US1766446A

US1766446A - Apparatus for treating asphaltic oils for the production of asphalt

Info

Publication number: US1766446A
Application number: US159977A
Authority: US
Inventors: Miller Max Ree Low
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-01-08
Filing date: 1927-01-08
Publication date: 1930-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 1947-06-24

Description

June 24, 1930. M. R. L. MILLER 1,765,446

APPARATUS FOP TREATING ASPHALTIC OILS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ASPHALT Filed Jan. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NW! mm M W1 W \HIMHW! W 1' ll INVENTOR MAX B. Low MILLER ATTORNEY June 24, 1930. M. R. 1.. MILLER 1,766,446

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ASPHALTIC OILS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ASPHALT Filed Jan. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR MAX R. Low/Muse;

ATTORNEY v Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAX REE LOW MILLER, OF WILMINGTON, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ASPHALTIC OILS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ASPHALT Application filed January 8, 1927. Serial No. 159,977.

My invention relates to the treatment of petroleum and petroleum residues having an asphalt base to produce asphalt for commercial urposes, and it has particular reference to t e apparatus employed in such treatment.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide an apparatus by which asphaltic oils can be treated to produce oxidized asphalt possess- [0 in a relativel high melting point and a re atively low egree of penetration.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide an apparatus for treating asphaltic oils by which the temperature of the oil can be regulated at will and held at any required temperature, depending upon the nature of the oil being treated, whereby the running time required for distillation is greatly reduced to the elimination of destructive distillation and the production of asphalt having the superior characteristics above mentioned.

I will describe only one form of apparatus for treating asphaltic oils embodying my invention, and will then pointout the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a view showing in vertical longitudinal section one form of treating apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a view showing the apparatus in front end elevation;

Figure 3 is atransverse vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention, in its present embodiment, comprises a furnace setting 15 preferably formed of brick and constructed to provide a fire box-16 stepped as indicated at 17 and communicating at its rear end with an outlet passage 18. The front end of the furnace setting is provided with an opening in which is arranged a short length of pipe 19 and into the latter is extended a fuel burner 20. As shown in Figure 3, the opposite sides of the furnace settin are provided with openings 21 controlled y dampers 22, the latter being adjustable, as shown.

Supported upon the furnace setting is a still in the form of a metallic tank 23 prefer ably jacketed with asbestos 24 and provided at its forward end with a manhole 25 closed by a cover plate 26. The asphaltic oil to be treated is adapted to be supplied to the still through a chargin pipe line 27, and air or steam can be disc arged into the oil contained in the still through a plurality of

pipes

28 and 29, both of which are in communication with the header pipe 30. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the pipes 28 are disposed vertically within the tank to osition their discharge ends at one side the tank, while the pipes 29 are inclined so as to position their discharge ends at the opposite side of the tank. Each

pipe

28 or 29 is provided with a valve 31 by which the discharge of air or steam from the pipes can be cpntrolled from a point exteriorly of the still. The header 30 is designed to supply air to the

pipes

28 and 29, and to this header is connected a steam header 32 for the purpose of sup lying steam to the

pipes

28 and 29 when esired.

The still 23 is provided with a dome 33 through which extends a vertical steam supply pipe 34 connected at its lower end to a pipe 35 disposed longitudinally within the still and adjacent the top thereof, its opposite ends being open to discharge steam into the still above the body of oil. A pipe 36 so communicates with the dome 33 and constitutes a vapor line for conducting the oil and steam vapors from the still to suitable apparatus (not shown) for recovering the lighter products contained in the oil vapor. As

.shown in Figure 1, the bottom of the still is provided with a draw-off pipe 37 throu h which the oxidized asphalt can be withdrawn from the still. A valve 38 controls the discharge of asphalt, such valve being provided with a stem 39 which extends upwardly through the still and throu h a. threaded sleeve 40. The upper end 0 the stem being provided with a wheel 41 by which the stem can be rotated and thus 05 lowered or elevated to open or closethe valve.

For the purpose of controlling the temperature of the oil in the still to prevent destructive distillation during the treatment of the oil, I provide a coolin means by which a cooling medium can be brought into cooling contact with the oil and constantly circulated so the heated medium is displaced by a cooled medium. This cooling means, in the present instance, comprises one pair of headers 42 connected to another pair of headers 43 through the medium of a plurality of pipes 44. The headers are sup ported on I-beams 45 secured within the still. The headers 42 are provided with branch pipes 46, both of which are connected to a supply pipe 47. The headers 43 are connected to a discharge pipe 48 by means of pipes 49. These

pipes

47 and 48 are adapted for connection to a cooling tower (not shown) in a manner to place the headers 42 and 43 and, consequently, the pipes 44 in circuit communication with the cooling tower so that the cooling medium contained in the system, such as oil or gas or any other suitable fluid, can circulate through the headers and pipes and thereby displace the heated fluid with cooled fluid. However, the circulation of the fluid is automatically controlled in accordance with the temperature of the oil in the still by means of thermostatically operated valves 50 and 51 in the

