Oil shale project large retort run summary: Run L-3

The major objectives of Run L-3 were: for a broad size distribution, investigate the effects of a step grade change on retort operations and demonstrate control of retort temperatures; evaluate effects of different shale on retort operations (i.e. Tract C-a versus Anvil Points) and retort oil yield; and evaluate retort- ignition by preheating with hot inert gas. There were also a number of minor objectives that were based on a series of "add-on" experiments. These included: determining the relative importance of "cracking" versus "oxidation" contributions to ethene/ethane ratio; determining if the loss of block-produced oil can be reasonably estimated from offgas ethene/ethane ratios; and further study of nonuniform fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics that may exist when smooth block surfaces are adjacent to irregular matrix material.