US2989442A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for retorting of oil shale
Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
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Filing: 1958-12-08
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Granted: 1961-06-20
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Expires: 1978-12-08
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Dorsey William Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 20:36
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10B; C10B53/00; C10B53/06; C10G; C10G1/00; C10G1/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
249 words
AN APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR THE CONTINUOUS EDUCTION OF SHALE OIL AND THE INDEPENDENT COMBUSTION OF SPENT SHALE TO FURNISH HOT GASES FOR SAID EDUCTION WHICH COMPRISES: A VERTICALLY DISPOSED EDUCTION CHAMBER WHICH INCREASES IN CROSS-SECTION WITH INCREASE IN ELEVATION, SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER HAVING MEANS IN ITS LOWER PERIPHERAL SIDEWALL FOR REMOVAL OF FLUIDS WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL REMOVAL OF SOLIDS, MEANS FOR PASSING A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPACT MOVING BED OF SAID OIL SHALE PARTICLES UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED COMBUSTION CHAMBER HAVING A CONSTRUCTION SUCH AS TO INCREASE IN CROSSSECTION WITH DECREASE IN ELEVATION, SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER BEING DISPOSED LATERALY FROM AND BELOW THE TOP OF SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER, MEANS FOR TRANSFER OF UPWARDLY FED OIL SHALE PARTICLE SOLIDS FROM THE TOP OF SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER TO SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH A MINIMUM OF AGITATION, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING SOLIDS FROM THE LOWER PART OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER SO AS TO MAINTAIN A COMPACT BED OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY FLOWING PARTICLES THEREIN, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY ACROSS ITS CROSS-SECTION, MEANS FOR REMOVING A FIRST STREAM OF HOT COMBUSTION GASES FROM THE TOP OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING A SECOND STREAM OF COMBUSTION GASES TO SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER TOP, MEANS FOR SEPARATING A PORTION OF GASEOUS PRODUCT REMOVED FROM SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR MIXING SAID PORTION OF GASEOUS PRODUCT WITH SAID SECOND STREAM OF HOT COMBUSTION GASES AND PASSING THE MIXTURE INTO THE TOP OF SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
249 words
AN APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR THE CONTINUOUS EDUCTION OF SHALE OIL AND THE INDEPENDENT COMBUSTION OF SPENT SHALE TO FURNISH HOT GASES FOR SAID EDUCTION WHICH COMPRISES: A VERTICALLY DISPOSED EDUCTION CHAMBER WHICH INCREASES IN CROSS-SECTION WITH INCREASE IN ELEVATION, SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER HAVING MEANS IN ITS LOWER PERIPHERAL SIDEWALL FOR REMOVAL OF FLUIDS WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL REMOVAL OF SOLIDS, MEANS FOR PASSING A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPACT MOVING BED OF SAID OIL SHALE PARTICLES UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED COMBUSTION CHAMBER HAVING A CONSTRUCTION SUCH AS TO INCREASE IN CROSSSECTION WITH DECREASE IN ELEVATION, SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER BEING DISPOSED LATERALY FROM AND BELOW THE TOP OF SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER, MEANS FOR TRANSFER OF UPWARDLY FED OIL SHALE PARTICLE SOLIDS FROM THE TOP OF SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER TO SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH A MINIMUM OF AGITATION, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING SOLIDS FROM THE LOWER PART OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER SO AS TO MAINTAIN A COMPACT BED OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY FLOWING PARTICLES THEREIN, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY ACROSS ITS CROSS-SECTION, MEANS FOR REMOVING A FIRST STREAM OF HOT COMBUSTION GASES FROM THE TOP OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING A SECOND STREAM OF COMBUSTION GASES TO SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER TOP, MEANS FOR SEPARATING A PORTION OF GASEOUS PRODUCT REMOVED FROM SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER, AND MEANS FOR MIXING SAID PORTION OF GASEOUS PRODUCT WITH SAID SECOND STREAM OF HOT COMBUSTION GASES AND PASSING THE MIXTURE INTO THE TOP OF SAID EDUCTION CHAMBER.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
