US2776938A - Distilling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1957 F. B. WHITE ET AL DISTILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 8, 1957 F. B. WHITE Er AL 2,776,938

DISTILLING APPARATUS 5 Sheecs-SheeiI 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1951 Jan. 8, 1957 F. B. WHITE Er AL 2,776,938

DISTILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 nventors FRANC/5 5 M/H/rf A25/PED GPQRKf/e Jan. 8, 1957 F. B. WHITE ET AL 2,776,938

DISTILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 8, 1957 F.7B. WHITE Er A1. 2,776,938.

DIsTILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec.' 29, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JW@ a f auomeg United States Patent DISTILLING APPARATUS Francis B. White, Elmhurst, N. Y., and Alfred G. Parker,

Summit, N. I., assignors to Foster Wheeler Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 29, 1951, Serial No. 264,044

Claims. (Cl. 202173) This invention relates to distilling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for the treatment of stock containing fatty acids or the like Wherein said stock is distilled.

The production of fatty acids for either the plastics, candle, or toilet-soap industries requires a product that is light in color and has other properties in conformity with established standards. To obtain a light color and desirable properties, dis-tillation of fatty acids has been practiced for many years. The preferred manufacture of light-colored fatty acids is accomplished by separating the product from a low-boiling, light-end fraction which is prone to darken and from a relatively nonvolatile highly colored residue. Most distillation units overlook the need for removing light ends and therefore do not achieve a color-stable product, This oversight may be due to the relatively large improvement obtained by removal of the residue, which contains all of the glyceride oils or fats remaining from the previous splitting operation along with most of the darker impurities.

Fatty acids, particularly the more unsaturated ones, are subject to degradation when maintained at an elevated temperature. This degradation will be hastened if oxygen comes into contact with the acids. Considering these important factors among others, a good distillation system will include the following principles in its design:

(a) Operation of the still should be at minimum temperature. This implies that high vacuum is mandatory and that a premium may be placed upon two additional factors:

(l) The use of stripping steam; (2) The maintenance of low pressure dropfin the vacuum system,

(b) There is always a correlation between time and temperature when considering the breakdown of fatty acids. Higher temperatures can be employed if the time element is kept to a minimum and, in a complementary sense, the -time of distillation may be extended if the temperature is kept low. A suitable economic balance must, therefore, be selected.

(c) The means of applying heat to the boiling fatty acids in the still is an important consideration. The use of a uniform temperature throughout the heating zone is desirable. Such a condition is possible when employing condensing steam or diphenyl, diphenyl oxide (Dowtherm) as the heating medium.

(d) To insure a light-colored distillate, itisimportant that there be no substantial mechanical carry-over of residue into the vapor stream.

The present invention provides compact apparatus for the distillation of fatty acids, which apparatus consists of; a twocompartment still having a prestripping zoneand` bulk overhead dstilling zone, therebyY providing not only more compact but considerably less expensive equipment than heretofore used.

This invention provides-adistillation unit byrmeansof 2 which maximum productivity and high quality product are obtained.

The present invention provides a still which is easily maintained in good operating condition and is compact in its arrangement.

Further, the invention provides an arrangement of apparatus wherein entrainment is separated from vapor through centrifugal action prior to withdrawal of said vapor from the still.

The still of the present invention comprises a substantially cylindrically shaped shell, the longitudinal axis of which extends in a horizontal plane, the shell having two heated reboiler tube bundles located adjacent the bottom thereof and extending thereinto from the opposite ends thereof toward one another land to a point between said opposite ends. Intermediate lbetween the opposite ends of the shell and between the adjacent ends of the tube bundles is located a vertical separating wall secured within the shell and dividing said shell into two compartments which communicate with one another beneath the partition to permit passage of liquid from one compartment to another. Crude moist fatty acid feed stock is fed to one of the compartments, the prestripping or light-ends compartment, in which compartment is arranged a plurality of baffles or trays extending in vertically spaced horizontal planes above the reboiler tube bundle in that compartment. The trays are so disposed that the feed stock introduced thereinto ows across each tray and from onel tray to the next tray therebelow. Feed stock from.

the trays flows into the lower portion of said light-ends: compartment and is heated by the reboiler tube bundle, the rising vapors in the compartment passing in heat exchange relationship with the feed stock flowing across the baffles or trays. In this manner the feed stock is heated considerably, substantially dcaerating and dewatering the feed before it reaches the hot surfaces of the reboiler bundle, a provision which minimizes salting out on the heat transfer surfaces.

