US1323837A

US1323837A - Ginia

Info

Publication number: US1323837A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1919-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 1936-12-02

Description

H. C. COOPER.

PROOES S 0F OBTAINING GASOLENE FROM HYDROCARBON GASES.

APPLICATION FILED IMI- I8. I9".

Patented Dec. 2,1919

WITNESSES I; v I

HOWELL c. coornn, or CLARKSBUBG, WEST VIRGINIA. ASSIGNOR To Home NATURAL GAS COMPANY, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A conronATIoN or WEST vin- GHVIA.

PROCESS OF OBTAINTNG GASOLENE FROM HYDROGABBON GASES.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2,1919.

Application filed January 18, 1917. Serial No. 143,108.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWELL C. Coornn residing at Clarksburg, in the county oi Harrison and State of West Virginia, a citizen of the UnitedStates, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Obtaining Gasolene from Hydrocarbon Gases, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the recovery from gases with which they are intermingled, of hydrocarbons whose boiling points at atmospheric pressure range from about 3& to 160 degrees (3., and which may be, and hereinafter are, designated as gasolene regardless of whether the hydrocarbons are open chain and of the parafin' or olefin series or whether they are cyclic.

In United States Letters Patent No. 989,927, granted to G. M. Saybolt, there is disclosed a process for obtaining naphtha or gasolene from combustible gas of natural origin and underground sources, such method, briefly stated, in the general terms of the patent, consisting in subjecting the gas under pressure to a naphtha absorbing menstruum for the purpose of separating from the gas such naphtha as is. liquid at atmospheric temperature and pressures, and in subsequently removing the naphtha from the menstruum.

While my invention contemplates the use of an absorption process similar to that disclosed inthe Saybolt patent, it is, as indicated above, unlimited to the recovery of gasolene from natural gas, but extends to the recovery from any gas or gases with which it may be intermingled. As an example of gases, other than natural, from which gasolene may be recovered, it has been found that large quantities of gas are formed in the practice of the various processes for cracking petroleum to produce gasolene, and that such gases include gasolene hydrocarbons, that is, hydrocarbons whose boiling points lie within the above stated range.

In practising absorption processes for the recovery of gasolene from hydrocarbon gases 7 with which it is associated, l have discovered that substantially greater" quantities of gasolene maybe absorbed by a unit volume of menstruum from a unit volume of gas treated when the gas is caused to pass through the menstruum while the menstruum is in the form of a spray. However, when the gas is thus subjected to the menstruum, the unabsorbed gas, that is to say, the lighter combustible constituents, carry with it finely divided particles of the menstruum, with the resultthat there is a grad ual and continual loss of menstruum, and a corresponding ladening of the unabsorbed gas with undesirable matter. To overcome this difliculty I cause the gas, after it has passed through a spray of absorbing menstruum, to passthrough a liquid body or mass of absorbing menstruum, which, although not necessarily so, may be the same menstruum as used for the spray. Such passing of the gas through a liquid body of menstruum not only effects the removal of the small particles of menstruum from the gas, but the liquid body of menstruum efiects a further absorption of gasolene from the gas.

The process may be best understood by explaining it with reference to apparatus whereby it may be practised. In the accon1- panying drawing forming part of my specification such an apparatus is diagrammatically shown.

The gas, from whatever source or sources obtained, flows to the absorbing apparatus through the line pipe 1. The gas may be passed through or be otherwise subjected to a spray of absorbing menstruum either at pressure or both. While the invention is unlimited with respect to the pressure of the gas, it has been found that the quantity of gasolene absorbed from the gas is increased by subjectingthe gas to pressure substantially in excess of atmospheric. If the gas is to be subjected to the absorbing menstruum at the line pressure, the valves 2 and 3 of line 1 may be opened so that the gas flows directly to a spray absorber comprising a tank l and a plurality of spray nozzles 5 connected to a header 6, which in turn is connected by pipe 12 to a source of menstruum supply. The gas, in flowing through the sprays of menstruum, becomes closely intermingled therewith with the result that large proportions of gasolene-forming hydrocarbon elements are absorbed by the menstruum. I

The unabsorbed portion bf the gas, which, as already explained, carries with it finely ice . divided particles of the menstruum, is then passed through a liquid bod of menstruum tor the removal of such particles and for the 'further absorption of asolene-forming hydro'carbons not alrea y absorbed in the spray absorber.v The liquid body of menstruum may be held in atank 7 provided in its bottom portion with a perforate header 8 connected by a pipe 9 to the tank 4. Thus the gas may percolate through the menstruum within the tank and the unabsorbed lighter constituents be caught in a perforate header 10 from which they flow through a line 11 to be consumed as desired.

Preferably the menstruum is used in a continuous cycle, and that used to supply the sprays in tank 4 is, through pipe 12, and if necessary by the aid of a pump 13, taken from the liquid body of menstruum in tank 7. To remove the absorbed hydro-carbons from the menstruum, that from tank 4 is, through a pipe 14 and if necessary by the aid of a pump 15, carried to a continuous still 16 wherein it is heated to the temperature required to vaporize such hydrocarbons.

