US1766132A - Retort for distilling oil shale and the like - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1930'. v M. R. kRAUL i RETORT PQR DISTILLING QIL SHALE AND THE' LIKE NIX/v L fm d vf lilla Guion/w14 June 24,1930: M. R, KRAUL 1,766,132

RETORT FOR DISTLLING OIL SHALE-AND THE LIKE Filed Junezo, 1927 v5 Sheets-sheet '2 Jne 24, 17930. l M R. KRAUL` Y 1.,.766J3'2V RETORTFOR DISTILLNG O11J SHALE'AND THE LAKE Filed mile 2o, 1927 s sheets-sheet4 5 ...,"1 v 1 ft 7 ld* i] /0l Patented June 24, 1930 VuNrrl-:D STATES PATENT oFr-lcr:

MAGNUs RUDOLF KBAUL, oFronTLAND, OREGON; ANNA n KRAUL, ADMINISTRA- TRD; QE SAID MAGNUs n. KRAUL, nnomsnn RTORT FOR DISTILLING OIL SHALE AND TELEv LIKE v Application led June 20,

My invention relates to vertical retortsl adapted to destructive distillation of the hydro-carbons of various hydro-carbon bearing substances, and my inventionv especially relates to the destructive distillation andv extraction of crude oilfrom oil shales.

The object of my .invention is to provide simple means for arranging the material to beA ,retorted in the form of a relatively thin ver-l tical sheet composed of layers or small portions superimposed one upon the other, so that the layers or portions of the material will become quickly heated to the required temperature.

A further object of my inventionis to provide a retort comprising a vertical rectangular elongate enclosure consistingof walls on 'two sides and one end, and divided on the interior by longitudinal spaced walls into a distilling chamber, and a heating chamber on each side of the distilling chamber, with heating means located ineach of said heating chambers, so that both sides of the sheet of material will be simultaneously and con- 25, stantly exposed to the heat; and, further to provide within and adjacent each of the longitudinal side wal-ls of the distilling cham'- ber a series of vertically spaced horizontal shelves, extending inward and sloping down'- ward, and arranged in staggered relationship With-each other, whereby to hold small portions or layers: of the material to be retorted, and feed the same from an u per shelf onto va lower. By such constructlon a relatively thin sheet of the shale passes constantly through my retort and has both sides of the sheet subjected to the generated heat in the ilistilling chamber, so that the temperature of the shale may be quickl raised to the temperature required, and t e reaction of the -shal to the heating will be continuous and rap1 A further object of my invention is to provide for the ready removal, repair and replacement of the said shelves as may become necessary in service; and to that end I employ a removable frame within the distilling chamber which frame carries the said'series of vertically spaced horizontal shelves, the'spaces under theshelves functioning as gas collect- 1927.- Serial No. 200,074.

-ing sheds andV passageways, which open into said gas collecting chamber.

Further features of my invention, the details of construction of m retort and the y .mode of' operation thereo are' hereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 shows a transverse central vertical `section, taken on the line 1-1 of Eig. 3, and illustrates my retortl comprising two units;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective View of the removable frame, supporting the material holding shelves; v y

Fig. 3 shows a Vcentral vertical section taken. throughl one of the -distilling chambers in Fig. 1, and illustrates the details of construction;

' Fig. 4 shows av horizontal sectiontaken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l, and illustrates further details of construction;

Fig. 5 shows an end elevation of my retort of two units.

Myretort is preferably constructedto consist of a number of units, a retort of two units being shown in the drawings supported on aA foundation a and enclosed at the sides b walls b and atA one end by a wall z', all'pre erably of brick. l

. The distilling chambers c are formed by spaced walls d of steel plates also spaced from t e walls of the retort, by which heating chambers e are also formed the latter cham? bers being lclosed by end walls d', see Figs. 1 and 4. t

