US2425377A - Reclaiming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

A g. 12, 947 I A. LA B RECQUE 2,425,377

' RECLAIMING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 6, 1944 20 I INVENTOR. T/uadorefl. La flrayal BY M5 6, jdt

Patented Aug. 12, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'RE'CLAIMING APPARATUS Theodore A. La Brecque, Elmira, LN. Y., ass'ignor to The Hilliard Corporation, 'Elmira, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 6, 194:4,2SerialsNo. 566,882

3 Claims.

1 This :invention relates .to fluid-treating apparatus an'd'in its more'specific aspects aims to provide a unit in the nature of a reclaimer capable of use 'in numerous different connections .but aprimarilyadapted to be employed in conjunction'with the purification and reclaiming of .oil' and similar liquids.

'Viewed .from certain aspects, it .is :an object of th invention to provide an apparatuswhich will present certain functional and structural improvements over the apparatus disclosed in my p ior Patents 2,161,964, ofJune 13, 1939; 2,159,- 994, of May 30, 1939; and2,336,021, of December 7 1943.

Among the advantages derived from the use of the present invention is that of elevating the liquid or oil to a .point' where it may readily be fed and flow through the reclaiming or similar apparatus; such elevating or lifting being achieved without the use of any auxiliary pump or similar apparatus.

An additional object is that of furnishing a structure such that air entrained in the oil column rising to the reclaimer will be dissipated so that it does not have to follow the entire cycle through the reclaiming apparatus with consequent impairment to efficiency of the latter.

Still another object is that of furnishing an apparatus particularly intended for use in connection with oils and similar liquids .and by means of which the reclaimed :or purified fluid will emerge from the unit at are latively lowtemperature. Accordingly, such fluid may be used substantially immediately after it flows "from the reclaimer and without the necessity of storing it in a re'ceptaclewherei-n its excess heat may be dissipated. I

A ,further object achieved by the use of the present inventionis that of warming more efficiently the incoming fluid in its flow to the reclaiming apparatus proper. At the same time, it will be understood from a review of the present teachings, that thisincrease in efiiciency'of the initial heating cycle is actually achieved with reduction of use of thepre-heater which may form a part of the unit. Accordingly, the expense of' operating the latter and the over-all expense of having the app'aratusfunction"will be decreased.

Among still further objects of the invention are those of ac'hieveing any or all of the foregoing resultsby the use of structures which will be :relatively simple and include few parts. Thus, manufacturing costs will'not be increased.

. '2 Also, maintenance costs will, if anything, be reduced.

With these and-other objects in mind, refer- .ence 'ishad to 'the attached sheet of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment, and in whichthe figure-is .a partly-sectional side elevation ofwa reclaiming apparatus such a is generally disclosed in my priorrpatents and in which apparatus there has been embodied structures by .means pf which :the foregoing results have been. achieved.

.As -:-afore brought out, the present invention has primarily to do with anapparatus for treating and reclaiming liquids such as oils. How- :even-i-t "will be appreciated that th ,present teachings might be advantageously employed in conjunction with the treatment of other liquids. Thus, except where otherwise indicated in the appended claims, the present drawings and following description areto be taken in an illustrative rather than in a I limiting sense.

As shown-in the present drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a supporting structure of any desired configuration which may conveniently mount =an-:e1ectric motor 6. The latter drivesa vacuum pump 1 as well as 'adisplacement-type pump 8. At least one of the pistons of the latter is adjustablyconnectedas at-9 tothe operating mechanism serving to reciprocate the same and so that the range :of the piston stroke maybe varied.

Preferably adjacent its upper end the apparatus mounts a suitably enclosed filtering bed .or assembly of proper Ltype. .Part of the enclosure is conveniently in the form :of a removable lid r cover portion H. .Fluid .escaping from this compartment passes through the space l2 .into T the vaporizing chamber I3. Preferably providing :the base of the :latterfis' a member l4" presenting .a "tortuous passage through the convolutions of. which the 'oil flows under 'the influence :of gravity. ssuch oil :or other liquid, discharges from chamber through pipe H. Vapors escaping from the chamber 13 conveniently flow through 'a' tube or line l5 to a distillate-receiving tank 16.

