GB191512570A - An Improved Process and Apparatus for Distilling Heavy Crude Petroleum. - Google Patents

Abstract

12,570. Tudor, H., [Venturino, M. E.]. Sept. 1. Hydrocarbon oils, distilling and cracking; bulk evaporators.-A process of distilling heavy crude petroleum for the production of a high yield of naphtha, kerosene, and asphalt consists in first separating the water by heating to 90‹ C. and then cutting off the source of heat and allowing the mass to settle, distilling the water and finally distilling the hydrocarbons in stages, each stage consisting in (1) heating without distillation and thereby increasing the pressure, (2) cutting off the source of heat, thus providing for a gradual cooling and a slight decrease of pressure, and (3) then allowing the distillation to proceed without supplying heat, the pressure falling to that of the atmosphere. The apparatus comprises a main retort A, an auxiliary tank C, and two or more auxiliary retorts B arranged in a brickwork setting and heated by a furnace E. The auxiliary tank C is run on rollers b into a compartment of the fire-box having perforated walls d, and is connected with the main retort A by circulating- pipes. The retorts A, B are each provided with a number of domes H, I, fitted with baffle-plates and with valved pipes h, j leading to a condenser. The vapours from the retort A pass through heating-coils g in the retorts B before passing to the condenser. The oil is fed to the retorts B by pipes Y and flows to the retort A through valved pipes T. In operation, after the water has been separated, the retort A is heated to 110‹ C., and the water and the lighter hydrocarbons are distilled. The valves in the vapour-outlet pipes are closed, and the temperature in the retort A is raised to 200‹ C., the pressure rising to 2-3 atmospheres. The heating is stopped, and after the pressure has fallen by 0À5-0À75 atmospheres, the vapour-outlet valves are opened and distillation allowed to take place. In successive stages, temperatures of 200, 300, and 420‹ C. and pressures of 3-4, 3-4, and 4-5 atmospheres are reached, the vapouroutlet valves being kept closed for periods of 1-3 hours before distillation is allowed to take place. At the close of the operation the asphalt &c. is run off from the tank C, or the tank C may be removed if necessary. The temperature in the retorts B lags behind that in the retort A; the contents of the retorts B accordingly are passed together with the next charge into the retort A.