US1572465A - Process for manufacturing lubricating oils - Google Patents

Description

Patented Feb. 9, 1926- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. BLACK, OF DESTREH AN, LOUISIANA, AND JAMES W. WEIR, 0F FILLMORE,

. CALIEORNIA.

PROCESSFOR MANUFACTURING LUBBIGATING OIL S. I,

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that We, JOHN C. BLAoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Destrehan, in the parish of Saint Charles, State of Louisiana, and JAMES W. WEIR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fillmore, in the county of Ventura, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Process for Manufacturing Lubricating Oils, of which the following is a specification. This i-fivention relates to the art of refining petroleum or petroleum distillates, or other hydrocarbons, and more specifically to those petroleum products known as lubricating oils.

The *object of this invention is to facilitate treatment of the oil and to increase the yield of finished products, and to improve .the qualityof such finished products in its ,colorand other physical characteristics, and ,{to eliminate certain steps in the treatment of-the oils as heretofore practiced in the gmanufacture of lubricating oils. l

. .Heretofore in the refining of lubricating oils, it was the custom to treat the oils with sulphuric acid, withdraw/the acid reaction products .as completely as practical, then neutralize the remaining acid reaction,

products with caustic soda solution orother neutralizing agent, and then washing out the remaining neutralizing agent or its' products with water, after which it may be brightened by blowing it-with air. After this treatment thecolor is not usually up to the standard desired and will be further subjected to a decolorizing treatment either by percolation or contact with fullers earth or other decolorizing substance to bring the finished product to the color desired.

. By our new and improved method we have discovered a procedure whereby several of the foregoing individual steps may be eliminated, and more particularly the one of neutralization with caustic soda and the following Step'of washing with water, and also the further step of decolorization as an independent operation as heretofore.

w 0111' rocedure in treating or refining lubricating 011 1s as follows:

The oil is first given an acid treatment,

preferably with sulphuric acid, in the manner usually employed;

the resultingsludge acid is then removed; the oil is then Application filed October 19, 1922. Serial No. 595,660.

\in condition for final treatment which consists in admixing a finely divided clay, fullers earth, montmorillonite, infusorial earth, silica gel, or similar substance, which may be'cither in a raw condition or treated by any of the well known treating rocesses to increase the adsorbing surface of the sub stance; sufficient of theireagent as enumerated above is added to the oil to accomplish in one operation the neutralization and decolorizationof the oil with the consequent elimination of the neutralization step with caustic soda, the washing with water, the brightening step, and also the decolorization by percolation or contact as a separatestep. This procedure eliminates the expensive caustic soda treatment and also the loss of yield of oil by the soda wash and subsequent water wash. It also eliminates the roduction of oil soluble soda soaps detrimental in the best quality lubricating oils. i.

We have further discoveredlthat tQ COm-- pletely neutralize the oil by this method. that it is necessary to heat the oil with the admixed neutralizing anddecolorizing agent I to drive oi? the final acid reaction, products that are in the form of sul hur dioxide. To accomplish this, we heat tlie mixture, while under treatment, to at-least 180 F., but prefj erably above the boiling point of-j The heating, we have discovered,-has a twofold function, first to drive, ache SO, products of reaction, and secondly,'to in;- crease the decolorization action of the neutralizing and decolorizing reagentl- Furthermore, We have discovered that the S01 .gasto is beneficial in the decolorization reaction that. it forms a. non-oxidizing atmosphere contact with the oil and prevents'darkening of the oil by oxidation. 7 a,

After the neutralization and decoloriza 95. tion step is complete, the oil is separated from the neutralizing and decolorizin re .agent by any of the well known metho s of separation of a liquid and a finely divided .mineral substance; the separation may be made while the oil is heated, or it may be made. after cooling or during cooling. The cooling of the oil should preferably be performed in a closed cooling apparatus from which air is excluded to prevent oxidation and darkening of the oil. If it is found that the finished oil is cloud? due o moisture, it may be removed by only an or gas being undersaturated that which could he made by the process of I Black and Weir under their joint spec fica-- tion. Where under the \Veir process as patented he uses 5,009 gallons of oil to one ton of clay and produces a neutralized oil of neutral and the tated treated hydrocarbons aneutralizingand de b sulficient quantites towould be produced 3 color- (N. P. A.). which is the color obtained by the .acid alone, under the process of the joint application of Black and TVeir 2,500 gallons of oil to one ton of clay would be used and an oil of about 3 color (N. P. A1.) if a decolorizing clay wereused. This 3 color oil would be an oil materially lighter in color and have a higher market value.

