Galoter process
Encyclopedia
The Galoter process is a shale oil extraction technology for a production of shale oil
, a type of synthetic crude
oil. In this process, the oil shale
is decomposed into shale oil, oil shale gas
, and spent residue. A decomposition is caused by mixing raw oil shale with a hot oil shale ash, generated by combustion of carbonaceous residue (semi-coke) in the spent residue. The process was developed in 1950s and it is used commercially for the shale oil production in Estonia. There are projects for further development of this technology and for expansion of its usage, e.g. in Jordan and USA.
, peat
, and oil shale started in 1944 at the G. M. Krzhizhanovsky Power Engineering Institute of Academy of Sciences of the USSR
. At the laboratory scale, the Galoter process was invented and developed in 1945–1946. The process was named Galoter after the research team leader I. Galinker who's name was combined with the word "thermal".
The further research continued in Estonia. A pilot unit with capacity of 2.5 tonnes of oil shale per day was built in Tallinn
in 1947. The first Galoter-type commercial scale pilot retorts were built at Kiviõli
, Estonia
, in 1953 and 1963 (closed in 1963 and 1981 respectively) with capacities of 200 and 500 tonnes of oil shale per day respectively. The Narva Oil Plant
, annexed to the Eesti Power Plant and operating two Galoter-type 3000 tonnes per day retorts, was commissioned in Estonia in 1980. These retorts were designed by AtomEnergoProject and developed in cooperation with the Krzhizhanovsky Institute. Started as a pilot plant, the process of converting it to commercial scale plant took about 20 years. During this period, the company has modernized more than 70% of the equipment compared to the initial design.
In 1978, a 12.5-tonnes pilot plant was built in Verkhne-Sinevidnoy, Ukraine
. It was used for testing of Lviv–Volinsk lignite, and Carpathian, Kashpir (Russia) and Rotem (Israel) oil shales. In 1996–1997, a test unit was assembled in Tver
.
In 2008, Estonian energy company Eesti Energia
, an operator of Galoter retorts at the Narva Oil Plant, established a joint venture with the Finnish technology company Outotec
called Enefit Outotec Technology to develop and commercialize a modified Galoter process–the Enefit process–which combines the current process with circulating fluidized bed
technologies.
-type retort, which is slightly declined. It has similarities with the TOSCO II process
.
Before retorting, the oil shale is crushed into fine particles with a size of less than 25 millimetre (0.984251968503937 in) in diameter. The crushed oil shale is dried in the fluidized bed drier (aerofountain drier) by contact with hot gases. After drying and pre-heating to 135 °C (275 °F), oil shale particles are separated from gases by cyclonic separation
. Oil shale is transported to the mixer chamber, where it is mixed with hot ash of 800 °C (1,472 °F), produced by combustion of spent oil shale in a separate furnace. The ratio of oil shale ash to raw oil shale is 2.8–3:1. The mixture is moved then to the hermetic rotating kiln. When the heat transfers from the hot ash to raw oil shale particles, the pyrolysis
(chemical decomposition) begins in oxygen
deficit conditions. The temperature of pyrolysis is kept at 520 °C (968 °F). Produced oil vapors and gases are cleaned of solids by cyclones and moved to condensation system (rectification column
) where shale oil condense and oil shale gas is separated in gaseous form. Spent shale (semi-coke) is transported then to the separate furnace for combustion to produce hot ash. A portion of the hot ash is separated from the furnace gas by cyclones and recycled to the rotary kiln for pyrolysis. The remaining ash is removed from the combustion gas by more cyclones and cooled and removed for disposal by using water. The cleaned hot gas returns to the oil shale dryer.
The Galoter process has high thermal and technological efficiency, and high oil recovery ratio. Oil yield reaches 85–90% of Fischer Assay
and retort gas yield accounts for 48 cubic meters per tonne. Oil quality is considered good, but the equipment is sophisticated and capacity is relatively low. This process creates less pollution than internal combustion technologies, as it uses less water, but it still generates carbon dioxide
as also carbon disulfide
and calcium sulfide
.
(CFB) combustion technology used in coal-fired power plants and mineral processing. Oil shale particles and hot oil shale ash are mixed in a rotary drum as in the classical Galoter process. The primary modification is the replacing of the Galoter semi-coke furnace with a CFB furnace. The Enefit process also incorporates fluid bed ash cooler and waste heat boiler commonly used in coal-fired boilers to convert waste heat to steam for power generation. Compared to the traditional Galoter, the Enefit process allows complete combustion of carbonaceous residue, improved energy efficiency by maximum utilization of waste heat, and less water use for quenching. According to promoters, the Enefit process has a lower retorting time compare to the classical Galoter process and therefore its has a greater throughput. Avoidance of moving parts in the retorting zones increases their durability.
