US1480808A - Production op liquid motor j - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 15, 1924. 1,480,808 v K. KELLEY PRODUCTIONQF LIQUID MOTOR FUELS Filed Aug. 15. 1921 www 5151A MOM/'MIM' M d Patented Jan. 1.5, 1924.

UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE.` i

KORK .(ELLY. OF OKMULGEE, OKLAHOMA. ASSIGNOR OF GITE-HALF4 TO THOMAS L. KERR,' OF BARTLIESVILLE, OKLAHOMA..

PRODUCTION OF LIQUID MOTOR FUELS.

Application led August 15, 1921. Serial No. 492,388.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Komt KRLLEY, :i cit1- zen of the United States. und a resident of Okmulgee, ()klahoma, have invented new 5 and useful Improvements in the Production of Liquid Motor Fuels, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification, 4 The present invention relates to thcpro duction of a new product intended princilU pally for use as e motor fuel.

Casinghead ges, as it is commonly known in oil regions. is a naturally formed gas coming from oil wells and consisting of hydrocarbon gases and readily liquiliable products. Ordinarily casinglicad gas is utilized b condensing thc liquelizible portions thereo to produce what is commercially known as cusinghead gasoline which it has been the practice to transport in tank cars fromthe plants at which it is produced to different places of use, such as rubber plants, paint factories, and other places where it has heretofore been utilized in the manner presently explained in roducing l5 motor fuel. But the shipment auf handling of casingliead gasoline in its raw state is ve hazardous because of its low initial boi ing oint, its very high volatility, and.

"its Very igh vapor tension, oenernting high ressures in the tiinli' cnrs. iecause of such ozardous characteristics it has, been the ractice of the casingrhead gasoline industry. in an effort to at least lecson the hazard, to use specially constructed tank cnrs insulated against eat from atmospheric tcmpemtures. Furthermore, because of the ex treme volatility of scid gasoline `and thc consequent dangers of lire and explosion. the loading und unloading of tank cars reuires the services of experts especially gliilled, in the Work. (lasingheiid gasoline` moreover, is not usable by itself :is :i motor fuel because of its4 extremo volatilitya and also because of its light gravity it does not generate the requisite lient units.

One of the usesto which i-iisingrhead gasoline has been heretofore pui is the mixing thereof with a liciivier gasoline. or sii-called naptha, resultingr in the production of :i commercial gasoline usable as u motor fuel and for domestic purposes'. Such liquid fuel has been produced in very large quantities in the past, but swiner to the increase in the price of napths to a point. now prohibiting its use for that purpose, and also because of lack ofproduction of napthafthe refineries now refusing to cut the naptha. in fractionating the petroleumit is no longer economical or practical to produce a commercial liquid fuel liv the mixin of the casinghead gasoline and naptha. n fact, naptha alone has now advanced to a price in excess of hi h grade gasoline.

In view of t e high cost of naptha and lack of production of the sume, it is now the practice to produce and utilize mixtures of the casinghead gasoline with kerosene formed by utting the two together while both are 1n Iliquid form. But such product has decided disadvantages and objections and is quite unsatisfactory and ineicient as a motor fuel, due primarily to its high endv int (meaning the highest or maximum Npereture reached in distilling a hydrocaron oil) and resulting large amount of carbon it deposits in the Ordinar motor of today because of incomplete an imperfect combustion. Another, and probably even more serious, objection to such kerosenecasnghead gasoline mixture is its susceptibility to separation or unmixing in transportation and storage, thus recreating the conditions of hazard and disadvantage hereinbefore mentioned with respect to casinghend gasoline. There is the further disadvantage that, accompanying such separation. therev is i1 sii-called outage" or loss incurred due to evaporation. This percentage of loss frequently runs very high, causing embarras-:sin i conditions arising from shipments; for example. a tiink car started on its wey to e. distant point completely full, may arrive at its destination only partially dull, the loss beingsr due to the aforesaid scparation and evaporation.

