US845735A - Steam-still for petroleum. - Google Patents

Description

No 845,735. PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907. H. FRASOH.

STEAM STILL FOR PETROLEUM.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 20, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mlamz waf PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

- H. FRASOH. STEAM STILL FOR. PETROLEUM. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1902 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Mn Mums WW; W M -ZMW 91W":

. section being in a plane transverse UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HERMAN FRASOH OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OIL COM- PANY, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STEAM-STILL FOR PETROLEUM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Original application filed August 11, 1900, Serial No. 26,648. Divided and this application filed August 20,] Q02. Serial No. 120,290-

To all whom it may concern.-

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Stills for Petroleum; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

.This invention relates to distilling and rectifying apparatus designed more particularly to be used for raisingthe fire test of the burning oil (kerosene) distillate of petroleum by separating-from said distillate those portions which on account of their volatility (or low boiling-points) are liable to form explosive mixtures with air at, comparativelyspeaking, low temperatures; but each of the improvements constituting said invention is intended to be secured for all the uses to which it may be applicable. These improvements consist for the most part of general combinations whose elements may most indefinitely."

In Ithe accompany ng drawings, which formpart'ot-tlus specification, Figure 1 is a diagram in elevation of apparatus in accordance {with-the invention. Fig.2 is an elevation, partly broken away and partly in vertical section, of a portion of the heat-exchanger forming part of said apparatus. Fig.

3 is a vertlcal section, partly broken away, of, one of the elementsof said exchanger, the

Fig. 2. "Fig; 4 'is a plan of a portion of the heatexchanger. Fig. 5 is a vertical section, partly in elevation of the horizontal" still, still-column, and recti fier formin pa'rt ofjsaid apparatus. Fig. 5' is a detail view illustrat ng .a feature of said' horizontal still; Fig-6 is a transverse section of the horizontal still; and Fig. 7 is a de-- tail view showing two Water-discharge pipes for this still, either of which pipes can be used.

The apparatus as its products of condensation into the upper part of said columnA; a horizontal still C,

be modified alcooling.

to that of' and partly broken away',.'

a whole consists, as"- shown, of a distilling and TGCilfYlllg-COlUhID.'

which receives the liquids from said column A and is provided with closed steam-coils 3 and perforated steam-coils 4 and also with a draw-0d 5 for the water, and a heat-exchanger D, connected by pipes 6 6 6 with the outlet from still C and by the pipe 2 with the upper part of the columnA and provided with an outlet 7 for the cooledhigh-test distillate and an inlet 8 for the low-test distillate to be heated preliminarily to having its fire test raised in the column A and still 0. At E and F are pumps for moving the hightest and low test distillates, respectively. At G is a drainage-tank which receives the high-test distillate from the still C and from which it istaken by the pipe 6. The small pipe 6 is for equalizing the pressuresin the still O and tank G.

The rectifying-column B is shown provided with a jacket 9, having pipes 10 and 11 for introducing and carrying oita cooling liquid. It may be water or any other cooling liqu1das, for example, the this cooling liquid may have its temperature regulated so as to secure the right amount of low-test distillate-and It should also he understood that a y I special jacket is not essential to the rectifying action.

parts of-the rectifying-column.

sufficiently j It suffices for this that the vapors are repeatedly brought in contact with re turning liquid'condensed therefrom in higher Thecolumn -A is air-cooled, as shownthat is to s'ay,:i t is N exposed externally to the] stir;- rounding atmospheric air for the lattento act as a cooling medium with respectto the colf 'At 12 is an additional supply-pipe entering the upper part of the rectifying-column B for j i discharging distillate :thereinto when desired.- l

It can be usefullyemployed, for examplefin'f filling the-'apparatuswith high-testdistillate'." j

in starting,- or it can be used to introduce lowtest distillate then enduring the operatic the distillate in either-case being preliminarilyheated or not, as the case maybe." The oif the mixed vapors; of water and hydrocarg bons. condenser. (not shown) or with other appli ance or appliances which, having been hereto; foreconnected with the vapor-outlets of stills vapor-outlet 13. trom this.rectifier carries will suggest themsel I I 1,- I

. The columns It can be connected with an ordinary.

