US1203312A - Process of treating hydrocarbons and products derived therefrom. - Google Patents

Description

W. M. CROSS.

PROCESS OF TREATING HYDROCARBONS AND PRODUCTS DERIVED THEREFROM.

APPLICATION FILED ]AN.9.19I5.

Patented 0ct..31,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

o o o W. k & o o W m mm Q Q Q an sraras PATENT carton.

WALTER M. CROSS, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 GASOLINE PRODUCTS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

PROCESS OF TREATING HY DBOCARBONS AND PRODUCTS DERIVED THEREEROM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 311, 1916.

Application filed January 9, 1915. Serial No. 1,281."

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, IVALTER M. Cross, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Kansas City, county of Jackson, and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Treating Hydrocarbons and Products Derived Therefrom, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in processes of treating hydrocarbons and products derived -therefrom and more particularly to a process adapted to convert the heavy hydrocarbons into lighter hydrocarbons and to produce new products, from those treated.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a process in which the hydrocarbons may be subiected to both heat and vapor pressure while in motion; to provide a method of treating hydrocarbon oils and the like wherein relatively small streams are successively subjected to the action of heat;

to provide an apparatus and process whereby a large body of the oil may be heated in a closed converter while at no time subjeoting the entire body of oil directly to the action of the heat; to provide a process whereby higher boiling point hydrocarbons can be safely and economically converted to lower boiling point hydrocarbons; and in general to provide an improved process for treating hydrocarbons and products derived therefrom. a

In the particular form of apparatus shown in the drawings, Figure 1 shows a general view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 shows a vertical section of the furnace.

1 designates, a furnace having the usual fire box 2, above which is located a series of tubes 3 opening at their opposite ends into hollow end plates 4 and 5. A plurality of baffle plates 6 and 7 are employed in the furnace for forcing the hot gases to travel back and forth along substantially the entire len th of the tubes 3 before passingto the sta k 8'. Opening into the. lower portion of the end plate 4 is an inlet 9, connected to a source of supply in a manner hereinafter described. and at the upper end of the end a plate 5 is an outlet 10 connected by a con-:' Leading from this converter tank is a.pair of dis-- duit 11 with converter tank 12.

charge pipes 13 and 14, the latter of which connects with a reheater 15 and the former is connected by a T coupling 16 to the supply .pipe 17 and the inlet pipe 9'.

oil through the inlet 9; as shown, this pump is driven by a 'motor 19, both pump and motor being mounted on a common base 20.

Passage through the various pipes is controlled by suitable valves; the pipe 13 being provided with a cutoff valve 21 located intermediate its connection with the coupling 16 and the tank 12, while a similar cutoff valve 22 is positioned in the pipe 14 for controlling the passage from the converter tank 12 to thejreheater 15. The supply pipe 17 also has a cutoff valve 23, this valve being for the purpose of controlling the admission of the oil to the apparatus from the source of supply.

In starting the process the tubes 3 and converter tank 12. are only partially 'filled so as to leave a relatively large vapor space above the body of the oil, this space being preferably 50 per cent. or more of the entire capacity of the converter. \Vhen filling the tank the valves'21 and 22 are closed and the valve 23 opened. The oil then flows through the inlet 9 either by means'of gravity presthrough the inlet 9 into the end chamber 4:

and through tubes 3. Here the oil in passing through the tubes 3 to the end chamber 5' In order to cause this circulation a pump 18 is employed for forcing the and outlet 10 is subjected to the action'of the furnace heat, and after passing into the outlet 10 returned to the converter tank 12. This cycle of operation is continued unt1l the desired temperature and pressure are reached, attention being called to the fact. that the contents of the converter tank 12 tubes 3 and the intermediateconnections are under the vapor pressure of the hydrocarbons and their conversion products. The tank 12 is provided with the usual pyrometer '(not shown) pressure gage 25' and safety I valve 26, whereby the temperature and pressure of the contents of the convertercan beobserved.

While the apparatus disclosed is not limited to employment with the particular process described, and vice verse, I will describe its use in carrying out a process in which hydrocarbons are heated in the closed converter tank 12 and tubes 3 until the temperature is such that there is produced a vapor pressure of the hydrocarbons and their conversion products out of proportion to the rise in temperature. The treatment is preferably continued in the converter until there is no longer produced a vapor pressure out of proportion to the temperature. The contents of the converter tank 12 are then allowed to cool and are drawn off -After the contents of the condenser have been removed the temperature of the reheater may be raised and hydrocarbons having a higher boiling point vaporized and condensed in the same manner.