225 words
IN A CONTINUOUS SHALE-RETORTING PROCESS WHEREIN A MOVING COMPACT BED OF SHALE IS FIRST SUBJECTED TO HOT GAS EDUCTION TO GENERATE OIL, AND THE CARBONACEOUS RESIDUE IS THEN BURNED TO GENERATE GAS FOR SAID EDUCTION, THE IMPROVED METHOD FOR MAINTAINING INDEPENDENT CONTROL OVER SAID EDUCTION AND BURNING STEPS, WHICH COMPRISES PASSING RAW SHALE PARTICLES OF VARYING SIZES UP TO ABOUT SIX INCHES DIAMETER UPWARDLY AS A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPACT BED THROUGH AN EDUCTION ZONE, PASSING A HOT EDUCTION FLUID DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID EDUCTION ZONE TO CONTACT SAID PARTICLES AND EDUCT LIQUID AND GASEOUS HYDROCARBONS THEREFROM LEAVING EDUCTED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES, WITHDRAWING LIQUID AND GASEOUS PRODUCTS FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID EDUCTION ZONE, MOVING SAID EDUCTED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES FROM THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID EDUCTION ZONE TO THE UPPER LEVEL OF A COMBUSTION ZONE WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL COMMINUTION THEREOF, SAID COMBUSTION ZONE BEING DISPOSED LATERALLY FROM AND BELOW THE TOP OF SAID EDUCTION ZONE, PASSING SAID EDUCTED PARTICLES DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID COMBUSTION ZONE IN THE FORM OF A COMPACT BED OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY FLOWING PARTICLES, INTRODUCING OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID COMBUSTION ZONE FOR SUPPORTING COMBUSTION OF CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES TO PRODUCE A HOT COMBUSTION GAS AND MIXING AT LEAST PART OF SAID HOT COMBUSTION GAS WITH AT LEAST PART OF THE GASEOUS PRODUCT REMOVED FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID EDUCTION ZONE TO FORM SAID HOT EDUCTION FLUID.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
225 words
IN A CONTINUOUS SHALE-RETORTING PROCESS WHEREIN A MOVING COMPACT BED OF SHALE IS FIRST SUBJECTED TO HOT GAS EDUCTION TO GENERATE OIL, AND THE CARBONACEOUS RESIDUE IS THEN BURNED TO GENERATE GAS FOR SAID EDUCTION, THE IMPROVED METHOD FOR MAINTAINING INDEPENDENT CONTROL OVER SAID EDUCTION AND BURNING STEPS, WHICH COMPRISES PASSING RAW SHALE PARTICLES OF VARYING SIZES UP TO ABOUT SIX INCHES DIAMETER UPWARDLY AS A SUBSTANTIALLY COMPACT BED THROUGH AN EDUCTION ZONE, PASSING A HOT EDUCTION FLUID DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID EDUCTION ZONE TO CONTACT SAID PARTICLES AND EDUCT LIQUID AND GASEOUS HYDROCARBONS THEREFROM LEAVING EDUCTED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES, WITHDRAWING LIQUID AND GASEOUS PRODUCTS FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID EDUCTION ZONE, MOVING SAID EDUCTED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES FROM THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID EDUCTION ZONE TO THE UPPER LEVEL OF A COMBUSTION ZONE WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL COMMINUTION THEREOF, SAID COMBUSTION ZONE BEING DISPOSED LATERALLY FROM AND BELOW THE TOP OF SAID EDUCTION ZONE, PASSING SAID EDUCTED PARTICLES DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID COMBUSTION ZONE IN THE FORM OF A COMPACT BED OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY FLOWING PARTICLES, INTRODUCING OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID COMBUSTION ZONE FOR SUPPORTING COMBUSTION OF CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES TO PRODUCE A HOT COMBUSTION GAS AND MIXING AT LEAST PART OF SAID HOT COMBUSTION GAS WITH AT LEAST PART OF THE GASEOUS PRODUCT REMOVED FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID EDUCTION ZONE TO FORM SAID HOT EDUCTION FLUID.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1964-06-19 | 1964-12-19 | 1965-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1968-06-19 | 1968-12-19 | 1969-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1972-06-19 | 1972-12-19 | 1973-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |