APPARATUS FOR THE RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBONACEOUS AND ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS FROM OIL SHALE AND SANDS VIA MULTI-STAGE CONDENSATION

摘要

A system for recovering products from a gas stream comprises a cooled chamber having an inlet that feeds the gas stream to a plurality of sequential conduit loops within the chamber. A critical orifice follows each loop, and each loop includes an output port. Based upon the physical characteristics of each loop, the sizing of the critical orifice following the loop, and the temperature within the chamber, different products are condensed from the gas stream through the output ports. The system may be configured to condense hydrocarbonaceous products such as ethane, propane, butane or methane, as well as fundamental products such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or hydrogen. Gaseous products may be stored in gas or liquid form or vented to atmosphere depending upon amount, purity, and so forth.

主权项

1. A method of recovering hydrocarbonaceous and other products from non-rubbilized oil shale and oil/tar sands, comprising the steps of:
forming a hole in a body of the oil shale or sand; positioning a gas inlet conduit into the hole; heating and pressurizing a processing gas; introducing the processing gas into the hole through the gas inlet conduit, thereby creating a nonburning thermal energy front sufficient to convert kerogen in oil shale or bitumen in oil sand to hydrocarbonaceous products; withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through the hole; performing first and second initial condensation steps to separately recover and store heavy and lighter crude oil products from the effluent gas; and performing one or more subsequent condensation steps to recover and store additional liquefied products from the effluent gas.