A principal object attained by the present invention is the provision of a motor fuel much chi-:iper in cost of production and cuunlli'. or eren more` efficient than gasoline sv -li :is new used for .n.itonioliiles. Another mitin object :ittiiiiicd h i' the present inven lion is the production of' :i -permun'ent blend from cusingheiid ,gasoline and a heavier hydrocarbon oil, su -li as kerosene. and the present invention comprises not .only such new product but primarily the process by which the product is produced. Further objects are the provision of ii process which ma be expeditiously and economically carrie out with the result of producingV the permanent blend of casin head gasoline and hydrocarbon oil, such as rosene, at a. cost far below the cost ot production of ordinary refined gasoline. For example, kerosene 1s today ractically a drug on the market and is obtainable at refineries at about one cent r gallon. Casin head gasoline 1s proucibleat a cost o approximatel four to six cents a allon, and sells aroun six cents a gallon. here is, however, very little demand for raw casinghead gasoline at any price so that it also is approximatel a drug on the market, like kerosene. hus the initial cost of the ingredients of the -new roduct which may be employed in producmg this invention is very low, and with a correspondingly low cost of carrying out the rocess of this invention, the new product is producible et a cost far below that of gasoline and can be marketed much cheaper and at a relatively greater profit.

My invention overcomes in large art, and it is believed entirely, the aforesai obdefccts and difficulties with respect to the prior mixtures employing casinghead gasoline, and secures the aforesaid objects by providing: a blended productcontaining casinghead gasoline, and by providing a method of preparing the same which consists, h nerally stated, in distilling or vaporizing a petroleum oil, such as kerosene for example. preferably under superatmospheric pressure ot an inert gas, such as casinghead gas. and ut :r temperature sullic'ient to frartionally distill or otherwise break up more or less of the kerosene oil, and while the more volatile portion of the kerosene oil is beingr driven over or a vapor composed of the more volatile or lighter constituents of `the kcrosenc oil is being:` formed, introducing and commingflingr with the vapor of the kerosene -oil the vapor ofmasinghead `remolino, und then condensing the blended vapors to a liquid. V p

In the accompanying drawing illustrating, partly diagrammatically. a, system of apparatus suitable for carrying out the new process,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view; and

Fig. 2 is a` front elevation with somo parts in vertical section on, line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

5 and G are `two oil stills of any suitable well-known construction, and eachshown as having a. tire chamber 7 and a chimney?l both formed of concrete or other suitable material. Each still is provided with .t safety valve 9 and a dome 10 from which a vapor-conducting pipe 11 leads to a socalled knockout box 12` which is a closed chamber shown in this instance as common toA both stills. both pipes 11 leading thereto. In said knock-out box or commingling chamber the vapors from the two stills commingle and in that form are led throu b a pipe 13 to a suitable condenser 19 whic in the form illustrated inthe drawins, comprises coils of pipe 14 enclosed by a ousing made of louvre boarding so arranged ns to retain water spray within the housing while permitting circulation of air. 15 is a valved return flow pipe or run-back leading from the bottom ot the knock-out box 12 back into the still 6. 16 is an outlet or dischar e pipe leading from the exit end ofthe coo lng coils 14 to a receiving tank '17, there being within said tank a battle plate 18 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) positioned over the discharge end of pipe 16 to deflect the liquid from said pipe downward to the bottom of the receiver 1i. ply pipe from which valvcd branches 21, 21 lead into and along the bottom. of the stills 5 and 6 respectively, for practically the entire length thereof, said branch pipes bein perforatedv within the still, preferably ut tieir bottom, for the distributed discharge of gas to agitato thecontents of each still as presently more fully described. 22 is a gas-conducting pipe leading from the top of receiver 17 to twovalved branches 23, 23, said branches being provided with suitable burners located in the fire boxes and under the stills 5 and 6 respectively. Near the receiver 17 the pipe 22 is provided with a pop-valve 24 which is set ortensioned to open' only underA a. certain maximum pressure and to thereby hold the pressure m the system up to the desired point; 25 is abranclraipeleading from the pipe 2,2 and providedat its outer end with a relief valve 26. 27 iS an outlet pipe leading from the bottom of receiver 1T to conduct the liquid product .to suitable storage tanks not shown. The process constituting the invention may of course oe carried out in other suitable arrangements of apparatus though that illustrated is the one'at this time preferred by me.

