US1327001A - Manufacture of gas - Google Patents

Description

M. C. WHITAKER AND W. F. RITTMAN.-

MANUFACTURE OF GAS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 3. l9l4- Patefited Jan. 6,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT ormon MILTON C. WHITAKER AND WALTER F. RITTMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO SYNTHETIC .HYDRO-CABBON COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OI DELAWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed April 3, 1914. Serial No. 829,169.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MILTON C. WHITA- KER and WALTER F. RITTMAN, both citizens of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State shown in the accompanying drawing,in part of New York, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas; and we do hereby declaim 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 appertaiins to make and use the same.

Our invention has for its purpose, pr1- marily increasing the yield of gaseous illuminants obtained as a result of the cracking of hydrocarbon oils, and likewise involves increasing the total yield of fixed gases from such oils, so that the resulting gaseous prod not has not only a higher illuminating value, but a higher heating value as well.

The invention is based upon the discovery that by the cracking up of the oil into gases at reduced pressures, as hereinafter specified, the proportion of illuminants, that is to say, the unsaturated series of hydrocarbons, such as ethylene, acetylene, etc., is increased to an extent which assumes commercial proportions when the pressure prevailing in the generating chamber or chambers is reduced to two-thirds of an atmosphere absolute and which, at still lower pressures is further rapidly augmented, reaching a maximum within the range of from 4 bs. pressure absolute downward. The increased yield in the unsaturated series of gaseous hydrocarbons by the practice of the invention, is also accompanied, although to a lesser degree, by an increase in the saturated series, such as methane, which accordingly add to the'heating value of the final product. The invention is particularly applicable to oils of the petroleum type such as crude petroleum, shale oil, etc.

The process'is applicable not only to'the production of oil gas per 86, but also for brin ing water gas up 'tothe commercial standard of candle power by combining the fixed gases due to the cracking up of the oil with the original uncarbureted water gas; In fact, inasmuch as the required candle power for carbureted water gas is directly dependent upon the percentage of illuminating constituents contained in the gases resulting from the cracking up of the oil, the

amount of unsaturated hydrocarbons or illuoil, becomes a matter of special importance in the manufacture of carbureted water gas.

For purposes of illustration, we have diagrammatically, an exemplification of a simple form of apparatus adapted to. the PlttOtlCBOf this invention, although it will be understood that the particular apparatus shown is but typical of many others having the same capabilities.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates a refractory-tube, which, in this instance, constitutes the gas generator, and which is capable of withstanding the vacuum incident to the practice of the invention. In order to controllably heat the retort any suitable means may be employed as, for example, a resistance-wire wrapping a, envelopin the gas generating tube A and suitably lIlSlllated therefrom. The gas generator A and its electric heating element are incased in a protective coating of magnesia, asbestos, or

other like refractory material, adapted to.

prevent excessive radiation of heat intothe surrounding atmosphere. One end of the resistance coil is connected to a binding post 6 and the other end through a conducting rod 0 to the binding post 03. From these serves to support a small quantity of refractory filling material g (as, for instance, steel balls) located in the upper portion of the generating tube A and-within the same,-

the functions of this filling material being to afl'ord an efiicient spreading surface for the vaporization of the petroleum oil used. The oil issupplied to the top of the gener ator A above the filling material g, from a suitable source of supply, as, for instance,

the feeding cup or receptacle C. The pres- The generating tube A is first heated to the desired temperature for cracking the oil into fixed gases, by passing an. electric sure in the upper part of the feed cup or receptacle is equalized with that in the tube A through an equalizing pipe t communicating at its lower end with the tube A, and at the other end above the level of the oil in the feed cup 0. The generating tube A may also be provided with a suitable gage sto indicate the pressure prevailing therein.

At the lower end, the generating tube A current ofappropriate wattage through the heating element a. When the generating tube A and thefilling material 9 contained therein have attained the appropriate temperature, the oilfeed is opened and the'oil is permitted to enter the upper ,part of the generating tube A where it spreads over the filling material and is vaporized. In

the meantime, the vacuum pump G has been set in operation and draws the oil vapors downward into the cracking zone of, the

generating tube A, whereupon these vapors are immediately cracked up into fixed gases and other products. These products, before opportunity is offered for polymerization or decomposition of the hydrocarbon gases, are withdrawn by the vacuumpump G from the crackin zone and their place is taken by a quantity of oil vapor from the zone of filling material 9 above. In this manner and continuously the hydrocarbon. gases, as quickly as they form, are withdrawn and after passing through the condenser and receiver for the removal of the condensable vapors, solids, etc., are forwarded through the vacuum pump G to the gas holder.

