Patent ID: 11866649
Assignee: PYRO DYNAMICS, LLC
Field: Basic materials chemistry (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C | IPC C

Claim 0:
1. A shale pyrolysis system comprising:
a retort comprising a first side and a second side, the second side opposite the first side, the first side and the second side comprising descending angled surfaces at alternating angles to produce zig-zag motion of shale descending through the retort, wherein corners of the retort that change direction of the shale are rounded;
steam distributors coupled to the first side and collectors coupled to the second side to produce crossflow of steam and heat across the descending shale from the first side to the second side; and
a steam temperature control subsystem coupled to the steam distributors and configured to deliver higher-temperature steam to one or more upper sections of the retort and lower-temperature steam to one or more lower sections of the retort;
wherein each of the rounded corners of the retort comprises a radius sized such that a portion of shale descending through the retort maintains a same position relative to surrounding shale as the portion of shale passes through the retort and around a rounded corner.