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

Claim 15:
16. A method of shale pyrolysis, comprising:
providing 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;
providing 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;
providing 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;
filling the retort with shale;
moving shale through the retort by continuously removing shale at a bottom of the retort and adding shale at a top;
pyrolyzing the shale by using the steam temperature control subsystem and the steam distributors to deliver the higher-temperature steam to the one or more upper sections of the retort and the lower-temperature steam to the one or more lower sections of the retort; and
removing shale pyrolysis gases and the steam via the collectors.