US1741887A - Apparatus for refining oil - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 31, 1929. c. w. STRATFORD ET Ar. 1,741,887

APPARATUS FOR REFINING OL Dec. 3l, 1929. c. w. STATFORD Er A1. 1,741,887

APPARATUS FOR REFINING OIL Filed July 8. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Der.. 31", 1929 o UNITED `'s'rxrl-:s PATENT oFrlcE GHARLES 'WALOOTT STRATFOBD AND 'WILLIAM 8.1JAHES, 0F SAN FRANCISCO,

Vchrazroisisun I APPARATUS FOR BEFINING OIL Application. med my s, 1926. serial 110,121,227.

Our invention'relates to the refining of oils i and has as an object the provision of a method w A furl-.her object is the provision ofthe separating means and process above referred to with means for preventing contamination of the bottoms by a portion of the vapors' which should be removed.

Illustrative embodiments of the apparatus for carrying out the process are shownin the accompanying drawings wherein ,Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure 2 is a detailed central vertical section of the right hand tube shown in Figure v1 atthe upper portion thereof; and

Figurey 3 is a central vertical section show-- ing a tube provided with a heating jacket.

As shown in Figure 1, the device comprises two cylinders 10 and 11 which may be of the nature disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application for Patent No. 19,553, filed March 30, 1925, on method of and apparatus for evaporating liquids. Oil to be treated, such as crude oil or the like, may be introduced throu h a pipe 12 to a heat-exchanger 13 to heat t e liquid to the desired temperature. A pum 14, is indicated diagrammatically to inject the liquid tangentially throu h a pipe 15 into the cylinder 10, as descri d in the co-pending application above referred to. The liquid by its tangential inection into the cyhnder is caused to whirl about and in contactwith the inner surface of the cylinder and to travel downwardly in a spiral path therein.

The vapors separated from the liquid by the action of the centrifugal force within the cylinder 10 are withdrawn from the top 5 of the cylinder through a pipe 16 and the pipe is shown as discharging to the orifice liquid separated from its vapors is withl drawn from the cylinder through a pipe 17 1 and may be led through pipe 18 to any desired point for further treatment. v vTo prevent the escape of vapors'with the liquid 55 at the bottom 'of the cylinder, the present invention contemplates the maintaining of a liquid seal in the bottom of cylinder 10 to a depth, for instance, such as shown by ldotted line 19. To preserve this liquid seal, a level `control device indicated diagrammatically at 20 is provided. This devicemay be of any desired character but it is preferred to use the form 'shown in 'our (zo-pending application for patent on level control device filed of even date herewith, Serial Number 121,226.

Thevapors escaping or withdrawn through the pipe 16 will inevitably carry therewith inentrainment a certain amount of bottoms in finely divided li uid form, ofthe char- 7 'acter of bottoms wit drawn throu h pipe 18.

To separate the entrained liquid' om these vapors there is shown a second cylinder 11 which may be of the form shown more clearly in Figure 2, in which the vapors are discharged through the pipe 16 tangentially into the cylinder through an orifice y21. The operation of separating the vapors from the-en trained liquid in tube 11 is exactly the same as theseparation of the vapors' from the 3 liquid in tube 10 but for its use with vapors it is preferred to provide the arrangement shown in Figure 2 wherein the withdrawal pipe 22 is shown as projecting downwardly within the .cylinder 11', as indicated at 23, 35 Figure 2, and by dotted lines in Figure 1.' The material escaping or withdrawn through pipe 22 in practice maybe madeA to contain substantially fifty per cent of the` gasoline content Vof the oil under treatment and to 9 carry the low boiling point gasoline. Y

As in the case of-tube `10, a level control device 24 is diagrammatically illustrated to reservela liquid seal in the bottom of cyliner 11, the bottoms escaping therefrom being discharged through a pipe 25 to the pipe 18. An enlarged cross-section of tube 10 is shown in Figure 3 to illustrate the-interior arrangement thereof. In said ligure, the ' loo 26,1. control valve 27 being supplied to control the rate of discharge. Assshown, the

p tube '10 is shown as closed at the ends by caps space in the jacket. 37 thus provided is utilized for the application of heat to the outside of the tube 10. For this purpose, pipes 38, 39 are provided having communication with the interior of the jacket and these pipes are equipped with cut-oil? valves 40, 41 A heat-insulating jacket 42 is shown exterior of the jacket cylinder 36. The level control device shown in Figure 3 is the same as that shown in Figure 1. By the provision of the heat jacket of Figure 3, the crude oil injected into the tube through pipe receives lts heat for treatment through the walls of tube 10.

It will be understood thatthe level control device embodies a mechanism to cause the operation of a valve shown at 43 when the level in the cylinder rises above a fixed point as, for instance, that shown at 19 ,to allow the accumulating residue to flow away through the pipe 18.

B the provision of the two tubes shown in igure 1 the va rs carried awa through pipe 22 will be e ectivel cleared rom contaminating bottoms `an the vapors withdrawn through pipe 22 may be conducted to any desired point for further treatment.

Wedesire it understood that minor changes in the steps of the process and in the apparatus for carrying out the same may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. v

The location of the level control device outside of the tube, as provided by our invention, has the advantage of placing the Workin parts thereof for accessibility, an indepen ent replaceable unit in fact.

In carrying out our improved method the vapor is separated from the heated liquid while the liquid is at a pressure above that required to prevent vaporization, the pressure within the tube or cylinder 10 being suiiiciently lower than the pressure of theliquid at its inlet into the cylinder to permit vaporization of the desired constituents of the liquid.

We claim: i 1. An apparatus for refining Oil comprising a substantially vertical c linder, means to inject oil tangentially into tile cylinder, a top vapor outlet extending below thepoint of in- 'ection and a bottom liquid drawoil', means or maintaining a liquid seal over the .lower liquid drawo. l

2. A- air of substantially vertical cylinders each) having openings in each end, means to inject oil to be treated into one of said cylinders substantially tangentially to its inner surface, means to convey vapors from the upper opening in said last named c linder with entrained liquids and to deliver t e mixture to the interior of the remaining cylinder substantially tangentially to its inner surface whereby to se arate vapors from liquids in each of said cylinders to withdraw the va ors from the upper ends of said cylinders anti) the separated liquids from the lower ends thereof.

3. A air of substantially vertical cylinders eac having openin s in each end, means to inject oil to be treate into one of said cylinders substantially tangentially to its innerv surface, means to convey vapors from the upper opening in said last named cylinder with entrained liquids and to deliver the lmixture to the interior of the remaining cylinder substantially tangentially to its inner surface whereby to separate vapors from liquids in each of said cylinders and the separated liquids from the lower ends thereof and separately acting means to maintain a liquid seal over the lower opening in each of said cylinders.

4. A air of substantially vertical cylinders eac having opening in each end, means to inject oil to be treated into one of said cylinders substantially tangentially to its inner surface, means to convey vapors from the upper opening in said last named cylinder with entrained liquids and to deliver the mixture to the interior of the remaining cylinder substantially tangentially to its inner surface whereby to separate vapors from liquids in each of said cylinders and the separated liquids from the lower ends thereof and separately acting means located exterior of each of said cylinders to maintain a li uid seal ver the lower opening in each of said -cyliners.

5. An apparatus for refining oil comprising a substantially vertical cylinder, valvecontrolled means to inject oil tangentiall into the cylinder, a top vapor outlet exten ing below the point of injection and a bottom liquid drawoff and means for maintainin a hquid seal over the lower liquid drawo opening.

In testimony whereof they aix their signatures.

CHARLES WALCO'IT STRAI'FoRD. WlLLlAl S. JAl.

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