This tank is connected by a line ll with the vacuumpump 7. Accordingly, not alone is the interior o'f the tank lli subjected to sub-atmospher-ic pressure or vacuum but a similar condi tion will prevail within the vaporizing chamber "t3. Fluids which do'no't form distillates in the tank l6 but rather continue in th'eiform of vapors flowing through line, I?! are discharged through the vacuum pump landadischarge line 18. As

interposed in the latter line and this tank, as well as similar portions of the apparatus, may ,be provided with drain-01f cocks 2D.

A supply line for the apparatus is furnished at 2| and conveniently connects with one cylinder of the pump 8 while a discharge line for purified oil or other liquids is provided at 22 and conveniently connects to the second cylinder of the pump 8. Consequently, assuming that the liquid within pipe 2| flows to a point adjacent this pump, it will be forced by th latter (through a path hereinafter described) to the filtering bedi.

below the cover H. In that portion .of .the apparatus solids entrained in the liquid will ,be

removed therefrom. Within the vaporizing chamber |3 the oil or corresponding liquid will be separated from liquids which serve to con-J taminate it. These liquids will be recovered. in

the distillate tank Hi, the tank l9, or elsewill be discharged in the, form of gases through the stack IS. 'The tanks 16 and I9 may be periodically drained to recover the distilled liquids,

, Now with'a view to properly heating th liquid flowing through pipe 2|, it will be observed that a pipe 23 isconneoted to the intake cylinder or.

portion ofthe pump 8. This pipe connects with a heat exchanger. The latter maytake one of numerous different forms and has been shown in} only somewhat diagrammatic manner in the present figure. Functionally, the exchanger will, however, provide two compartments 24 and 25,

the-outer of which is preferably coupled to the compartment to the punip 8 and serves to receive liquids which are discharged through the line 22.

The functioning and regulation of the heater -28Tmay be'oontroll'ed by an adjustable thermostat structure indicated at 30, This will permit the temperature" of the pre-heater and vaporizing chambenas well as the oil flowing through the several parts of the apparatus to be controlled with'nicety. The complete cyclethrough the apparatus will hereinafter be reviewed. For a more detailed disclosureof structure and cooperation of the several parts generally heretofore described; reference. is had to the afore mentioned patents issued inmy name.

Interposed between the entrance end of the pump, 8. and, the distillate tank i6 is a vacuumlift unit. This conveniently takes the form of a tank or receptacle .32, the base and upper end of whichare connected by lines 33 and 34 with line 2|. Such connection should preferably be at a pointrimmediately adjacent the piimp 8. A further line or pipe 35 may extend from the receptacle 32 to the distillat tank l6 adjacent which it is connected by "the line |'5. Consequently, suction will be exerted through the latter line and a condition of vacuum will come into being within the receptacle 32. This suction or vacuum condition may be. periodically interr pted by a float-controlled valve 36 governing the flow of fluid into HD6735.

As will be. understood by those conversant with the operation of an apparatusof'this type, the assembly is frequently disposed adjacent a consuming element such as a Diesel or other typ of engine or in a vacuum pump and where its operation may be observed by the person having control of the consuming unit. To supply this reclaiming apparatus, it is frequently desirable to locate a main tank in, for example, a basement or considerably lower level than that of the reclaiming apparatus. This tank may receive the liquids (oil) discharged by one or any proper number of consuming units, The pump 8 being of the positive displacement type and connected to lift liquid to the filter bed l0, it follows that the contaminated liquid supplied through line 2| should be caused to flow to a point immedi ately djace t 'or actually into the cylinder of the pump 8.

V This is achieved by the use of the present'vacuum lift. comprising the casing 32 and its associated parts, in that, with the motor 6 functioning, a condition of vacuum will exist within the tankl l6 and be transmitted from the latter throughline35 to the casing 32. Such a vacuum condition will cause oil to be sucked up through line 2| and fiow through lines 33 and evenpossibly through line 34 to the receptacle 32. When a suificient body. of liquid has built up within the latter, the float controlled valve. 36 will be? closed to disconnect the body of the receptacle from the 7 source of suction.

