US1638021A

US1638021A - Method of treating hydrocarbons

Info

Publication number: US1638021A
Application number: US700381A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alexander B Way
Original assignee: LEWIS A WAY
Current assignee: LEWIS A WAY
Priority date: 1924-03-19
Filing date: 1924-03-19
Publication date: 1927-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 1944-08-09

Description

Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

PATENT- ICE.

ALEXANDER IB. WAY, 01"

LYNN, SETTS, ASSIGNOR TO e PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

No Drawing.

a This invention relates to a method of treating hydrocabons to demulsifythe same and. generally improve their qualities.

This method constituting the subject 5 matter of the present invention may be employed in the treatment of hydrocarbons of numerous grades and of varying condition. Oils of the grades used in oil burners and the like are especially subject to separation of their heavier components when permitted to stand in; containers for storage or transportation, or in service tanks for supplying the fuel to the point of their combustion. This separation usually results in the collection of a slime, comprising heavy sludge, separated carbon, or other relatively dense substances, at the bottom of the tank or container Such condition results in the loss of combustible material, and also in the foulin of cleaning screens and meters during uti-ization of the oils. 1

Any oil when stored or transported tends to receive and form an emulsion with water, 2 which may leak into the tank or container,

be absorbed from the moisture of the atmosphere, or enter the body of the oil at some preliminary stage during its production or treatment: Such emulsion tends to prevent the redissolution of heavier separated components of the oil, because of the formation of the minute globules of the emulsion. The surface tension of such globules prevents their breaking up to rethe separated heavier components of the oil.

One object of the present invention is a hydrocarbon oil which reduces the surface tension of the globules of any emulsion present, and permits both theremoval of the water of such emulsion and thereponents of the oil. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a method which operates to produce the above efi'ect wwithout invplving such application of heat as to raise the tempera ture of the oil to a point at which the loss of any portion or components thereof takes place through distillation or coking. Certain grades of oil, moreover, which lease the oil, and prevents redissolution of therefore to provide a method of treating a dissolution of the separated heavier ."com-.

Application filed much 19, 1924. Serial No. 7ob,ssi.

are incapable of combustion in burners or the like because of their thickness and lack of fluidity, may be rendered fluid and usable by treatment according to the method of the present invention. Likewise the heaviest tars may be broken u by treatment according to such metho and rendered sufliciently fluid to permit their removal from storage tanks and containers.

Lubricating oils may be rendered more efiicient by treatment according to the meth- 0d of the invention. Such treatment diminishes its viscositywithout a correspondmg decrease in density. Smaller quantities of an oil of given viscosity may'therefore be employed to provide an adequate lubricating film, and the life of the lubricant is increased. Cylinder oil for internal combustion engines, when so treated, causes less deposit of carbon than when untreated and has less tendencyto thicken and gum in 'cold weather than untreated oil of equal lubricating value but greater viscosity.

A specific formula for the material utilized in the treatment may be given as follows: Naphthalene (C H by volume nitro-benzol (C H NO by volume In this formula the na hthalene, which is a crystalline hydrocar on, absorbs the nitro-benzol, which. is in the condition of a heavy oil, and the more volatile alizarin, to produce a single and apparently homogeneous .material.

Such solid mixture may be desirably in divided form. 'lov secure such form the naphthalene is preferably cut and screened, and a portion thereof further granulated prior to the .incorpoation of the nito-bem,

In practice it is found convenient to use approximately seventy-five parts'of the flake naphthalene to twenty-five. parts of the granulated naphthalene.

If the mixture is to be emp duce the breaking up and redissolution of a heavy slime, such as sludge or tar, such sediment is firstcovered with a relatively large volume of oilin fluid condition and the treatingniixture added to this initial loyed to prohydrocarbon mixture. With such. initial hydrocarbon the treating material is preferably added in al'qu'antity of from 0.5

pounds to 1.5 pounds to each -500 gallons of the mixture of sediment and oil. This mass, consisting of the sediment, oil, and. treating mixture is subjected to gentle heating, and maintained at a temperature of from one hundred degrees Fahrenheit to two hundred degrees Fahrenheit for a period of from one hour to eighteen hours.

The duration of the treatment depends upon the nature of the initial hydrocarbon to be treated, the rate of dispersion of the of sediment associated therewith is to be accordance With the work to be done.

treated simply to demulsify such oil and to enerally improve its qualities, the genera nature of the treatment is identical with that given above. In such case, however, a single charge of the mixture is generally suflicient to produce the desired result, The quantity of the mixture with relation to the volume of the initial. hydrocarbon to be treated may also be greatly reduced.

In either of the cases noted above, water separated by the vdemulsificat'ion of the oil is drawn oif prior to use of the oil.

If an oil is to be treated to generally improve its qualities, without the necessity for demulsification of such oil, the quantity of the mixture employed may be still further reduced.

Not only the quantity of the mixture employed, but also the relative proportions of naphthalene in its physical properties, may be used to take the place of the latter.

As an equivalent for the nitro-benzol, another nitro compound ofthe aromatic series of hydrocarbons, such as nitro-toluol (C l-I CH NO may be employed.

' \Vhereas these alternative substances serve to impart the desired useful properties to the mixture, the substances included in the formula given above are preferred because of the fact that they are in more common use or because of the fact that they are more readily produced on a commercial scale.