A" and B are dividedg aspj'i" can be replaced by any known or suitable arwith the water.

rangement for bringing vapors and liquids repeatedly intocontact with each other as they pass through the apparatus. N umerous arrangements of this description are known in various chemical industries.

'lhe still C, as shown, has a horizontallydisposed liquid-space for holding a body 'of liquid which travels (or flows) at'an approprlate speed through the same, being supplied at one end by the stream from the column A through the low ermost pipes 1 7 (or by any suitable connection it suchpipes be not used) and discharging in a. stream at the other through the pipe 6*. At intervals are dams or partitions 18 to divide the traveling body of liquid into a succession of pools which communicate by-overflowing one into the other. This separation into pools aids in keeping the different parts of the body of liquid which have been subjected to different degrees of steaming better separated from one another, and this purpose is not dependent upon the relative heights of, the dams or partitions; but it is a further advantage to have the pools diminish in depth successively, so that as the liquid nears the outlet it is evaporated in shallower layers, and therefore the dams or partitions 18 are shown as diminishing in height.

At the bottom of each dam, except that next to the outlet end of the still, is an opening 19 for the passage of water, Fig. 5*; but other arrangements could be provided for its conveyance, preferred. The water drawoff 5 is provided, as shown, with a rising-pipe section 20, so that the Water which has settled out of the oil can pass away separately from the bottom of the still by overflowing at the upper outer end of said pipe-section 20. For it to do this the level of said outer end must be below that of the top of the last dam 18 which is overflowed by the oil, since otherwise the water would accumulate until it should run over the dam with the oil; butit must not be too far below the top of the dam lest the oil should run out of pipes 5 20 The elbow-couplings, Figs. 5v and 7, allow the section 20 to be turned in order to raise or lower its outerend, and, by

adjusting its position between the extreme limits allowable the depth of Water in still C can be regulated. The greater such depth of water the shallower will be the overlying of water the deeper will be the overlying layer of oil. p v

In each compartment of the still C, except the small compartment at the outlet end thereof, is-a closed steam-,coil 3 and a perforated coil 4. The closed coil issup lied from the main 21 with exhaust-steam om from other sources (or ltmay be with live steam or both live and exhaust steam) and discharges into the drainipe 22. forated coil is supplied om the'main 23 steam-or with both live and exhauststeam.) By perforatec coil is to' be understood any appropriate device for introducing free steam into the distillate. As shown, these coils consist of a number of straight pipes. They are holes Whic may be an eighth of an inch in diameter and one foot apart, so as finely to divide the entering steam. These holes are sufficiently numerous to give a liberal supply of free steam. As shown, there isnot less, but more, than one such hole to each twenty cubic feet of space in the apparatus for hold ing liquid in process of steaming.

steaming operation toward the oil-outlet of still C, the area of steam-exit (consisting of the aggregate area of the holes by which the steam makes its exit from the pipes into liquid contents of the still) is shown diminishing toward said outlet in proportion both to the cubic contents of the liquid-holding space of the still and to the area of the exposed upper surface of the liquid therein. In the four pools shown the greatest length of perforated pipe (and consequently the greatest area of steam-exit) is found in the first pool (the plool at the right in Fig. 5) and the least lengt (and consequently the least area of steam-exit) in the last pool. The cubic contents of these pools, and to a less extent the areas of exposed upper surface of liquid therein, also diminish, as shown, toward the oil-outlet of the still, because the pipes in the several pools diminish in length still more rapidly, as shown.