, a subsidiary of the Estonian energy company Eesti Energia. Both retorts process 125 tonnes per hour of oil shale. The annual shale oil production is 135,000 tonnes and oil shale gas
production is 40000000 m3/a. The company is building a new plant employing its newer Enefit process with a processing capacity of 2.26 million tonnes of oil shale per year and producing 290,000 tonnes of shale oil and 75 million m3s (2,648,599,965.9 cu ft) of oil shale gas. It is planned to become operational by 2012. In addition, Eesti Energia plans to begin construction of a similar Enefit plants in Jordan by 2015
and in USA by 2017.
VKG Oil, a subsidiary of Viru Keemia Grupp
, constructed a new Galoter retort (Petroter) at Kohtla-Järve
that is similar to the two retorts operating at Narva. The basic engineering of the retort was done by Atomenergoproject of Saint Petersburg
. The basic engineering of the condensation and distillation plant was done by Rintekno of Finland. The plant has a processing capacity of 1.1 million tonnes of oil shale per year and it produces 100,000 tonnes of shale oil, 30 million m3s (1,059,439,986.4 cu ft) of oil shale gas, and 150 GWh of steam per year. Operation started in December 2009. The company plans to start construction of the second Petroter plant in 2012.
Shale oil
Shale oil, known also as kerogen oil or oil-shale oil, is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock into synthetic oil and gas...
, a type of synthetic crude
Synthetic crude
Synthetic crude is the output from a bitumen/extra heavy oil upgrader facility used in connection with oil sand production. It may also refer to shale oil, an output from an oil shale pyrolysis. The properties of the synthetic crude depend on the processes used in the upgrading. Typically, it is...
oil. In this process, the oil shale
Oil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
is decomposed into shale oil, oil shale gas
Oil shale gas
Oil shale gas is a synthetic gas mixture produced by oil shale pyrolysis. Although often referred to as shale gas, it differs from the natural gas produced from shale, which is also known as shale gas.-Process:...
, and spent residue. A decomposition is caused by mixing raw oil shale with a hot oil shale ash, generated by combustion of carbonaceous residue (semi-coke) in the spent residue. The process was developed in 1950s and it is used commercially for the shale oil production in Estonia. There are projects for further development of this technology and for expansion of its usage, e.g. in Jordan and USA.
History
Research of the solid heat carrier process for pyrolysis of ligniteLignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, or Rosebud coal by Northern Pacific Railroad,is a soft brown fuel with characteristics that put it somewhere between coal and peat...
, peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
, and oil shale started in 1944 at the G. M. Krzhizhanovsky Power Engineering Institute of Academy of Sciences of the USSR
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
. At the laboratory scale, the Galoter process was invented and developed in 1945–1946. The process was named Galoter after the research team leader I. Galinker who's name was combined with the word "thermal".
The further research continued in Estonia. A pilot unit with capacity of 2.5 tonnes of oil shale per day was built in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
in 1947. The first Galoter-type commercial scale pilot retorts were built at Kiviõli
Kiviõli
Kiviõli is an industrial town in Ida-Viru County, Estonia with a population of 7000 . The main industry is oil shale mining, which gives the town its name...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, in 1953 and 1963 (closed in 1963 and 1981 respectively) with capacities of 200 and 500 tonnes of oil shale per day respectively. The Narva Oil Plant
Narva Oil Plant
Narva Oil Plant , a subsidiary of Eesti Energia, is a producer of shale oil from oil shale. It operates a commercial scale shale oil retorting plant, located in Narva, Estonia.-History:...
, annexed to the Eesti Power Plant and operating two Galoter-type 3000 tonnes per day retorts, was commissioned in Estonia in 1980. These retorts were designed by AtomEnergoProject and developed in cooperation with the Krzhizhanovsky Institute. Started as a pilot plant, the process of converting it to commercial scale plant took about 20 years. During this period, the company has modernized more than 70% of the equipment compared to the initial design.
In 1978, a 12.5-tonnes pilot plant was built in Verkhne-Sinevidnoy, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. It was used for testing of Lviv–Volinsk lignite, and Carpathian, Kashpir (Russia) and Rotem (Israel) oil shales. In 1996–1997, a test unit was assembled in Tver
Tver
Tver is a city and the administrative center of Tver Oblast, Russia. Population: 403,726 ; 408,903 ;...
.
