Activation, refining, and use of oil shale

Abstract

The invention provides the activation, refining and stabilization of oil shale. The stabilization may be performed by recirculative extraction, the activation by electromagnetic irradiation, steam, or by an inorganic base, and the refining by ion beam irradiation. The thus processed oil shale may be used to adsorb organic and inorganic contaminants from a variety of materials include materials of vegetable origin.

1 . A stabilization process for activated and/or refined oil shale, said stabilization process including contacting the oil shale with a solvent by recirculative extraction. 
     
     
         2 . A process as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes dissolving of mineral compounds from the activated oil shale with heated extraction solvent. 
     
     
         3 . A process as claimed in  claim 1 , which is performed with hot water and steam. 
     
     
         4 . A process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is demineralised water. 
     
     
         5 . A process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the extraction solvent is heated to a temperature of from 40° C. to 130° C. 
     
     
         6 . An oil shale activation process, said process including exposing oil shale to be activated to electromagnetic radiation to carbonize a portion of organic matter therein and transform a portion of mineral matter in the oil shale resulting in generation of gases within the oil shale thereby creating pores inside the oil shale. 
     
     
         7 . A process as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the oil shale is in the form of particles having a particle size of from 0.1 mm to 200 mm. 
     
     
         8 . A process as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is microwave radiation at a frequency of 2450 MHz. 
     
     
         9 . A process as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the oil shale is exposed to the electromagnetic radiation for a period of from 1 s/g to 60 s/g 
     
     
         10 . A process as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the intensity, or power, of the electromagnetic radiation is from 1 W/g to 20 W/g. 
     
     
         11 . A process as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein for oil shale particles of a size from 1 mm to 10 mm, at an intensity of 6/Wg, the exposure time is from to 2 to 4 s/g, more typically 3 s/g. 
     
     
         12 .- 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A process as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the solvent is de-ionized distilled water. 
     
     
         47 . A process as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the extraction solvent is heated to a temperature of from 40° C. to below 100° C. 
     
     
         48 . A process as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the oil shale is in the form of particles having a particle size of from 1 mm to 10 mm.