The heat-exchanger D consists, as shown, of a number of connected elements, as many i of these being used as may be judged useful to transfer the heat from the outgoing hightest to the entering low-test distillatesay l' ten, such as shown for the apparatus rep I resented, although for lack of space only nine 1 are indicated. Each element (see Figs. 2 and 3) resembles a tubular boiler or coni denser in that it consists of a number of tubes l 24 between the partition-plates 25 of a shell 1 26. The shell is thus divided into two comengines used to supply power at the works or.

eiforated on the under side with pools diminish in depth; but the perforated' layer of oil, and, conversely, the less the depth The perwith live steam, (or it may bewith exhaust- In order to diminish the intensity of the lOC the other series passes over the other surface steam and can be omitted,

(surface of the tubes, (outside or inside, as the partments or chambers by the partitions and the tubes, and the compartments are connected by the pipes 27 and 28 into two series, so that the high-test distillate startingat one end of one series may pass over one case may be, but inside as shown,) while the low-test distillate starting at the other endof of said tubes, (outside as shown.) Other known or suitable forms of heat-exchangers can be used instead.

In raising the fire test of burning oil distillate with this apparatus the stream of lowtest distillate passes over the heat-conducting walls of the heat-exchanger D (to wit, the walls of the tubes 24 in the several elements, as shown) in the opposite direction to the stream of high-test distillate from the still C, so that in cooling the latter distillate the former is heated preliminarily to its intro duction into the distilling and rectifying column A-say to 170 Fahrenheit, more or less, according to circumstances, but most advantageously above the fire test to be secured in the distillate. In order to effect the desired heating, there must be asu'l'licient area of heat-exchanging surface in comparison with the quantity of low-test distillate passing in a given time through the exchanger, and as the liquid-holding capacity of column A and still C is a principal factor in determining the Said quantity there should be at least a certain ratio between the said area and said capacity. As shown this ratio is not less, but more, than half a square foot of heat-exchanging surface to each cubic foot of the space in column A and still C for bolding liquid in process of steaming.

The preliminarily-heated distillate fed into the upper part of I the column A descends through the same and su plies the body of distillate in the still C. This being supplied at one end b a stream and discharging at the other en in a stream, travels after the manner of a river and is subjected to free steam from the perforated coils 4 at intervals in its travel, while at the same time it is heated by the dry heat of the closed coils 3. This dry heat is not so important as the free if preferred. For example, it can be omitted by closing the cooks in the branch pipes leading to coils 3.

The vapors resulting from the action of the freesteam (aided by the dry heat of coils 3 if this be used) pass up through the column A and are repeatedly brought in contact with the stream of preliminarily-heated distillate until they pass into and through the rectifying-column B, and so on to the condenser or condensers (not shown) or other apparatus. As the vapors rise the chief part or, in fact, nearly all of the steam from the perforated coils 4 is condensed and, mingling with the stream of preliminarily heated distillate,

.pipe, and in forms part of the stream with which the later-rising vapors are continually brought into contact. The oil condensed from the vapors also mingles with the stream and as it descends is revaporated, more or less, so that there are repeated condensations and reevaporations, whereby the oil vapors from the still 0 are rectified and a naphtha suitably free from products {it for burnin oil is obtained. The cooling means for reducing the temperature of the mixed vapors of water and hydrocarbons which pass 03 by outlet 13 are arranged to cool said vapors sufficiently below the boiling-point of water for the hydrocarbons therein to be at least 'mainly those of low boiling-points.

The rising vapors which are acted upon by the incoming distillate (as also by .the hot water and oil from condensations higher up in the columns) as a condensing agent act in turn thereon to vaporize a portion of said distillate, the vapors thus formed mingling with those from the still C and being rectifled along with them. Thus there is in column A both distillation (to wit, of the incoming preliminarily -,heatcd distillate) and rectification, (to wit, of the vapors from the still C and from distillation of the incoming distillate in the column A.) The vapors are subjected to a further rectification in the column B. 7

The body of oil in the still C is limited relatively to the volume of steam admitted through the perforated coils, so that all the low-boiling products are removed in a short time-it maybe in afew minutes,(under fifteen,) and at any rate under two hours. The rectification in the columns A B serves to restore the products fit for burning oil which are evaporated at the same time by this rapid action of the free steam.