In 2008, Estonian energy company Eesti Energia
Eesti Energia
Eesti Energia AS is a state-owned energy company in Estonia with its headquarters in Tallinn. The company operates in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and Jordan. In Estonia the company operates under the name Eesti Energia, while using the brand name Enefit for international operations...
, an operator of Galoter retorts at the Narva Oil Plant, established a joint venture with the Finnish technology company Outotec
Outotec
Outotec Oyj is a Finnish company, headquartered in Espoo, aimed at providing technologies and services for the metal and mineral processing industries...
called Enefit Outotec Technology to develop and commercialize a modified Galoter process–the Enefit process–which combines the current process with circulating fluidized bed
Fluidized bed
A fluidized bed is formed when a quantity of a solid particulate substance is placed under appropriate conditions to cause the solid/fluid mixture to behave as a fluid. This is usually achieved by the introduction of pressurized fluid through the particulate medium...
technologies.
Galoter retort
The Galoter process is an above-ground oil-shale retorting technology classified as a hot recycled solids technology. The process uses a horizontal cylindrical rotating kilnRotary kiln
A Rotary kiln is a pyroprocessing device used to raise materials to a high temperature in a continuous process. Materials produced using rotary kilns include:* Cement* Lime* Refractories* Metakaolin* Titanium dioxide* Alumina* Vermiculite...
-type retort, which is slightly declined. It has similarities with the TOSCO II process
TOSCO II process
The TOSCO II process is an above ground retorting technology for shale oil extraction, which uses fine particles of oil shale that are heated in a rotating kiln. The particularity of this process is that it use hot ceramic balls for the heat transfer between the retort and a heater...
.
Before retorting, the oil shale is crushed into fine particles with a size of less than 25 millimetre (0.984251968503937 in) in diameter. The crushed oil shale is dried in the fluidized bed drier (aerofountain drier) by contact with hot gases. After drying and pre-heating to 135 °C (275 °F), oil shale particles are separated from gases by cyclonic separation
Cyclonic separation
Cyclonic separation is a method of removing particulates from an air, gas or liquid stream, without the use of filters, through vortex separation. Rotational effects and gravity are used to separate mixtures of solids and fluids...
. Oil shale is transported to the mixer chamber, where it is mixed with hot ash of 800 °C (1,472 °F), produced by combustion of spent oil shale in a separate furnace. The ratio of oil shale ash to raw oil shale is 2.8–3:1. The mixture is moved then to the hermetic rotating kiln. When the heat transfers from the hot ash to raw oil shale particles, the pyrolysis
Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures without the participation of oxygen. It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible...
(chemical decomposition) begins in oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
deficit conditions. The temperature of pyrolysis is kept at 520 °C (968 °F). Produced oil vapors and gases are cleaned of solids by cyclones and moved to condensation system (rectification column
Rectification (chemistry)
Rectification :* For the process of repeated distillation see Rectified spirit* For the process in cell membranes see GHK_flux_equation#Rectification...
) where shale oil condense and oil shale gas is separated in gaseous form. Spent shale (semi-coke) is transported then to the separate furnace for combustion to produce hot ash. A portion of the hot ash is separated from the furnace gas by cyclones and recycled to the rotary kiln for pyrolysis. The remaining ash is removed from the combustion gas by more cyclones and cooled and removed for disposal by using water. The cleaned hot gas returns to the oil shale dryer.
The Galoter process has high thermal and technological efficiency, and high oil recovery ratio. Oil yield reaches 85–90% of Fischer Assay
Fischer Assay
The Fischer assay is a standardized laboratory test for determining the oil yield from oil shale to be expected from a conventional shale oil extraction. A 100 gram oil shale sample crushed to...
and retort gas yield accounts for 48 cubic meters per tonne. Oil quality is considered good, but the equipment is sophisticated and capacity is relatively low. This process creates less pollution than internal combustion technologies, as it uses less water, but it still generates carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
as also carbon disulfide
Carbon disulfide
Carbon disulfide is a colorless volatile liquid with the formula CS2. The compound is used frequently as a building block in organic chemistry as well as an industrial and chemical non-polar solvent...
and calcium sulfide
Calcium sulfide
Calcium sulfide is the chemical compound with the formula CaS. This white material crystallizes in cubes like rock salt. CaS has been studied as a component in a process that would recycle gypsum, a product of flue gas desulfurization...
.
Enefit process
Enefit process is a modification of the Galoter process being developed by Enefit Outotec Technology. In this process, the Galoter technology is combined with proven circulating fluidized bedFluidized bed combustion
Fluidized bed combustion is a combustion technology used in power plants. Fluidized beds suspend solid fuels on upward-blowing jets of air during the combustion process. The result is a turbulent mixing of gas and solids. The tumbling action, much like a bubbling fluid, provides more effective...
