title: A novel energy-efficient pyrolysis process: self-pyrolysis of oil shale triggered by topochemical heat in a horizontal fixed bed.
abstract: This paper proposes a novel energy-efficient oil shale pyrolysis process triggered by a topochemical reaction that can be applied in horizontal oil shale formations. The process starts by feeding preheated air to oil shale to initiate a topochemical reaction and the onset of self-pyrolysis. As the temperature in the virgin oil shale increases (to 250-300°C), the hot air can be replaced by ambient-temperature air, allowing heat to be released by internal topochemical reactions to complete the pyrolysis. The propagation of fronts formed in this process, the temperature evolution, and the reaction mechanism of oil shale pyrolysis in porous media are discussed and compared with those in a traditional oxygen-free process. The results show that the self-pyrolysis of oil shale can be achieved with the proposed method without any need for external heat. The results also verify that fractured oil shale may be more suitable for underground retorting. Moreover, the gas and liquid products from this method were characterised, and a highly instrumented experimental device designed specifically for this process is described. This study can serve as a reference for new ideas on oil shale in situ pyrolysis processes.
authors: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
authors: You-Hong
authors: YH
authors: Sun
authors: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
authors: Feng-Tian
authors: FT
authors: Bai
authors: 1] College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China [2] Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, PO Box 12100, FIN-02015 Espoo, Finland.
authors: Xiao-Shu
authors: XS
authors: Lü
authors: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
authors: Qiang
authors: Q
authors: Li
authors: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
authors: Yu-Min
authors: YM
authors: Liu
authors: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
authors: Ming-Yi
authors: MY
authors: Guo
authors: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Guo
authors: College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
authors: Bao-Chang
authors: BC
authors: Liu
references: Environ Sci Process Impacts. 2014 May;16(5):954-69
references: 24699994
references: Environ Sci Technol. 2008 Oct 1;42(19):7489-95
references: 18939591