Patent ID: 11926792
Assignee: CHARLES STERLING KERACIK
Field: Basic materials chemistry (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C | IPC C

Claim 10:
11. A method for recovering kerogen oil comprising:
loading a first reactor and a second reactor with carbonaceous material;
injecting a heat transfer medium into the first reactor, wherein the heat transfer medium comprises steam;
heating the carbonaceous material in the first reactor by transferring heat from the heat transfer medium to the carbonaceous material in the first reactor to thermally crack kerogen within the carbonaceous material in the first reactor whereby a vapor phase effluent is formed in the first reactor comprising at least some of the steam of the heat transfer medium and vaporized hydrocarbons produced from the thermal cracking of the kerogen;
transferring the vapor phase effluent from the first reactor to the second reactor;
condensing at least a portion of the vapor phase effluent in the second reactor to release heat of condensation from the vapor phase effluent and produce a condensate stream that comprises condensed water and condensed hydrocarbons;
heating the carbonaceous material in the second reactor by transferring to the carbonaceous material in the second reactor the heat of condensation released from the vapor phase effluent as the vapor phase effluent is condensed in the second reactor to produce the condensate stream, wherein the second reactor is maintained at a reactor pressure that is at least 200 pounds per square inch (PSI) whereby the condensate stream and the carbonaceous material are exposed in the second reactor to the reactor pressure;
recovering kerogen oil from the condensate stream; and
cooling the carbonaceous material in the first reactor directly after the heating by injecting water into the first reactor.