Improvements in the Distillation of Mineral Oils and in the Apparatus Employed therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 31st Dec., 1889--Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
TROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Distillation of Mineral Oils and in the
Apparatus Employed therefor.
We WILLIAM YOUNG of Priorsford in the Town and County of Peebles, North
Britain Chemical Engineer and GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY of St. Kitts, Slateford,
Midlothian, North Britain, Chemical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the process of continuous distillation of
Mineral Oils and in Apparatus therefor and its object is to effect increased economy
in the process of distillation and to increase the quantity and improve the quality
of the refined products.
In our improved process the distillation is conducted in such a way that the
vapours as they are evolved from the oils in their passage through the distilling
apparatus are, either alone or co-mingled with steam, caused to bubble through, cr
to come intimately in contact with, the less volatile oils undergoing distillation so as
to take up and carry over the less volatile vapours. With this object the oil feed is
introduced at or near the bottom of the apparatus in its upward passage through
which it is subjected to an increasing temperature; the more volatile portions being at
once converted into vapour and as such passing up through the more highly heated
but less volatile oils above and assisting in their rapid volatilisation.
The improved process is further conducted in such a way that the oils are allowed
to remain a much shorter time under the influence of heat during distillation than
has hitherto been the practice. The latter object is accomplished by constructing
the stills with as large AL heating surface in proportion to the oil contained as is
compatible with easy access for cleaning.
This invention may be applied to the distillation of oils in various stages in the
process of refining and the general arrangement and construction of the Apparatus
may be modified to suit the nature of the oils to be distilled.
An arrangement suitable for the continuous distillation of oils when a high temperature
has to be employed as with oils in a crude state or after their grosser impurities have
been removed by a treatment with acid and alkali, consists of a vertical cylinderical-
dome-covered still composed of outer and inner shells of such dimensions that the
annular space between them is just sufficiently wide to admit of access for cleaning.
The whole shell is built of malleable iron or steel plates with the exception of the
dome-shaped crown of the inner shell which is the part exposed to the greatest heat
and is preferably made of cast iron.
The annular space between the inner and outer shells is divided into compartments
by horizontal partitions. These compartments communicate with each other and
with the chamber between the outer and inner domes, by means of covered tubular
openings which trap the vapours as they are evolved from the oil and allow them to
pass up through the oil contained in the upper compartment and chamber. There
are also other openings through the partitions for the passage of the oil. These
openings are arranged so as to cause the oil to travel in a circuitous course round
the annular compartments and through the upper chamber. The residue or
undistilled part of the oil is drawn off from the upper chamber and is transferred
to other stills in which it is distilled to dryness.
Steam may be admitted into the still to assist in the distillation but the quantity
required is much less than in the ordinary systems of distillation as the vapours from
the more volatile oils partly serve the same purpose as steam.
The still is built in brickwork with suitable flues and is heated by a furnace the

page_text: fire gases from which are first made to act upon the dome of the inner shell from
which they pass down under the bottom ring and round the outer shell and thence
to the chimney.
We prefer to carry the oil vapours from the still by suitable pipes to regenerative
condensers similar to those described in the specification. of our earlier Fatent
No. 6094, A.D. 1884.
For more highly refined oils when their temperature of distillation is not so high,
the stills may be built entirely of malleable iron or steel plates; and they may be
made horizontal instead of vertical having the shape of a saddle boiler with deep
sides which are divided into compartments by horizontal partitions as in. the case of
the vertical, dome-shaped still.
When the oils require to be fractionated into different grades, the mixed vapours
from the still are fractionally condensed by subjecting them to suitable temperatures
by regulating the flow of the oil feed on its passage to the still through the
regenerative condensers.
Stills constructed and worked as here-in-before described may be worked in a series
of two or more.
Dated this 15th day of March 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Distillation of Mineral Oils and in the
Apparatus Employed therefor.
