Effect of the Temperature on the Characteristics of Retorting Products Obtained by Yaojie Oil Shale Pyrolysis

Abstract

Oil shale samples were retorted in a quartz tube reactor to determine the effect of the retorting temperature on the product yield and release characteristics of gases and shale oil produced and then analyzed using a gas chromatograph (GC), micro sulfur analyzer, gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer (GC–MS), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The results demonstrate that, as the gas production rate increases, char gradually reduces with an increasing temperature and remains unchanged above 850 °C. The primary components of the non-condensable gas are H2, CO2, C2H4, and C2H6, and more hydrogen sulfide is released at 475 °C. The ratios of ethene/ethane, propene/propane, and butene/butane in the non-condensable gases increases, and the ratio of the total alkene/alkane in the gas also slightly increases when the temperature increases from 475 to 1000 °C. The shale oil yield increases with an increasing temperature, and the maximum value of the shale oil yield is 10.5 wt % at 550 °C. The composition of shale oil is relatively complex; the content of alkanes and phenols decreases; and the other contents in shale oil increase with an increasing temperature. Alkanes are the primary component in shale oil and lighter components. The results from this study are socially and economically important to the exploration of oil shale pyrolysis and benefit the subsequent processing and utilization of shale oil and gaseous products.