The light-ends reboiler in. the above mentioned compartment supplies preheat to the feed by direct contact condensation plus an additional amount of heat sufficient to vaporize a small part of the feed. This vaporized part of the feed will contain the light ends, particularly darkcolored odor bodies, which will be pumped from the condenser built into the vent pipe communicating with the still.

The hot fatty acids in the lower portion ofthe lightends compartmentwill gradually increase in level and be forced under said partition into the other or bulk overheadcompartment of thestill. In Athe bulk overhead compartment additional heat fromy the other yreboiler bundle will vaporize the bulk of the fatty acids remaining, allowing the bottomsto overflow to a bottoms receiver. The degree of heat transmitted to the fatty Iacids in this section of the still will be so regulated that the high-boiling color bodies will be left behind inthe bottoms to the extent they are present in the feed.

The bulk overhead vapors generated in said bulk overhead compartment are deflecteddownwardly around the outside of a heater trough therein and thence upwardly through an entrainment eliminator, changing direction of ow before leaving through bulk overhead section vapor line to the fatty acid condenser, thereby limiting carryover of residue with the distillate to aminimum.

While the invention has been described above and will hereinafter be described as u sed in the distillation of fatty acids, it will be understood that said invention may be used in they distillation of other materials.

The invention will. be` understood from the following descriptionwhenl considered Iin connection with the' accompanying drawingsA forming apart-thereof, in which:

Fig. l is a low diagram of a cycle of operations for the production of fatty acids from feed stocks containing the same and in which the continuous distillation unit of the present invention is incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a side view of said continuous distillation unit with various parts broken away to disclose the arrangement of the parts of the unit contained within the outer shell thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6*6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view of the separation wall dividing the distillation unit of the present invention into distilling compartments;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the sparger steam feed pipe in the unit; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section of the sparger steam pipe taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 8.

Like characters of reference refer to the same or similar parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the reference number 10 designates an enclosed cylindrically shaped horizontally extending distilling unit comprising a shell 10' closed at the opposite ends 11 and 12 thereof. A heater trough 13 is disposed in the shell 10 and extends axially between the opposite ends thereof in a horizontal plane in the lower portion and in spaced relationship with the bottom thereof. The trough 13 communicates with cylindrical extensions 14 and 14 which project beyond and are respectively secured to opposite ends of the shell. Trough 13 is semicircular in shape at the lower portion thereof and has horizontal return bend reboiler bundles 15 and 16 positioned therein, which bundles are respectively inserted in the troughs through extensions 14 and 14 and are supported in tube sheets 17 and 17 respectively.

The tube sheets together with heads 18 and 18 are removably secured to extensions 14 and 14 so that the heads may readily be removed and the tube bundles withdrawn from the trough 13 by removal of the tube sheets in a direction away from the opposite ends of the shell. The heads 18 and 18 are partitioned at 19 and 19' to form a heating uid inlet compartment in communication with one leg of a tube bundle and a fluid-heating outlet compartment in communication with the other leg of said bundle. A heating fluid inlet pipe 23 is in communication with the inlet compartment of head 18 and an outlet pipe 24 communicates with the outlet compartment thereof, while heating tluid inlet and outlet pipes 23 and 24' respectively communicate with the inlet and outlet compartments of head 18. The tube bundles project into the shell toward one another to a point short of a vertical separating partition 20 dividing the shell into two distilling compartments or sections, lghtends section A and overhead bulk section B. Partition 20, shown in detail in Fig. 7, is welded to shell 10' extends transversely thereof at a point nearer one end of the shell than another. The partition projects downwardly into the trough but in spaced relationship with the bottom thereof to permit passage of liquid `through opening 13' from one distilling section to the other.

