Systems for heating a body of crushed hydrocarbonaceous material to produce hydrocarbons therefrom can involve heating multiple zones of the body of material sequentially. An exemplary system can include a body of crushed hydrocarbonaceous material having a lower zone and an upper zone. A lower heating conduit can be embedded in the lower zone, while an upper heating conduit is embedded in the upper zone. A collection conduit is embedded in the upper zone at a location above the upper heating conduit. A lower heating valve is also operatively associated with the lower heating conduit and is capable of switchably flowing a heat transfer fluid through the lower heating conduit. An upper heating valve is operatively associated with the upper heating conduit and capable of switchably flowing the heat transfer fluid through the upper heating conduit. The lower heating valve and upper heating valve are also configured to sequentially flow the heat transfer fluid through the lower heating conduit and then through the upper heating conduit or through the upper heating conduit and then through the lower heating conduit.

The present invention provides system, method and apparatus for creating an electric glow discharge that includes a first and second electrically conductive screens having substantially equidistant a gap between them, one or more insulators attached to the electrically conductive screens, and a non-conductive granular material disposed within the gap. The electric glow discharge is created whenever: (a) the first electrically conductive screen is connected to an electrical power source such that it is a cathode, the second electrically conductive screen is connected to the electrical power supply such that it is an anode, and the electrically conductive fluid is introduced into the gap, or (b) both electrically conductive screens are connected to the electrical power supply such they are the cathode, and the electrically conductive fluid is introduced between both electrically conductive screens and an external anode connected to the electrical power supply.

The present invention provides system, method and apparatus for creating an electric glow discharge that includes a first and second electrically conductive screens having substantially equidistant a gap between them, one or more insulators attached to the electrically conductive screens, and a non-conductive granular material disposed within the gap. The electric glow discharge is created whenever: (a) the first electrically conductive screen is connected to an electrical power source such that it is a cathode, the second electrically conductive screen is connected to the electrical power supply such that it is an anode, and the electrically conductive fluid is introduced into the gap, or (b) both electrically conductive screens are connected to the electrical power supply such they are the cathode, and the electrically conductive fluid is introduced between both electrically conductive screens and an external anode connected to the electrical power supply.

Optimized, heat-integrated methods and systems are provided to produce multiple, high-value products from oil shale, while minimizing overall energy and water usage. A method for producing multiple products from oil shale comprises: feeding raw oil shale into a heated retorting unit, to convert kerogen into a retorted stream; introducing the retorted stream to a distillation column to generate a high-cetane diesel stream, an -olefin-containing chemical stream, an asphalt/asphalt additive stream, and an overhead gas stream, wherein heat contained in the retorted stream is harnessed as distillation energy; separating the overhead gas stream into a fuel gas stream and a purge gas stream; combusting the fuel gas stream to generate hot flue gas; heating the purge gas with hot flue gas; feeding the heated purge gas directly to the heated retorting unit; and recovering the high-cetane diesel stream, the -olefin-containing chemical stream, and the asphalt/asphalt additive stream as products.

Optimized, heat-integrated methods and systems are provided to produce multiple, high-value products from oil shale, while minimizing overall energy and water usage. A method for producing multiple products from oil shale comprises: feeding raw oil shale into a heated retorting unit, to convert kerogen into a retorted stream; introducing the retorted stream to a distillation column to generate a high-cetane diesel stream, an -olefin-containing chemical stream, an asphalt/asphalt additive stream, and an overhead gas stream, wherein heat contained in the retorted stream is harnessed as distillation energy; separating the overhead gas stream into a fuel gas stream and a purge gas stream; combusting the fuel gas stream to generate hot flue gas; heating the purge gas with hot flue gas; feeding the heated purge gas directly to the heated retorting unit; and recovering the high-cetane diesel stream, the -olefin-containing chemical stream, and the asphalt/asphalt additive stream as products.