(CFB) combustion technology used in coal-fired power plants and mineral processing. Oil shale particles and hot oil shale ash are mixed in a rotary drum as in the classical Galoter process. The primary modification is the replacing of the Galoter semi-coke furnace with a CFB furnace. The Enefit process also incorporates fluid bed ash cooler and waste heat boiler commonly used in coal-fired boilers to convert waste heat to steam for power generation. Compared to the traditional Galoter, the Enefit process allows complete combustion of carbonaceous residue, improved energy efficiency by maximum utilization of waste heat, and less water use for quenching. According to promoters, the Enefit process has a lower retorting time compare to the classical Galoter process and therefore its has a greater throughput. Avoidance of moving parts in the retorting zones increases their durability.
Commercial use
Two Galoter retorts built in 1980 are used for oil production by the Narva Oil PlantNarva Oil Plant
Narva Oil Plant , a subsidiary of Eesti Energia, is a producer of shale oil from oil shale. It operates a commercial scale shale oil retorting plant, located in Narva, Estonia.-History:...
, a subsidiary of the Estonian energy company Eesti Energia. Both retorts process 125 tonnes per hour of oil shale. The annual shale oil production is 135,000 tonnes and oil shale gas
Oil shale gas
Oil shale gas is a synthetic gas mixture produced by oil shale pyrolysis. Although often referred to as shale gas, it differs from the natural gas produced from shale, which is also known as shale gas.-Process:...
production is 40000000 m3/a. The company is building a new plant employing its newer Enefit process with a processing capacity of 2.26 million tonnes of oil shale per year and producing 290,000 tonnes of shale oil and 75 million m3s (2,648,599,965.9 cu ft) of oil shale gas. It is planned to become operational by 2012. In addition, Eesti Energia plans to begin construction of a similar Enefit plants in Jordan by 2015
and in USA by 2017.
VKG Oil, a subsidiary of Viru Keemia Grupp
Viru Keemia Grupp
Viru Keemia Grupp is an Estonian holding group of oil shale industry, power generation, and public utility companies.-Operations:VKG's two main areas of operations are shale oil extraction, and electricity and heat production and distribution....
, constructed a new Galoter retort (Petroter) at Kohtla-Järve
Kohtla-Järve
Kohtla-Järve is a city and municipality in north-eastern Estonia, founded in 1924 and incorporated as a town in 1946. The city is highly industrial, and is both a processor of oil shales and is a large producer of various petroleum products. The city is also very diverse ethnically: it contains...
that is similar to the two retorts operating at Narva. The basic engineering of the retort was done by Atomenergoproject of Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. The basic engineering of the condensation and distillation plant was done by Rintekno of Finland. The plant has a processing capacity of 1.1 million tonnes of oil shale per year and it produces 100,000 tonnes of shale oil, 30 million m3s (1,059,439,986.4 cu ft) of oil shale gas, and 150 GWh of steam per year. Operation started in December 2009. The company plans to start construction of the second Petroter plant in 2012.
See also
- Oil shale in EstoniaOil shale in EstoniaOil shale in Estonia is an important resource for the national economy. Estonia's oil shale deposits account for just 17% of total deposits in the European Union but the country generates 90% of its power from this source...
- Alberta Taciuk ProcessAlberta Taciuk ProcessThe Alberta Taciuk process is an above-ground dry thermal retorting technology for extracting oil from oil sands, oil shale and other organics-bearing materials, including oil contaminated soils, sludges and wastes...
- Petrosix processPetrosixPetrosix is currently the world’s largest surface oil shale pyrolysis retort with an diameter vertical shaft kiln, operational since 1992. It is located in São Mateus do Sul, Brazil, and it is owned and operated by the Brazil energy company Petrobras. Petrosix means also the Petrosix process, an...
- Kiviter processKiviter process-History:The Kiviter process is based on the earlier vertical retort technology . This technology underwent a long process of development...
- Fushun processFushun processThe Fushun process is an above-ground retorting technology for shale oil extraction. It is named after the main production site of Fushun, Liaoning province in northeastern China.-History:...
- Paraho processParaho processThe Paraho process is an above ground retorting technology for shale oil extraction. The name "Paraho" is delivered from the words "para homem", which means in Portuguese "for mankind".-History:...
- Lurgi-Ruhrgas processLurgi-Ruhrgas processThe Lurgi–Ruhrgas process is an above-ground coal liquefaction and shale oil extraction technology. It is classified as a hot recycled solids technology.-History:...