Patent US4029360A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4029360A
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Method of recovering oil and water from in situ oil shale retort flue gas
Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale Inc
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Filing: 1976-04-02
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Granted: 1977-06-14
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Expires: 1996-04-02
Abstract
Abstract A technique is described for reducing the content of oil and water in the flue gas recovered from the bottom of an underground in situ oil shale retort. In such a retort air is passed downwardly to sustain a combustion zone for retorting oil which is recovered at the bottom. Flue gas recovered from the bottom of the retort contains water vapor and oil and water aerosols. These are removed from the flue gas by passing it a substantial distance upwardly through cool overburden so that the flue gas is cooled below its dew point so that water condenses in the vertical conduit and aerosols are dropped out on the walls. The oil and water are recovered at the bottom of the conduit and stored in an underground sump.
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon B. French
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:56
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/34; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/243; E21C; E21C41/00; E21C41/16; E21C41/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of reducing the water content of flue gas from an underground in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale comprising the steps of: collecting flue gas from an underground in situ retort, said flue gas having water vaporized therein; passing the flue gas through an elongated conduit extending through at least one subterranean rock formation in heat transfer relationship with at least one such rock formation for a sufficient distance to lower the flue gas temperature to a temperature of less than the dew point of the collected flue gas for condensing water from the flue gas, at least a portion of such a rock formation having a temperature at the conduit of less than the dew point of said flue gas; and recovering water condensed from the flue gas from the elongated conduit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of reducing the water content of flue gas from an underground in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale comprising the steps of: collecting flue gas from an underground in situ retort, said flue gas having water vaporized therein; passing the flue gas through an elongated conduit extending through at least one subterranean rock formation in heat transfer relationship with at least one such rock formation for a sufficient distance to lower the flue gas temperature to a temperature of less than the dew point of the collected flue gas for condensing water from the flue gas, at least a portion of such a rock formation having a temperature at the conduit of less than the dew point of said flue gas; and recovering water condensed from the flue gas from the elongated conduit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the flue gas is passed through at least about 500 feet of subterranean rock formation.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of reducing oil and water content of flue gas from an underground in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale comprising the steps of: collecting flue gas from an underground in situ retort, said flue gas having water vaporized therein and oil and water droplets entrained therein; passing the flue gas through an elongated conduit extending through at least one subterranean rock formation in heat transfer relation with at least one such rock formation at a rate sufficient for turbulent flow for contacting the walls of the elongated conduit with entrained oil and water droplets for collection thereof, for a sufficient distance to lower the flue gas temperature to a temperature of less than the dew point of the collected flue gas for condensing water from the flue gas; and recovering oil and water from the elongated conduit.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of reducing oil and water content of flue gas from an underground in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale comprising the steps of: collecting flue gas from an underground in situ retort, said flue gas having water vaporized therein and oil and water droplets entrained therein; passing the flue gas through an elongated conduit extending through at least one subterranean rock formation in heat transfer relation with at least one such rock formation at a rate sufficient for turbulent flow for contacting the walls of the elongated conduit with entrained oil and water droplets for collection thereof, for a sufficient distance to lower the flue gas temperature to a temperature of less than the dew point of the collected flue gas for condensing water from the flue gas; and recovering oil and water from the elongated conduit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
233 words
In an underground in situ oil shale retorting system having an underground retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale comprising a room in said formation containing a bed of fragmented oil shale particles with a sufficient distributed void volume to permit gas flow therethrough, means for introducing air into the retort for supporting a combustion zone in the bed and moving said combustion zone therethrough for retorting oil shale and producing shale oil and flue gas having water vaporized therein, means for recovering shale oil from the retort, and means for collecting flue gas from the retort, the improvement comprising: an elongated conduit extending through at least one subterranean rock formation in heat transfer relation with at least one such rock formation a sufficient distance to lower the temperature of flue gas passed therethrough to less than the dew point of the collected flue gas, at least a portion of such a rock formation having a temperature at the conduit of less than the dew point of the flue gas; and means in fluid communication with the conduit for recovering water condensed from said flue gas passed therethrough comprising: standpipe means in fluid communication with the conduit and located out of the gas flow path for collecting water condensed in said conduit; sump means for collecting oil and water; and means for conveying water from the standpipe means to the sump means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
233 words
In an underground in situ oil shale retorting system having an underground retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale comprising a room in said formation containing a bed of fragmented oil shale particles with a sufficient distributed void volume to permit gas flow therethrough, means for introducing air into the retort for supporting a combustion zone in the bed and moving said combustion zone therethrough for retorting oil shale and producing shale oil and flue gas having water vaporized therein, means for recovering shale oil from the retort, and means for collecting flue gas from the retort, the improvement comprising: an elongated conduit extending through at least one subterranean rock formation in heat transfer relation with at least one such rock formation a sufficient distance to lower the temperature of flue gas passed therethrough to less than the dew point of the collected flue gas, at least a portion of such a rock formation having a temperature at the conduit of less than the dew point of the flue gas; and means in fluid communication with the conduit for recovering water condensed from said flue gas passed therethrough comprising: standpipe means in fluid communication with the conduit and located out of the gas flow path for collecting water condensed in said conduit; sump means for collecting oil and water; and means for conveying water from the standpipe means to the sump means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
213 words
In an underground in situ oil shale retorting system having an underground retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale comprising a room in said formation containing a bed of fragmented oil shale particles with a sufficient distributed void volume to permit gas flow therethrough, means for introducing air into the retort for supporting a combustion zone in the bed and moving said combustion zone therethrough for retorting oil shale and producing shale oil and flue gas having water vaporized therein and having water and oil aerosols entrained therein, means for recovering shale oil from the retort, and means for collecting flue gas from the retort, the improvement comprising: an elongated conduit extending through at least one subterranean rock formation in heat transfer relation with at least one such formation a sufficient distance to lower the temperature of flue gas passed therethrough to less than the dew point of the collected flue gas for condensing water from the flue gas, at least a portion of such a rock formation having a temperature at the conduit of less than the dew point of the flue gas; and means in the conduit for removing liquid droplets from the flue gas passed therethrough; and means in fluid communication with the conduit for recovering oil and water.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
213 words
In an underground in situ oil shale retorting system having an underground retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale comprising a room in said formation containing a bed of fragmented oil shale particles with a sufficient distributed void volume to permit gas flow therethrough, means for introducing air into the retort for supporting a combustion zone in the bed and moving said combustion zone therethrough for retorting oil shale and producing shale oil and flue gas having water vaporized therein and having water and oil aerosols entrained therein, means for recovering shale oil from the retort, and means for collecting flue gas from the retort, the improvement comprising: an elongated conduit extending through at least one subterranean rock formation in heat transfer relation with at least one such formation a sufficient distance to lower the temperature of flue gas passed therethrough to less than the dew point of the collected flue gas for condensing water from the flue gas, at least a portion of such a rock formation having a temperature at the conduit of less than the dew point of the flue gas; and means in the conduit for removing liquid droplets from the flue gas passed therethrough; and means in fluid communication with the conduit for recovering oil and water.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-06-13 | 1980-12-13 | 1981-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-06-13 | 1984-12-13 | 1985-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-06-13 | 1988-12-13 | 1989-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |