US1868738A - Process of destructively distilling bitumen - Google Patents

Description

July 26,1932. EGLQFF 1,868,738

PROCESS OF DESTRUCTIVELY DISTILLING BITUMEN Original Filed Dec. 50, 1925 Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orrica GUSTAV EGl-LOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA PIROCESS OF DESTRUCTIVELY DISTILLING EBITUMEN Application filed December 30, 1925, Serial No. 78,297. Renewed .A prfl 11, 193-1."

This invention refers to a process of destructively distilling bituminous materials,

' and refers more particularly to such matesolve out of the bituminous material as much as feasible of its hydrocarbon constituents,-

and then subject such constituents to cracking conditions while under a substantial vacuum.

In order to more clearly understand the present invention, I have showinthe accompanying drawing, which is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view, partly in vertical section, and with parts broken away. Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a furnace in which is mounted the coil 2. To the inlet side of the coil 2 is connected a feed line 3 leading to feed pump 4 connected to any suitable source of raw oil supply. The delivery side of the coil is connected to trans- I fer line 5 having throttle valve 6 to a chama 25 having throttle valve 26, to the top of re-- her 7 which may in a sense be called a dissolving chamber, which chamber 7 is mounted in a suitable furnace 8 provided with manholes 9 and 10, in which may be inserted the coal or other bituminous material. per end of the chamber 7 is connected by delivery line 11 having throttle valve 12 to a reaction chamber 13, which reaction chamber 13, may if desired, be mounted in a suitable furnace 14, whereby it may be externally heated. The chamber 13 is provided with suitable manholes l5 and 16, liquid drawoif pipes 17 controlled by suitable throttle valves 18, and also at its upper end with a vapor outlet pipe 19 having throttle valve 20, which pipe leads to a reflux condenser 21. The upper part of the dephlegmator is connected by vapor outlet (pipe 22 having throttle valve 23to water con enser 24, and thence to pipe ceiver. 27. This receiver 27 is provided with liquid drawoif pipe 28 having throttlevalve 29, gas outlet pipe 30 having throttle valve 31. To the pipe 30 is connected a vacuum j' ,and. more particularly on that The upthe arrangement being such that a be maintained 9n various parts part of the system beyond the transfer line 5, although if desired, the vacuum may be maintained beyond the valve 12 in the line 11; I

The lower end of the dephlegmator is provided with a drawoff pipe 33 for the reflux condensate, which pipe has throttle valve 34',

feed line 3 may be in whole or in part, diverted through the line 44 having throttle valve 45, the upper part of which line 44 delivers the oil into the dephlegmator 21 as shown.

The process may be carried out as follows: The bituminous material containing hydrocarbonaceous constituents as for example, natural or artificial asphalts, tars, coal, peat or the like, is charged into the dissolving chamber 7. There may be a plurality of chambers if desired, which may be operated alternately or in multiple. The petroleum oil, as for example, gas oil or fuel oil, is heated in the coil 2 to a temperature of say 900 F and a pressure of say 750 pounds. This oil is passed into the bituminous body into the chamber 7, which chamber 7 may or may not have been previously heated, and which chamber is likewise preferably maintained under a substantial pressure, as for example 750 pounds, although in some cases it may be desirable to slightly reduce the pressure, so as to subject the material to the .action of both liquid petroleum and petro- :leum vapors. The action of the heated pev troleum both distills and dissolves out hydrocarbonaceous material contained in the I and the vapors generated, pass into the dephlegmator where the heavier or insulliciently cracked portions thereof are condensed and drawn out of the dephlegmator through the action of the pump 39, Where they may be returned to the system for further cracking, if desired. The oil and Vapors in the chamber 13 may be maintained at a temperature of say 600 F., as they pass into the pipe 19.

vaporization of the more or less volatile constituents can take place at this relatively low temperature because of the fact that the vacuum pump 32 Will be so operated as to maintain a vacuum of at least 15 to 25 inches in those parts of the system beyond the valve 12.

The distillate in the receiver will be a mixture of cracked petroleum oil, and cracked hydrocarbonaceous constituents from the bitumen, as Well as perhaps some hydrocarbonaceous constituents which will distill ofi, This distillate will contain nitrogen and phenolic compounds, the latter being particularly desirable as anti-knock products for motor engines.

I claim as my invention:

1. A continuous process for producing a low boiling point distillate from hydrocarbon liquids and solids capable of destructive distillation, comprising maintaining a mass of hydrocarbon solids, under cracking conditions of temperature and a superat ospheric pressure, in an enlarged zone, separately heating hydrocarbon liquids, su stantially free from hydrocarbon solids, to a racking temperature under a superatmospheric pressure, introducing the hydrocarbon liquids, while at a cracking temperature, to said mass of hydrocarbon solids, to dissolve substantial portions of the carbonaceous material therefrom, removing the hydrocarbon liquids and the dissolved carbonaceous constituents seplit) till

arated from said mass of hydrocarbon solids from said enlarged zone, and subjecting such removed material, while in commingled form and at a high temperature, to the action of a vacuum which is adequate to efiect a reduction in pressure sufiicient to bring about substantial vaporization of said removed materials.

2. A continuous process for producing a low boiling point distillate from hydrocarbon liquids and solids capable of destructive distillation, comprising maintaining a mass of hydrocarbon solids, under cracking conditions of temperature and a superatmospheric pressure, in an enlarged zone, separately heating hydrocarbon liquids, substantially free from hydrocarbon solids, to a cracking temperature under a superatmos heric pressure, introducing the hydrocar on liquids, while at a cracking temperature, to said mass of h drocarbon solids, to dissolve substantial portlons oi the carbonaceous material therefrom, removing the hydrocarbon liquids and Leeavee the dissolved carbonaceous constituents separated from said mass of hydrocarbon solids from said enlarged zone and subjecting such materials, while in commingled form and at a high temperature, to the action of a vacuum which is adequate to eil ect a reduction in pressure suflieient to bring about substantial vaporization of said removed materials, subjccting the vapors evolved from the commingled hydrocarbon liquids and carbonaceous materials dissolved from the hydrocarbon solids, While under a vacuum, to partial condensation, to separate therefrom those fractions having a higher boiling pointthan the boiling point oi the desired product, and uniting the condensate separated from the vapors with the hydrocarbon liquids being separately subjected to cracking conditions of temperature and pressure, to supply a substantial quantity of the hydrocarbon liquids treated in the process.

3. A process for treating hydrocarbon liquid and solid bituminous material which comprises introducing the solid material to an enlarged zone, separately heating the liquid to cracking temperature under a superatmospheric pressure adequate to retain a substantial portion thereof in liquid phase, then discharging the thus heated liquid, While at cracking temperature and While a substantial portion thereof is still in liquid condition, into intimate contact with the solid material in said enlarged zone, maintaining said enlarged zone under conditions of temperature and superatmospheric pressure adequate to cause the heated liquid to dissolve hydrocarbon constituents out of the solid material, removing the resultant solution from said enlarged zone and introducing the same to a second zone maintained under vacuum to effect substantial vaporization of the solution therein, and removing and condensing the vapors from said second zone.

GUSTAV EGLOFF.

Images