Oil Shale Processing Plant Research Articles

Prospects for Hydrogen Production in Oil Shale Processing Industry in Estonia: Initial Aspects of Life Cycle Analysis

Climate initiatives as well as unpredictable changes of oil prices, requires fossil fuel industries urgently consider transition towards production of decarbonized fuels. Oil shale processing industry in Estonia also has been substantially effected by oil price drop. To improve the economic feasibility of the oil shale processing plant in Estonia, integration of a hydrogen production unit based on catalytic steam reforming technology with pressure swing adsorption purification is analysed in this paper. Methodology for evaluation of conventional oil shale processing industry transition to hydrogen production industry considering initial life cycle assessment elements is discussed in the paper.

Usage of combustion metamorphic rocks in the building industry

Geoecological problems arising during oil shale extraction and primary processing are investigated. Conditions of formation of refuse piles of combustion metamorphic rocks are covered. Evaluation of area and size of man-made formations of dumps and disposals of combustion metamorphic rocks formed during oil shale extraction at Syzran Oil Shale Processing Plant is conducted. Properties of combustion metamorphic rocks are studied and directions of their usage for production of building materials are determined. Principles of the local raw materials base formation on the basis of construction waste with inspection of dumps and disposals of producing and non-producing fields are applied. The prospects of formation of the raw materials base of the building industry with the use of technogenic raw materials from the dumps of Kashpir mine are determined. In order to decrease the areas taken by combustion metamorphic rocks and reduce ecological tension in the region, it is recommended to activate the usage of combustion metamorphic rocks in production of building materials.

Non-thermal plasma based decomposition of volatile organic compounds in industrial exhaust gases

The decomposition of various volatile organic compounds (VOCs), namely butyl acetate, styrene, and methanol, by means of non-thermal plasma technology was investigated in different industrial exhaust gases. Although a great deal of effort on the investigation of these VOCs can be found in literature, data regarding the application in real exhaust gases are missing and provided in this contribution. Measurements were performed in an oil shale processing plant in Estonia and in a yacht hall production site in Poland. Up to 71 % of butyl acetate at a specific input energy (SIE) of about 220 J/L and more than 74 % of styrene and methanol at SIE > 300 J/L were decomposed. The energy efficiency of the decomposition processes was analyzed as well as the products formed by the plasma process. Energy constants of k E < 9.85 L/kJ for butyl acetate and k E < 2.75 L/kJ for styrene and methanol were obtained. Most of the VOCs were partly oxidized to carbon monoxide and, to lesser extent, totally oxidized to carbon dioxide.

Micronucleus test and observation of nuclear alterations in erythrocytes of Nile tilapia exposed to waters affected by refinery effluent

Micronuclei and nuclear alterations tests were performed on erythrocytes of Oreochromis niloticus (Perciformes, Cichlidae) in order to evaluate the water quality from Paraíba do Sul river, in an area affected by effluents from an oil shale processing plant, located in the city of São José dos Campos, Brazil-SP. Water samples were collected on 2004 May and August (dry season) and on 2004 November and 2005 January (rain season), in three distinct sites, comprising 12 samples. It was possible to detect substances of clastogenic and/or aneugenic potential, as well as cytotoxic substances, chiefly at the point corresponding to the drainage of oil shale plant wastes along the river. The highest incidence of micronuclei and nuclear alterations was detected during May and August, whereas the results obtained in November and January were insignificant. This work shows that the effluent treatment provided by the oil shale plant was not fully efficient to minimize the effect of cytotoxic and mutagenic substances in the test organism surveyed.

ENRICHED URANIUM TECHNOLOGY AT THE SILLAMÄE OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANT

The shale oil factory at Sillamae, Estonia was founded in 1928 by the ”Estonian Oil Consortium”, belonging to Swedish capital. It is the only factory that has processed both the brown (kukersite) oil shale and the black (dictyonema) shale that are both abundant in Estonia. The much older black shale contains, besides the oil-bearing organic material, significant amounts of various heavy metals, including uranium, and is therefore radioactive. Uranium-based nuclear technology has dominated the second half of the last century, but now faces potential competition from the emerging hydrogen-based energy technologies. It is little known that the Sillamae Oil Shale Plant has played a significant role in the development of the gas cooled very high temperature pebble bed reactor for direct production of either hydrogen or electricity. We analyze here the timeline of this development effort.

Low response in white blood cell DNA adducts among workers in a highly polluted cokery environment.