. The vapors pass off through the pipe 17 and are condensed in any wellknown or desired manner. The distilled menstruum is then, by means of a pum 18, carried through a pipe 19 from the sti l 16 to the tank 7. To heat the menstruum as it flows to, and to cool it as it flows from the still, the pipes 14 and 19 lead through a heat exchanger 20, which may be of any desired construction. 'The menstruum flowing to the tank 7 may be further cooled by a suitable cooler 21.

The apparatus thus far described may be used in the practice of my invention when it is desired to pass the gas through the spray and liquid body absorbers at substantlally line pressure. Such procedure may be advantageously followed when .the line pressure is substantially in excess of atmospheric. However, thereare large quantities of gasolene-containing gases that are obtainable only under relatively low pressures For example, casin -head and flow-tank natural gases, both 0 which are rich in gasolene, are usually obtained at or at less than, atmospheric pressure, and hence to recover large percentages of their gasolene content it is necessary to compress them before their passage through the absorbers. For this purpose there 1s provided a compressor 22 and cooler 23. By closing the valve 3 of line 1 and

opening valves

24 and 25 of branch pipes 26 and 27, respectively, the gas may be compressed and cooled before entering drawing there is shown a second spray ab-' sorber comprising a tank 28 and nozzles 29 connected to a header 30. Instead of formof tank 4, a special tank 31 is provided for the menstruum, which, together with the gas is led thereto through a conduit 32 extending substantially to the bottom of the tank. The specific purpose of this arrange ment in this double spray absorbing apparatus is to remove from the gas the finely divided particles of menstruum before the gas enters the compressor 22, and to such end the level of the menstruum in the tank 31 is, as indicated, maintained substantially above the lower end of the conduit 32 so that, the gas will be caused to bubble through the menstruum. To cause the gas to flow through the low pressure spray absorber, valve 2 of line 1 is closed and valve 33 of a by-pass 34 is opened. The further flow of the gas is through tank 28, conduit 32, tank 31, a pipe 35 leading from the top of the tank 31 (the valve 36 being open and the valve 24 closed), compressor 22, cooler 23, pipe 27, and tank '4. From tank 4 the unabsorbed gas fiows to and through the liquid body absorber in the manner already explained.

The menstruum for the low pressure spray is preferably taken from the tank 4, and for th1s purpose the header 30 is connected to the tank 4 by a pipe 37 provided with

valves

38 and 39, the latter of which is placed adjacent to the header to eliminate as far as possible the foaming of the menstruum dueto the reduction of pressure thereon. The menstruum from the spra nozzles 29 is collected in the tank 31 and 1s taken from such tank through a pipe 40 to the pipe 14 leading to the still 16, it being understood that for such operation the valve 41 will be closed.

It will be observed of the operation just described that it comprises in efiect a repetition or duplication of my improved method in its broader aspects. In the first instance 110 the gas is passed through the spray absorber 28, 29, and then through the menstruum in a liquid body in the tank 31 for the purpose of removing from the gas the finely divided particles of menstruum carried therebyand forthe additional purpose of effecting further absorption of'the heavier gasolene hydrocarbons. In the second instance the gas is passed through the spray absorber 4, 5 and then through the liquid body of menstruum in the tank 7. The-essential difference between these two pairs of absorbers is that in the

absorbers

31 and 28, 29, the gas and menstruum flow in parallel currents, whereas in the absorbers 7 and 4, 5 the gas and menstruum flow in counter currents.

With respect to the absorbin menstruum, various liquids having an a ity for the gasolene-forming hydrocarbons may be used. However, the preferred liquid is petroleum hydrocarbons having an initial specific gravity of from 28 to 55 Baum at 60 F.

It is apparent that other forms of appa- I ratus than those specifically shown and de- 1. The process of obtammg gasolene from hydrocarbon gas containing it, which consists in passing such gas twice through a body of gasolene-absorbing menstruum, the menstruum in the first passage of gas through it being in the form of a spray and in a liquid body during the second passage of the gas through it, and subjecting the menstruum to a distilling operation for the removal of its absorbed gasolene.

2. The process of obtaining gasolene from hydrocarbon gas containing it, which consists in passing such gas twice through a body of gasoleneabsorbing menstruum, the menstruum in the first passage of gas through it being in the form of a spray and in a liquid body during the second passage of'the gas through it, the menstruum for the spray eing taken from said liquid body thereof, and finally subjecting the menstruum collected from the spray to a distilling operation for the removal of its absorbed gasolene.

3. The process'of obtaining gasolene from hydrocarbon gas containing it, which consists in passing such gas twice through a gasolene absorbing menstruum, the menstruum in the first passage of gas through it being in the form of a spray and in a liquid body during the second passage of the gas through it, and subsequently removing absorbed gasolene from said menstruum.

4. The process of obtaining gasolene from hydrocarbon gas containlng it, which consists in passing such gas twice through a,

gasolene-absorbing menstruum, the menstruum in the first passage of gas through it being in the form of a spray and in a liquid body during the second passage of the gas through it, the menstruum for the spray being taken from said liquid body thereof, and subsequently removing absorbed gasolene from said menstruum.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set w my hand.

HOWELL C. COOPER. Witnesses:

THUS. MILLER, E. F. HUMEs.