IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING SHALE OR OTHER OIL-YIELDING MINERALS, AND IN APPARATUS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Thomas Beilby, of Mid Calder, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Chemist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DISTILLING SHALE OR OTHER OIL-YIELDING MINERALS, AND IN APPARATUS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Thomas Beilby at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1881.
GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY, of Mid Calder, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING SHALE OR OTHER OIL-YIELDING
MINERALS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object, by means of a simple and convenient arrange-
ment of apparatus, to effect the distillation of shale or other oil-yielding minerals in
an improved manner, and so that whilst the oil obtained is of a good quantity and
quality, such as is got by means of a comparatively low temperature, there is
obtained in addition an increased yield of ammonia through a suitable application
of high temperature.
The retort employed in carrying out the Invention is a tube which may be
inclined, but is by preference vertical, and the upper part of it is made of iron,
whilst the lower part is made of fireclay. The upper end at which the shale is
introduced is closed by a door or by the ordinary hopper and bell, and the lower
end is closed by a door, or it may be continued by an iron tube dipping a few
inches into water. The exit pipe for the oil vapor is connected to the upper iron
part of the retort.
The retort is built singly or with others in an oven heated by a coal, coke, or
gas furnace, the fire gases being led by flues so as to first act on the lower fireclay
The partly
parts of the retorts, and keep those parts at a bright-red heat.
exhausted fire gases or portions of them are subsequently passed in contact with

page_text: the upper iron parts of the retorts if found necessary. A current of steam is passed
through the retorts, being introduced at the lower parts.
As the shale or other mineral gradually moves down each retort it is at the
upper part subjected to a moderate temperature suitable for yielding oil in the
best manner, the distillation being effected by the heat of the vapors or gases
rising from the lower part of the retort, either alone or in conjuction with
some application of external heat. By the time the material descends as far as
the fireclay portion of the retort it will have yielded up all or most of its oil,
and then the application of the greater heat will cause it to give a greater yield of
ammonia than is obtained with retorts constructed, arranged, and worked in the
ordinary way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Thomas Beilby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th November 1881.
GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY, of Mid-Calder, in the County of Mid-Lothian, North
Britain, Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING SHALE OR OTHER OIL-YIELDING
MINERALS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.”
"
My said Invention has for its object, by means of a single and convenient
arrangement of apparatus, to effect the distillation of shale or other oil-yielding
minerals in an improved manner, and so that whilst the oil obtained is of a good
quantity and quality, such as is got by means of a comparatively low temperature,
there is obtained in addition an increased yield of ammonia through a suitable
application of high temperature.
In distilling shale according to the system in use to a considerable extent of late
years the aim appears to have been to apply to the retorts a heat which, whilst
not so high as to very seriously affect the quality and quantity of oil obtained, is
at the same time high enough to produce a greater yield of ammonia than would
be obtained by a lower heat better suited for producing the best yield of oil. In
this way however only a very small increase in the yield of ammonia is satisfactorily
obtainable, as the application of high heat in distilling the oil generally injures the
quality of the oil obtained. The ammonia constitutes a valuable bye-product, and
to the extent of the quantity of it that is obtained may be regarged either as
reducing the cost of the oil or as enhancing the value of the aggregate products.
In working however according to any of the systems in common use, or publicly
known prior to the date of the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent, the
ammonia actually obtained is not nearly all that is obtainable from the shale
subjected to distillation, as the shale after all or most of the oil has been extracted
from it, and when it is in the condition ordinarily known as that of "spent" shale,
is capable of yielding a considerable further quantity of ammonia if subjected to
the joint action of a sufficiently high temperature and of superheated steam. Since
I applied for the said Letters Patent I have learned that it has been proposed to
effect the distillation of shale or other similar substances at two temperatures,
namely, first, at a low temperature for the production of mineral oil, and, secondly,
at a considerably higher temperature for the production of ammonia by means of
certain apparatus, and by means of operations conducted in a certain manner. I
cannot therefore now claim to be the first to propose operating according to a system
having for its principal distinguishing feature the subjecting of the shale to widely
different temperatures at different times; but I believe that such system may be
practically carried out in different ways, yielding results of different values, and
that the mode of practically carrying out the system described in my Provisional
Specification relative hereto, and hereinafter more fully described and explained,
possesses features of novelty and usefulness which I am entitled to claim under the
said Letters Patent.
In carrying out my Invention I employ retorts which are of circular or oval
cross-section, and which may be inclined, but which are by preference vertical.
