US1809185A

US1809185A - Process of pyrogenetic decomposition of oils and apparatus therefor

Info

Publication number: US1809185A
Application number: US203856A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sydnor Harold
Original assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Current assignee: Standard Oil Development Co
Priority date: 1927-07-06
Filing date: 1927-07-06
Publication date: 1931-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 1948-06-09

Description

H. SYDNOR June 9 1931.

PROCESS OF PYROGENE'IIC DECOMPOSITION OF OILS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed July 6. 1927 Eb W awvemfoz HAROLD SYDA/OR hm (liken m1;

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Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

' HAROLD SYDNOR, ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T STANDARD OIL DE- VELOPMENT COMPANY, A.- CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PROCESS OF PYBIOGENETIC DECOMPOSITION O-F OILS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Application filed- July 6, 1927. Serial No. 203,856.

This invention relates to the cracking of petroleum oil and has for its object the reduction or elimination of the tendency of the cracked oil to form carbonaceous deposits in pipes conveying it from the cracking zone.

Apparatus suitable for carrying out my invention is shown diagrammatically in the annexed drawing, in which 1 designates a firebrick setting heated by burner 52. Cracking apparatus of any suitable form may be provided but it preferably comprises a heating conduit or coil 3. The coil 3 receives oil by means of inlet pipe 5 from any source and discharges into pipe 6, which is surrounded by electric heating unit 6w connected to a suitable source of electric current and surrounded by thermal insulating material 6b. 7

Pipe 6 conducts the heated materials to a digesting or cracking chamber 7, for example, a drum covered to prevent substantial loss of heat. From the lower part of drum 7 a pipe 8, equipped with the loaded able pressure to coil 3 and heated to a cracking temperature by burner 2. In the special cracking coil arrangement shown in the drawingthe oil is introduced through line 5 and passed first through some rows of tub ing in the upper part of the convection heat section of the setting, then led through the vertical down-flow pipe on the exterior of the furnace to the lower part of the convection section and passed through several rows of tubing in countercurrent relation to the flue gases. Hence the oil flows first through the lower row then through the middle row of tubes in the radiant heat section whence it passes through the vertical pipe on the left into the'soaking coils composed of several rows of tubes in the middle part of the convection heat section, hence into the upper row of tubes in the radiant-heat section and finally'into pipe 6. This coil arrangement forms no part of the present invention.

The heated oil and/or oil -vaporpass to the digesting drum 7 and thence through pipe 8 and release valve 9 at a lower pressure into rectifying tower 10. Heretofore under certain conditions of operation, flow through pipes conveying the product from the cracking zone has been impeded or stopped by the formation of carbonaceous deposits.

I have found that these deposits which are sometimes formed under certain conditions of operation, may be inhibited or eliminated by the application of heat to such pipes. It will be understood that the apparatus shown is illustrative only and that the invention includes the application of heat to any pipe or other conductor carrying products of the pyrolytic decomposition of petroleum oils from a cracking zone. The heating should be continued up to the point in the apparatus at which substantial condensation of the vapors takesplace and this may be, for example, a barometric condenser, a pipe condenser of the conventional type or its equivalent or a bubble or fractionating tower in which condensation is effected by passing the vapors into a body of liquid. The drum 7 may, for-instance, be eliminated and pipes 6 and 8 may be directly connected. While the application of any heat "is beneficial, the heat should preferably be suflicient to maintain the pipe or conductor at a temperature slightly higher than that of the materials conducted. i I Any suitable means of applying this heat may be utilized. I may surround such pipes by a conductor carrying alternating currents of high frequency and thereby generate the heat necessary in the wall of the pipe by means of eddy current and hysteresis loss,

but I find preferable an electric heating desurrounded by suitable insulating material to prevent excessive thermal losses. Any other form of apparatus for the pyrolytic decomposition of petroleum oil may be employed and any other method of applying heat may be used Without departing from my invention.

What I claim is:

1. The method of minimizing carbonaceous deposits in, pipes carrying cracked petroleum hydrocarbons from a final cracking zone to a point of condensation, which comprises the application of electrically generated heat to such pipes.

2. The method of minimizing deposits in pipes or conductors carrying cracked petroleum hydrocarbons from a digestionzone to a point of condensation, which comprises the application of heat to such pipes or conductors, sufficient to maintain the temperature of same slightly above that of the vapors conducted.

3. Cracking apparatus which comprises a digestion chamber, means for conducting cracked hydrocarbons from the digestion chamber vto a point of condensation, means for applying heat to said conducting means.

4. The method of minimizing carbonaceous deposits in pipes or conductors carrying cracked petroleum hydrocarbons from a digestion zone to a fractionating zone, which comprises the application of heat to such pipes or conductors.

5. Cracking apparatus which comprises a digestion chamber, means for conducting cracked hydrocarbons from the digestion chamber toa point of fractionation and means for applying heat to said conducting means. I

HAROLD SYDNOR.