GB224497A - Improvements in the dehydration, distillation and cracking of hydrocarbons - Google Patents

Abstract

224,497. Soc. Anon. des Petroles, Houilles, et Derives, (Assignees of Bascou, E. B. G.). Nov. 10, 1923, [Convention date]. Hydrocarbons, cracking and distilling. - In distilling or cracking tars, petroleum oils, &c. the liquid is evaporated while falling as a sheet or curtain in front of electric or other heaters. The liquid, supplied through a heat-exchanger 29, is forced by a pump 16 into the base of a tower 3. It is raised by a pump through a central pipe 9 and pipe 32, and is returned to the tower through an annular channel 9 from which it flows over a core 14 and falls as a thin curtain in front of heaters 4 arranged in parabolic channels in the sides of the tower. The heaters may be electric resistances arranged in tubes of porcelain, pipeclay, quartz, &c. or metal tubes traversed by hot gases, a molten metal, such as lead, or a molten salt such as sodium chloride. The unvaporized liquid falls through a sieve 6, which separates coke, into the base from which it is recirculated. Vapours pass through perforated trays 7 formed of catalytic metals such as iron, copper, nickel, cobalt, &c. which may contain purifying agents such as bauxite, quicklime, oxide of iron, calcium chloride, &c. distributed in porous material such as pumice, asbestos, coke, &c. The liquid is drawn into the pipe 9 through a casing 11 containing vanes, the movement of which causes rotation of agitators 13. The lower part of the tower contains a float 19 adapted to make electric contacts and to give a signal when the float reaches the upper or lower limit of its travel. A series of towers may be mounted on one reservoir. Water, steam, or gas may be passed into the tower from a pipe 17. Differential manometers are arranged to show the resistance to flow through the sieves 6, 7 and to indicate when the apparatus needs cleaning.