The upper part of each retort is made of iron, whilst the lower part is made of
fireclay. The upper end at which the shale is introduced is closed by a door or by
the ordinary hopper and bell, and the lower end is closed by a door, or it may be
continued by an iron tube dipping a few inches into water. The exit pipe for the
oil vapor is connected to the top of the upper iron part of the retort. The retorts
may be built singly, but are by preference arranged in ovens, each containing a set
of retorts and heated by a coal, coke, or gas furnace. The fire gases are led by
flues or partitions so as to first act on the lower or fireclay parts of the retorts, and

page_text: keep those parts at or nearly at a bright red heat, and after so acting the fire gases
or portions of them may if necessary be subsequently passed in contact with the
upper iron parts of the retorts; in practice however I find that the upper iron
parts of the retorts and the compartments of the oven containing them receive
sufficient heat by radiation from the partitions covering the lower compartments of
the oven, and that the heat thus applied is if necessary very conveniently supple-
mented and regulated by introducing into the upper compartments of the oven
burning jets of the permanent gas produced in the distillation of the shale. A
current of steam is passed through each retort, being introduced at the lower part,
such steam being by preference highly superheated. The steam is economically
and conveniently generated and superheated in apparatus placed in a chamber,
into which the fire gases are led after having acted on the lower parts of the
retorts.
The shale or other mineral is operated on in a practically continuous manner,
small portions of the exhausted materials being removed at the bottom through the
water lute or through a door, and small portions of fresh materials being introduced
at the top at frequent intervals instead of the materials being introduced and
removed in separate charges each large enough to fill the upper part of a retort.
As each successive part of the shale or other mineral gradually moves down each
retort it is in the upper part subjected to a moderate temperature suitable for
yielding oil in the best manner, the distillation being effected by the heat of the
vapors or gases raising from the lower part of the retort and passing up through
the gradually descending materials, such heat being, if necessary, supplemented by
some heat applied externally to the upper parts of the retorts. By the time each
successive part of the material descends as far as the fireclay portion of the retort
it will have yielded up all or most of its oil, and downwards from this stage of its
descent the application of the greater heat combined with the action of the super-
heated steam will cause it to give a greater yield of ammonia than is obtained with
retorts constructed, arranged, and worked in the ordinary way.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append two Sheets of explanatory
Drawings to be hereinafter referred to, and representing a set of my improved
retorts with accessory apparatus arranged in what I at present believe to be the
most advantageous manner.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings, is a transverse vertical
section, and Figure 2 is a side elevation partly as in longitudinal vertical section.
Of Figure 3, on Sheet 2, one half is a plan, and the other half a horizontal section as
taken across the upper iron parts of the retorts. Of Figure 4, one half is a horizontal
section as taken across the upper parts of the fireclay portions of the retorts, and
the other half is a horizontal section as taken at a lower level. In these Drawings
the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they
are repeated.
In the arrangement of apparatus shown on the Drawings the retorts 5, 6, are
vertical and built in settings of sixteen fired by one fire 7. Eight retorts are set
in a double row on each side of the fire 7, which is contained in a central furnace
space communicating through ports 8 in each of its side walls with the bottoms of
the oven spaces in which the retorts are placed. The retorts proper, or in other
words, the parts within the oven spaces, consist of upper iron tubes 5 jointed to
lower fireclay tubes 6, the latter resting in iron socket rings 9 at the bottom. The
fireclay tubes 6 are formed with lower and upper belts 10, 11, which together with
ledges or projections formed in the sides of the oven support fireclay slabs or tiles
forming horizontal partitions 12, 13. Each lower horizontal partition 12 extends
from the wall of the fire chamber 7 to the outer sides of the outermost pair of
retorts, an opening 14 being left between the outer end of it and the end wall.
The upper horizontal partition 13 entirely covers in the oven space beneath it, but
the space between it and the lower partition communicates by ports 15 with a
chamber 16 built over the fire chamber 7, and this chamber 16 communicates at

page_text: one end by a port 17 with a descending flue 18, which leads the spent fire gases to
an underground flue communicating with a chimney. With these arrangements
one half of the fire gases from the fire space 7 passes on each side through ports 8
into the oven space beneath the lower horizontal partition 12, and, proceeding to
the outer end of that space, the gases pass through the opening 14 into the space
between the upper and lower horizontal partitions 13, 12, in which latter space
they return towards the middle chamber 16 above the fire space 7, finally passing
off through the port 17 and descending flue 18. Each set of four retorts 5, 6, is
delineated as fitted with a single hopper 19, which I term a multiple hopper,
having a single bell or valve, but formed with four legs or branches connected
with the separate retorts. The construction of these multiple hoppers, and also
various other details and peculiarities of the apparatus, form no part of my present
Invention, but are included in a supplementary Invention, for which I have
applied for Letters Patent to be dated 3 October 1881 (No. 4284); it is therefore
unnecessary for me to describe them in this present Specification. The oil and
other products of distillation are led away from the retorts to the main and
condensers by pipes 21 connected to the multiple hoppers 19, so that a single pipe
serves for four retorts. The lower ends of the iron tubes 5 forming the upper parts
of the retorts are fixed in socket rings 22, the bottoms of which are fitted and
cemented upon the upper ends of the fireclay tubes 6, which ends project up
through the horizontal partition 13, so that the joints may be in the upper and
cooler oven space. The several socket rings 22 are connected together by tie
rods 23, which serve to maintain the proper positions of the retorts. The socket
rings 9 at the bottoms of the fireclay tubes 6 have attached to them iron tubes 24,
which form continuations of the retorts and extend down to shallow tanks 25, such
as are commonly used for receiving the exhausted materials. These tanks contain
sufficient water to seal the bottoms of the tubes 24, and the exhausted materials
which descend into the tanks are periodically removed in small quantities. The
superheated steam is led from the generating and superheating apparatus 26 in the
chamber 16 by pipes 27, which have branches 28 (fitted of course with separate
stop valves and clearing appliances), and each branch pipe 28 is connected to the
bottom iron tube 24 of its retort, so as to act on the materials even at that low
point, there being in them still considerable heat, although they have descended
below the fireclay tubes 6.
