Objective
The experimental demonstration of an oil shale retorting process to produce marketable oil and gas products. The test results will be used for the engineering and cost estimate of a demonstration plant.
The tests showed difficulties, particularly concerning the condensation of the heavy oil vapors, the separation of solids from the pyrolysis gas and the recycle gas heating system. By modifications of the process scheme, constructive changes of individual components, these difficulties were solved.
The difficulties mentioned above led to a considerable delay in the time schedule and a overrun in the calculated budget. The current market situation for primary energy resources excludes a commercial use of the oil shale reserves in central Europe in medium term.
Therefore it is considered to abandon the project.
VEBA OEL AG has developed a pyrolysis process for oil shales with low Kerogen (oil) contents called "Cyclone Pyrolysis". The project activities are the engineering, construction and operation of a pilot plant with an hourly throughput of 300 kg oil shale. The plant is located at the RUHR OEL Refinery, Gelsenkirchen-Scholven.
In the process developed by VEBA OEL AG, the oil shale is heated up to a pyrolysis temperature of approx. 500 deg.C by direct heat exchange with recycling of hot pyrolysis gas. The pyrolysis is carried out primarily in a cyclone and subsequently in a rotating drum. This drum is directly heated by burning natural and/or proces off-gases.
The consideration of the pyrolysis vapors is carried out in two steps. In the first step the pyrolysis vapors are quenched with oils generated in the pyrolysis slage from 500 deg.C to about 300 deg.C. Simultaneously, fine dust and soot are washed out from the pyrolysis vapors. In a second condensation step the dust-free pyrolysis vapors are cooled from 300 deg.C to about 30 deg.C. The condensate passes to a separator to remove water from the light oil.
The necessary heat for the process is produced by burning the carbon containing pyrolysis residue in a fluidized bed oven.
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DEM - Demonstration contractsCoordinator
45896 Gelsenkirchen
Germany