Pyrolysis process and apparatus for carrying out the process

A process for the production of oil and flammable gas via the pyrolysis of a finely divided solid carbon and hydrogen- containing, ash-rich fuel, eg. black shale (alum slate), characterised in that the carbon-containing ash, which is obtained as a residuum of the pyrolysis, is burned 1 at such a high temperature that the ash essentially melts to give a fluid slag, that the slag melt is cooled and is formed between at least two cooled briquetting rollers 8 into briquettes, which have a solid surface layer but are still molten inside, such that the briquettes are of a size that the ratio between the average particle size of the formed briquettes and the average particle size of the finely divided fuel is greater than 10:1, and that the heat energy for the pyrolysis is supplied to the finely divided fuel by mixing with the formed briquettes so that the fuel reaches the pyrolysis temperature 9. The equipment according to the invention is characterised by the inclusion of an incineration oven 1, a cooling and forming device including at least a pair of cooled briquetting rollers 8 of metal, preferably steel arranged to receive the flowing slag and cool and form the same into briquettes with a solidified outer surface, a pyrolysis reactor 9 for mixing the hot briquettes with the finely divided fuel so that pyrolysis takes place, plus a device 16 for the transport of the pyrolysis ash to the incineration oven.