Heater trough 13 is open in the upper portion thereof so that vapor heated therein bythe tube bundles may tlow upwardly. Trough 13 in the bulk overhead section B extends upwardly and outwardly at one side 21 in a substantially vertically inclined plane (Fig. 5)' to a point in spaced relationship with the inner periphery `of shell 10', while opposite side 22 of said trough extends substantially vertically to a point in spaced relationship with the top of the shell and the uppermost edge of side 21 and then horizontally until it joins the periphery of the shell to which it is attached, said sides thereby forming a longitudinal vapor chamber 21' extending between partition 20 and the end of thc shell and vapor outlet 26 (Fig. 5) in the bulk overhead section B into a circular passage 24" formed between the inner periphery of shell 10 and trough 13 through which vapor from outlet 26 flows.

An entrainment eliminator 25 extends across the path of ow of vapor passing through passage 24", which eliminator, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, comprises a plurality of slots 2S extendingin two rows disposed one above the other and projecting across passage 24". The slots of each row are spaced from one another axially of the shell, the slots of one row being inclined toward one end of the shell while the slots of the other row are inclined toward thc opposite end thereof. The entrainment eliminator is substantially horizontal and sup ported by angle irons Welded to shell 10', side 22 and inverted L-shaped baffle 22 fastened to end 12 of the shell. The eliminator extends longitudinally from partition 20 to bale 22 (Fig. 2) in the bulk overhead zone B. After flowing through the eliminator, vapor passes into an upper space 26 (Fig. 5) whence it ilows outwardly of the shell through outlet 27.

A plurality of trays or baffles 28, 29, 30 and 31 arc located in the upper portion of the light-end distilling section A of the shell (Figs. 2-4, 6) above trough 13 and reboiler tube bundle 16. The trays or bafes 28, 29, 30 and 31 extend in vertically spaced horizontal planes, the uppermost tray 28 (Figs. 3, 6) extending transversely of shell 10 and overlapping at one end thereof the next lower tray 29 which extends axially of the shell. The tray 29 overlaps at the end thereof away from tray 28 an adjacent lower tray 30 which extends transversely of the shell and substantially parallel to the uppermost tray 28 and overlaps a lowermost tray 31 which extends in the same direction as, but in a lower horizontal plane than, the above mentioned adjacent lower tray 30. The trays or baffles are connected by tierods not numbered but clearly illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 2 and spacers or the like (Fig. 2) and have downspouts 32 in the ovcrlapping portions thereof communicating with the next lower tray in series. The last or lowest tray 31 of the series extends over a container 33 comprising end wall 34, side wall 35, and bottom 36. The inner periphery of shell 10 and end 11 form the opposite side and end walls respectively of the container. The lowermost tray 31 communicates with container 33 through its downspout 32. Container 33 communicates with the extension 14 of heater trough 13 outside shell 10' by conduit 37, one end of the conduit communicating with container 33 and the other end communicating with extension 14 of trough 13 outside the shell. A sparger steam feed pipe 38 enters the lower portion of heater trough 13 in section A and extends horizontally therein to a point short of wall 20, while sparger steam feed pipe 39 enters the lower portion of heater trough 13 in section B and extends thereinto a point short of wall 20. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, steam is fed into the sections by a series of small openings in the sides of the pipe.