Assuming, by way of example. that the dams 18 are respectively twenty, twentyfour, twenty-eight, and thirty-two inches high and are located in a cylinder of five feet internal diameter at such places as to form compartments each nine and a half feet in length, it is recommended to use pipe for coils as follows, namely: in the first compartment, two hundred and thi''ty eight feet of one-inch wrought-iron unperforatcd pipe for the closed coils and fifty-four feet of wrought-iron perforated pipe for the open coils; in the second compartment, two hundred and four feet of one-inch closed pipe and thirty-six feet of one-inch perforated pipe; in the third compartment, one hundred and fifty-tluee feet of one-inch closed pipe and twenty-seven feet of one-inch perforated the last compartment one hundred and nineteen feet of one-inch closed pipe and eighteen feet of one-inch perforated pipe.

The supply of low-test distillate is so regulated that enough to fill the oil-spaces of pipe 2 every fifteen minutes, more or less. The supply of free steam is regulated to give oil of the desired fire test, and the tempera- .ture of the liquid in'the jacketQ is sufficiently bel w the boiling-point of water to prevent the. passage of burning oil hydrocarbons throu h the column B. In raising the fire t test of the oil, about twenty per cent. of the low-test distillate ordinarily may, according to my experience, be separated asLow-boiling products; but of course the percentage removed mayvary. The temperatures in columns A and B are such as to effect the condensation therein of the chief part of the steam let into the perforated coils of still C.

The temperature in the still 0 is about that of water-vapor under the barometric pres- I oil to pass through, which is believed to conduce to the efiiciency of its action. The Water which enters the still C with fresh distillate and with the oil from the condensations in the columns A B settles out and is decanted by the draw-off 5. It could of course be withdrawnwith the oil by allowing it topass the last dam, for which purpose the pipe 20, having its lower end near the lottom of the still and its open upper end inserted through the dam near the top, may be rovided. By swinging the pipe so that its ower end shall be brought nearer to or farther from the bottom of the still the depth of the water therein can be regulated.

It'will of course be understood that the low-test distillate could le heated preliminarily to its introduction into the distillingcolumn A otherwise than by means of the high-test distillate; but in this case the economical advantage of the mutual interchange of heat letween the incoming low-test distillate and the outgoing high-testdistillate would ie lost, and the ability mostperfectly to secure this economy is an important result attending the sul stitution of the continuous distillation of the present invention for the periodical working of current practice. Further, the distillate is subjected to free steam in the column A, and such subjection is not necessarily dependent upon the use of the still C; but the capacity of the apparatus for separating low-boiling products is increased by embodying therein a special apparatus (like the still C) for subjecting the distillate to the free steam. The subjection of the vapors rising in column Ato the rethan burning .be applicable.

The li uid to be distilled of any suitable ki'nd can be introduced at the place or places described for the low-test distillate, the

oil distillate, to w-hlchit may can be used at the temperatures and of the volume considered most suita le, and the outgoing residual liquid and the incoming liquid to be distilled can be passed through a heat-exchanger in opposite directions, as described above for the outgoing high-test distillate and the incoming low-test distillate, the former being the residual liquid from the jected. e

The present application is a division and continuation of my application filed August .11, 1900, and officially serially numbered 26,648. The division has been made incompliance with official requirement.

In the hereinafter written claims the expression liquid to be distilled means primarily low-test burning oil distillate whose low-boiling products; but it also includesby extension other petroleum of hydrocarbon oil, especially, but not exclusively, an oil containing hydrocarbons with boiling-points below that of water, while consisting mainly of higher-boiling products, and also any other appropriate liquid, especially, but not exclu sively, such a liquid as contains substances with boiling-points below that of .water. The "boiling-.oint of water in the hereinafter written c aims refers to its boilingepoint under the barometric pressure in the still. This is intended to be practically that of the outside atmosphere; but it is not essential that it should be so.

