US4052293A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for extracting oil from hydrocarbonaceous solid material
Assignee: CMX Inc
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Filing: 1975-10-10
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Granted: 1977-10-04
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Expires: 1995-10-10
Abstract
Abstract A closed self-contained system (method and apparatus) for efficiently extracting oil and other hydrocarbons from oil-bearing hydrocarbonaceous solid material, which may be preheated to remove water and hydrocarbons which vaporize below about 600° F., is advanced in the form of discrete individual pieces along a pathway in a substantially evacuated zone (e.g., less than 50 torr) while in the presence of heat energy sufficient to raise the temperature of the shale (e.g., to 600° to no more than 900° F.) to cause the oil and other hydrocarbons to be liberated as a vapor in the evacuated zone. The hydrocarbonaceous solid material advances in proximity with at least one condenser surface so that oil and other hydrocarbons are condensed and recovered from the liberated vapor. The system operates at temperatures which are at all times below 900° F., and generally below 700° F., to extract the oil from the oil-bearing hydrocarbonaceous solid material in a relatively short period of time (e.g., 30 to 360 minutes).
Inventors
- 👤 James L. Mercer
- 👤 Hachiro J. Togashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:31
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10G; C10G1/00; C10G1/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
In a method for extracting oil and other hydrocarbons from oil shale, tar sand, coal, lignite and like hydrocarbonaceous solid material, the steps of advancing discrete individual pieces of said hydrocarbonaceous solid material along a pathway in a substantially evacuated system at a pressure no more than about 50 torr, said substantially evacuated system being in communication with at least one condenser surface, supplying heat energy to said pieces of hydrocarbonaceous material to raise the temperature thereof to within the range from about 600° to no more than 900° F. to cause the oil and other hydrocarbons therein to be liberated as a vapor in said evacuated system, and thereafter selectively condensing and recovering the oil from said vapor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
In a method for extracting oil and other hydrocarbons from oil shale, tar sand, coal, lignite and like hydrocarbonaceous solid material, the steps of advancing discrete individual pieces of said hydrocarbonaceous solid material along a pathway in a substantially evacuated system at a pressure no more than about 50 torr, said substantially evacuated system being in communication with at least one condenser surface, supplying heat energy to said pieces of hydrocarbonaceous material to raise the temperature thereof to within the range from about 600° to no more than 900° F. to cause the oil and other hydrocarbons therein to be liberated as a vapor in said evacuated system, and thereafter selectively condensing and recovering the oil from said vapor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said pressure is within the range from 1 to 10 torr.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said pieces of said hydrocarbonaceous solid material are preheated at a temperature within the range from 300° to 600° F. to preliminarily remove water and hydrocarbons which vaporize at temperatures below about 600° F.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said substantially evacuated pathway is in communication with a plurality of condenser surfaces maintained at varying temperatures and which function to permit fractional condensing and recovery of oil from said liberated vapor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein radiant heat energy is supplied by a black body source heated to a temperature within the range from about 900° to 1500° F.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said discrete individual pieces of hydrocarbonaceous solid material are advanced along said pathway for a period on the order of 30 to 360 minutes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein pressure in said evacuated system is below about 10 torr, the temperature of said advancing pieces of said hydrocarbonaceous solid material is below 700° F., and the time to remove at least 50% of the oil present in said material is less than about 70 minutes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method as in claim 1 for treating coal to recover oil therefrom and to cleanse the same of impurities wherein heat energy is supplied to discrete pieces of coal to raise the temperature thereof to within said range from about 600° to no more than 900° F., to cause oil and volatile impurities in the coal to be liberated as vapors in said evacuated system, followed by condensing the liberated vapors to recover said oil and impurities as by-products while simultaneously recovering the coal as a source of clean heat energy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
A continuous method for the recovery of oil from oil shale comprising the steps of breaking the oil shale into discrete individual pieces, preheating said pieces at a temperature below about 600° F. to drive out water and hydrocarbons which volatilize at temperatures below 600° F., advancing the discrete individual pieces along a pathway in an evacuated, substantially air-free system wherein the pressure is below about 50 torr, said pathway being in communication with a plurality of condenser surfaces, supplying heat energy to the advancing pieces of material to raise the temperature of the pieces to not greater than 900° F., the conditions of evacuated pressure and temperature being such that oil present in said oil shale is liberated as a vapor in said evacuated system, maintaining the temperature of said plurality condenser surfaces at different temperatures within the range from about 300° to -200° F. to facilitate fractional condensing of hydrocarbon components in said liberated vapor, and fractionally condensing said hydrocarbons to recover the same.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
A continuous method for the recovery of oil from oil shale comprising the steps of breaking the oil shale into discrete individual pieces, preheating said pieces at a temperature below about 600° F. to drive out water and hydrocarbons which volatilize at temperatures below 600° F., advancing the discrete individual pieces along a pathway in an evacuated, substantially air-free system wherein the pressure is below about 50 torr, said pathway being in communication with a plurality of condenser surfaces, supplying heat energy to the advancing pieces of material to raise the temperature of the pieces to not greater than 900° F., the conditions of evacuated pressure and temperature being such that oil present in said oil shale is liberated as a vapor in said evacuated system, maintaining the temperature of said plurality condenser surfaces at different temperatures within the range from about 300° to -200° F. to facilitate fractional condensing of hydrocarbon components in said liberated vapor, and fractionally condensing said hydrocarbons to recover the same.
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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) | 1980-10-03 | 1981-04-04 | 1981-10-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-10-03 | 1985-04-04 | 1985-10-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-10-03 | 1989-04-04 | 1989-10-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |