect-fired kiln is used to dry oil shale entering said indirect-fired kiln. 
     
     
         14 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an oil shale transport associated with a kiln in said kiln line, said transport advancing oil shale longitudinally through said kin during processing of the oil shale in said kiln. 
     
     
         15 . A system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said transport comprises an auger positioned within said kiln. 
     
     
         16 . A system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said transport comprises a conveyor positioned within said kiln. 
     
     
         17 . A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said conveyor comprises a chain conveyor. 
     
     
         18 . A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said conveyor comprises a paddle conveyor. 
     
     
         19 . A system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said conveyor comprises a bucket conveyor. 
     
     
         20 . A system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said transport comprises means for rotating said kiln about the longitudinal extent thereof and tumbling oil shale being processed in said kiln longitudinally through said kin. 
     
     
         21 . A system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein said kiln is inclined downwardly along the longitudinal extent thereof from an input end to an output end of said kiln, oil shale being presented for processing at said input end of said kiln and being discharged following processing from said output end of said kiln. 
     
     
         22 . A system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said kilns in said kiln line are rotary kilns. 
     
     
         23 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said kilns in said kiln line are stationary kilns. 
     
     
         24 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said kilns in said kiln line are inclined kilns. 
     
     
         25 . A system as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said inclined kilns are rotary kilns. 
     
     
         26 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said kilns in said kiln line are strictly horizontally-disposed kilns. 
     
     
         27 . A system as recited in  claim 26 , wherein said strictly horizontally-disposed kilns are stationary kilns. 
     
     
         28 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a source of pressurized sweep gas, said sweep gas inhibiting combustion in said indirect-fired kiln of said kiln line and entraining for removal from said indirect-fired kiln hydrocarbons extracted from the oil shale being processed therein. 
     
     
         29 . A system as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said sweep gas is heated prior to entry into said indirect-fired kiln. 
     
     
         30 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an agitator associated with said indirect-fired kiln of said kiln line, said agitator vibrating particles of oil shale being processed in said indirect-fired kiln, thereby to preclude adhesion of said particles of oil shale during processing in said indirect-fired kiln. 
     
     
         31 . A system as recited in  claim 30 , wherein said agitator directs sound into said indirect-fired kiln. 
     
     
         32 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a refining unit, said refining unit receiving extracted hydrocarbons from the oil shale processed through said kiln line, upgrading said extracted hydrocarbons into petroleum products, and separating said petroleum products by predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         33 . A system as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said refining unit is located proximate to said kiln line, whereby said extracted hydrocarbons reach said refining unit at a temperature substantially undiminished from the temperature of said extracted hydrocarbons when said extracted hydrocarbons leave said kiln line. 
     
     
         34 . A system as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said system further comprises a hydrogen separator, hydrogen gas from said hydrogen separator being employed in said refining unit. 
     
     
         35 . A system as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said fuel corresponding to said heat source comprises selected of said petroleum products separated in said refining unit. 
     
     
         36 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said kiln lines, said plurality of kiln lines being parallel-connected relative to each other, whereby oil shale containing hydrocarbons is processed simultaneously through individual of said kiln lines and is exhausted therefrom substantially free of hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         37 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a heat extraction unit, said heat extraction unit receiving exhausted oil shale from said kiln line and recovering heat therefrom, said heat recovered in said heat extraction unit being returned to said kiln line. 
     
     
         38 . A system for producing petroleum products from oil shale, said system comprising:
 (a) a first inclined rotary kiln, said first inclined rotary kiln receiving for processing oil shale containing hydrocarbons and maintaining therewithin a corresponding first oil shale processing environment at a first temperature;   (b) a first roasting jacket operatively associated with said first kiln and supplied with sufficient heat to indirectly maintain said first oil shale processing environment in said first inclined rotary kiln;   (c) a second inclined rotary kiln series-connected to the output end of said first inclined rotary kiln, said second inclined rotary kiln receiving for further processing oil shale processed through said first inclined rotary kiln and maintaining therewithin a corresponding second oil shale processing environment at a second temperature greater than said first temperature in said first inclined rotary kiln;   (d) a second roasting jacket operatively associated with said second inclined rotary kiln and supplied with sufficient heat to indirectly maintain said second oil shale processing environment in said second inclined rotary kiln; and   (e) a heat source comprising a fuel distinct from hydrocarbons in oil shale, said fuel corresponding to said heat source being supplied to said first and second roasting jackets, thereby to extract hydrocarbons from oil shale processed through said first and second inclined rotary kilns, respectively.   
     