As hereinbefore indicated, it is preferred to reduce the pressure as close to zero as is appropriate to the cracking of the oil vapors under the conditions of the operation. The degree of this temperature will, it is evident, depend in' part upon the length of time the vapors remain in the cracking zone. In other words, if the cracking zone is of extremely high temperature, the speed of travel of the gases should be correspondingly expedited. For general purposes, however, and with apparatus of the kind and relative dimensions indicated in the drawing, a temperature of approximately 900 (3., as indicated by the pyrometer, is"

appropriate and sufiicient; it being understood, as indicated, that should thecracking zone be of greater heat intensity, it should be of lesser extent, so that the gaseous hydrocarbons formed may not su er-decomposition or polymerization by remaining too gaseous hydrocarbons, particularly in gaseous. illuminants of the unsaturated hydrocarbon series begins to assume commercial importance at a reduced pressure equivalent to two-thirds of an atmosphere absolute. From this point, which may be regarded as the critical point in the process, the increase in yield assumes rapidly increasing importance from this critical point, if the pressure is further reduced, and, in the range beginning with about 4 lbs. pressure absolute approximates a yield which attains an increase of 100% in illuminants over the yield at atmospheric'pressure- We have further ascertained that the operation of the invention is not interfered with by passing through the generator tube, during the operation, hydrogen, or hydrocarbon gases such as methane; nor is it interfered with by the presence ofcarbon monoxid (as, for iinstance, in the proportion in which carbon monoxid exists in uncarbureted water gas) unless the conditions of temperature and of relative concentration are such as to result in an unfavorable equilibrium in the sense in which that term is used in physical chemistry.

What we claim is 1. The method of increasing the yield of an unsaturated hydrocarbon series from a hydrocarbon oil of the petroleum type, which \comprises cracking the hydrocarbon when in,

four pounds to the square inch absolute,

substantially as described.

3. The method of increasing'the yield of gaseous hydrocarbons, particularly gaseous illuminants of the unsaturated hydrocarbon series, from a hydrocarbon oil of the petroleum type, which comprises vaporizing the oil, cracking the oil vapors into fixed gases, continuously supplying the oil vapors to the cracking zone, and continuously withdrawing the products developed as a result of the cracking, at a pressure less than two-thirds of an atmosphere absolute; substantially as described.

4. The method of increasing the yield of gaseous hydrocarbons, particularly gaseous illuminants ct the unsaturated hydrocarbon series, from hydrocarbon oil of the petroleum type, which comprises vaporizing the oil, cracking the oil vapors into fixed gases, continuously supplying the oil vapors to the cracking zone, and continuously withdrawing the products developed as a result of the cracking, at a pressure less than 4 lbs. to the square inch absolute; substantially as described.

5. The method of cracking hydrocarbon oils of the petroleum type, which consists in vaporizing the oil, and thereafter heating the vapors to a cracking temperature While under a pressure lower than two-thirds of an atmosphere absolute.

6. The method of cracking hydrocarbon oils of the petroleum type, which consists in vaporizing the oil in the upper portion of an upright reaction chamber, thereafter subj ecting such vapors in a downwardly moving column to a cracking temperature while under a pressure substantially below atmospheric pressure and of the order described, and withdrawing the products of cracking from the bottom of such column.

7. The method of cracking hydrocarbon oils of the petroleum type, which consists in vaporizing the oil in the upper portion of an upright reaction chamber, thereafter subjecting such vapors in a downwardly moving column to a cracking temperature While under a pressure lower than two-thirds of an atmosphere absolute and withdrawing the products of cracking from the bottom of such column.

8. The. method of cracking hyrocarbon oils, which comprises passing the same into the upper portion of an upright heated unobstructed reaction chamber maintained at a cracking temperature, maintainin within said chamber a pressure substantialTy below atmospheric pressure and of the order described and withdrawing the products of cracking from the bottom of such chamber.

9. The method of cracking hyrocarbon oils of the petroleum type which consists in vaporizing the oil in the upper portion of an upright reaction chamber, thereafter subjecting such vapors in a downwardly moving column to a cracking temperature while under a pressure substantially below atmospheric pressure, withdrawing the products of cracking from the bottom of such column, passing such products through a condenser and collecting the permanent ases. I

Tn testimony whereof we a X our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

MILTON C. WHITAKER. WALTER F. 'RTTTMAN. Witnesses:

C. B. SoHRoEDER, M. A. BIIL.

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