System and method for processing pyrolyzable materials in order to recover usable end products are disclosed. The pyrolysis process comprises a number of stages. First pre-treating is to reduce moisture content to approximately 15%. Second is to optimize the volatile organic under the heat and vacuum. This treatment stage is carried out at the temperature between 350 to 400 C. Next, the material is treated with heat and vacuum to produce hot gas and solid carbon residue. This stage is carried out at the temperature up to 800 C. The solid carbon residue can be separated from the hot gas, the volatile organic materials condensed to produce liquid hydrocarbon and gas products. Pyrolysis processes and system according to the present invention are able to thermally decompose carbon-containing materials, including, but not limited to, tires and other rubber-containing materials, hydrocarbon-containing products including pyrolysis oil, used oil and lubricants, organic wastes and alike, carbon containing minerals like brown and bituminous coal, oil shale and oil bearing schists. System and pyrolysis methods according to aspects of the present invention may be successful on a commercial scale.

System and method for processing pyrolyzable materials in order to recover usable end products are disclosed. The pyrolysis process comprises a number of stages. First pre-treating is to reduce moisture content to approximately 15%. Second is to optimize the volatile organic under the heat and vacuum. This treatment stage is carried out at the temperature between 350 to 400 C. Next, the material is treated with heat and vacuum to produce hot gas and solid carbon residue. This stage is carried out at the temperature up to 800 C. The solid carbon residue can be separated from the hot gas, the volatile organic materials condensed to produce liquid hydrocarbon and gas products. Pyrolysis processes and system according to the present invention are able to thermally decompose carbon-containing materials, including, but not limited to, tires and other rubber-containing materials, hydrocarbon-containing products including pyrolysis oil, used oil and lubricants, organic wastes and alike, carbon containing minerals like brown and bituminous coal, oil shale and oil bearing schists. System and pyrolysis methods according to aspects of the present invention may be successful on a commercial scale.

The invention relates to thermal conversion of solid fuels with a low organic content and can be used in the fuel-processing industry. Conversion of oil shale or high-ash solid fuels comprises flue-gas drying of feedstock, recovering the solid phase as a heat-carrying agent, feedstock pyrolysis in a reactor, separating a gas-vapour mixture from the coke-ash residue in a dust-settling chamber, discharging ash, cooling flue gases, and combustion of the coke-ash residue. An inert material having an ambient temperature is supplied to the outlet of the coke-ash residue ignition chamber. The plant comprises, arranged in series, a reactor, a dust-settling chamber, a flash-process furnace, a heat-carrier cyclone, an ash cyclone, a waste-heat recovery system, an ash-discharge system and a bin for inert material connected to the outlet of the coke-ash residue ignition chamber. The invention allows for a more complete use of the oil shale energy potential and for obtaining ash with a reduced negative effect on the environment, which makes it possible to use the ash for recultivation of quarries resulting from oil shale mining.

The invention relates to thermal conversion of solid fuels with a low organic content and can be used in the fuel-processing industry. Conversion of oil shale or high-ash solid fuels comprises flue-gas drying of feedstock, recovering the solid phase as a heat-carrying agent, feedstock pyrolysis in a reactor, separating a gas-vapour mixture from the coke-ash residue in a dust-settling chamber, discharging ash, cooling flue gases, and combustion of the coke-ash residue. An inert material having an ambient temperature is supplied to the outlet of the coke-ash residue ignition chamber. The plant comprises, arranged in series, a reactor, a dust-settling chamber, a flash-process furnace, a heat-carrier cyclone, an ash cyclone, a waste-heat recovery system, an ash-discharge system and a bin for inert material connected to the outlet of the coke-ash residue ignition chamber. The invention allows for a more complete use of the oil shale energy potential and for obtaining ash with a reduced negative effect on the environment, which makes it possible to use the ash for recultivation of quarries resulting from oil shale mining.

A shale pyrolysis system includes a retort with a first side and a second side. The second side is opposite the first side and the first side and the second side include descending angled surfaces at alternating angles to produce zig-zag motion of shale descending through the retort. Corners of the retort that change direction of the shale are rounded. The system includes steam distributors coupled to the first side and collectors coupled to the second side to produce crossflow of steam and heat across the descending shale from the first side to the second side, and a steam temperature control subsystem coupled to the steam distributors and configured to deliver higher-temperature steam to one or more upper sections of the retort and lower-temperature steam to one or more lower sections of the retort.