I claim as my invention or discovery- 1. Asteam stilling apparatus. for separate ing hydrocarbons with boiling-points too low bons, said apparatus consisting of a column which is provided internally with a succession of appliances for bringing the body ofvapors rising in said column into repeated contact with descending liquid, an oil-supply pipe which opens into the upper part of said column for delivering thereinto petroleum or hydrocarbon oil containing the loW-boilin' turning stream of condensed oil, mingled I hydrocarbons first mentioned but compose with the hot water from the chief portion of 1 mainly of higher-boiling products, oil-heating special distillation to which the latter is.sub-

for burning oil from higher-boiling hydrocar-- ratus described to be used for liquids ot er steam (in closed or perforated coils, or'both) fire test is to be raised by the removal of the 3 carbons, said apparatus consisting of a colmeans for raising the oil-supply to a tempera-,

ture lower than the boiling-point of water and not more than about 60 Fahrenheit below the same, which means are connected with said oil supply pipe, a vapor outlet which carries off the vapors from said column, vapor-cooling means for reducing the temperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point of water that the hydrocarbons assing off are mainly of the lowboiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowing the condensate to descend with the oil from said supply-pipe over said appliances for bringing the rising vapors into repeated contact with descending liquid, open steam-pipes for supplying steam in such excess of what passes off with the lowboiling hydrocarbons that the' chief part of said steam is condensed and so retained in said apparatus, which pipes deliver steam intothe apparatus at such oints that the steam passes up through said column, a settlingvessel which receives the oil and water from said column, and means whereby the separated oil and water from said settling vessel are delivered in difierent directions, substantially as described.

2. A steam stilling apparatus for separating hydrocarbons with boiling-points too low for burning oil from higher-boiling hydroumn which is provided internally with a succession of appliances for bringing the body of vapors rising in said column into repeated ;contact with descending liquid, an oil-supply pipe which opens into said apparatus for delivering thereinto petroleum or hydrocarbon oil containing the low-boiling'hydrocarbons l por-cooling means for reducing the tempera-' "tureof the vapors to such extent below the first mentioned but composed mainly of higher-boiling products, a vapor-outlet which carries off the vapors from said column, va-

boiling-point of water that, the hydrocarbons passing-ofi' are mainly of the low-boiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowingthe condensate to descend over said appliances for bringing the rising vapors into repeated contact with descending liquid, open steam-pipes for supplying steam in such excess of what passes off with the lowboiling hydrocarbons that the chief partof said steam is condensed and so retained in steam passes up through said column, a settling vessel which receives the oil and water s'aidapparatus, which pipes deliver steam into the apparatus at such points that the from said column, and.means whereby the separated oil and water from said settling substantially as described.

vessel are delivered in different directions,

3. A steam stilling apparatus for separating hydrocarbons with boiling-points too low for burning oil from higher-boiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of a col- 6 5 umn which is provided internally with a succession of appliances for bringing the body of vapors rising in said column into repeated contact with descending liquid, an oil-supply pipe which opens into the upper part of said column for delivering thereinto petroleum or' hydrocarbon oil containing the low-boilin hydrocarbons first mentioned but composed mainly of higher-boiling products, a vaporoutlet which carries off the vapors from said column, vapor-cooling means for reducing the temperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point of water that the hydrocarbons passing off are mainly of the lowboiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowing the condensate to descend with the oil from said supply- :pipe over said appliances for bringing the rising vapors into repeated contact with descending liquid, open steam-pipes for supply- 8 5 a ing steam in such excess of what passes off with the low-boiling hydrocarbons that the chief part of said steam is condensed and so retained in said apparatus, which pipes deliver steam into the apparatus at such points that the steam passes up through said 001- umn and have a liberal area of steam-outlet as compared with the liquid-holding space in a said apparatus for effecting the removal of the low-boiling hydrocarbons in a short time, 5

to wit, under two hours, a settling vessel which receives the oil and water from said column, and means whereby the separated voil and water from said settling vessel are delivered in different directions, substantially asdescribed.

