FLUIDIZED-BED PYROLYSIS OF A UINTA BASIN OIL SAND

The pyrolysis of the mined and crushed ore from the Whiterocks oil san d deposit was studied in a fluidized bed reactor. The reactor was desi gned to operate by pulling the fluidizing gas through the reactor rath er than by pushing the gas through the bed. This was accomplished by r educing the pressure above the bed with a gas pump operating in the su ction mode. This mode of operation resulted in smooth, stable fluidiza tion without slugging at H/D ratios up to 8. Pyrolysis energy was supp lied by a propane burner, and the hot combustion gases were used to fl uidize the bed. Operating the pyrolysis reactor without slugging allow ed the reactor to be operated at lower temperatures than previously re ported for equivalent liquid product yields. The bitumen-derived liqui d yields ranged from 80% to 90 wt% based on bitumen fed to the reactor in the temperature range 720-773 K. Less than 1 wt% of the bitumen fe d to the reactor was converted into a carbonaceous residue on the spen t sand.