A mathematical model for the retorting of a large block of oil shale: effect of the internal temperature gradient

✍ Scribed by Shin-Min Shih; Hong Y. Sohn

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1978
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 914 KB
• Volume: 57
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0016-2361
• DOI: 10.1016/0016-2361(78)90192-8

✦ Synopsis

A mathematical model which incorporates the intrinsic kinetics of the decomposition of kerogen and carbonate minerals and the internal as well as external heat-transfer effects has been developed. This rigorous model is compared with the uniform-temperature model. The results indicate that at a heating rate of l'C/min and a mass velocity of gas of 9.9179 kg/m2 s, the uniform-temperature model gives about 10% error in the extent of conversion for particles of 6 cm in radius. As the particle size increases, the error becomes greater. Also, at higher heating rates or mass velocities the error is larger for the same particle size. The new model has been applied to the results of thermogravimetric experiments published in the literature. The comparison shows that the rigorous model describes the retorting of oil shale more accurately than the shrinking-core model or the uniform-temperature model.