Apparatus for recovering hydrocarbons from granular solids

Abstract

An apparatus (,) for recovering hydrocarbons or other volatile material from granular solids includes an infeed conveyor (,) that moves the mud, containing a mixture of particulate solids and hydrocarbons, into the fluid bed (,). The fluid bed fluidizes the mud; i.e. transforms the mud from a first condition wherein it is a mass having a consistency with elements of similarity with oatmeal, to a second condition wherein it is a mass of swirling particles. Some of the particles leave the fluid bed through a slide gate at the bottom. Other particles, gas and the hydrocarbons leave the fluid bed through an opening at the top, and are transferred to one or more cyclones (,). In the cyclones, the rapid circular motion of the gas, hydrocarbons and particles results in the particles hitting the inside surface of the cyclone, sliding downwardly, and leaving the cyclone through a slide gate. The mixture of gas and hydrocarbons leave the cyclone and moves through a spray apparatus (,), which removes the hydrocarbons from the mixture, and into an oil-condensing tank (,). A fan assembly (,) draws gas from an upper portion of the oil-condensing tank and delivers it to a preheater (,) where the temperature of the gas is elevated. The heated gas is then recirculated by release through a plurality of nozzles within the fluid bed. A thermal fluid heat source (,) provides heat energy to in-bed tubes within the fluid bed and to the gas preheater.