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Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for retorting particulate solid materials, particularly hydrocarbon-containing materials such as oil shale, oil sands, tar sands, coal shale, coal tailings, and the like, for the recovery of a volatile constituent such as oil or gas. A rotary retorting apparatus is employed which consists of a cylindrical drum, or other similar regularly shaped chamber, with a substantially horizontal axis of rotation and having multiple compartments for retorting and combustion and, optionally, spent solids cooling. The apparatus further includes solids transport chutes for forward and backward circulation of solids, arranged for the intercompartmental transfer of solids with the capability of additions at one or more points in each compartment. Employing the method and apparatus, particulate solids feedstock is heated by recycled spent solids material to remove the volatile constituent of the feedstock in the retort section. Another feature of the invention employs direct solids-to-gas contact established by lifting and cascading reacting solids through hot gas streams such that throughput, high thermal efficiency, low energy input, among other advantages, are obtained in producing high yields of volatile product. In particular, high oil yields and gas yields are obtained when processing oil shale, but with low sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides in the flue gases and reduced hydrogen sulfide in the retort gases.

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First Claim