US2060291A - Treatment of hydrocarbon oils - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 10, 1936. EGLOFF 2,060,291

TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OILS Filed June 28, 1950 TREATED VAPORS TREATING ZONE FURNACE l3 HEATING I r ELEMENT I4 as N l9 RAW-OFF 7 LINE 0 6 mm 9 a '1 TREATING 3 I We sow-now J (HYDROCARBON on.

INVENTOR GUSTAV EGLOF F ATTQRNE Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TREATMENT OF HYDROGARBON OILS Application June 28, 1930, Serial No. 464,515

3 Claims. (01. 19635) This invention relates to the treatment of hydrocarbon oils and particularly refers to the chemical treatment of petroleum oils to improve their quality.

This invention specifically provides for the treating of hydrocarbon oils such as straight run or cracked gasoline or gasoline distillates, kerosene, lubricating oils, etc., in the presence of a solution of zinc chloride at elevate-d temperatures and preferably under superatmospheric pressure. Solutions of other metallic salts may be used e. g. the chlorides and nitrates, etc., of copper, aluminum, iron, etc.

In its preferred embodiment the present invention provides a process and apparatus wherein hydrocarbon oil is combined with a solution of zinc chloride, the combined materials heated to the desired temperature and thence discharged into an enlarged zone preferably at a pressure lower than that employed in the heating element.

By means of maintaining a super-atmospheric pressure upon the heating element, any substantial vaporization of the treating solution may be prevented therein and, by means of a regulated reduction in this pressure in the enlarged reaction or treating zone, vaporization of a controlled quantity of the water in the treating solution is accomplished, thus bringing it to the concentration required for proper treatment of the hydrocarbons.

The attached drawing, which is diagrammatic and not drawn to scale, illustrates one of the many forms of apparatus suitable for carrying out the process of the present invention. The oil to be treated is introduced through line I and valve 2 to pump 3 and is thence fed through line 4 and valve 5 and line 6 to heating element l2. The treating solution supplied through line I and valve 8 to pump 9 is fed through line I 0 and valve H into line 6 and thence through heating element I2 together with the oil undergoing treatment.

Heating element l 2 is located in a suitable furnace l3 and the mixture of oil and treating solution passing through this heating element is raised to the desired temperature preferably under a pressure sufficiently high to prevent any substantial vaporization of the treating solution. The combined heated materials leave heating element l3 through line I4 and valve [5 passing to treating zone [6 which is preferably maintained under a pressure sufiiciently reduced below that employed in heating element l2 to permit evaporation of a portion of the water from the treating solution thus bringing the latter to the-proper concentration.

Fractionating means such as packing, bubble trays or the like, not shown, may be employed in the upper portion of treating zone l6 if desired and the treated or treated and fractionated vapors are removed through line H controlled by valve l8. Drawoff line I9 controlled by valve 20 is provided for removing the spent treating material as well as any polymerization products from treating zone It. Reflux condensate from the fractionation of the treated vapors, if such a step is employed, may also be removed through line 19 and valve 20 or may be withdrawn through a separate line not shown.

Pressures employed in the treating zone may vary from sub-atmospheric to high super-atmospheric pressure to several hundred pounds per square inch, but are preferably in all cases somewhat lower than the pressures employed in the heating element. Temperatures employed in this process may range from say 100 to 1000 F., more or less, depending upon the oil to be treated and the desired results.

As a specific illustration of the operation of my process, given only for the purpose of illustration and not to be construed as a limitation upon the invention: a 40% solution of zinc chloride in water is passed through the heating element together with a cracked distillate and raised to a temperature of approximately 400 F., under a pressure of about 100 pounds per square inch. Pressure is reduced in the treating zone suflicient to permit evaporation of approximately of water in the treating solution, thus bringing the concentration of the zinc chloride solution to approximately By this treatment the pressure distillate which previously contained some mgs. of gum, a yellow color and objectionable odor is refined to an end point motor fuel of 30 color after three hours exposure to sunlight, containing about 20 mgs. of gum and having no objectionable odor.

It will be understood that if desired, a concentrated treating solution may be utilized in the initial step, that is, in the heating element of the process, thereby necessitating no pressure reduction with a consequent evolution of steam or water vapor in the treating zone. It will also be understood that fractionating means such as mentioned may or may not be utilized and that subsequent well known treating steps such as water washing and neutralizing may follow that portion of the process illustrated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In the refining of hydrocarbon oils with aqueous solutions of zinc chloride and like water soluble refining agents, the method which comprises mixing with the oil a dilute aqueous solution of the refining agent in which the agent is of insufficient concentration to effect any substantial refining of the oil, passing the resultant mixture in a restricted stream through a heating zone and heating the same therein to above the normal boiling point of water under sufficient superatmospheric pressure to prevent substantial vaporization of water from the solution, discharging the heated mixture into a treating zone and reducing the pressure thereon sufiiciently to vaporize such an amount of water as will concentrate the refining solution to the strength required for proper refining of the oil, and removing and recovering the purified oil from the treating zone.

2. A process for refining low boiling hydrocarbon oils of the character of gasoline which comprises mixing with the oil a dilute aqueous zinc salt solution in which the zinc salt is of insufiicient concentration to effect any substantial refining of the oil, passing the resultant mixture in a restricted stream through a heating zone and heating the same therein to above the normal boiling point of water under sufficient superatmospheric pressure to prevent substantial vaporization of water from the solution, discharging the heated mixture into a treating zone and reducing the pressure thereon sufiiciently to vaporize such an amount of water as will concentrate the refining solution to the strength required for proper refining of the oil, and removing and recovering the purified oil from the treating zone.

3. A process for refining hydrocarbon oil which comprises mixing with the oil an aqueous solution having a zinc chloride concentration of the order of about 40 passing the resultant mixture in a restricted stream through a heating zone and heating the same therein to above the normal boiling point of water under sufficient superatmospheric pressure to prevent substantial vaporization of water from the solution, discharging the heated mixture into a treating zone and reducing the pressure thereon sufiiciently to vaporize approximately 50% of the water in the solution, thereby raising the zinc chloride concentration of the solution to approximately 80%, and subjecting the oil to the refining action of the thus concentrated solution in the treating zone.

GUSTAV EGLOFF.

Images