     
         39 . A system as recited in  claim 38 , wherein initial pyrolysis occurs in said first oil shale processing environment in said first inclined rotary kiln, and additional pyrolysis occurs in said second oil shale processing environment in said second inclined rotary kiln. 
     
     
         40 . A system as recited in  claim 39 , wherein said first temperature in said first inclined rotary kiln is about 650° Fahrenheit, and said second temperature in said second inclined rotary kiln is about 1050° Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         41 . A system as recited in  claim 38 , further comprising a refining unit located proximate to said first and second inclined rotary kilns, said refining unit receiving extracted hydrocarbons from the oil shale processed through said first and second inclined rotary kilns, upgrading said extracted hydrocarbons into petroleum products, and separating said petroleum products by predetermined criteria, said extracted hydrocarbons reaching said refining unit at a temperature substantially undiminished from the temperature of said extracted hydrocarbons when said extracted hydrocarbons leave said first and second inclined rotary kilns, respectively. 
     
     
         42 . A system as recited in  claim 41 , wherein said refining unit upgrades said extracted hydrocarbons from said first kiln independently of said extracted hydrocarbons from said second kiln. 
     
     
         43 . A system as recited in  claim 41 , further comprising a pre-heat kiln series-connected to the input end of said first inclined rotary kiln upstream of said first inclined rotary kiln in the direction of the advancement of the oil shale during processing in said first and second inclined rotary kilns. 
     
     
         44 . A system as recited in  claim 43 , wherein said pre-heat kiln comprises an inclined rotary kiln maintaining a corresponding oil shale drying environment in which moisture is removed from oil shale before the oil shale enters said first inclined rotary kiln. 
     
     
         45 . A system as recited in  claim 43 , wherein said pre-heat kiln uses heat recovered from oil shale processed through said second inclined rotary kiln. 
     
     
         46 . A system for producing petroleum products from oil shale, said system comprising:
 (a) a pre-heat kiln, said pre-heat kiln receiving for processing oil shale containing hydrocarbons and maintaining a corresponding oil shale drying environment wherein moisture is removed from the oil shale received by said pre-heat kiln;   (b) an indirect-fired substantially horizontally-disposed pyrolysis kiln series-connected to the output end of said pre-heat kiln, said pyrolysis kiln receiving for further processing oil shale processed through said pre-heat kiln and maintaining a corresponding pyrolysis environment wherein hydrocarbons are removed from the oil shale received by said pyrolysis kiln, said pyrolysis environment in said pyrolysis kiln being hotter than said oil shale drying environment in said pre-heat kiln;   (c) a source of pressurized sweep gas, said sweep gas inhibiting combustion in said pyrolysis kiln line and entraining for removal from said pyrolysis kiln hydrocarbons extracted from the oil shale being processed therein; and   (d) a heat source, the output of said heat source being supplied to said pyrolysis kiln thereby to maintain said pyrolysis environment.   
     
     
         47 . A system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein said heat source comprises a burner of combustible gas, flue gas from said burner corresponding to said output of said heat source. 
     
     
         48 . A system as recited in  claim 47 , wherein flue gas exhausted from said pyrolysis kiln is used in said pre-heat kiln to maintain oil shale drying environment. 
     
     
         49 . A system as recited in  claim 47 , wherein said heat source further comprises a heat exchanger associated with said burner, said heat exchanger using heat generated in said burner to preheat said sweep gas. 
     