pipes

47 and 48, respectively, the valve 50 being provided with a th'ermo-coupling 52 extending into the still for direct contact with the oil and operating to open the valve 50 when the temperature of the oil rises above a predetermined degree. The valve 51 is likewise provided with a thermo-coupling 53 extending into the connection between the

pipes

49 and 48 so as to be responsive to the temperature of the fluid leaving the headers 43 to open the valve 51 when the temperature of such fluid rises above a predetermined degree.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The oil to be treated is supplied to the still through the pipe 27 by a pump or other means until a suitable body is formed, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawing. This body is now heated b means of the burner 20 to a temperature 0 say, 260 F. Concurrently with the heating of the oil, air is disa charged into the oil through the

pipes

28 and 29, preferably at the rate of 300 cubic feet per minute, where the quantity of oil being treated is from 200 to 300 barrels. When the temperature of the oil reaches 260, the burner is extinguished but the air supply continued as at this stage oxidi-zation takes place and continues so long as the air is supplied to the oil. As the result of continued oxidization, the temperature of the oil continues to rise but through the employment of the cooling means previously described the temperature of the oil can be kept below destructive distillation. lVhen the temperature of the oil approaches a destructive distillation temperature, the valves 50 and 51 automatically open, thus allowing the heated cooling fluid in the pipes 44 to pass from the still and to be displaced by a cool fluid, this circulation of fluid being continuous so long as the valves 50 and 51 are open. By the provision of this cooling means, the oxidization process can be continued without fear of destructive distillation and to thus permit oxidization in suflicient volume to effect raising the melting point of the asphaltic content. This can be effected by increasing the volume of air supplied from 300 to 700 cubic feet per minute. This increase is gradually extending over a period of from six to eight hours, and upon completion of the treatment the resultant asphalt can be discharged from the still by opening the valve 38. The entire process may require from eighteen to seventy hours, depending upon the degree of penetration and the melting point desired, as well as the nature of the oil being treated. By reason of the cooling system destructive distillation is prevented and, hence, the actual running time required to produce asphalt is greatly reduced as against previous apparatus.

During oxidization, steam is supplied to the still above the body of oil by the live steam line 35 and for the purpose of preventing the oil va ors from igniting. This steam, together with the oil vapors, is exhausted from the oil through the pipe 36,

and these vapors may be subsequently condensed, as will be understood. The introduction of steam into the still also provides the advantage of greatly aiding in decreasing penetration.

Where high gravity oils are treated, steam can be supplied to the body of oil in place of air, the steam header 32 being connected to the

pipes

28 and 29 so that when the respective valves of the latter are opened steam will be discharged into the oil. This is for the purpose of effecting distillation of the oil to the extent of reducing its gravity to a degree which is suitable for treatment to produce asphalt. 7

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus for treating asphaltic oils for the production of asphalt, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for treating asphaltic oils comprising a still adapted to contain a body of oil to be treated, means exteriorly of the still for heating the oil therein, means for supplying air to the lower portion of the still interiorly of the oil solely to effect oxidization of the latter, pipesin the lower portion of the still so as to be submerged in the oil, means by which a cooling fluid is circulated through the pipes, and means for automatically control-ling the circulation of fluid through the pipes by the temparature of the oil in the still in a manner to prevent destructive distillation of the oil.

2. An apparatus for treating asphaltic oils comprising a still adapted to contain a body of oil to be treated, means exteriorly of the still for heating the oil therein, means for supplying air into the lower portion of the still solely to effect oxidization of the oil, pipes disposed in the lower portion of the still so as to be submerged in-the oil, means by which a cooling fluid is circulated through the pipes, and thermostatically operated valves for controlling the circulation of fluid through the pipes by the temperature of the oil in the still to prevent destructive distillation of the oil.

3. An apparatus for treating asphaltic oils comprising a still adapted to contain a body of oil to be treated, means exteriorly of the still for heating the oil therein, means for supplying air into the lower portion of the still to eflect oxidization of the oil, pipes disposed in the lower portion of the still so as to be submerged in the oil, means b which a cooling fluid is circulated through the pi es, a thermostatically operated valve contro ling the supply of fluid to the pipe in accordance with the temperature of the oil in the still, and a second thermostatically operated valve controlling the discharge of fluid from the pipes in accordance with the temperature of the fluid.

4. An apparatus for treating asphaltic oils comprising a still adapted to contain a body of oil to be treated, means for heating oil in the still, pipes in the lower portion of the still so as to be submerged in the oiland through which a cooling fluid is adapted to be circulated, automatic means for controlling the supply of cooling fluid to the pipes in accordance with the temperature of oil in the still, and automatic means for controlling the discharge of cooling fluid from the pipes in accordance with the temperature of the fluid.

MAX REE LOW MILLER.