Within each distilling chamber 0, I provide a removable elongate frame g, Fig. 2, both of the side walls of whichare provided von the interior with a series of vertically spaced horizontal shelves L, sloping downwardly at 'an angle of approximately 45 degrees, the

respectively are arranged in staggered relatiOnShip,v said shelves being-adapted to carry a relatively thin Vlayer of shale each with theupper-'shelves discharging on the lower. 95 One end of the retort is also closed by a brick'wall i, see Fig. 4, and the frame g will be inserted into the distilling chamber c and spaced from the said wall by yflanges g', see' Fig. 3, thus forming a gas chamber j. The

' end ofthe frame adjacent the gas chamber At the top of each distilling chamber, I

provide hoppersm, the hopp-ers being connected to each other and discharging into the said distilling chamber, respectively, and a stack 2 fromthe heating chamber is arranged between the two hoppers and is connected to an outlet 3. By this arrangement waste heat the shale iii the hoppers before the shale is admitted into the distilling chamber.

The heating chambers located on the outer sides of the distilling chambers are provided with outlets 4 for the products of combustion.

A rotatable gate n is provided at the bottom of the hopper m, through which the admission of the shale into the distilling cham` vbei' -is controlled. t A rotatable grate o is provided 4at the bottom of the distilling chamber, and both-the gate fn. and grate 0 are connected by chains p I and sprockets g so that they may be operated in unison to discharge the spent shale as fresh oil shale is admitted at the, top..

A conveyor belt 1' is arranged below each of the distilling chambers to carry oil the spent shale to another conveyor belt s outside the retort by which the spentl shale may be conveyed to the dump or cars.

I provide ducts 5 leading through the end wall from densers. v

4In the' operation of my retort the distilling chambers will be charged with oil shale .crushed to pieces of about one inch in size, and

the retort will be heated until a temperature of approximately .800 degrees F. `has been A veryv narrow distilling chamber and by providin the said inwardly and downwardly exten ing shelves k therein, I am enabled to treat a very narrow sheet of oil shale, since the said shelves provide increased heating surface in relation to the volume of shale to be treated, and the entire section of ore is thus quickly raised to the required temperature at which the hydrocarbons are separated from the oil shale in gaseous form and will pass under the shelves h throughy the vents 7s and` thence Ainto the gas chamber, and from there through the pipes 5 and 6 to an atmospheric condenser, since the gate 'n andthe grate o also serve to seal the retort at the top and botases from the heating chambers serve to prethe gas chambers j, to pipes v6v vwhich may be connected to atmospheric con other, whereby to hold tom and prevent any of the gaseoushydrocarbons from escaping through 'the hoppers or from the bottom of the distilling chambers.

vThe thin sheet of oil shale contained inthe distilling chambers will not pack at the bot tom by its own weight, but will be supported more or less by the downwardly sloping shelves when at rest, at the saine time will readily move downward over the shelves when the spent shale is being taken from the bottom of 'the distilling chamber.

The oil shale generally commences to give oil' the hydrocarbons somewhat before the temperature of 800 degrees F. is reached and by the time the oil shale has been subjected to this degree of heat for about forty minsince it pers m which shorten the time required for raising the oil shales to this temperature, all the hydrocarbons will have been distilled and the gate n and grate o which are adapted to operate in`unison will be operated to admit oil s hale into the distilling chamber and discharge the distilling chambers at such a rate that utes,

it will require approximately this period'of forty minutes to pass through it.

Along with the hydrocarbons'comprising the crude oil, other incondensible gases of hydro-carbon compounds are given off which f I havefound to be economically useful 'as fuel for the gas burners '10, as these incondensible gases have a low burning point, high heat value, and burn with little waste.

. Another byproduct, ammonium sulphate, is commonly obtained from oil shales, and with my retort I economically produce ammonium sulphate in quantityiand quality to any other retorts within my knowl-A equal edge,'which I may separate in atmospheric condensers easily, since, I do not use super- 'has been preheated in the hop- I theA spent shale from the bottom of mev heated steam, as the agent of distillation,

which tends to complicate the recovery.