\Vhile the temperatures and pressures at which the process is carried out will vary through a wide range owing first to the sub stance treated, and second to the character of the products desired, the following temperatures and pressures have been employed to produce the desired results. If the con verter tank 12 is partially filled with gaso- 7 pressure.

lene in the manner heretofore described and the temperature raised so. that the pressure increases from slightly above that of one atmosphere to 40 atmospheres, it is noticed that there is no increase of a vapor pressure out of proportion to the rise in temperature, that is, as the temperature has increased there is simply a corresponding increase in If, however, keroseneis treated in the same manner, the pressure rises in proportion to the rise in temperature until a temperature of nearly 300 deg. Centigrade is reachechafter which there is an increase in pressure entirely out of proportion to the increase in temperature. Similarly,

whentreating 26 deg. Baum petroleum residuum.- there is a noticeable increase of pressure out of proportion to the increase of temperature when the latter is between 300 and 325 deg. centigrade, that is, at those temperatures the pressure rises rapidly .,with slight ,,increase in the temperature. While these temperatures and pressures are only approximate and vary greatly according to the substance treated and the products de sired, it is noticed that in each'case there is a certain temperature below which the rise in pressure corresponds-to the rise in temperature, and above which the rise in pressure is out of proportion to the rise in temperature. While the exact nature of the reaction .very slow. The process is preferably continued until there is no longer any rise in pressure out of proportion to the rise in temperature. The contents of the converter are then allowed to cool Without releasing the pressure except such a decrease as results from the cooling. The product of the converter is then drawn off into the reheater and the temperature in the reheater maintained at a point Which will vaporize the product desired. By varying the temperature in the reheater diiferent products can be condensed and separated.

By the employment of a separate converter tank connected to the tubular heating element, I am enabled to treat a large body of oil without subjecting the apparatus to the excessive strain and resultant danger of explosion which is' present when a large body of oil is subjected in bulk to the actionof heat. Moreover, the substances treated are kept in constant circulation While the '3 construction of the apparatus is such as to permit a relatively large vapor space above the main body of the oil.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, end plates 4 and 5 are providedwitha series of screw plugs 33 and 34 which can be removed to clean out the respective tubes or to withdraw one of the tubes and insert a new one in case one of the tubes gives way. These end plates are secured in position by a plurality of tie rods 35, the entire construction being such that the device is readily assembled and can be conveniently repaired.

While I have stated certain temperatures and pressures at which gasolene, kerosene and fuel oil can be treated by my process, I

do not desire to limit my invention to such substances or the temperatures and pressures mentioned or in any manner except as specified in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The process of treating hydrocarbons which consists in charging a converter only partially filled with hydrocarbons so as to leave a vapor space above the main body of the oil, subjecting successive portions of the oil to heat until the temperature is such that there is produced a vapor pressure of the hydrocarbons and their conversion products out of proportion to the temperature, and in allowing the contents of the converter to cool while maintaining the vapor pressure except as reduced by the cooling.

2. Theprocess of treating hydrocarbons, which consists in charging a converter only partially filled with the hydrocarbons so as to leave a vapor'space, subjecting a relatively small stream of the hydrocarbons to heat, circulating the hydrocarbons so as to cause successive portions thereof being subjected to the heat the hydrocarbons being subjected to such a temperature that there is produced a vapor pressure of the hydrocarbons and their conversion products out' of proportion to the temperature.

3. The process of treating hydrocarbons which comprises compelling a bulk supply of the hydrocarbons to pass through a relatively small stream, subjecting such stream to the action of heat and causing the continued circulation of the treated substance through the bull: supply and the small stream while maintaining both under the vapor pressure of the hydrocarbons and their conversion products. I

4. The process of treating hydrocarbons, which consists in charging a converter only partially filled with the hydrocarbons so as to leave a vapor space above the main body of the oil, successively subjecting relatively small portions ofthe hydrocarbons to heat and returning the heated portions to the bulk supply, the hydrocarbons being subjected'to such a temperature that there is produced a vapor pressure of the hydrocarbons and their conversion products out of proportion to the temperature, allowing the contents of the converter to cool, conducting in vapor form the portion .of resultant products having the desired boiling point and condensing such vapors.

5. The process of treating hydrocarbons, which comprises providing a bulk supply, providing a heating station, passing the material from the bulk supply through the heating station in the form of a plurality of sets of separate small streams, heating said streams at said station and causing the continued circulation of the treated substance through the bulk supply and small streams while maintaining both under the vapor pressure of the hydrocarbons and their conversion produets.

6. The process of making gasolene-like products from hydro-carbons of a higher boiling point than gasolene, which consists in causing a bulk supply of such higher boiling point hydrocarbons to pass in the form of a plurality of separated independent streams, each much smaller than the bulk supply, subjecting said streams to a relatively high heat and causing the circulation of the hydro-carbons through the bulk supply and the small streams while maintaining both under vapor pressure of the hydro-carbons and their conversion products.

WALTER M. cnoss.

Witnesses I E. E. VVALTON, F. L. 'BELKNAP.

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