In commencing to work with my improved apparatus, the tubes 6 or lower parts
of the retorts are filled with "spent" shale, and their heat is gradually raised to at
least a bright red, the upper tubes 5 being at the same time heated by means of
the gas burners. The steam is turned on to keep the "spent" shale from sticking
in the lower tubes 6. The upper tubes 5 are next filled with fresh shale, and
when oil vapors begin to show themselves all openings are closed except those
leading to the main and condensers. The heat of the iron tubes or upper parts of
the retorts 5 is by suitably adjusting the gas jets regulated according to the color
and specific gravity of the oil produced. The specific gravity may range from
840 to 900, but the most advantageous specific gravity for each particular shale or
mineral must be determined by experiment; I prefer to work with a heat in the
upper parts of the tubes such as to produce only a faint glow at night. My object
in applying a bright-red or slightly higher heat to the fireclay tubes or lower parts
of the retorts 6 is that all or a large part of the fixed carbon remaining in the
shale may be converted into carbonic oxide, and that the residue may come from
the retorts in a hard and grey condition instead of the soft and black condition
of ordinary "spent" shale, but care must be taken that the shale is not heated so
high as to soften or fuse, otherwise serious stoppage or plugging of the retorts will
To reduce the liability to plugging, the upper and lower or the lower parts
alone of the retorts are made slightly tapering, the widest part being at the bottom.
Along with the increased yield of ammonia there is also an increased yield of
permanent combustible gas, which can be utilised as fuel.
occur.
In practice it is desirable to regulate the average rate of descent of the materials

page_text: in the retort in such a manner that the whole or most of the oil will have been
distilled from each successive part of the materials by the time such part reaches
the lower or fireclay part of the retort, where it becomes subjected to the bigher
heat.
A suitable average rate of descent is secured by watching the results and
by withdrawing the exhausted shale from the bottom of the retort in larger or
smaller quantities, or at more or less frequent intervals accordingly, the supplies of
fresh materials being of course also similarly adjusted. It is known when the
descent is too rapid by the oil produced yielding easily understood indications of
part of it having been distilled at too high a temperature, whilst it is obvious on
the other hand that time and fuel will be economised by keeping the descent as
rapid as possible short of the rate with which the undesirable indications are
produced. With the practically continuous system of working each successive
part of the materials as it in descending becomes more and more exhausted is acted
upon by steam, which being less and less mixed or charged is the better suited for
acting effectively in extracting the diminished proportions and final traces of
ammonia.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The improved system or mode of distilling shale or other oil-yielding minerals
wherein the materials are passed through the retorts in a practically continuous
manner, and wherein the distillation of the oil is effected in the upper parts of the
retorts at a suitable moderate heat, wholly or to a great extent by the heat or
action of vapors or gases passing up from the lower parts of the retorts, in which
lower parts the "spent" shale is being subjected to a comparatively high heat for
the purpose of increasing the yield of ammonia, and thereby enhancing the value
of the aggregate products, substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination with the upper-iron tubes or oil retorts, in which the oil is
distilled from the shale or mineral, of lower fireclay continuations of or additions
to such oil retorts for the further treatment of the "spent" shale by the action of
considerably increased heat and of steam to obtain an increased yield of aminonia,
there being also combined with such arrangements of retorts the partitioning of the
oven or space in which the retorts are placed in a manner to confine the direct
application of the fire gases entirely or almost entirely to the said lower con-
tinuations or additions, all substantially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Thomas Beilby, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty-one..
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
GEORGE BEILBY. (L.S.)