Patent GB-376397-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and apparatus for the manufacture and production of non-knocking motor fuels and very viscous oils from paraffin hydrocarbons
Filed: 1931-04-20
Abstract: <PICT:0376397/III/1> In the production of non-knocking hydrocarbons of low boiling point containing aromatic constituents by the dehydrogenation of vaporous or gaseous hydrocarbons and condensation of the products under high pressure and between 400-650 DEG  C., the dehydrogenation and condensation steps are carried out in separate vessels constructed of materials comprising free silicon.  The vessels may be constructed as described in Specification 368,291. The products obtained may be further worked up into motor fuels and lubricating oils by subjecting them to the action of condensing agents, e.g. chlorides of aluminium, iron, &c. or their double compound with olefines.  Carrier gases, e.g. nitrogen, hydrogen, methane, &c. may be passed through the vessels with the hydrocarbons. A gas mixture from a gasometer 1 is passed through a tube 2 constructed of silicon bricks and heated externally by gases passed at 800-1000 DEG  C. through a jacket 4.  The gases, cooled and separated from liquid products in a vessel 6, are passed through an electric precipitator 8, where further liquid products are separated and collected in a vessel 9, to a storage bell 13.  They are then compressed to 50-200 atmospheres by a pump 14 and delivered through a separator 15 to a second silicon vessel 18 heated to 500-600 DEG  C. by circulating superheated steam through a jacket from a superheater 21.  The gases separated from liquid products in a vessel 28 are cooled in a condenser 30 and further separated from liquids in high and low pressure separators 31, 32. The liquid products from the various stages are collected in a pipe 10 and receiver 11, and comprise 60 per cent aromatic constituents, chiefly benzene, toluene, xylene, ethyl benzene, and styrene.ALSO:In the production of non-knocking hydrocarbons of low boiling-point containing aromatic constituents by the dehydrogenation and condensation of vaporous or gaseous paraffin hydrocarbons such as straight run benzine, methane, ethane, natural gases, coke oven gases, cracking gases, mineral oils, tar oils, cracking and destructive hydrogenation products of coals and hydrocarbons or distillation products of all of these liquid hydrocarbon products or fractions thereof such as benzines, the dehydrogenation and condensation steps are carried out in separate vessels constructed of materials comprising free silicon.  The first stage of the process may be carried in the presence of gases which take part in the reaction or are inert thereto such as part of the gaseous products from either stage of the process, olefines, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile sulphur compounds, steam or nitrogen.  The products may further be worked up into motor fuels or lubricating oils by subjecting the liquid products in the presence or absence of the residual gas to the action of Friedel Craft type condensing agents such as iron chloride, aluminium chloride, double compounds with ethylene or other gaseous olefines with iron or aluminium chlorides, zinc chloride with or without the addition of bleaching earths and, if desired after the removal sulphur compounds, separating by distillation into low boiling benzine and lubricating oils. Starting from a gas comprising methane, ethane, propane, butane, ethylene, propylene, butylene, hydrogen, and nitrogen an intermediate product containing a larger quantity of olefines is obtained and this gas liquid products being removed gives a final product after condensation from which a liquid product comprising aliphatic and about 60 per cent aromatic hydrocarbons, mainly benzene, toluene, zylene, ethyl benzene, and styrene, is obtained. These products may then be treated with ethylene aluminium chloride and separated into motor fuel and lubricating oil.  In examples (1) a distillation residue from an American mineral oil is treated to obtain liquid hydrocarbons partly of aromatic nature.  (2) An American straight run benzine is treated, constituents prone to resinification are removed for example with bleaching earth, to give an antiknocking motor oil.  Specification 368,291 is referred to.