US1535725A - Process for treating hydrocarbons - Google Patents

Description

W. R. HOWARD PROCESS FOR TREATING HYDROCARBOkS v April 28, 1925.

a check valve 10. The

State of Illinois, and useful Improvements in Processes for Patented Apr. 28, 1925,.

PIA-TENT 0 Price.

WILLIAM R. HOWARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOUNIVERSAL OIL PROD- UCTS COMPANY, 'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTE DAKOTA.

PROCESS FOR TREATING HYDROCARBONS.

Application filed September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, -VVILLIAM R. HowAnn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and have invented certain new Treating Hydrocarbons, of which the fol-' lowing is a specification.

This invention relates primarily to the socalled cracking of petroleum oil or in other words, to the conversion of high boiling point to low boiling point hydrocarbons such as gasoline. The process is preferably operated as a continuous one in which the oil passes through a cracking zone to a vapor chamber, thence the vapors are subjected to .a reflux condensing action andfinally to a water condenser.

In the present invention, the refluxed condensate instead of returning to the original cracking zone is delivered to a separate chamber and revaporized. This prevents the lighter vapors from being over-treated and also prevents carbon from being returned to the primary cracking zone.

As a further feature of the invention, it may be so carried out as to subject the reflux condensate to a different pressure and temperature than that to which the oil is first subjected.

Referring in detail'to. the drawing, 1 designates a fire box in which is mounted an endless heating coil ing zone. Oil is supplied to this coil 2 through pipe 3 from pump 4 from any suitable source of supply. The oil passes into vapor or expansion chamber 5 through pipe 6. The vapors generated pass out through vapor line 7 into the standard 8 of an aerial condenser 9. It is to be noted that the pipe 7 enters the standard 8 at. a point above the lower end of the latter and is provided with arrangement is such that the vapors can pass through the pipe 7 only nthe direction of the arrow. The unvaporized oil is drawn out through the drawoif plpe 11, controlled by valve 12. The heavier vapors in the aerial 9 will condense and fall back into the standard 8. The uncondensed vapors pass out through the gooseneck 13 into coil 14in water condenser 15. From coil 14 the condensed vapors and incondensable gases pass into receiving tank 16 by means of pipe 17. A gas outlet 18 controlled by valve 19 is provided, as is also a still 24. A pressure 2, whichforms a crack 8, 1919. Serial No. 322,457.

liquid drawofi' pipe 26 controlled by Val: 21. A' valve 22 may also be provided in the gooseneck 13.

The condensed distillates which fall back into the standard the secondary still 24. This still 24 is seated in a furnace 25 so that it can be heated- The vapors generated in the still 24 pass out through line 26 into the standard 8 and are subjected to -the condensing'action of the aerial reflux condensers. Check valves 27 and 28 are interposed in the lines 23 and 26 and so arranged that the oil and vapors can pass through the lines 23 and 26 only in di rection of the arrows. leads from the lower end of the still 24 and 1s provided withvalve 3Q.

As a feature of the invention a. pump P is interposed in the line 23 and so arranged as to be able to force the condensed liquid coming from the standard 8'into the secondary in the return line 26. The oil to be treated may be ofany desired character and the pressure and. temperature used may be varied within relatively wide limits. The following illustrative run on gas oil from the Kansas may be given. The whole system may be kept under a pressure of say 100 lbs. by controlling the various outlet ,Valves, or if desired, the pressure of 100 lbs. may be maintained on the still 2 and a pressure of 150 lbs. or more maintained on the contents of the still 24. Moreover, the pressure in the still 24 may be raised or lowered by regulating the valve R as the process proceeds; as for example, raised to 200 pounds or lowered to 125 pounds. I

v The, oil temperature in the coil 2 may 650 F. While the temperature in the still 24 may be 800 F. The reason for this is that the charging stock contains more low boiling point constituents than does the condensate returning to'the still 24. It will be seen that thepartially cracked refluxed condensate is in effect shuttle cocked, from the aerial to the still 24 and return. It will also be noted that any carbon precipitated in the reflux condensate will and not vreach the coil 2. By properly regu-.

lating the size of the aerial 9 substantially any end point gasoline may be made. In other words, with a given gas oil the aerial 9 can be of HEISSUED 8 pass through line 23 into 60 l I valve R is interposed go back to the tank such size that it'will be at all no times. kept at a temperature of pass out through the gose neck13. It is to be understood that a regulated quantity of oil is constantly fed to the apparatus. lhe pipes 23 and 26 are provided with valves'31 and 32 whereby the still 24 can 'be cut out of the system for cleaning if desired.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A process of converting .relatively heavy hydrocarbons into those of lower boiling point, consisting in passing the oil continuously throu h a cracking -z0ne, thence to a vapor chain er passing the vapors from said vapor chamber to a reflux condenser, passing the uncondensed ortion of the vapors from the reflux con enser to a. final condenser and receiving liquid portion condensed in the reflux condenser under forced pressure to a secondary cracking zone, distilling the liquid portion in said zone and again passing the vapors generated to the reflux condenser, continuously retreating the reflux condensate in said secondary cracking zone, maintaining a predetermined superat-mospheric vapor pressure on the oil insaid first cracking zone, and maintaining a higher vapor pressure on.the oil in said secondary crackipg zone.

2. A, process of converting relatively heavy hydrocarbons into those of lower of the vapors to a ceiving tank and the condensed portion to.

boiling point, consisting-in passing the oil through a cracking zone, thence to a vaporizing zone, passing the vapors from the vapor zone and subjecting them toa reflux ing action, passing the uncondensed portion final condenser and retank, returning the generated in said latter zone to again pass to the refluxing zone, maintaining a predetermined superatmospheric vapor pressure on the oil in said first cracking zone and maintaining a higher vapor pressure on the oil in said secondary cracking zone.

3. A process of converting relatively heavy hydrocarbons into the lower boiling point hydrocarbons, consisting in passing oil through a cracking coil and thence to a 400 F, a secondary cracking zone, causing vapors 'hence nothing boiling above 400 F. will reacting zone, in discharging vapors from 1 the reacting zone to a dephlegmator, in discharging uncondensed vapors from the dephlegmator for condensation and collection, in passing reflux condensate from said dephlegmator to a second still for treatment, in maintaining an increased pressure and temperature in said second still, and in introducing the vapors from said second still to said dephlegmator. o

4. A process of converting relatively heavy hydrocarbons into the lower boiling point hydrocarbons, consisting in passing oil through a cracking coil and thence to a reacting zone, in discharging vapors from the reacting zone to a dephlegmator, in discharging uncondensed vapors from the dephlegmator for condensation and collection, in passing reflux condensate from said dephlegmator to a second still for treatment, in maintaining an increased pressure and temperature in said second still, in in- ,troducing the vapors from said second still to said dephlegmator, and in maintaining a super-atmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing distillation in each still.

WILLIAM R. HOWARD.

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