4. A steam stilling a paratus for separating hydrocarbons with oiling-points too low for burning oil from higher-boiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of a column, 10 5 which is provided internally with a succession of appliances for bringing the body of Vapors rising in said column into repeated contact with descending liquid, an oil-supply pipe which opens into said apparatus for de- 1-10 livering thereinto petroleum or hydrocarbon oil containing the low-boiling hydrocarbons first mentioned but composed mainly of higher-b oiling products, a vapor-outlet which carries off the vapors from said column, 1-15 vapor-cooling means for reducing the temperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point of water that the hydrocarbons passing oil' are mainly of the low-boiling kind first mentioned, which means include I 20 provisions for allowing the condensate to descend over said appliances for bringing the rising vapors into repeated contact with descending liquid, open steam-pipes for supplying steam in such excess of what passes off with the low-boiling hydrocarbons that the chief part of said steam is condensed and so retained in said apparatus, which pipes deliver steam into the apparatus at such points that thesteam passes up through said column and have a liberal area of steam-outlet as compared with the liquid-holding space in said appgaratus for effecting the removal of the lowoiling hydrocarbons in a short time,

to wit, under-two hours, a settling vessel which receives the oil and water from said column, and means whereby the separated oil and water from said settling vessel are delivered in difierent directions, substantially as described.

5. A steam stilling apparatus for separating hydrocarbons with boiling-points too low for burning oil from higher-boiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of an elongated horizontal still with oil-inlet at one end and oil-outlet at the other, a vapor-outlet which carries off the vapors from said still, vapor-cooling means for reducing the temperature of the va ors to such extent below' the boiling-point or water that the hydrocarbons passing ofl are mainly of the low-boiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowing the condensate to return to said still, open steam-pipes for supplying steam in such excess of what'passes -ofl' with the low-boiling hydrocarbons that the chief part of said steam is condensed andperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point or'water that the hydrocarbons passing off are mainly of the low-boiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowing the condensate to return to said still, open steam-pipes lor supplying steam in such excess of what passes ofi' wlth the low-boiling hydrocarbons that the chief part of said steam is condensed and so retained in said apparatus, which pipes deliver steam into said still below the liquidlevel therein and have a liberal area of steamoutlet as compared with the liquid-holding space in said apparatus for effecting the removal of the low-boiling hydrocarbons in a short time, to wit, under two hours, and means whereby the oil and water from said still a'i'ter beingpermitted to separate can be.

delivered in difi'erent directions, substantially .as described.

8. A still havin an inlet and an outlet for the liquid to be dlstilled and an intervening horizontally-dis osed liquid-holding space diminishing in epth toward the outlet and also having open steam-pipes which are arranged in said space and whose area of steamexit lessens toward said outlet, substantially as described.

9. A still having an inlet and an outlet for the liquid to be distilled, and an intervening horizontally-disposed liquid-holding space diminishing in depth toward the out et and also having open steam-pipes which are arranged in said space and whose area of steamexlt per square foot of exposed 11 per surface of liquid lessens toward said out et, substantially as described. 7

10. A still having an inlet and an outlet for the liquid to be distilled and an intervening horizontally disposed liquid-holding space and also having open steam-pipes which are arranged in said space and whose area of steam-exit lessens toward the outlet, in combination with vapor-cooling ,means arranged for condensing a portion of the vapors from said still while allowin another portion to pass over, substantia y as described.

1 1. A still having an inlet and an outlet for the liquid to be distilled and an intervening horizontallydisposed liquid-hold' space diminishing in depth toward the 0 1 1 5812 and also having open steam-pipes which are. arranged in said space and whose area of steamexit lessens toward said outlet, in combination with vapor-cooling means arranged for condensing a portion of the vapors from said still while allowing/another portion to pass over, substantially as described.

12. A still having an inlet and an outlet for the liquid to be distilled and an intervening horizontally disposed liquid hol space diminishing-in depth toward the out et and also having open steam-pipes which are arranged in sald space and whose area of steamexit per square foot of exposed upper surface of liquid lessens toward said outlet, in combination with vapor-cooling means arranged for condensing a ortion of the vapors from said still while a owing another portion to pass over, substantially as described.

