Oil shale report run summary, small retort: Run S-19

Small retort run S-19 was designed to demonstrate the effects of increased steam rate on retort performance. Reduction in peak temperatures and possibly greater separation of the retort and combustion zones were expected. Greater oil yield (reduced oil losses) and more effective use of process heat were anticipated. A broad size range shale (-7.6 + 0.001 cm) was selected since S-12, S-14 (-7.6 + 0.001 cm) and S-15 (-2.5 + 0.001 cm) exhibited ragged temperature profiles, suggesting flow nonuniformity. It was hoped that the use of increased steam would reduce the steepness of the retorting thermal front and separate the retorting and combustion zones, and so would lead to substantial smoothing of temperature profiles, reduced flow nonuniformities, decreased oil burning and thus slightly increased yield. The S-19 charge was loaded in a manner very similar to S-18 (see S-18 Run Summary Report) so that direct comparisons could be made between the two runs. The inlet gas mixture was 25% air and 75% steam with the oxygen rate set at 0.075 m3/m2•min. All systems functioned well. There were no great surprises in the run despite the added heat and water load on the product collection system.