     
         50 . A system as recited in  claim 46 , further comprising a pre-heat oil shale transport associated with said pre-heat kiln, said pre-heat oil shale transport advancing oil shale longitudinally through said pre-heat kiln during processing of the oil shale in said pre-heat kiln. 
     
     
         51 . A system as recited in  claim 46 , further comprising a pyrolysis oil shale transport associated with said pyrolysis kiln, said pyrolysis oil shale transport advancing oil shale longitudinally through said pyrolysis kiln during processing of the oil shale in said pyrolysis kiln. 
     
     
         52 . A system as recited in  claim 46 , further comprising a roasting jacket operatively associated with said kilns in said pyrolysis, said roasting jacket being sufficiently supplied with flue gas from said heat source to cooperate indirectly with said pyrolysis kiln in maintaining pyrolysis of the oil shale advanced therethrough. 
     
     
         53 . A system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein said sweep gas comprises nitrogen. 
     
     
         54 . A method for producing petroleum products from oil shale, the method comprising the steps:
 (a) drying oil shale containing hydrocarbons in a substantially horizontally-disposed pre-heat kiln to produce dry oil shale;   (b) transporting oil shale containing hydrocarbons from the input end to the output end of said pre-heat kiln during said step of drying;   (c) transferring dry oil shale from said output end of said pre-heat kiln to the input end of a substantially horizontally-disposed pyrolysis kiln;   (d) indirectly heating said dry oil shale in said pyrolysis kiln to thereby extract hydrocarbons from said dry oil shale in said pyrolysis kiln; and   (d) transporting dry oil shale from the input end to the output end of said pyrolysis kiln during said step of indirectly heating.   
     
     
         55 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , further comprising the steps:
 (a) heating a sweep gas capable of inhibiting combustion in said pyrolysis kiln; and   (b) forcing said heated sweep gas through said pyrolysis kiln, thereby to entrain in said sweep gas and remove from said pyrolysis kiln hydrocarbons extracted in said pyrolysis kiln from said dry oil shale.   
     
     
         56 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , further comprising the step of vibrating particles of dry oil shale in said pyrolysis kiln to preclude adhesion of said particles of dry oil shale during processing in said pyrolysis kiln. 
     
     
         57 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said step of transporting oil shale containing hydrocarbons comprises the step of rotating said pre-heat kiln to tumble said oil shale containing hydrocarbons from the input end to the output end of said pre-heat kiln. 
     
     
         58 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said step of transporting dry oil shale comprises the step of rotating said pre-heat kiln to tumble said dry oil shale from the input end to the output end of said pyrolysis kiln. 
     
     
         59 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said step of transporting oil shale containing hydrocarbons comprises the step of using a conveyor to advance said oil shale containing hydrocarbons from the input end to the output end of said pre-heat kiln. 
     
     
         60 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said step of transporting dry oil shale comprises the step of using a conveyor to advance said dry oil shale from the input end to the output end of said pyrolysis kiln. 
     
     
         61 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said step of drying is conducted using heat recovered from oil shale processed through said pyrolysis kiln. 
     
     
         62 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said step of drying is conducted using heat exhausted from said pyrolysis kiln. 
     
     
         63 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , further comprising the step of refining said hydrocarbons extracted in said pyrolysis kiln by upgrading said hydrocarbons into petroleum products and separating said petroleum products by predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         64 . A method as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said step of indirectly heating is conducted using the output of a heat source employing a fuel distinct from hydrocarbons in the oil shale being processed in said pyrolysis kiln. 
     
     
         65 . A method as recited in  claim 64 , further comprising the steps of:
 (a) separating hydrogen gas from other gasses; and   (b) employing said hydrogen gas from said step of separating as said output of said heat source.   
     
     
         66 . A method as recited in  claim 64 , further comprising the steps of:
 (a) gasifying a solid into a combustible gas; and   (b) employing said combustible gas from said step of gasifying as said output of said heat source.   
     
     
         67 . A method as recited in  claim 64 , further comprising the steps of:
 (a) burning a natural gas to produce flue gas; and   (b) employing said flue gas from said step of burning as said output of said heat source.