Infusing the aforesaid 'apparatus to carry out L process and produce the product of this invention, the procedure may be as followsz-btill 6 is charged with a suitable hydrocarbon oilo-i' petroleum distillate, for example kerosene, and still 5 is charged with -casinghead gasolinethe amount of each being determined by the uality or gravity of the desired finished pro( uct; in other words,

the gravity of the final product may be varied by varying the relative ,proportions of the two commingled vapors coming from the separate stills. By way of a specific ex ample, 500 l,rallons of casinghead gasoline o 80 B. are introduced into stili 5. and 500 gallons of petroleum product such as `W. W. kerosene of 42 B. are introduced into still 6. The stills are then tired and distillation continued, preferably under superatmospheric 20 is a gas supu lll) pressure, for example about 30 pounds, until practicallyall of the casinghead gasoline as been vaporized and about 50% of the kerosene oil has been vaporized, when the heat is cut oif.y The vapors formed in the stills and 6 are led by the pipes 11 to the knock-out box 12 in which they are ins timately commingled. From the knockout box 12 the commingled vapors are lo conducted through pipe 13 to and through lo 6 for further heating.

th'-` coils 14 of the condenser and thence through the pipe 16 into the receiver 17. Vapors condensed in the knockout box 12 How through the pipe back into the still The liquefied vapors which are condensed and collected in receiver 17 will be found to have a gravity of about 66 B. The residue in still 6 is then withdrawn and the stills are then ready for a 20 new charge.

Durin the firing of the stills hydrocarbon gas may e introduced into the stills through the pipe 20 and. its perforated branches 21, 21. but is not essential, such injection of gas when used serving to a itate the liquid concondensate 86 stills Where it is utilized and combusted as fuel for heating the stills. In assing through pipe 22 the gas must pass t e popvalve 24 which serves to hold the required pressure on the system, the maintaining of such pressure back onto the surface of the keroscxu` in the still 6 serving to hold back the hea vier hydrocarbons for further heating. When the gas passing from receiver 17 into pipe 21 is more than required for consumption at the burners or exceeds the predetermined pressure to be maintained in the system. excess gas may be discharged to the at mosphere or elsewhere through branch pipe 25 and its escape valve 26.

As the result of the aforesaid distilling of ,the casinghead gasoline in still 5 its vapors .are carried ovl-r into the knock-out box 12. And simultaneously therewith, :is the result of the heating of still 6, the vapor products resulting from the heat treatment` of the kerosene oil are carried over in lighter fractions into the knockout box and there commingled with the vapors from stiil 5. The vapors from the tivo stills by being thus comniinglcd in vapor form in the knockout box l2 bring about a temperature and vapor blend, the vapors from cach of the stills coming over in fractions und coininir ring together. and such action constituting a very important feature of the invention. Care should be taken to lire the stills adually and slowly so as to avoid overeating.

The new product or condensate is a refined product containing redistilled casinghead gasoline blended in a permanent manner with the distilled Jroducts of the heavier oil. vThis new pro uct is not only superior in fuel qualities to the aforesaid prior mixtures of casinghead gasoline with naptha, or kerosene, but it is also supe ior to commercial refined gasoline. It posse ses distinctive characteristics amongst which maybe noted the peculiar character of its distillation curve, its relative freedom from the oensive and disagreeable odors of commarcial asoline, its clean burning qualities due to tie absence of heavy hydrocarbons, and the permanence of the blend, certainly for such period of time as would ordinarily elapse between production and consumption. The aforesaid apparatus and procedure may be varied in carrying out the process an producing the product without departin from the present invention.

hat I claim is: y i 1. The method of producing a hydrocarbon oil consisting in vaporizing kerosene under pressure, introducing into and blending with said vapors casinghead gasoline vapor, and condensing said blended vapors to a fluid state. i

2.'The method of producing a h 1drocarbon oil consisting in vaporizing erosene under pressure and tem rature sutlicient to fractionally .distill theutter, introduo ing into and blending with said vapors casinhead (gasoline vapor and condensing said lende va rs to n. iquid state.

3. The metho of producing a h drocarbon oil consisting in separately istilling easinghead gasoline and only the more volatile portions of a product of petroleum oil, commingling theresulting vapors, and condensing said blended vapors to a liquid state 4. The method of producing a hydrocan bon oil consisting in commingling the separate vapors of casinghead gasoline and only the more volatile constituents from a product of petroleum oil,` and condensing said vapors to a liquid state.

3. Thermethod of producing a h drocarlion oili consisting in vaporizing erosene under pressure of an inert gas, introducing casinghead gasoline vapor into said vapor and gas, and condensing said vapors to a liquid state.

6. The method of producing a hydrocarbon oil consisting in vaporizing a petroleum oil of a density heavier than oasinghead asoline under pressure of an inert gas an at u temperature requisite to fractonally dis till said oil. introducing into -and blending with the resulting vapors, casinghead gasolise vapor, and condensing the commingled vapors to a liquid.

