US1493871A - Apparatus for obtaining gasoline - Google Patents

Description

T.VA. ISTANCLIFF APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING GASOLINE Filed March 11 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 avwen co'c Tim ms flan/u: STHNOL/FF 3% m Gu my May 13 1924. 1,493,871

T. A. STANCLIF'F APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING GASOLINE Filed March 11, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 til Fetented May 13, 1224i.

UNHTE srras THOMAS ARTHUR STANCLIFF, OF BRECKENRIDGE, TEXAS.

APPARATUS FG'R OBTAINING GASOLINE.

Application filed March 11, 1922. Serial No. 542,940.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ARTHUR STANCLIFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Breckenridge, in the county oi. Stevens and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Obtaining Gasoline, of which the following is a full and concise description.

My invention relates-to apparatus for obtaining gasoline and other light liquid hydrocarbons from natural gas.

It is well known that the gas issuing from many wells contains appreciable quantities of light hydrocarbons capable of being liquefied and having a value for use in commercial naphthas and gasolines. However prior processes and apparatuses for the extraction of gasoline or naphtha from natural gas have all required a very great expenditure thereby preventing the treatment of a large proportion of gasoline bearing natural gas so that much gasoline from this source is now allowed to go to waste.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a process and apparatus which will separate gasoline from the natural gas and which can be installed and operated at relatively low expense.

The novel features of my invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, together with further objects and advantages, will best be understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through an apparatus according to my invention, parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 1 is a detail section on line 1, 1 of Fi 3 and 4 of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is-a central longitudinal section taken on an inclined plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. '1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section of the line 44 of Fig. 1a Sula Fig. 5 is a detail of an element appearing in the other figures.

In the drawings T have illustrated an apparatus according to my invention in which 1 is a large outer cylinder preferably inclined at an angle of about 30 to horizontal. Within the cylinder 1 and spaced therefrom is a tube or cylinder 2 which projects from cylinder 1 at both ends. At the lower end of cylinder 2 there is an inlet tube 3 which projects through the lower end of the tube 2 and connects with a suitable inlet pipe, a valve 3 being provided at or near the end of tube 3 for controlling the inlet of gas to be treated. The gas entering the lower end of tube 3 blows upwardly and out through the open end thereof into themterior of cylinder 2. Within cylinder '2 are a plurality of baffle plates 4, 4 and 5, 5 arranged for the most part in alternating series' plates. 4 and 5 being held in position and spaced by rods 6 and 7 which pass through the upper and lower portions respectively of plates 4 and 5, rod 7 being preferably larger than rod 6 and running to a point near the lower end of cylinder 2 where it is connected to the cylinder. The plates 4 have apertures 45*, 4 in the upper portions of the plates and the plates 5 have apertures 5, 5 therein near the lower part of the plates 5 whereby the gas stream is obliged to pass alternately upwardly and downwardly during its passage through the cylinder 2. According to my invention, the gas is delivered to the interior of cylinder 2 under pressure and the pressure may vary over wide ranges being in general the pressure available at the gas well. Due to the combined pressure and low temperature, produced in the manner described below, party of the light liquid hydrocarbons or gasoline separates out from the gas stream within cylinder 2 and settles to the bottom of the chambers formed between plates 4 and 5. In order to protect the separated liquid from the stream of gas and prevent its -reabsorption thereby, I place inverted trough-like members 8 between the plates- 4 and 5, the lower corners of these members 8 being cut away as illustrated at 9 at Fig. 5 to provide apertures 9 adjacent the upper faces of the plates 4 and 5 through which liquid may drain into the interior of the members 8. The plates 4 and 5 are, moreover, notched as appears at 10, 10 in Figs. 3, 4 and 1 to permit liquid to drain down within the trough-members 8 to the lower end of the cylinder 2.

The gas having been deprived of a portion'of its condensable liquid, passes out at the upper end of cylinder 2 into the pipe 11, thence through suitable pipe 12 containmil ill

from the gas within the cylinder 2 as previously, mentioned. The reduction of temperature in cylinder 1 produces an additional separation of light liquid hydrocarbons in the outer cylinder. The dry gas having thus been relieved of the liquid hydrocarbons passes into the outer pipe 1% which is fitted with a suitable escape valve 15. Liquid settling out in the cylinder 1 drains toward its lower end and the liquid in the lower ends of both cylinders 2 and l may be withdrawn as desired, cylinder 2 having an outer pipe 16 valved as shown at 17 and cylinder 1 having an outlet pipe 18 valved as illustrated at 19.

I have operated an apparatus of the type herein disclosed and according to the method herein, with very satisfactory results as to the amount of gasoline recovered and the commercial economy of operation. It will be seen from this that I have produced a method of recovering gasoline and apparatus for carrying out the same which are capable of very wide application on account of ow cost of the apparatus and its simplicity andto the fact that it requires little attention of the apparatus and its satisfactory yields of gasoline.

Having thus described my invention, I claim,

A 1. An apparatus for separating light liquid hydrocarbons from natural gas com prising an inclined container for receiving compressed natural gas having bafiie plates therein, and inverted gutter members between said plates having apertures permitting liquid to pass under the members, said plates having apertures permitting liquid to pass from one member to the next.

2. An apparatus for separating light liquid hydrocarbons from natural gas comprising two tubular containers, one disposed within the other, the inner container having baflie plates therein, inverted gutter members between said plates having apertures permitting liquid to pass under the mem bers, said plates having apertures permitting liquid to pass from one member to the next, a connection between said containers including an expansion valve whereby the expanded gas, in the outer container will chill the gas in the inner container passing over the battle plates.

3. An apparatus of the kind described comprising in combination two tubular containers, one disposed within the other, means for conducting a gas into the inner chamber, means for separating liquid from said gas comprising a plurality of battle plates in said inner chamber, inverted gutter members between said plates having apertures permitting liquid to pass under the members, said plates having apertures permitting liquid to pass from one member to the next, a connection between said containers including an expansion valve whereby the expanded gas in the outer container will chill the gas in the inner container passing over the bafiie plates, and means for collecting the liquid separated, and withdrawing the same from said containers.

THOMAS ARTHUR STANCLIFF.

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