PYROLYSIS OF OIL-SHALE IN A MICRORETORTING UNIT

With the aim of investigating the dependence of shale oil composition on pyrolysis conditions (temperature and time), a laboratory microreto rting unit was constructed which enabled experiments to be conducted u nder isothermal conditions with approximately 20 g of oil shale, and a llowed the collection of four to six fractions of shale oil. The detai ls of the microretorting unit are presented, as well as the results of preliminary investigations. The composition of shale oil and gas prod uced by pyrolysing Aleksinac oil shale under isothermal conditions (42 0-520-degrees-C) was determined using column and gas chromatography, C -13 n.m.r. spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The results showed tha t a pyrolysis temperature between 450 and 480-degrees-C gave the highe st quantity of aliphatics and the lowest quantity of aromatics in the product.