A light-ends condenser 40 is in communication with shell 10' in the light-ends section A through a receiver 41 open at the top thereof and comprising an end wall 42, a side wall 43, and a bottom 44. Partition 20 forms an opposite end wall of the receiver while shell 10 forms an opposite side wall. It will be noted that uppermost tray 28 is mounted on and supported by side wall 43 of receiver 41. Condenser 40 is located outside and adjacent shell 10 and in spaced relationship with lightends section A thereof. The condenser extends substantially horizontally and has a head 45 with a water inlet pipe 46, a water outlet pipe 47 and a ow division baie 48. Tube sheet 50 therein supports a U-shaped tube bundle 49, the opposite legs of which are in communication with inlet 46 and outlet 47 of the condenser. Ava'por outlet 51 is located in the side of the condenser,

said outlet extending substantially horizontally and 90 from the direction of vapor ow in the condenser. In the bottom of the condenser is located a vertical condensate outlet 52.

Feed enters the unit through a vertical feed pipe 53 in the top of light-ends section A directly over tray 2S so that it discharges into said tray. Vapor outlet conduit 27 in the top of bulk overhead section B discharges the distilled fatty acid vapors from the unit to a fatty acid condenser 58 (Fig. l). In the lower portion of the unit is located ea bottoms receiver space 55 defined by the periphery of shell and below trough 13. In section A space 55 is covered at one side of trough 13 by a horizontal partition 55 (Fig. 6) which projects laterally from the trough to the inner periphery of the shell and longitudinally of section A from end 11 of the shell to partition 20. From receiver space 55 the residue remaining after distillation is discharged from the unit through a bottoms outlet drain 56. Residue to receiver 55 is discharged through the bulk overhead bottoms overflow drain 5'7 located in side 21 of trough 13.

In operation, a heating medium such as steam or diphenyl, diphenyl oxide (Dowtherm) is heated in a Vaporizer 5S (Fig. l) and is passed through line 59 to fluid-heating inlet pipe 23' of tube bundle 16 in the portion of trough 13 in section A and through lines 59 and 6l) to fluid-heating inlet pipe 23 of tube bundle 15 in the portion of trough 13 in section B. After flowing through the tubes of bundles 15 and 16 wherein it is used for heating liquid in said trough, :as will hereinafter be described, the heating medium is returned to vaporizer 58 through fluid- heating outlet pipes 24 and 24 through lines 61 and 62 respectively. Steam for sparger steam pipes 39 and 38 is fed to said pipes through steam lines 63 and 64 respectively. Feed enters light-ends section A of the still through feed pipe 53, falling onto the highest tray 28 of the series of trays or bales in the vapor space of section A (Figs. 2, 4, 6). The liquid then flows lacross tray 2S to tray 29, across tray 29 to tray 30, across tray 30 to tray 31, and across tray 31 to container 33, the liquid cascading from tray to tray. During such flow the liquid is contacted by the hot vapors rising from the lower portion of section A and is thereby heated considerably, substantially deaerating and dewatering the feed before it reaches the hot surfaces of the reboiler bundle 16, as hereinafter described. This minimizes salting out on the heat transfer surfaces of the reboiler. After leaving the last of the trays or baies, the dehydrated feed discharges into container 33 and leaves section A by conduit 37 which conducts the liquid into the portion of heater trough 13 in extension 14. In the heater trough 13, which contains reboiler bundle 16 and sparger steam feed pipe 38, the 'balance of the preheat is supplied to the feed liquid arriving from the trays plus an additional amount of heat sufficient to distill overhead to the condenser, for example, 115% of the feed. The vapor rises into the upper part of section A where it contacts liquid flowing through the trays, while residual uncondensed vapor, being a result of partial vaporization and partial condensation of the feed, which contains the light ends and particularly dark-colored odor bodies, leaves the section through receiver 41 in communication with condenser 44) adjacent the light ends section of the shell. The vapor flows in heat exchange relationship with tubes 49 of condenser 4u, the condensate flowing through outlet 52 into line 65 (Fig. l) where it is conducted to a light-ends receiver. By this step not only is the nal product made somewhat lighter than would otherwise be the case, but a more color-stable product is obtained.

