Improvements in Processes for Removing the Smell from Petroleum and Hydro-carburets.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Processes for Removing the Smell from Petroleum
and Hydro-carburets.
I, CHARLES HENRY, of 2, Rue Jean de Beauvais, Paris, France, Professor, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is rather generally admitted that the prepondering factors of the smell of
petroleum and of products extracted from coal, tar and the like are sulphuretted
compounds such as thiophene, thiophenole and the like generated mostly in
course of distillation, by the combination of melted sulphur with ethylenic and
acetylenic carburets, which are themselves generated by the successive dis-,
sociations and condensations under the influence of the heat.
The object of the ordinary refining process of petroleum is:
1) By the treatment with sulphuric acid, to dissolve the resins and to eliminate,
the ethylenic and acetylenic carburets.
2) To precipitate the organic acids, phenole, and the like, with caustic soda.
It is not capable of eliminating the organic sulphurets.
I have succeeded in doing so by treating petroleum refined in the ordinary
way, with plumbite of potassa.
During one hour I agitate 100 kilogrammes of petroleum with a solution
containing 1 kilo. 5 of litharge, 9 kilos. of potash and 20 kilos. of water, then
wash with water.
The plumbite of potassa may be regenerated indefinitely with a reflux distilla-
tion and be used again for purifying; it is for this reason that this process
is not expensive, notwithstanding the great proportion of potash.
Neither the litharge nor the potash alone removes the smell. A successive
treatment with potash and litharge is far from being so efficacious as a treat-
ment with a very smaller quantity of plumbite of potassa. Soda and every other
alkali does not act so efficaciously as potash. The plumbite of potassa acts as
oxydant not as disinfectant.
The smell is also removed by successively treating the petroleum with potash
and sub-acetate of lead, but this process is more complicated than the preceding
one.

page_text: is double, being yellow by transparency, and blue by reflection. This is owing
to a badly defined (dichroïque) body. This coloring is exaggerated by the ozone,
and is developed by oxidation in the course of time. The above remarks indi-
cate the treatment that would be found most suitable for application in order
to remove this new source of color; reducing substances must be employed.
In fact the condition (dichroïsme) is greatly diminished by the agitation of
the petroleums with zinc powder either by itself, or in a potash or acetic dissolu-
tion, with acetic acid the traces of which can be easily eliminated by means
of an alkali (lime, potash, etc.,) with hyposulphite of sodium, etc. and generally
by means of agitation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
1. A double process for refining petroleums and other hydrocarbons consisting
in a method of deodorizing and in methods of decoloring, substantially as
described.
2. The process for removing the smell from petroleum, and hydrocarburets,
substantially as fully described in the above specification for the purpose
specified.
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W.,
Agent for the Applicant.