Process simulation of oil shale comprehensive utilization system based on huadian-type retorting technique

Abstract

In this paper, an oil shale comprehensive utilization system based on Huadian-type retorting technique is constructed for producing shale oil, electricity, heat and construction materials. The system presented in this work aims at increasing resource utilization efficiency, improving process efficacy and reducing pollutant emission. Shale oil as a valuable product can be obtained by retorting. Meanwhile, during this process, the byproducts, retorting gas and semi-coke, not only can be used to provide sufficient energy for retorting, but can also be combusted efficiently in sequent subsystems for electricity generation and district heating. Moreover, the discharged shale ash can be used to produce construction materials. The proposed system is modeled and evaluated by the process simulation software Aspen Plus. The simulation results indicate that the scheme of oil shale comprehensive utilization has several advantages over oil shale retorting or combustion merely, and about 0.161 million t/a shale oil and 123.82 MW power can be produced in this system. Also, increasing the mass fraction of oil shale for retorting would exert a positive impact on the system’s economics, which is especially important considering the rising oil prices.