USRE2470E - Improved apparatus for distilling petroleum and other liquids - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES c. 1r. HALL, or BIN'GHAMTOX, NEW YORK.

vIMPRGVED APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING PETROLEUM AND OTHER LIQUIDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,855, dated June 26, 1866; Reissue No. 2.470, dated January 29, 1867.

To alt whoml t may concern:

Be it known that I, C. H. HALL, of Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have inventeda new and Improved Distilling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had` to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a plan or top view of this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sect-ion of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section ot' the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This improvement relates to an apparatus particularly designed for refining petroleumoil, but which may be used for relining coaloils` turpentine, or volatile liquids of any description( It consists, first, of asupply-tank into which the crude oil or other liquid is first placed to be refined and in which it is partially heated; second, of a retort into which the oil or other liquid flows to be distilled and through which it passes in a thin stratum; third, of a ehamber through which the vapors pass into the condenser; fourth, of a condenser in which the volatile portions of the oil or other liquids become condensed; fifth, of a receiver in which the products of condensation are collected and separated from the non-condensable gases; sixt-h, of a series of water and steam jackets inclosing the condenser in which steam is generated by the heatof the condensing vapors of the oil or other liquid being distilled; seventh, ol` a series of Scrapers carried over the bottom of the retort to prevent the forming of a sediment on said bottom; eighth, of a purifying-tank into which the residuum is forced by jet of steam, and, lastly,of a furnace and arch over which the retort is placed.

A represents the supply-tank in which the oil or other liquid is placed to be distilled.

B represents a retort, which may be long and flat-bottomed, with a semicircular top, or which may be of any other suitable form or shape. Into this retort the oil or other liquid to be distilled flows from tank ivd, so as to cover the bottom in a thin stratum.

C represents the arch over which t-he retort l B is placed in such-a. manner that the fire ean strike no otherpart of said retort but the bottom.

D represents the furnace inwhieh the fire is made.

E represents the vapor-chamber into which the vapors of the oil or other liquid being distilled pass from retort B. It consists of an outer jacket closed at the top and fastened to the top retort, B, with an inner concentric tube leading into said retort, so arranged that thel vapors of oil or otherlquids passing through said chambers will deposit. any particles of crude liquid which may be carried up the inner tube into the bottom of the annular space between its inner tube and outer jacket,\\'hile the volatile parts of the liquid only can pass into the condenser.

F represents the U-formed horizontal tube through which the vapors pass from chamber E while being condensed.

G represents'the jacket which surrounds one' branch ot` tube E, into which wateris forced through pipe y, producing steam from the heat of the vapors passing through said tube F.

I is a smaller tube concentric within tube F, and passing through the same, and connecting with jacket G, as is plainly shown in Fig. l of the drawings, so that the steam formed in jacket G in passing through-the said tube I be-` comes superheated, and issuing from pipes K and J is fit to be used for driving an engine, or for other purposes hereinafter mentioned.

G is another jacket, which surrounds the other branch of condensing-tube F, into which water is conveyed through pipe H, which passes into the last-mentioned branch of tube F throughconnection, Z, thence through said tube, and returns into jacket/G', as is plainly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

R represents the water-tank into which the water rises from jacket G through connection Z.

L represents the receiver, into whichthe products of distillation collect from tube F, the condensable portions of which remain on the bottom, while the non-condensable products pass off through bent tube 0.

Q is a. pipe leading from retort B, through which the residuum passes to the T-coupling l.

J represents asteam-pipe which branches off from tube I, and, entering T-conpling .l at right angles with pipe Q, creates a suction by the force of a jet of steam across the mouth of pipe Q` in s uch a manner that the residuum from retort B is forced through pipe J into tank S.

li is a steam-pipe, which also branches olf from tube I, and passes into receiver L, and

turns upward into the mouth of tube O, so that a iet of steam issuing therefrom sweeps the non-condensable gases which collect in the upper portion of receiver I through said tube O.

M represents the spout through which the` refined oil or other liquid is discharged from receiver L.

N is a pipe which branches off from steampipe K, and leads a jet of steam into spout M, to facilitate the discharge of the refined oil from receiver L. y

a is a bent pipe,;into which is inserted a valve through which the crude oil or other liquid is let down into retort B.

S represents the tank. into which the residuum is forced. Said tank'is provided with a concentric tube, S', reachin nearly to its bottom, through which the resiguum, together with the vwater which passes through pipeU from water-tank R, are forced to pass before they are allowed to separate. The water and dregs then pass out through pipe W, while the purified residuum rises to the top of the annular chamber between tube S and the outer jacket of tank S.

y g are two small tubes leading from the annular space in chamber E in retort B, which provides for the returnvof the crude liquids, which may fall into said annular space back into retort B again.