The hot fatty .acids in the portion of heater trough 13 in section A will gradually increase in level and be forced under the portion of partition 20 extending in said trough (Fig. 4) through opening 13 (Fig. 2) into the portion of heater trough 13 in section B. Here,

steam from sparger steam feed pipe 39 and reboiler bundle 15 in the trough will vaporize the bulk of the feed, the fatty acids remaining, and the bottoms so heated will overflow to bottoms receiver space 55 through overflow drain 57 located in side 21 of trough 13 (Figs. 2, 5). The amount of heat to this section of the still will be preferably so regulated that the residue amounts to approximately 1-25% of the feed, in order that highboiling color bodies Will be left behind in the bottoms to the extent they are present in the feed.

Bottoms from bottoms space 55 flow outwardly of said space through bottoms outlet 56 and to a bottoms accumulator 68 through line 69 (Fig. l). The bulk overhead vapors rise from the portion of trough 13 in section B, impinging upon trough side 22 which, with its horizontal extension, is so shaped as to deflect the vapor in a generally downward direction through vapor opening 26 and into circular passage 24 between the inner periphery of shell 10 and trough 13, thence upwardly through entrainment eliminators 25. The substantially 360 change in vapor ow direction after the Vapor leaves trough 13 centrifuges entrained liquid from the vapor, while the change of direction of flow of vapor through eliminator slots 25 eliminates substantially the remainder of said entrained Vapor. Separated vapor enters space 26 of section B whence it flows into outlet 27 (Fig. 5), thereafter to pass into condenser 58 (Fig. l).

