US1529504A

US1529504A - Apparatus for refining oil

Info

Publication number: US1529504A
Application number: US514520A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Reilly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1921-11-12
Filing date: 1921-11-12
Publication date: 1925-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1942-03-10

Description

12, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet l w. J.' REILLY APPARATUS FOR REFINING OIL Filed Nov,

March 1o, 19245.

@13 l Gramm,

Maizch 10. 1925.

. J. REILLY APPARATUS FOR REFINING OIL Filed Nov. l2, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 um. x

Sw W March l0, 1925. 1,529,504

W. J. REILLY APPARATUS FOR REFINING OIL Filed Nov. l2, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 l Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J'. REILLY, 0F DENVER, COSIIOIEQADO.y

APPARATUS FOR REFINING OIL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. REILLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Relining Oil; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for the fractionation and distillation o hydrocarbon or other oils by the application of external heat whereby distillation ca'n be carried out under any desired degree of temperature and pressure. p

The pressure and temperatures to be employed are dependent upon the chemical and physical characteristics of the liquids under treatment and the products of distillation desired. My apparatus has therefore been so designed that the requirement of any particular distillation can be met and carried out with a high degree of thermal efliciency and resultant economy as well as at a hi h rate of evaporation.

Iy device is also designed to give a high rate of heat absorption per unit of heating surface exposed to the products of combustion. Y

In order to more clearly describe my apparatus I shall refer to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a transverse section of mylinproved still taken on line 1--1 (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 2-2 (Fig. 1)

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 (Fig. 1). t

Figs. 4 and 5 are parted sections similar to that of Fig. 3 and showing slight modications.

Fig. 6 is a modification similarl to Fig. 3 in which the pump has been omitted.

The same reference characters represent the same parts throughoutthe various views. My improved still is enclosed in a housing of lire brick in the same manner as a steam boiler: this housing consists of a front wall 1, sidewalls 2, back wall 3, arched roof 4:, and a furnace 5 `provided. with the usual grate 6 and doors 7 As the housing and the means employed for supporting the various members of my still are more or less conventional I shall not describe them in detail but restrict the description to the still' itself.

I provide three horizontal cylindrical drums 8, 9 and 10, two of which (8 and 9) are located at the same height, one near the front Wall and the other near the rear wall, drum 10 being located near the ioor. The lthree drumsare interconnected by means of banks of tubes in such a manner that the liquid under treatment can circulate from one drum to the other andthus attain a rapid absorption and distribution of heat. Drums 10 and 8 are connected with a large number of tubes 11 which will be referred to as the main bank. These tubes are arranged, preferably, in three or more layers and in staggered relation in order that all of the heated gases will be obliged to come in contact with some of the tubes. Directly back of the main bank of tubes 11 is a baille wall 12 arranged with openings 13 distributed over its surface so as to cause a uniform distribution of heated gases through the bank of tubes.

Drums 8 and 9 are connected by a single bank of tubes 14 on the top of which is placed a baille wall 15.

Drums 9 and 10 are connected by a single bank of tubes 17 which are protected from contact with the heated gases by means of a wall 18.

A gas outlet flue 19 extends across the in terior space of the still from side wall to side wall, and is provided along its length with a plurality of openings 20 which are graduated in area so that there will be a uniform suction pressure across the still. The flue being, of course, connected with the smoke stack.

The lower drum 10 is provlded with a longitudinal downwardly projecting baille 21 whose function it is to cause the liquid to flow downwardly and across the drum near its bottom instead of directly across the tcp of the drum as would otherwise be thecase. A pipe 22 extends the whole length of drum 10 directly below the openings into the front tubes of the kmain tube bank: this pipe has 4a relatively small opening located opposite each front tube end. The function of'pipe 22 is to convey steam, gas' or other fluid and to mix ,tlie same with the fluid under treatment vso as to increase the rate of circulation.

It will be noted that the arrangement described above results in a device having a voluntary and continuous circulation of iquid. The liqui ln e main tube bank 11 being exposed o the hot gases near to the furnace becom very hotand flow upwardly into drum 8. e liquid in the vertical tubes 17 being protected from the heat by means of a baille wall 18 are the coolest and How downwardly into drum 10, in the meantime the liquid levels in drums 8 and 9 are maintained substantially equal by means of tubes 14.

