After many years efforts, WPTI now has developed an Indirect Thermal Processing System (ITPS) to produce oil from oil shale, oil sands, coal and petroleum hazardous materials. The uniqueness of the ITPS is that the highest oil recovery can be achieved without using water either as an extraction medium or as a coolant to condense oil vapors. It opens a door to produce oil from oil shale or oil sands where water resource is not available. In particular, it is ideal to recover oil from petroleum hazardous materials.
Principle of Indirect Thermal Processing
Indirect thermal processing system: Consists of an internal rotary cylinder and an external stationary cylinder. it uses a slightly negative pressure atmosphere to separate water and volatile as well as semi-volatile organic compounds from solids. Heat is supplied to the cylinder by multiple burners burning propane, natural gas, waste oil or recovered oil, then transferred through the cylinder shell to the materials in the internal rotary cylinder.
Indirect Thermal Process Schematic (Simplified, Example of Sludge Processing System)
The rotating system has two zones, one is dewater zone (DWZ), another is deoil zone (DOZ). Sludge is feed to DWZ. DWZ is operated at a temperature below 150°C for water removal; DOZ is operated below 600°C for oil removal. The mixture of both oil and water vapors are condensed into liquids in an oil and water recovery system (OWRS), where oil separates from water automatically. Dry residual solids are rejected from DOZ for disposal or further burning to provide additional heat to the system. Water can be recycled; and the high quality oil is ready to combine with crude feed to refinery tower. Tail gas is recycled as an additional energy source. No smoke leaks to the environment. the system can be operated in a closed environment, providing a secure and safe operation.
Oil and Water Recovery System (OWRS)
The OWRS has three components: a heavy oil condenser, a light oil & water condenser and an oil/water separator. Both condensers just need air for heat exchange. There is no coolant required for the system. The heavy oil condenser can turn any heavy component from its vapor into liquid oil. The light oil & water condenser turns remaining oil vapor into light liquid oil and water vapor into liquid water. The light oil can separate itself from water in an oil/water separator automatically due to that significant density difference exists between water and the light oil, the light oil floats to the top by buoyancy.