13. A steam stillin apparatusfor separating hydrocarbons wit 1 boiling-points too low for burnin oil from higher-boiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of acolumn which is provided internally with a sucthe temperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point of water that the hydrocarbons passlng off are mainly of the low-boiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowing the condensate to descend with the oil from said supply-pipe over said appliances for bringing the rising vapors into repeated contact with descending liquid, op'ensteampipes for supplying steam in such excess of what passes ofl' with the low-boiling hydrocarbons that the chief part of said steam is condensed and so retained in said apparatus, which pipes deliver steam into the apparatus at such points that the steam passes up through said column, a settling vessel which receives the oil and water from said column, and means whereby the separated oil and water from said settling vessel are delivered indifferent directions, substantially as described.

14. A steam stilling apparatus for separating hydrocarbons with boiling-points too low for burning oil from higher-boiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of a column which is provided internally with a succession of apphances for bringing the body of vapors rising in said column into repeated contact with descending liquid, an oil-supply pipe which opens into the upper part of said column for delivering thereinto petroleum or hydrocarbon oil containing the low-boiling hydrocarbons first mentioned but composed mainly of higher-boiling products, a vaporoutle-t which carries off the vapors from said column, vapor-cooling means for reducing the temperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point of water that the hydrocarbons passing off are mainly of the lowboiling kind first mentioned, which means inelude provisions for allowing the condensate todescend with the oil from said supply-pipe over said appliances for bringing the rising vapors into repeated contact with descending liquid, open steam-pipes for supplying steam in excess of what passes oii with the low-boiling hydrocarbons, which pipes deliver steam into the apparatus at such points that the steam passes up through said column, a settling vessel which receives the oil and water from said column, and means whereby the separated oil and water from said settling vessel are delivered in different directions, substantially as described.

15. A steam stilling apparatus for separating hydrocarbons with boiling-points too low for burningoil from higher-boiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of a. column which is provided internally with a succession of appliances for bringing the body of vapors using in said column into re eated contact with descending liquid, an

oi -sup'ply (pipe which opens into said appa.-

ratus for elivering thereinto petroleum or hydrocarbon oil containing the low-boiling hydrocarbons first mentioned but composed mainly of higher-boiling products, a vaporoutlet which carries off the vapors from said I column, vapor-cooling means for reducing the temperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point of water that the hydrocarbons passing ofi are mainly of the low-boiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowing the condensate to descend over said appliances for bringing the rising vapors scending liquid, open steam-pipes for supplying steam in excess of what passes ofi' with the low-boiling hydrocarbons, which pipes deliver steam into the apparatus at such points that the steam passes u through said column, a settling vessel whic receives the oil and water from said column, and means whereby the separated oil and water fromsaid settling vessel are delivered in different directions, substantially as described.

16. A steam stilling ap aratus for separating hydrocarbons with honing-points too low for burning oil from higher-boiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of a column which is provided internally with a succession of appliances for bringing the body of vapors rising in said column into repeated contact with descending liquid, an oil-supply pipe whichopens into the upper part of said column for delivering thereinto petroleum or hydrocarbon oil containing the low-boiling hydrocarbons first mentioned but composed mainly of higher-boiling products,

a heat-exchanger which has not less than about half a square foot of heat-exchanging surface to each cubic foot of the space in said apparatus for holding liquid in process of steaming and which on one side is connected with said oil-supply pipe and on the other with the oil-outlet of said apparatus, a vapor-outlet which carries 01'? the vapors from said column, vapor-cooling means for-reducing the temperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point of water that the hydrocarbons passing off are mainly of the low-boiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowing the condensate to descend with the oil from said supply-pipe over said appliances forbringing the rising vapors into repeated contact with descending liquid, open steam-pipes'for supplying steam insu'ch'exeess of What passes into repeated contact with de-- off the low-boiling hydrocarbons that the-chief part of said steam is condensed and so retainrd in said apparatus, which pipes dclivcr steam into the apparatus at such points that the steam passes up through said column, a settling vessel which receives the oil and water from said column, and means whereby the separated oil and water from said settling vessel are delivered in diiferent dircctions, substantially as described.

