MICROWAVE PROCESSING OF OIL SHALE AND COAL

1 . A method for obtaining oil or a combustible gas from oil shale, comprising:

subjecting oil shale comprising shale rock and kerogen to microwave radiation for a time sufficient to at least partially decompose said kerogen,

wherein said microwave radiation comprises at least one frequency component in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz; and

recovering oil or a combustible gas from the decomposed kerogen.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil shale is subjected to microwave radiation at a pressure of less than one atmosphere.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the oil or a combustible gas is recovered from the decomposed kerogen at a pressure of less than one atmosphere.

4 . A method for obtaining a carbon-based material from coal, comprising:

subjecting coal to microwave radiation for a time sufficient to at least partially decompose said coal, wherein the temperature of said coal does not exceed about 700° F.,

wherein said microwave radiation comprises at least one frequency component in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz; and

recovering a carbon-based material from the decomposed coal.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the coal is subjected to microwave radiation at a pressure of less than one atmosphere.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the carbon-based material is recovered from the decomposed coal at a pressure of less than one atmosphere.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the carbon-based material is a hydrocarbon.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the hydrocarbon is oil or a combustible gas.

9 . A microwave system for processing coal, oil shale, or both, comprising:

an infeed airlock configured to receive coal, oil shale, or both, said infeed airlock being sealable at a pressure less than one atmosphere, wherein said infeed airlock is configured to gravity feed coal, oil shale, or both into a microwave reactor coupled to said infeed airlock;

said microwave reactor being oriented to permit gravity-driven transport therethrough of coal, oil shale, or both;

said microwave reactor further comprising a microwave antenna orientable towards said coal, oil shale, or both, to irradiate said coal, oil shale, or both while being transported through the microwave reactor;

said microwave reactor further comprising a vacuum port to receive carbon-containing fluid generated from coal, oil shale, or both being irradiated with microwave radiation characterized as having at least one frequency component in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz;

a microwave radiation generator operatively coupled to said microwave antenna via a microwave waveguide, wherein said microwave radiation generator is capable of generating microwave radiation characterized as having at least one frequency component in the range of from about 4 GHz to about 18 GHz;

a vacuum generator operatively coupled to said vacuum port, wherein said vacuum generator is capable of generating pressure within said microwave reactor below one atmosphere;

a vessel or conduit operatively coupled to said vacuum port to receive the carbon-containing fluid; and

a discharge airlock operatively coupled to the microwave reactor to receive microwave-processed coal, microwave-processed oil shale, or both from the microwave reactor, wherein said discharge airlock is capable of discharging the microwave-processed coal, the microwave-processed oil shale, or both, from the microwave system while maintaining pressure within the microwave reactor at less than one atmosphere.

10 . Oil produced by the method of claim 1 .

11 . Oil produced by the method of claim 4 .

12 . A combustible gas produced by the method of claim 1 .

13 . A combustible gas produced by the method of claim 4 .