'Thereupon, liquid will befree to flow'through line 33 to the entrance endof thejpump8. 'The line 34 not alone serves to exhaust airentrained within line 2 substantially directly to thevacuum pump l but also serves as an equalizingpr balancing line. Additionally, it will be understood that this. line 34yp'ermits oil or other liquid to flow from the tank-32 inhthat in effect it serves to vent the same. :As soon as the degree of suction created approaches the point where it may 7 be inadequate to cause an uninterrupted how of liquid from the line 2| to the pump 8, liquid will flow to thatpump from the tank or receptacle 32. Thereupon, the float-controlled or other valve 36 will again connect the tank or receptacle with the source of vacuum. This will" immediately cause the value of thesuction ,on line 2| to be increased, .again filling the receptacle 32; the.

reclaiming apparatus will continue so1that the operating cycleof the ,latter'will be in no wise interrupted i 1 ":1 r r Now, with liquid flowing fromthe-pump 8 to the heat exchangerandtespecially compartment 24 thereof, it will be understood that, if th'efsec- 0nd compartment ,of thi's exchanger is filled with 'highlyheated liquid; the incoming oil orits equivalentwill be warmed to a considerable degree.

Thus; the oil will flow with minimum sluggishness through linel26. Such further preheatingof the oil as may be necessary to put it in proper con'di- 'tion for passage through the fllteringbed and subsequent parts of the reclairncr may ,beachi'e'ved' by'the use of the heater 28,1 If Accordingly, the oil flows through-*theiiltering' bed and vaporizingchamber. as well as" the-line [4. By the latter, itis conductedto the second compartment 25 of the heat exchanger. As will well be understood, this oil, in its flow through the tube 14, is usually at a very high temperature such that it should not be used directly in a consuming element such as a Diesel engine, vacuum pump, or similar piece of apparatus. As a consequence of its passage through the heat exchanger, the oil will be cooled to a condition such that it may be safely employed immediately upon its discharge from the line 22. As afore brought out, such discharge and flow to any desired spot is efiected, for example, by the second cylinder of the pump 8.

Thus, it is obvious that, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically afore noted are achieved. It will also be apparent that numerous changes 'in construction and rearrangements of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A unitary oil reclaiming apparatus including in combination liquid-filtering means, vaporizing means disposed below and connected to said filtering means to receive liquid therefrom, said vaporizing means having a vapor outlet, heating means acting to heat said vaporizing means and to correspondingly raise the temperature of the liquid therein, wh'ereby vapor emanating from said liquid may pass through said outlet, a liquidsupply line extending to said filtering means, a liquid-discharge line extending from said vaporizing means, a pump to receive oil from said discharge line, a vacuum pump, a distillate-receiving tank connected thereto and to the outlet of said vaporizing means, a pressure pump interposed in said liquid-supply line, and means for intermittently connecting said vacuum pump with said supply line at a point adjacent said pressure pump whereby to elevate liquid within said supply line.

2. A unitary oil reclaiming apparatus including in combination liquid-filtering means, vaporizing means disposed below and connected to said filtering means to receive liquid therefrom, said vaporizing means having a vapor outlet, heating means acting to heat said vaporizing means and to correspondingly raise the temperature of the liquid th'erein, whereby vapor emanating from said liquid may pass through said outlet, a liduid-supply line extending to said filtering means, a liquid-discharge line extending from said vaporizing means, a vacuum pump, a distillate-receiving tank connected thereto and to the outlet of said vaporizing means, a pressure pump interposed in said fluid-supply line, and means operative responsive to fluid flow through said supply line and connected to such line at a point in advance of said pressure pump for connecting said supply line with said vacuum pump whereby to elevate liquid within said supply line.

3. In a reclaiming apparatus, in combination, a liquid treating assembly, a vacuum pump connected thereto for decreasing pressure in at least a portion of said assembly, a fluid conducting line extending to said assembly, a pressure pump interposed in said line for elevating and supplying liquid to said assembly, a tank coupled to said line and said vacuum pump and a float-controlled valve governing the flow through said tank and whereby to intermittently connect said vacuum pump with said line to bring liquid up to a level in said line such that said pressure pump will operate to force the liquid to said assembly.

THEODORE A. LA BRECQUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,336,021 La Brecque (A) Dec. 7, 1943 2,161,964 La Brecque (B) June 13, 1939 2,159,994 La Brecque (C) May 30, 1939 2,345,697 Boyce Apr. 4, 1944 2,210,906 Ells Aug. 13, 1940 1,936,033 Sarvent Nov. 21, 1933 2,030,480 Strezynski Feb. 11, 1936 1,294,069 English Feb. 11, 1919 1,698,127 Enstrand Jan. 8, 1929 2,116,344 Dunmire May 3,1938 2,355,366 Conn Aug. 8, 1944 OTHER REFERENCES Oel U. Kohle II: 158 (Mar. 1935). (Copy in

Images