To summarize and make clear our preferred method of operation, we will outline the procedure as follows:

The oil is first treated with sulphuric acid;

the sludge acid is allowed to settle, and is withdrawn or separated from the oil; the

oil is then admixed.v withv the neutralizing d and decolorizing reagent and the mixture heated to 180 F. or higher until the oil is proper discolorization obtalned; the mixture is then discharged through a filter and cooled and finally discharged to storage. The filtering and coolmg steps may be reversed, but we prefer to filter then cool, as we find this facilitates the operation. If the oil is cloudy, it may be brightened as previously described.

e claim: i

1. A method of refining hydrocarbons consisting in treating the hydrocarbons with sulphuric acid; withdrawing the precipiacid' reaction products, adding to the colorizing reagent in 'decolorizethehydrocarbons and heating the mixture, then separating the hydrocarbons and admixed reagent.

2. A method of refining hydrocarbons consisting in treating the hydrocarbons with 'sulphuric" acid, withdrawing the precipitated acid're'action products, addingto the treated hydrocarbons a neutralizing and decolorizing reagent in sufficient quantities to decolori..e thehydrocarbons and heating the mixture to above 180 F., then separating the hydrocarbons and admixed reagent. 3. A method of refining hydrocarbons consisting in treating the hydrocarbons with sulphuric acid, withdrawing the precipitated acid reaction products, adding to the treated hydrocarbons a neutralizing and decolorizing reagent in sufiicient quantities to decolorize the hydrocarbons and heating the mixture, and while heated separating the hydrocarbons and admixed reagent,

then cooling the hydrocarbons. v

4. AjmethodQof refining hydrocarbons consisting in treating the hydrocarbons with sulphuric acid. withdrawing the precipitated acid reaction products, adding to the treated decolorizing reagent in sufficient quantities to decolorize the hydrocarbons and heating the mixture to above 180 F., separating the hydrocarbons and admired reagent, then cooling the hydrocarbons to materially less than 180 F.

5. A method of refining hydrocarbons hydrocarbons a neutralizing and consisting in treating hydrocarbons with sulphuric acid, withdrawing the precipitated acid reaction products, adding to the treating hydrocarbons neutralizing and decolorizing reagents in sufficient quantities to decolorize the hydrocarbons and heating the mixture,-then filtering-the hydrocarbons to separate the admixed reagent.

6. A method of refining hydrocarbons consisting in treating the hydrocarbons with sulphuric acid, withdrawing the precipitated acid reaction products, adding to the treated hydrocarbons, neutralizing and ecolorizing reagents in suflicient quantities to decolorize the hydrocarbons and simultaneously heating the mixture to approxiniately above 180 F., then cooling the mixture below 180 F. and separating the hydrocarbons and admixed reagent then 0001-.

ing the hydrocarbons.

7. A method of refining hydrocarbons consisting in treating, the hydrocarbons with sulphuric acid, withdrawing the pre- I cipitated acid reaction-products, adding tothe treated hydrocarbons, neutralizingand decolorizing reagents in suflicient quantities to decolorize the hydrocarbons and heating the mixture, separati and admixed reagentf ien brightening by lowing a gas through'them.

8. A method of refining hydrocarbons consisting in treating the hydrocarbons with a sulphuric acid, withdrawing the precipitated acid reaction products, adding to the treated hydrocarbons neutralizing and decolorizin'g reagents in sufiicient quantities to decolorize the hydrocarbons and heating the mixture to above 180, separating the hydrocarbonsand admixed reagent, cooling the hydrocarbons to materially less than 180 F., then brightening them.

izing hydrocarbon containing acid reaction products consisting in-first withdrawing the acid reaction products then adding neutralprocess of neutralizing and decolorthe hydrocarbons izing and decolorizing reagents, in sufficient quantities to neutralize and decolorize the hydrocarbon, then heating the mixture of hydrocarbon, acid reaction products and neutralizing and decolorizing reagents to an active reaction temperature, then separating the admixed reagents together with the reaction productsfrom the decolorized 5 hydrocarbon. 1

10. The method of refining hydrocarbons containing acid reaction products which comprises first removing the said re action products, then adding a comminuted decolorlzing agent to the hydrocarbons in sufiicient quantities. to both neutralize and de-' colorize the hydrocarbons, heating the mixture to above 180 Fahrenheit, and separat ing the adsorbent material with the materials adsorbed thereon from the oil stock.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JOHN o. BLACK. JAMES w. WEIR.