Located above the oil drums and at right angles theretov is a number of vaporizing drums 23, which are connected to drums 8 and 9 by

pipes

24 and 25 respectively. Drums 2.3 are provided interiorly 'with a plurality of horizontally inclined vaporlzing pans 26, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

Located within each of 'drums 23 and near the forward end thereof is a pump 27 driven by a motor 28 the purpose of which is to raise liquid from drum 8 to the upper end of the uppermost vaporizing pan 26. The

liquid raised by pump 27 will then flow from l one pan to the other until it is finally discharged on the bottom of drum 23 and passes downwardly into 'drum 9 through pipe 25 where it mixeswith the other liquid and reenters the circulation. In iiowing over the vaporizing pans the liquid vaporizes readily and the released vapors -are carried off through pipe 29 and passed through a condenser where the pressure under which condensation takes place is controlled by controlling the rate of exit from the vapor "drum into said condenser, the pressure in thecon'denser being, however., always less thanthat1l in the vapor drum. I. v

In Fig. 4 I have shown a slight modification from that shown in Fig. 3. Instead o f having a pump inside driven by a motor on the o-utside of the drum, I have shown the pump and engine as one combined structure 29. The engine being operated by steam supplied through pipe 30 and exhausted through pipe 3 In Fig. 5 I have shown another modification in which the pump 32 and engine 33 are both placed outside Iof the vapor drum 23. The pipe 24 being, of course, modified so as to conform tothe changed location of the pump.

The drums are supported in a suitable way from I-beams 35, drums 8 and 9 being suspended from beams 34 bv means of straps 36 and drums 23 beingsimilarly suspended by straps 37s Drums 23 are each provided with a safety valve 38 which is connected to a pipe 39 leading out to a suitable place of exhaust. Each drum is also provided with a pressure gauge 40 and thermometer 41 by means of which which he is governed in controlling the distillation.

Drum 8 is provided with a gauge 42 for indicating the level of the oil.

`Drum 9 has connected thereto a supply pipe 43 through which liquid to be treated enters and 'drum 10 is provided with a pipe 44 connected to the bottom thereof and through which the `still is emptied.

From the above it is seen that I have invented a still in which a large amount of oil can be subjected to treatment; in which .a rapid, voluntary circulation of oil takes place, resulting in a rapid transfer of heat and the prevention of unequal and excessive heating of the metal parts o-f the still. i

The operation of my device is as follows:

The oil to be treated is supplied to drums 8, 9 and 10 in suficient quantity to fill drums 8 and 9 to a height `somewhat above the level of pipes 14, the gases from furnace 5 then pass through the main tube bank 11; through the openings 13 in baffle wall 12 and into the transverse chamber.

Circulation of the liquid under treatment then commences, the heated oil passing upwardly through tubes 1l into drum 8, thence through tubes 14 into drum 9 and downwardly through tubes 17 into drum 10 from whenceit again enters tubes 11 and begin a new cycle.

When the pressure and temperature has reached the proper values, pump 27 is started and liquid is lifted from drum 8 to the upper end of the uppermost'vaporizing pan 26 from whence it flows from one pan to another until it linallv reaches the bottom of drum 23 an'd enters drum 9 through pipe 25 where it mixes with the remainder of the oil under treatment.

The action of the pump in removing a portion of the oil from drum 8 has a tendl denser has a pipe 49foonnected thereto for the purpose of conducting away the uncondensed vapors; this pipe is controlled by valve 48.