inasmuch as various modifications may be made in the form of the apparatus herein disclosed and in the location and relative arrangement of the several parts of the invention without departing from the principles thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited excepting by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus of the character described comprising a substantially horizontally extending shell, partition means dividing said shell into laterally adjacent prestripping and bulk overhead distilling compartments, heating means in the lower part of said prestripping compartment, other heating means in the lower part of said bulk overhead compartment, said compartments being in communication with one another in the lower part thereof so that heated liquid will pass from said heating means in the prestripping compartment to said heating means in the bulk overhead compartment, feed stock conducting means in communication with said prestripping compartment in the upper part thereof and conducting unheated feed stock into said prestripping compartment for heat exchange relationship with the heating means in said last mentioned compartment, the prestripping compartment having a vapor outlet in the upper portion thereof, baffle means in said prestripping compartment above the heating means for receiving and intercepting the unheated feed stock passing t0 the heating means for heat exchange relationship therewith, the baiiie means comprising a plurality of open trays positioned at an elevation below the vapor outlet for the prestripping compartment, said trays communicating with one another in series to form a liquid path of iow for said feed liquid, each tray being disposed'in a substantially horizontal plane at a different vertical level above the heating means in said compartment, the uppermost tray extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the shell, one end of the uppermost tray being in communication with the feed stock conduit while the opposite end communicates with a lower tray adjacent one end of said lower tray, said lower tray extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shell, the lowermost tray and trays intermediate said lower and lowermost trays communicating with one another adjacent the adjoining ends thereof and extending transversely of said longitudinal axis of the shell, said lowermost tray communicating at one end thereof with said heating means and at the opposite end with the tray next above the lowermost tray, vapor outlet means in communication with the upper portion of said bulk over-` head distilling compartment, vapor and liquid separating means in the bulk overhead distilling compartment in the path of tlow of vapor from said other heating means to said vapor outlet means, and a separated liquid outlet in communication with the bulk overhead distilling cornpartment.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising a cylindrically shaped substantially horizontally extending shell, partition means dividing said shell into laterally adjacent prestripping and bulk overhead distilling compartments, heating means in the lower part of said prestripping compartment, other heating means in the lower part of said bulk overhead compartment, said heating means and said other heating means being positioned in spaced relationship with the bottom of the shell, said compartments also being in communication with one another in the lower part thereof so that heated liquid will pass from said heating means in the prestripping compartment to said heating means in lthe bulk overhead compartment, feed conducting means in communication with said prestripping compartment in the upper part thereof and conducting unheated feed stock into said prestripping compartment for heat exchange relationship with the heating means in said last mentioned compartment, the prestripping compartment having a vapor outlet in the upper portion thereof, batile means in said prestripping compartment above the heating means for receiving and intercepting the unheated feed stock passing to the heating means for heat exchange relationship therewith, the bati'le means comprising a plurality of open trays positioned at an elevation below the vapor outlet for the prestripping compartment, said trays communicating with one another in series to form a liquid path of flow for said feed liquid, each tray being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane at a different vertical level above the heating means in said compartment, the uppermost tray extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the shell, one end of the uppermost tray being in communication withthe feed stock conduit while the opposite end communicates with a lower tray adjacent one end of said lower tray, said lower tray extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shell, the lowermost tray and trays intermediate said lower and lowermost trays communicating with one another adjacent the adjoining ends thereof and extending transversely of said longitudinal axis of the shell, said lowermost tray communicating at one end thereof with said heating means and at the opposite end with the tray next above the lowermost tray, vapor outlet means in communication with the upper portion of said bulk overhead distilling compartment, vapor and liquid separating means in the bulk overhead distilling compartment in the path of flow of vapor from said other heating means to said vapor outlet means, and a sepa- .rated liquid outlet in communication with the bulk overhead distilling compartment.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the heating means in the bulk overhead compartment is in spaced relationship with the opposite sides and bottom of the shell so .as to form a vapor passage between the heating means and the inner periphery of the shell and wherein the vapor and liquid separating means comprises deflecting means above said heating means in the path of vapors iflowing upwardly therefrom and so shaped as to direct thc vapors into the passage and at one side of said shell only, and the vapor outlet means is in communication with said passage so as to receive vapor after flow thereof in the passage.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the heating means comprises a substantially semicircular trough member extending longitudinally of the bulk overhead compartment and positioned with the opening of said trough facing upwardly in the compartment, said trough member having heating elements therein, and wherein the detlecting means comprises a plate extending upwardly from one side of the trough thence over said trough in the path of vapors rising therefrom and into engagement with the inner periphery of the shell at one side thereof, the deecting plate being curved to direct vapors downwardly into said passage and at one side of said shell only.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein means for removing entrained liquid from said vapor is positioned in the path of ow of vapor through said passage to the vapor outlet means.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising a cylindrically shaped substantially horizontally extending shell, partition means dividing said shell into laterally adjacent prestripping and bulk overhead distilling compartments, heating means in the lower part of said prestripping compartment, other heating means in the lower part of said bulk overhead compartment, said heating means and said other heating means comprising a trough member positioned in spaced relationship with the bottom of the shell and the opposite sides thereof and so as to open upwardly into the prestripping and bulk overhead compartments respectively, a heating element disposed in the trough member in said prestripping compartment, another heating element disposed in the trough member in the bulk overhead compartment, said heating element and said other heating element being separately controlled, said trough means in the prestripping and bulk overhead compartments also being in communication with one another so that heated liquid will pass from said portion of the trough prestripping compartment to said portion of the trough bulk overhead compartment, feed stock conducting means in communication with said prestripping compartment in the upper part thereof, the prestripping compartment having a vapor outlet in the upper portion thereof, bale means in said prestripping compartment above the heating means and at an elevation below said vapor outlet, the battle means comprising a sequence of bales arranged adjacent to one another for series flow of liquid, said bafes being shaped for liquid flow longitudinally thereof, adjacent bafes being disposed in horizontal planes arranged in vertical series, the uppermost batiie communicating with the feed stock conducting means adjacent one end of said uppermost batile and with the next adjacent lower baie adjacent the opposite end of said uppermost baffle, the lowermost i bafe being in communication adjacent one end thereof with the ba'iie next above to receive liquid from said baille next above and in communication with the lower part of said prestripping compartment adjacent the opposite end of the lowermost baffle to discharge said liquid into the compartment, the baiiles intermediate said uppermost and lowermost bales communicating adjacent one end thereof with the baffle next above adjacent one end of said next above bale to receive liquid therefrom and adjacent the opposite end thereof with the bathe next below adjacent one end of said bafde next below to discharge liquid thereinto, the adjacent baffles extending in different directions in the compartment in the path of ow of vapor passing from the lower part of the compartment to said compartment vapor outlet, the batic's being so positioned that the flow path of liquid between the opposite ends of any one of the bales is out of vertical alignment with the other bafes of said sequence, vapor outlet means in communication with the upper portion of said bulk overhead distilling compartment, vapor and liquid separating means in the bulk overhead distilling compartment in the path of ow of vapor from said other heating means to said vapor outlet means, and a separated liquid outlet in communication with the bulk overhead distilling compartment.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a Spargel' tube is disposed in the portion of the trough member in said prestripping compartment and another sparger tube is disposed in the portion of said trough member in the bulk overhead compartment, said sparger tubes being located to inject steam into liquid in said trough members.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the heating means in the bulk overhead compartment is in spaced relationship with the opposite sides and bottom of the shell so as to form a vapor passage between the heating means and the inner periphery of the shell and wherein the vapor and liquid separating means comprises deecting means above said heating means in the path of vapors flowing upwardly therefrom and so shaped as to direct the vapors into the passage and at one side of said shell only, and the vapor outlet means is in communication with said passage so as to receive vapor after ilow thereof in the passage.

