GB697223A - Process and apparatus for treating mineral or vegetable oils for the production of oils of lower boiling point - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0697223/III/1> A process for treating mineral or vegetable oil for the production of oil of lower boiling point comprises passing hydrogen through alcohol and carbon tetrachloride, the liquids being heated so that they evaporate slowly, passing the vapours thus produced through a body of the oil heated so that it evaporates slowly, passing the vapours thus produced over a contact mass, consisting of aluminium, copper, zinc or carbon, while being subjected to the action of a high frequency electromagnetic field and condensing the vapour after its passage over the contact mass. The alcohol and carbon tetrachloride may be employed in the form of a mixture or alternatively the hydrogen may pass in succession through a body of each. The alcohol may be ethyl alcohol or other monohydric aliphatic alcohol. The hydrogen may be produced by subjecting hydrocarbon gas, natural or otherwise, or hydrocarbon vapour to the action of a high frequency electromagnetic field. A mixture of hydrogen and hydrocarbon vapours or gases produced by this method may alternatively be employed. The oils treated may be low grade mineral oils or residuums or distillates thereof, or vegetable oil foots. Specific oils mentioned are crude petroleum, gas oil, mineral lubricating oil, linseed oil, cottonseed oil and coconut oil. In the case of mineral lubricating oil, the condensed product is a lubricating oil of increased film strength and raised pour point, but in the case of gas oil and vegetable oils, the condensed product is a light fuel oil suitable for use in internal combustion engines. The unvaporized residue of oil remaining after treatment is a plastic rubber-like mass. In the Figure, natural or other hydrocarbon gas or vapour is passed through tube 17 of glass or other electrical insulating material. Tube 17 has a wire or conductor 18 therein and is surrounded by a coil of conducting wire 19, adjacent ends of conductor 18 and coil 19 being connected to an electrical oscillator tuned to a frequency sufficient to cause dissociation of the hydrocarbon into carbon and hydrogen. The electrical oscillator circuit may be as described in Specification 697,224, [Group XL(a)]. The carbon is deposited on the inside of tube 17 in the form of lampblack, while the hydrogen formed bubbles through the heated mixture of ethyl alcohol and carbon tetrachloride in vessel 6. Vapours from vessel 6 bubble through the body of heated gas oil or cottonseed oil foots in vessel 1, while vapours from vessel 1 pass up column 11. This column is filled with aluminium, zinc or copper clippings or carbon or charcoal granules and has therein an electric conductor 14 which may be a coil of wire. A coil of conducting wire 15 surrounds column 11 and adjacent ends of conductor 14 and coil 15 are connected to a high frequency oscillator so that a high frequency electro-magnetic field can be produced within the column. Vapours from column 11 pass through condenser 13 and the condensate is collected.