It is also possible to employ nitro-naphthalene or nitro-anthracene, which are themselves nitro compounds of hydrocarbons derived from the same source as the aromatic series of hydrocarbons, mainly from the distillation of coal. These compounds may either one be used with either the nitrobenzol or nitro-toluol of the formula.

Favorable, though less satisfactory, results have been obtained by using either nitro-naphthalene or nitro-anthracene alone.

Benzaldehyde may be used to replace the nitro-benzol or nitro-toluol, though not with wholly satisfactory results. Oil of bitter almonds (mirbane) may also be similarl used. It should be. noted that this oi though f an essential oil of vegetable origin, closely resembles nitro-benzol both in chemi cal structure and in characteristics.

It will be seen from the above that the particular substances noted in the formula,

as well as the relative proportions of such 'substances, may be varied within the sccpe of the disclosure and the appended clalms,

without departing from the spirit of the its ingredients, may be desirably varied in Thus for the breaking up of heavy tars, to increase their fluidity, one pound of the mixture is preferably added for each two hundred and fifty to three, hundred gallons of the tar;

and the nitro-benzol content may be in creased to as much as ten per cent by volume of the entire mixture.

To consider the different ingredients of the mixture, the nitro-benzol (or its equivalent) performs the chief active function in breaking down the globules of an emulsion,

and diminishing the viscosity of a body of a hydrocarbon. The naphthalene (or its equivalent) assists to some extent in performing these functions, and also serves as aconvenient carrier for the other ingredients, whereby they may be conveniently stored and transported and may be distrib-' uted through the hydrocarbon body to be treated. 4

'As to equivalent, or substitute, substances in the mixture, anthracene (C H which is a crystalline hydrocarbon resembling present invention. i

' It is also to be noted that all substances noted are organic compounds. When used for the treatment of hydrocarbons, they therefore leave no incombustible residue as do inorganlc treating materials such as" aluminum chloride, and the like.

What I claim is: j

1.. The process of treating hydrocarbons to demulsify the samev and increase their fluidity which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of a mixture of naphthalene and nitro;benzo1 in solid state and divided form.

2. The process of treating hydrocarbons to demulsify the same and increase their fluidity which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of a mixture of naphthalene and nitro-benzol in solid state and divided form, and subjecting the mass to the action of heat.

The process of treating hydrocarbons to demulsify the same and increase their fluidity which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of a mixture of naphthalene and nitro-benzol in solid state and divided form, and subjecting the to demulslfy the same and increase their h demulsi initial hydrocarbon to the action of an added mass to the action of heat at a temperature not in excess of two hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

4. The process of treating hydrocarbon oils to demulsify the same and increase their fluidity which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of a mixture including a crystalline aromatic hydrocarbon and nitro-benzol, said mixture being in solid state and divided form.

5. The process of treating hydrocarbon oils to demulsify the same and increase their fluidity which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of a mixture includin a crytalline aromatic hydrocarbon and n tro-benzol, and subjecting the mass to the action of heat at a temperature no higher than two hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

6. The process of treating hydrocarbons to demulsi the same and increase their fluidity which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of an added mixture including a crystalline aromatic hydrocarbon serving as a carrier, and a nltrated hydrocarbon having no more than -moderate explosive properties absorbed by said crystalline hydrocarbon.

7. 'The process of treating hydrocarbons to the same and increase their fluidity WllICh consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of an added mixture includin naphthalene as a carrier, and

avnitrated hy rocarbon having no more than moderate explosive properties absorbed by said naphthalene. v

8. The rocess of treatingvhydrocarbons fluidity, which consists in subjecting the mixture including a crystalline aromatic hydrocarbon serving as a carrier, and a nitra'ted hydrocarbon having no more than moderate explosive properties absorbed by said crystalline hydrocarbon, said mixture being in divided form..-

9. The process of treating hydrocarbons to demulsify the same and increase their fluidity, which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of an added mixture including naphthalene asa carrier,

" t and 0. nitro compound of a hydrocarbon ture no higher than two hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

11. The process of treating hydrocarbons to demulsify the same and increase their fluidity, which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of an added mixture including naphthalene as a carrier, and a nitrated hydrocarbon having no more than moderate explosive properties absorbed by said naphthalene, and subjecting the mass to the efi'ect of heat at a temperature no higher than two hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

12. Theprocess of treating hydrocarbons to demulsify the same and increase their fluidity, which consists in subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of an added mixture including a crystalline aromatic hydrocarbon serving as as carrier, and a mtrated hydrocarbon having no more than moderate explosive properties, said mixture being in divided form; and subjecting the mass to the effect of heat at a temperature no higher-than two hundred degrees Fahreneit. z

13. The process of treating hydrocarbons to demulsify the same and increase tlieir fluidity, which consists iii subjecting the initial hydrocarbon to the action of an added mixture including naphthalene as a carrier, and a nitrated hydrocarbon having no more than moderate explosive properties absorbed I I by said naphthalene, said mixture being in divided form; and subjecting the mass to the efi'ect of heat at a temperature no higher than two hundred de ees Fahrenheit;

In witness w ereof, I hereunto set my hand. I

ALEXANDERBWAY Y