9. Apparatus of the character described comprising a cylindrically shaped substantially horizontally extending shell, partition means dividing said shell into laterally adjacent prestripping and bulk overhead distilling compartments, heating means in the lower part of said prestripping compartment, other heating means in the lower part of said bulk overhead compartment, the heating means in the bulk overhead distilling compartment being in spaced relationship with the bottom and the opposite sides of the shell so as to form a vapor passage between the heating means in said compartment and the inner periphery of the shell, said compartments also being in communication with one another in the lower part thereof so that heated liquid will pass from said heating means in the prestripping compartment to said heating means in the bulk overhead compartment, feed stock conducting means in communication with said prestripping compartment in the upper part thereof, the prestripping compartment having a vapor outlet in the upper portion thereof, baille means in said prestripping compartment and at an elevation below said vapor outlet, the baille means comprising a sequence of baffles arranged adjacent to one another for series ilow of liquid, said bales being shaped for liquid flow longitudinally thereof, adjacent bailles being disposed in horizontal planes arranged in Vertical series, the uppermost baille communicating` with the feed stock conducting means adjacent one end of said uppermost baille and with the next adjacent lower baille adjacent the opposite end of said uppermost baille, the lowermost baille being in communication adjacent one end thereof with the baille next above to receive liquid yfrom said baille next above and in communication with the lower part of said prestripping compartment adjacent the opposite end of the lowermost baille to discharge said liquid into the compartment, the bailles intermediate said uppermost and lowermost bailles communicating adjacent one end thereof with the baille next above adjacent one end of said next above baille to receive liquid therefrom and adjacent the opposite end thereof with the baille next below adjacent one end of said baffle next below to discharge liquid thereinto, the adjacent bafiles extending in different directions in the compartment in the path of ilow of vapor passing from the lower part of the compartment to said compartment vapor outlet,

' the bailles being so positioned that the ilow path of liquid between the opposite ends of any one of the bales is out of vertical alignment with the other bailles of said sequence, vapor outlet means in communication with the upper portion of said bulk overhead distilling compartment, vapor and liquid separating means in the bulk overhead distilling compartment in the path of ow of vapor from said other heating means to said vapor outlet means, the vapor and liquid separating means comprising deilecting means above said heating means in the path of vapors owing upwardly therefrom and so shaped as to direct the vapors into the passage and at one side of said shell only, and a separated liquid outlet in communication with said passage so as to receive vapor after ilow thereof in the passage.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the baille means in the prestripping compartment comprises a plurality of open trays positioned at an elevation below the vapor outlet for the prestripping compartment, said trays communicating with one another in series to form a liquid path 0f ilow for said feed liquid, each tray being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane at a different vertical level above the heating means in said compartment, the uppermost tray extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the shell, one end of the uppermost tray being in communication with the feed stock conduit While the opposite end communicates with a lower tray adjacent one end of said lower tray, said lower tray extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shell, the lowermost tray and trays intermediate said lower and lowermost trays communicating with one another adjacent the adjoining ends thereof and extending transversely of said longitudinal axis of the shell, said lowermost tray communicating at one end thereof with said heating means and at the opposite end with the tray next above the lowermost tray, and wherein the heating means comprises a substantially semicircular trough member extending longitudinally of the bulk overhead compartment and positioned with the opening of said trough facing upwardly in the compartment, said trough member having heating elements therein, and wherein the deilecting means comprises a plate extending upwardly from one side of the trough thence over said trough in the path of vapors rising therefrom and into engagement with the inner periphery of the shell at one side thereof, the deflecting plate being curved to direct vapors downwardly into said passage and at one side of said shell only.