17. A steam stillin apparatus for separating hydrocarbons wit boiling-points too low for burning oil from higher-boiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of a distilling vessel, an oil-supply pipe which opens into said vessel for delivering thereinto petroleum or hydrocarbon oil containing hy-.

drocarhons or the kindiirst mentioned but composed mainly of higher-boiling pro ducts,

a vapor-outlet which carries off the vapors from said vessel,"vaporcooling means whereby the mixed vapors before passing off are cooled below the boiling-point of water, open steam-pipes which supply free steam in excess of what passes off in admixture with hydrocarbon vapors and which deliver the steam into the apparatus at such points that the steam passes through said vessel, and a settling vessel which receives the water condensed in said apparatus from the free steam and the oil accompanying such water and which is provided with overflows from its top and bottom respectively, the former for discharge of oil, the latter for discharge of Water, substantially as described.

18. A steamstilling apparatus for separaa ing hydrocarbons with boiling-points too low for burning oil from higher-b oiling hydrocarbons, said apparatus consisting of a distilling vessel, an oil-supply pipe which opens into said vessel for delivering thereinto petroleum or hydrocarbon oil containing the low-boiling hydrocarbons first mentioned but composed mainly of higher-boiling products, a vapor outlet which carries off the vapors from said column, vapor-cooling means for reducing the temperature of the vapors to such extent below the boiling-point of water that the hydrocarbons passing off are mainly of the low-boiling kind first mentioned, which means include provisions for allowing the condensate to return to said distilling vessel,

open steam-pipes for su plying steam in such excess of what passes o with the low-boiling hydrocarbons that the chief part of said steam is condensed and so retained in said apparatus, which pipes deliver steam into the apparatus at such points that the steam passes through said dlstilling vessel, and a settling vessel which receives the water condenscd in said apparatus from the free steam and the oil accompanying such water and which is provided with overflows from its top and bottom respectively, the former for discharge of oil,, the latter for discharge of wa ter, substantially as described.

19. A horizontal still having open steampipes delivering steam into the liquid-space of said still and also having dams which di' .vide said liquid-space into pools while permitting the flow of liquid from pool to pool at-both top and bottom of the pools, su bstantillly as described.

20. A still provided with open steampipes which deliver free steam thereinto and also with overflows from the top and bottom respectively of its liquid space, the former for discharge of oil, the latter for discharge of water, substantially as described.

21. A steam stilling apparatus composed of a still which is provided with open steampipes for delivering free steam thereinto, and a column which receives the vapors from said still and is provided internally with a succession of appliances for bringing the body of vapors rising in said column into repeated contact with descending liquid, said column having provisions for cooling the vapors below the boiling-point of Water and for delivering condensate into said still, and said still having its open steam-pipes for delivering free steam in excess of what passes off in admixture with hydrocarbon vapors and being provided with overflows from the top and bottom respectively of its liquidspace, the former for discharge of oil, the lat tor for discharge of water, substantially as described.

22. A steam stilling apparatus composed of a still which is provided with open steampipes for delivering free steam thereinto, a column which receives the vapors from said still and is provided internally with a succession of appliances for bringing the body of vapors rising in said column into repeated contact with descending liquid, and a heatexchanger, said column having provisions for cooling the vapors below the boiling-- point of water and for delivering condensate into Sllil still, said still having its open steampipes for delivering free steam in excess of what passes off in admixture with hydrocarbon vapors and being provided with overflows from the top and bottom respectively of its liquid-space, the ,former for discharge of oil, the latter for discharge of Water, and said heat-exchanger receiving the liquid from one of said overflows and delivering heated oil therefrom into the distillatory part of said apparatus, substantially as described.

23. A steam stilling apparatus, composed of an elongated horizontal still provided with means for hea ting it uniformly to about the boiling-point of we ter and also with open steam-pipes which deliver steam at intervals into the liquid-space of said still, an air- I In testimony whereof I affi gimyfsignature cooled column which delivers its condensate in presence of two witnesses. into said still at one end, the outlet for the residual liquid being at the other end, and HERMAN means which include a cooling-jacket for fur- Witnesses: ther cooling the Vapors from said air-cooled F. W. LOTHMAN,

column, substantially as described. J. C. UPDEGROVE.

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