PROCESS FOR DEGRADING COMPLEX HYDROCARBONS TO PRODUCE SIMPLER HYDROCARBONS

摘要

A process for the recovery of simpler hydrocarbons from complex hydrocarbons such as plastics, oil shale, or tar sands. In the process, the plastic, oil shale, or tar sands are heated in an environment substantially free of oxygen, preferably under partial vacuum, and irradiated with light of a wave length that will excite and break chemical bonds between atoms making up the molecules of plastic, tar sand, or oil shale to produce simpler hydrocarbons useful as fuel.