V is the pipe which leads the purified resduum back 'into supply-tank A to be redistilled. n

h h. h represent a series of Scrapers placed at suitable intervals and attached to a common rod, m, which passes through the end or head of retort B. A suitable motion is imparted to rod m by hand or other power, which causes scrapers h h h to traverse the surface of the bottom of retort B, thus preventing the formation of a sediment on said bottom. The process of refining petroleum oil or other liquids in my apparatus is as follows: The crude oil or other liquid to be rened is first placed in supply-tank 'A, from which it is.

allowed to flow slowly through pipe a down into retort B, and covers the bottom of said retort in a thin stratum, so that the vapors,

bottom, thereby removing the principal cause of the deposit of coloring-matter in the distillate, which takes place when the charge in a still gets low. The vapors coming in contact with the overheated surface above the liquid at such times causes said vapors to separate into their constituent elements, one of which is hydrogen gas, which in its impure state imparts to the distillate a disagreeable odor, while the particles of carbon thus liberated pass o with the vapors, and, condensing in the distillate, serve to color the same. A series of Scrapers, b b b, attached to a common rod, m, is provided, and is moved by hand or other power upon the bottom of retort B, so that the sediment cannot become burned upon said bottom. The retort is placed over the arch C and furnace D in such a mannerl that when the fire is made in said furnace the heat passes along the arch, striking the bottom of the re tort with diminishing intensity, while the crude oil enters the end of the retort farthest from the fire and owstoward the furnace. By this arrangement the crude oil or other liquid to be distilled becomes gradually heated and volatile, and if it is properly applied to the retort, and in due proportion to the heat supplied by furnace D, the volatile parts of said oil or liquid, of the various gravities of which it is composed, as they are vaporized by the increasing intensity ofthe heat while flowing toward said furnace, become commingled while in the vaporous state in the upper portion of retort B and pass through chamber E into condenser F, while the residuum only passes through pipe Q.

The particles of crude oil or other liquid being distilled which generally pass over with the vapors, thereby coloring the distillate, are in my apparatus deposited in the annular space contained in chamber E and fall backI into the retort throughpipes g g, while nothing but pure vapor can pass into the condenser. The vapors of the oil o rther liquid being distilled pass from chamber E into tube F, in which,` as it is inclosed in. water-jackets 'G and G', the condensation of said `,vapors takes place. The liquid portion falling into the lower part of the tube and passing into receiver L is discharged from spout M, While its gaseous constituents remain in the upper portion of Dsaid tube, and, passing into receiver L, are discharged through pipe O. By this arrangement the distillate, thus entirely freed from contact'with such noncondensable gases as are generated in the retort, cannot absorb any of them,'consequently (in the case of petroleum) emits no unpleasant odor, and is non-explosive in any ordinary temperature, while by the ordinary process of condensation, the vapors being forced 'to pass downward through a coiled pipe placed within a tank of water, the non-condensable gases become mechanically mixed with the distillate,

rendering the same explosive and of a dis'agreeable odor, and to obviate which a subsequent treatment with acids, alkalies, and wa aim 3 ,ter is resorted to, which but imperfectly accomplishes the object sought. Steam is generated in jacket (l, which, passing through tube I, becomes superheated by the vapors issuing from chamber E, and is then applied to various useful purposes. By this arrangement the heat which is ordinarily wasted is ecouomized, and the necessity of constructing an independent steam-generating; apparatus is obviated. Cold Water being circulated freely i through pipe II into jacket G', thence through connection Z into water-tauk R, the point at which the condensation of the vapor passing through this branch of tube F begins can be easily regulated by the amount of water permitted to enter pipe H, so that any desired percentage ofthe most volatile portion of the distillate will pass off in the vaporous state and leave the distillate of any specific gravity. The residuum as it accumulates in the front part of retort B passes through pipe Q, and'is then forced by a jet of steam issuing from steam-pipe J into tank S, where it is purified by being forced, Ltogether with a stream of water, from pipe IT through a tube, S', which, being situated within tank S and open at its lower cud, permits a separation of the water and dregs from the oily matter, the former passing out through pipe W, and the latter rising above the water in the annular space, from which it may tiow back into the supply-tank to mingle with the crude'liquid again. By this arrangement all other residuum may be removed from the retort as fast as it accumulates without any danger from explosion in consequence of exposing the same while hot to the atmosphere. It is-also simultaneously freed from its earthy impurities without additional expense. t The current ot' steam which passes through pipe l( is injected into the mouth ol' pipe 0 from within receiver L, which carries with it the non-condensable gases and l ight \'apors,which do not condense into tank A. This current. of stream also serves to partially heat the oil or other liquid in tank A previous to its passing into the retort. The non-coudensable gases finally escape through pipe Z.v Thus by my apparatus maya continuous distillation of oil or other liquids be effected with safety and rapidity with the least possible expenditure ot' fuel and waste of useful products, and in a manner obviating the necessity of a subsequent chemical treatment of the product.

What I claim as new, and desire to seeureby Letters Patent, is-

l. l'n the continuous distillation of petroleum or other-liquids, the use of a retort, ll, in combination with furnace l) and arch t, suhstantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. Passing theliquidsto be distilled t hrough the retort in the form ot' a thin stratum, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The device herein described for generating steam, consisting of the water-jacket G and water-supply pipe i/ and steam-tube I, in combination with. condensingtube I", substanti ally as shown and described, or anyother means whereby steam is generated by passing the vapors of oil or other liquids being dist-illed through a vessel contuini ug water, or vice versa.

4. The method herein described of separating the condensa-ble vapors from ,the non-condensable gases, or any other method whereby the condensable vapors are made to collect in the lower part of a receiver, while the non- .eondensable gases are made to pass off by the suction ofa current of steam, substantially as herein set forth, and for the purposespeeitied.

The water-jacket G', connected with supply-pipe H and water-tank R, in combination with tubular condenser E, operating as de scribed, or in any other manner to accomplish the purpose specified.

6. The receiver L, in combination with tubular condenser F, steam-pipe l, and discharge-pipe O, operating substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

7.' The annular chamber 1*), composed by an inner and outer vessel, iu combination with the condenser F, constructed and operating` C. H. HALL. W'itnesses:

XVM. T. MUNAMARA, Amex. F. Ronnn'rs.

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