The pressure under which condensation through valve 46. The exit pipe of the conj ,takes place is controlledby the manipulation of valve 45` which controls,the exit of vapors from thev vaporizing drums, and va ve 46 which controls the rate of discharge of the condensed liquid from the condenser.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5. I have shown an arrangement for raising the liquid from drum 8 to the end of the uppermost pan 26, which comprises a pump. I have, however, found that a pump is not essential at all times and in Fig. 6 I have shown a modification in which the pump has been omitted and pipe 24 extended to the top of the uppermost pan 26. When my apparatus is in operation the oil vin pipes 11 becomes intensely heated and partially vaporized. This vapor mixes with the oil and reduces its specific gravity to such an extent that the column of oil in pipes 17 and tank 9, which is free from vapor, will be able to raise the frothy *oil in pipes 11 and cylinder 8 to the top of the uppermost pan 26. In order to dispense with the pump and raise the oil, by means of which depends upon the difference in the specific gravities in pipes 17 and 11, it is necessary to so pro-portion the combined areas of pipes 14 that the liquid as it enters drum 8 will not be able to return to drum 9 as fast as it enters drum 8. The

excess over the capacity of pipes 14 will then be force'd to pass upward through pipe 24 and Itake part in the major circulation.

I want to emphasize at this point the fact that I attain a double circulation in my still. A portion of oil will circulate in pipes 11 to drum 8, through pipes 14 to drum 9, thence through pipes 17 to drum 10, from which it enters pipes 11 at the beginning of a new cycle; this I call the minor circulatory cycle.

A portion of the oil which enters drum 8 passes up through pipe 24 and is deposited on the upper end of the uppermost one of pans 26, and finally enters drum 9 through pipe 25; this I term the major cycle.

' My still as described above comprises'a figure eight arrangement, in which there are two paths in parallel for the oil that enters drum 8. By this means a portion always passes through the major circulation cycle where it is subjected to intense evaporation, and re-enters the circulation at drum 9 where it mixes with the balance of the oil.

Tubes l1 are arranged at an angle of forty-five (45) degrees for the purpose of obtaining the most eiicient operation. With the tubes arranged at this angle, the gases will impinge on them at substantially right angles, and thus brush 0E any cooled gases that would otherwise adhere thereto. The oil will also flow at a more satisfactory speed through tubes inclined at 45 degrees, than it will in horizontal or vertical ones.

It is also my object to space the fire on the gratesat such a distance from the pipes 11 that little or no radiant heat will strike them, as by doing so I will get a more uniform dlstributionfof heat on the pipes 11.

IjIav'mg described my invention, what I clalm 1s:

1. A still for the fractionation of organic oils comprising a furnace, an oil vcontaining device consisting of three oil drums connected by tube banks to form a triangle with its apex at the bottom, said furnace having a pasageway leading therefrom, one tube bank being located towards the frontpof the furnace and in the passageway from the fur. nace, another of the said tube banks being located to therear of the furnace and protected by means of a. baffle wall located between t-he tubes and the furnace, a vaporizing drum located above the upper two oil drums aforesaid and'having each end connected to separate ones of the oil drums, horizontally inclinedl vaporizing surfaces in said vaporizing drum, means for elevating heated oil from one of the oil drums to the upper part of the uppermost vaporizing surface, means to return the unvaporized part of said oil to the other oil drum and meansl for conducting the liberated vapors from said vaporizing drum.

2. A still for the fractionation of organic oils comprising in combination a furnace, cy-

lindrical o-il drums, a tube oil heater composed of three sets of tube banks arranged in the form of a triangle and having their ends connected to said cylindrical oil drums, the base of said triangle being on top and substantially horizontal, a vapor drum above said base said drum having means for connec'ting one end to one of said oil drums, the other end of said vapor drum being provided with a pump for elevating oil from one of said oil drums to the vapor drum, a plurality of horizontally inclined vaporizing surfaces extending lengthwise of said vapor drum, means connected to said pump for conducting heated oil to the upper part of the uppermost vaporizing surface, means for conducting the vapors away from said drum to a condenser and means for vcontrolling the pressure at which condensation takes place.

3. In a still for fractionation of hydrocarbon and other organic oils, means for heating the oil to any desi-red temperature, a vaporizing drum located above the heating means and having one end connected thereto by means of a pipe, said drum being provided in its interior with a plurality of oppositely'and horizontally inclined vaporizing pans so arranged with respect to each other that the lower portion of each isdirectly above the higher portion of the pan directly beneath, whereby any liquid deposited on the upper portion of the uppermost pan will flow from one pan to the other until itis finally Ldeposited on the bottom of the vapor drum, and means for transferring oil from the heating means to the upper portion of the uppermost pan.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM J. REILLY.