Dimensions, exterior surfaces, volumes, densities and shape factors for particles of crushed Colorado oil shale in two narrow sieve fractions (Abstract)

Large-scale extraction of oil from Colorado oil shale will require that the rock be fragmented for heat processing, whether the retorting be done above or below ground level. Understanding of fluid friction, heat transfer and mass transfer in beds of shale particles requires that we be able to characterize these shapes. Historically, most of the characterization effort has been spent on fine powders and indirect methods. We undertook to measure, directly, particle sizes as related to sieve dimensions, surface areas, sphericity and other shape factors in oil-shale particles.