The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 20, 1979
Filed:
Jan. 23, 1978
Leslie E Compton, Claremont, CA (US);
Occidental Oil Shale, Inc., Grand Junction, CO (US);
Abstract
A technique is described for breaking the very strong emulsion of shale oil and water produced by an in situ oil shale retorting process so that separate shale oil and water phases can be recovered. The emulsion is broken by maintaining a volume of such emulsion at a bulk temperature of at least about 120.degree. F., and momentarily heating portions of emulsion to a temperature substantially higher than the bulk temperature of the emulsion. Preferably the emulsion of shale oil and water is held at a bulk temperature in the range of from about 120.degree. to 190.degree. F. in contact with heating means maintained in the range of from about 170.degree. F. to about 240.degree. F. Momentary localized heating of emulsion to a temperature substantially higher than the bulk temperature of the emulsion accelerates the breaking of the emulsion.