Karrick process

The process was the work of oil shale technologist Lewis Cass Karrick at the United States Bureau of Mines in the 1920s.

During World War II, similar processing plant was operated by the United States Navy.

[3] In Australia, during World War II the Karrick process plants were used for shale oil extraction in New South Wales.

[3][4] Yields by volume of approximately 25% gasoline, 10% kerosene and 20% good quality fuel oil are obtainable from coal.

[3][7] More power is developed in internal combustion engines and an increase in fuel economy of approximately 20% is obtainable under identical operating conditions.

Eight years of pilot plant tests by Karrick attest that states, cities or even smaller towns, could make their own gas and generate their own electricity.

The private sector should require no subsidies, but not in competition with those who skim off the oil from coal and sell the residual smokeless fuel to power plants.

As a tertiary product of the coal distilling process, electrical energy can be generated at a minimum equipment cost.

A Karrick LTC plant with 1 kiloton of daily coal capacity produces sufficient steam to generate 100,000 kilowatt hours of electrical power at no extra cost excepting capital investment for electrical equipment and loss of steam temperature passing through turbines.

[2] The smokeless semi-coke fuel, when burned in an open grate or in boilers, delivers 20% to 25% more heat than raw coal.