IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS FOR, PREPARING AND TREATING OILS AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors at
Frankfort on the Main in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature
of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS FOR,
PREPARING AND TREATING OILS AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES FOR INDUSTRIAL
PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a method or process of treating petroleum oils, resins
bitumen and the like for distillation, for bleaching, for conversion into gas, and for
the production of lamp-black, and to apparatus therefor.
In order to convert into a permanent solid form liquid hydro-carbons or other
oils, and fatty matters, resins or bitumen which become liquid at a higher
temperature than that of the atmosphere, I mix the said substances with moss-peat
having a specific gravity of 0,09 and in a dry and loose condition.
About 100 parts of this moss-peat mixed with from 400 to 600 parts of crude
petroleum produces a fibrous mass which can be subjected to various temperatures
in boilers, retorts, or the like in order to separate the carburetted hydrogen
disengaged; I use, in this case an oven provided with iron or clay retorts laid in a
horizontal position and preferably oval in transverse section. This oven, which
has preferably three series of retorts, viz a central series and a series on each side
of it permits the retorts to be heated to any temperature ranging between 80°
and 1800° Celsius, the highest temperature being obtained in the central retorts
and the lowest in the lowest retort of each of the outside series.
The central retorts are surrounded by a wall and are exposed to the direct action
of the fire. Through the arch of the inner oven thus formed the heat passes to the
outer ovens in which are placed the side series of retorts. The hot gases play
around these side retorts and thence pass into flues which are provided with
dampers.

page_text: When the damper of one flue is closed the heated gases pass through the opposite
flue whereby the temperature of one series of side retorts is reduced to a
minimum.
Where the temperature is lowest steam is admitted, and, by reason of the low
temperature, is condensed.
Where the temperature is highest carburetted hydrogen gas is evolved and
either converted into lamp-black in suitable furnaces or mixed with hydrogen gas
and converted into lighting gas or heating gas. The hydrogen gas used in this
case is produced by decomposing steam or water .in the central retorts. To this
end the lower central retort is filled with refractory material while the upper
central retort is provided with metallic shavings.
The steam or water spray introduced to the lower central retort is decomposed,
the oxygen entering into combination with the metallic shavings placed in the
upper central retort and forming an oxide of the metal which is employed. The
hydrogen passes to a receiver.
.
When it is required to produce large quantities of lighting or heating gas I add
to the moss peat saturated with oil, 400 to 600 parts of fine coal; the coke produced
can be used for firing purposes.
In the preparation of lighting gas, resins, and the like may be used instead of
crude petroleumn.
In order to purify the lighting gas I cause the same to pass through a mass of
peat moss and lime or gypsum.
When it is required to bleach lubricating oils produced from crude petroleum
I mix the oily peat moss above referred to with chloride of lime and extract the
said lubricating oils by steam having a temperature of about 250° Celsius. The
residuum from this process can be converted into gas.
Dated this Twenty first day of January 1884.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: I, FRANK WIRTH, of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS FOR,
PREPARING AND TREATING OILS AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES FOR INDUSTRIAL.
"
PURPOSES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to a method or process of treating petroleum oils, resins,
bitumen, and the like for distillation, for bleaching, for conversion into gas, and.
for the production of lamp-black, and to apparatus therefor. In order to convert,
into a permanent solid form, liquid hydro-carbons or other oils and fatty matters,
resins or bitumen, which become liquid at a temperature only slightly higher than
that of the atmosphere, I mix the said substances with moss peat having a specific'
gravity of 0.09 and in a dry and loose condition.
About 100 parts of this moss peat, mixed with from 100 to 600 parts of crude
petroleum produces a fibrous mass which can be subjected to various degrees of
temperature in chambers, boilers, clay retorts or the like, in order to form the
hydrocarbons, at the various temperatures, into vapours or gases.
I use, for this purpose apparatus of the construction shewn in the accompanying
drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figures 2, 3 and 4 are sections on the lines a—b, c―d, and e-f respectively of
Figure 1.
The improved apparatus comprises a series of iron and clay retorts laid
horizontally, and preferably oval in transverse section as shewn.
The retorts are arranged in such a manner that they may be heated to any
temperature ranging between 80° and 1800° Celsius, the highest temperature being
obtained in the central series of retorts W and W and the lowest in the lowest
retort W, W³, of each of the two outer series.
The whole nest of retorts is enclosed by a wall a, and the two retorts W, W¹ are
surrounded by a wall I and are exposed to the direct action of the heat from the
furnace A, which may be fired from both ends as shewn in Figure 3.
From the furnace, the heat passes through the arch of the inner wall I to the
compartments b, b, in each of which is a series of retorts some of which are of
clay and some of iron. The heated gases pass around these outer retorts and
thence below the retorts W2, W³, into flues R which, as shewn in Figure 4, are
provided with valves Q.
When the valve in one flue R is closed, the heated gases pass to the
compartments on the other side of the apparatus, and the temperature in the
former is reduced to a minimum or retained in that condition according as to
whether the supply of the substance to be distilled is large or small.
Vapours are evolved where the temperature is lowest and these vapours are
condensed according to one of the ordinary methods employed, the liquids being
drawn off. Where the temperature is high, carburetted hydrogen gas is evolved
and either converted into lamp-black by the application of a suitable mode of
combustion or diluted to form gas for lighting or heating purposes.
The hydrogen gas is produced by decomposing steam
or water in the
retorts W, W To this end the retort W is filled with refractory material, while
the retort W is provided with metallic shavings. The steam or water spray
introduced into the retort W is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen. The

page_text: oxygen enters into combination with the metallic shavings p'aced in the retort W³,
forming an oxide of the metal which is employed, while the hydrogen passes to a
receiver.
When it is required to produce large quantities of lighting or heating gas, I add
to the moss-peat saturated with oil, 100 to 600 parts of fine pit-coal, this mixture
being converted into gas.in the retorts, O;. O' or; K, K¹. This arrangement has for
its object to obtain coke for working the oven.
In the generation of lighting gas, resins, residues, or the like may be used instead
of crude petroleum.
In order to purify, the lighting gas,, I cause the same to pass through a mixture of
moss-peat and lime or gypsum. When it is required to bleach lubricating oil produced
from crude petroleum, I mix the, oily moss-peat above referred. to. with a certain.
quantity of chloride.of lime and extract, the said oil by distillation at a temperature.
of about 250° Celsius; the residuum from the process can be converted into gas.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The process, hereinbefore described for the treatment of petroleum, oils,
resins, and bitumen, for the purposes of distillation, and bleaching, and conversion
into lamp-black.
Second. The improved apparatus arranged substantially as hereinbefore described,
for the purposes, specified.,
Dated L
f Ontahan 100A