7. The method of making a hydro-carbon oil which includes commingling the vapor of casinghead gasoline and a vapor separately derived from only the more volatile portions of a heavier hydro-carbon oil. and condensing the commingled vapors.

8. The method of making a. hydro-carbon oil which includes distilling casingheud gasoline, distilling n heavier hydrocarbon oil but discontinuing thil distillation before all of the oil is vaporized, oommingling their vapors, and condensing the commingied vapors.

9. The method of making a hydro-carbon oil which includes distilling casinghead asoline, fractionally distilling a heavier hy rocarbon oil, commingline'l the distilled vapors, and condensing the commingled vapors.

10. The method of making a hydro-carbon oil which includes distilling casinghead gasoline, distilling u heavier hydro-carbon oil under pressure, commingling the distilled vapors, and condensing the commingled vapors.

11. The method of making a. hydro-carbon oil which includes distilling-casinghead as oline, fractionally distilling a heavier hy rocarbon oil under pressure, commingling the distilled vapors, and condensing the conimingled vapors.

12. The method of making a, hydro-carhon oil which includes separately distilling casing head gasoline dnda heavier hydro- 'carbon oil: While agitating the same hy the introduction of as, commingling the distilled va ors and gas, and condensing the commin ed vapors from the gas.

13. Te method of making a hydro-earbon oil which includes separately distilling both casinghead gasoline and a heavier hvdro-carbon oil under pressure, commingling the distilled vapors, and condensing the eommiugled vapors.

14. The method of making a hydro-carhon oil which includes separately distilling casinghead gasoline and a heavier hydrocarbon oil, commingling the distilled vapors while maintaining a pressure thereon, and condensing the commingled vapors.

15. The method of making a hydro-carbon oil which includes commin ling the vapor of casinghead gasoline an a vapor se arately derived from on? the more vola till portion of kerosene, an condensing the commingled va rs.

16. The method of making a hydro-carbon oil which includes distilhng casinghead asoline, distilling kerosene but discontinuing the distillation before all of the kerosene is vaporized, comminglin their vapors, and condensing the comming ed vapors. y

17. The method of makin a hydro-carbon oil which includes dist' casinghead gasoline, fractionally distilling kerosene, comniingling the distilled vapors, and condensing the commingled vapors.

18. The method of makin a hydro-carbon oil which includes distillln casinghead gasoline, distilling kerosene un er pressure, commingling the distilled vapors, and con densin the coxniningled vapors.

19. he method of making a hydro-carbon oil which includes distilling casinghead gasoline, fractionally Adistilling kerosene under pressure eommingling the distilled vapors, and condensin the commingled vapors.

20. The met od of making a hydro-earbon oil which includes se arately distilling easinghead gasoline an 4`kerosene while agitating the same by the introduction of gas, commin lip the distilled vapors an' as, and con ensmg the commingled vapors.

rom the ga's.

21. The method of making a hydro-can bon oil which comprises separately distilling both casinghead gasoline and kerosene under pressure, commingling the distilled vapors, and condensin the commingled vapors.

22. The met od of making a hydro-carrloon oil which includes se arately distilling easinghead gasoline and erosene, ,commingling the distilled vapors while maintaining a pressure thereon, and condensing the distilled vapors.

:23. The method of making a hydrocarbon oil which includes distilhng casinghead gasoline, subjecting a heavier hydrocarbon oil to heat to drive over only the lighter constituents thereof, commngling the vapors derived from both said gasoline and said oil, and condensing the commingled vapors.

24. The method of makin a hydrocarbon oil which includes distil lng casinghead gasoline, suhjectin kerosene to heat to drive over only the lig ter constituents thereof, commingling the vapors derived from both said gasoline and said kerosene, and oondensin the commingled va ors.

25. e method of -pr ucing `a hydrocarbon oil consisting `in vaporizing kerosene oil under pressure and temperature suicient to form a vapor composed of only the more volatile constituents of said oil, introducing irlto and blending with said vapors casinghead asoline vapor. and condensing the blends vapors. l

26. The method of producing a hydrocan ,bon oil consisting in vapcrizing a product of petroleum oil under pressure and tem ersture sufficient to form a vapor compose of only the more volatile constituents of said oil, introducing into and blending with said vapors casio head gasoline vapor, and condensing the glended vapors.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

KORK KELLEY.

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