I claim:

l. In a retort, the combination of a vertical rectangular enclosure comprising walls on two sidesxand one end, longitudinal walls within the said enclosure arranged to divide the same into a. central elongate distilling chamber and a heating chamber on each side lof the distilling chamber, heating means located in each heating chamber, wall sections closing the other ends of saidfheating chambers, and removable wall plates secured to saidwall sections closing theV same end of the distilling chamber, a rectangular 'elongate frame in said distilling chamber, saidframe comprising two opposite spaced sides each supporting a series of ve tically spaced horizontal shelves extending inward midway of the distilling chamber and sloping downward with`the vshelves of one series arranged in staggered relationshi with those ofthe Iiayers of the material being retorted, and to feed thesame from iso collecting chamber, at one end within the latter, spaces under the shelves adapted to constitute gas-collecting sheds.and passageways and which open into said gas-collecting chamber, said latter chamber adapted to be connected to gas withdrawing means.

2. In a retort, the combination of, a vertical rectangular enclosure comprising walls l on two sides and one end, longitudinal walls of the distilling chamber,

cated in' each heating chamber, wall sections p closing theother ends of adapted to be connected means.

' A ,tillin within the said enclosure arranged to divide the same into an elongate central distilling chamber and a heating chamber on each side heating means 1osaid heating chambers, and removable wall plates secured to said wall sections closing the same end of the distilling chamber, arectangular elongate removable frame in said distilling chamber, said frame comprising two opposite Aspaced sides each supporting a series of vertically' spaced horizontal shelves extending inward midway of the distilling chamber and sloping downward, with lthe shelves of one series arran ed in' staggered relationship with thbse o the other, whereby to hold lay- .ersof the material. being retorted, and to yfeed the same from'an upper shelf onto a lower, said frame bein of lesser length horizontally than the disti 'ng chamber thereby to dprovide a gas-collecting chamber at one en within the latter, the spaces under shelves adapted to constitute gas-collecting sheds and assageways which open intov said gas-co ecting chamber, said latter chamber to gas withdrawing 3. In a retort, the combination of a vertical rectangular inclosure, the interior of the inclosure subdivided into pluraLdistilling units, each composed of longitudinal spaced walls enclosin a central distilling chamber and a heatin i cham) er, heating means located in said eatinlg chambers, the interior of the distilling c amber provided with a frame comprising two opposite spaced sides each side supporting a series of vertically spaced horizontal shelves extending inwardmidway of the distilling chamber and sloping downward with the shelves in staggered relation with those of the other, whereby to `hold layers of the material being retorted and feed the same from an upper shelf onto a lower, agascollectin chamber provided at one end of the distilllng cham` bers respectively, y shelves adapted-to sheds and passageways which open into said gas collecting chambers,vsaid latter'chamber adapted to be connected to gas withdrawing means.

With those said latter chamber adapted to chamber, said amber on each side of the disof one series arranged.

means for heating the two opposite sides thereof, the interior distilling chamber provided with av frame comprising two opposite spaced sides each side supporting a series of vertically spaced horizontal shelves extending inward midway of the distilling chamber and sloping downward, with the shelves of' one series arranged in staggered relation of'A the other, whereby to holdlayers of vthe material -being retorted and to feed thesame from an upper shelf onto a lower, provided at one end of the distilling chamer, spaces under the said shelvesco'nstitutingA gas-collecting sheds and assageways which open into said gas-collectlng chamber, be connected to gas-withdrawing means. 4

5. :In a retort, the combination of, a vertical .rectangular narrow distilling chamber,l means for heating the two opposite sides thereof, the interior distilling chamber provided with a removable -frame comprising opposite spaced sides each side supporting a series of vertically spaced horizontal shelves extending fi'nward and sloping downward, with the shelvesof one series arranged in staggered relation with those of the other,

whereby to hold layers of the material being retorted and to feed the same from an upper shelf onto alower, .a gas-collecting chamber provided at one end ofthe distilling chamber, spaces under the said shelves constituting gas-collecting sheds and passageways. which open into said gas-collecting connected lto gas-withdrawing means.

MAGNUS RUDOLF KRAUL.

spaces under the said,V constitute 'gas-collecting a gas-collecting chamber latter chamber adapted'toibeYYYVV

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