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Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING SHELL, PARTITION MEANS DIVIDING SAID SHELL INTO LATERALLY ADJACENT PRESTRIPPING AND BULK OVERHEAD DISTILLING COMPARTMENTS, HEATING MEANS IN THE LOWER PART OF SAID PRESTRIPPING COMPATMENT, OTHER HEATING MEANS IN THE LOWER PART OF SAID BULK OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT, SAID COMPARTMENTS BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH ONE ANOTHER IN THE LOWER PART THEREOF SO THAT HEATED LIQUID WILL PASS FROM SAID HEATING MEANS IN THE PRESTRIPPING COMPARTMENT TO SAID HEATING MEANS IN THE BULK OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT, FEED STOCK CONDUCTING MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PRESTRIPPING COMPARTMENT IN THE UPPER PART THEREOF AND CONDUCTING UNHEATED FEED STOCK INTO SAID PRESTRIPPING COMPARTMENT FOR HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HEATING MEANS IN SAID LAST MENTIONED COMPARTMENT, THE PRESTRIPPING COMPARTMENT HAVING A VAPOR OUTLET IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF, BAFFLE MEANS IN SAID PRESTRIPPING COMPARTMENT ABOVE THE HEATING MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND INTERCEPTING THE UNHEATED FEED STOCK PASSING TO THE MEANS FOR HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, THE BAFFLE MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF OPEN TRAYS POSITIONED AT AN ELEVATION BELOW THE VAPOR OUTLET FOR THE PRESTRIPPING COMPARTMENT, SAID TRAYS COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN SERIES TO FORM A LIQUID PATH OF FLOW FOR SAID FEED LIQUID, EACH TRAY BEING DISPOSED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE AT A DIFFERENT VERTICAL LEVEL ABOVE THE HEATING MEANS IN SAID COMPARTMENT, THE UPPERMOST TRAY EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE SHELL, ONE END OF THE UPPERMOST TRAY BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FEED STOCK CONDUIT WHILE THE OPPOSITE END COMMUNICATES WITH A LOWER TRAY ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID LOWER TRAY, SAID LOWER TRAY EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE SHELL, THE LOWERMOST TRAY AND TRAYS INTERMEDIATE SAID LOWER AND LOWERMOST TRAYS COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER ADJACENT THE ADJOINING ENDS THEREOF AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE SHELL, SAID LOWERMOST TRAY COMMUNICATIONG AT ONE END THEREOF WITH SAID HEATING MEANS AND AT THE OPPOSITE END WITH THE TRAY NEXT ABOVE THE LOWERMOS T TRAY, VAPOR OUTLET MEANS IN COMMUNCATION WITH THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID BULK OVERHEAD DISTILLING COMPARTMENT, VAPOR AND LIQUID SEPARATING MEANS IN THE BULK OVERHEAD DISTILLING COMPARTMENT IN THE PATH OF FLOW OF VAPOR FROM SAID OTHER HEATING MEANS TO SAID VAPOR OUTLET MEANS, AND A SEPARATED LIQUID OUTLET IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BULK OVERHEAD DISTILLING COMPARTMENT.

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