Coke oven workers are often heavily exposed to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); this exposure has been associated with higher cancer rates among these workers. We assessed the exposure of cokery workers in an oil shale processing plant. Personal hygienic monitoring, measurement of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), and analysis of PAH-DNA adducts in white blood cells (WBCs) were performed. The 32P-postlabeling method was used for adduct measurement. The mean adduct value, 1.6 adducts per 10(8) nucleotides, did not differ significantly from the control value (P = 0.098). Smokers had significantly higher adduct levels than non-smoking workers (P = 0.002). 1-OHP levels measured in post-shift samples correlated with DNA adducts found in white blood cells (WBCs). We conclude that hygienic monitoring and measurement of urinary metabolites are essential background exposure data when the biologically effective dose of chemical carcinogens is assessed.

Assessment of occupational exposure to PAHs in an Estonian coke oven plant- correlation of total external exposure to internal dose measured as 1-hydroxypyrene concentration

The exposure of cokery workers to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons at an Estonian oil shale processing plant was assessed by using occupational hygiene and biomonitoring measurements which were carried out twice, in midwinter and in the autumn. To assess the external dose of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene concentrations were measured from the breathing zone of workers during a workshift. Skin contamination with pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene was assessed by skin wipe sampling before and after the workshift. As a biomarker of overall exposure to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and as an integral of all absorption routes of pyrene, 1-hydroxypyrene concentration was measured from post shift urine samples. Of the personal air samples, 18% exceeded the Finnish threshold limit value of benzo[a]pyrene (10 μg m-3). Mean value (two separate measurements together) for benzo[a]pyrene was 5.7 μg m-3 and for pyrene, 8.1 μg m-3. Based on skin wipe sample analyses, the skin contamination was also obvious. The mean value of benzo[a]pyrene in the samples collected after the shift was 1.2 ng cm-2. Benzo[a]pyrene was not found in control samples. The mean value of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene concentration was 6.0 μmol mol-1 creatinine for the exposed workers and 0.5 μmol mol-1 creatinine for the controls. This study undoubtedly shows the usefulness of 1-hydroxypyrene as an indicator of internal dose of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. It can be concluded that the cokery workers at the Kohtla-Järve plant are exposed to high concentrations of polynuclear aromatic compounds, and the exposure level is considerably higher during the winter measurements.

Exposure to PAH compounds among cokery workers in the oil shale industry.

The exposure of Estonian cokery workers to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons at an oil shale processing plant was assessed by occupational hygiene and biomonitoring measurements. To assess the external dose of exposure to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene concentrations were measured from the breathing zone of workers during a workshift. Skin contamination with pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene was assessed by skin wipe sampling. As a biomarker of exposure to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and as an integral of all possible absorption routes of pyrene, 1-hydroxypyrene concentration was measured from post-shift urine samples. Eighteen percent of the personal air samples exceeded the Finnish threshold limit value of benzol[a]pyrene (10 micrograms/m3). Mean values for benzo[a]pyrene and pyrene were 5.7 micrograms/m3 and 8.1 micrograms/m3, respectively. Based on skin wipe sample analyses, the skin contamination was also obvious. The mean value of benzo[a]pyrene on the samples collected after the shift was 1.2 ng/cm2. In control samples, benzo[a]pyrene was not found. The mean value of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene concentration was 6.0 nmol/mmol creatinine for the exposed workers and 0.5 nmol/mmol creatinine for the controls. This study showed the usefulness of 1-hydroxypyrene as an indicator of internal dose of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. We concluded that the cokery workers at the Kohtla-Järve plant are exposed to high concentrations of polynuclear aromatic compounds.

A mathematical model of dilute phase transport combustion of spent oil shale

A model for the combustion of a mixture of spent oil shale and shale ash for a range of particle sizes in a vertical dilute phase transport contactor is presented. The “grain” model for a sphere of unchanging size is used to describe the combustion of a single particle of spent shale. The rate of gas-solid heat transfer is assumed to be controlled by gas film forced convection. The aerodynamic properties, namely terminal and slip velocities of particles and choking conditions, are taken into account. Realistic conditions of inlet air and solids to the combustor are determined from the mass and energy balances for a hypothetical, 50,000 barrels per day (7.95 10 61/day), energy self-sufficient oil shale processing plant. The fraction of the largest particle size is shown to govern the aerodynamic characteristics and hence the design of the combustor. The sensitivity of the profile of average particle temperature to a number of shale-related properties is evaluated; for a typical material such as Condor brown spent shale, the ranking in descending order is as follows: heat of combustion, particle specific heat capacity, initial char content, particle terminal velocity, particle density, intrinsic combustion rate coefficient, pore effective diffusivity and choking velocity of the top size particle. The rate of combustion of the Condor spent shale/shale ash mixture as a whole in the contactor is controlled by the intrinsic kinetics.