We WILLIAM YOUNG of Priorsford Town & County of Peebles, North Britain,
Chemical Engineer, and GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY, of St. Kitis, Slateford, Midlothian,
North Britain Chemical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
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 improvements in the process of continuous distillation of
Mineral Oils and in apparatus therefor and its object is to effect increased economy
in the process of distillation and to increase the quantity and improve the quality of
the refined products.
In our improved process the distillation is conducted in such a way that the
vapours as they are evolved from the oils in their passage through the distilling
apparatus are either alone or co-mingled with steam-caused to bubble through, or
to come intimately in contact with, the less volatile oils undergoing distillation so as
to take up and carry over the less volatile vapours. With this object the oil feed
is introduced at or near the bottom of the apparatus in its upward passage through
which it is subjected to an increasing temperature the more volatile portions being
at once converted into vapour and, as such, passing up through the more highly-
heated. but less volatile oils above and promoting their rapid distillation.
Our, improved system of distillation is conducted in such a way that the, oils are
allowed to remain a much shorter time under the influence of heat, during distillation
than, has hitherto been the practice. This object is attained by, making the stills with
as large a heating surface in proportion to their capacity as is compatible with easy
access for cleaning..
This invention may be applied to the distillation of oils in various, stages in, the
process of refining, the general arrangement and construction of the apparatus being
modified.to.suit the nature of the oils to be distilled.
An arrangement suitable for the distillation of,,oils of almost any, grade; consists of
a vertical-cylindrical-dome-covered still composed, of, outer, and, inner shells of
such dimensions, that the annular space between, them is just sufficiently wide to
admit of access for cleaning.. The shells aro, built of, malleable: iron or steel plates
with the exception of the dome-shaped, crown of the inner shell which is the part

page_text: exposed to the greatest heat, is preferably made of, cast iron; but when only the more
highly refined oils are to be distilled, the crown also may be built of malleable iron
or steel.
The annular space between the outer and inner shells is divided into compartments
by horizontal partitions. These compartments communicate with each other and with
the top chamber between the domes by means of covered tubular openings which
trap the vapours as they are evolved and allow them to pass through the oil contained
in the compartment above. There are also other openings through the partitions for
the passage upwards of the oils. By means of the-e openings and with the help of
certain vertical partitions, the oil is made to travel upwards by a circuitous route
round the annular compartments and through the upper chamber. The oil feed is
introduced at the bottom of the still and the residue or undistilled portion is drawn
off by an overflow pipe in the upper chamber. In some cases the overflow is led
into another similar still, two or more of such stills being worked in series-the
overflow from the last of the series being led to coking stills in which it is distilled
to dryness.
In other cases the overflow from a single still is led directly to coking stills.
The different compartments of the still are provided with suitable steampipes
through which steam may be admitted to help in the distillation, but the quantity
required is less than in the ordinary systems of distillation as the vapours of the
more volatile oils serve some of the same purposes as steam by keeping the oil in
violent agitation and by carrying over the vapours of the oils at temperatures lower
than their true boiling point.
The still is built in brickwork with suitable flues and is heated by a furnace, the
fire gases from which are first made to act upon the dome of the inner shell from
which they are drawn under the annular ring and round the outer shell and thence
to the chinney.
We prefer to carry the oil vapours from the still through regenerative condensers
similar to those described in the Specification of our earlier patent No. 6094—
A.D. 1884. By this means the oils may be delivered into the bottom of the still at a very
high temperature and ready at once to boil and give off vapours. The form of the
still may be considerably modified while still retaining the essential features of our
improved system. For instance, the still may be made horizontal instead of vertical
having the shape of a saddle boiler with deep sides which are divided into compart-
ments by horizontal partitions as in the annulus of the vertical-dome-covered still.
Our system may be applied to stills of the ordinary hemispherical or cylindrical
form: Any number of hemispherical, cast iron stills may be arranged to work
alternately feeding and coking. In this case also we prefer to heat and partially
distil the oil by passing it through regenerative condensers on its way to the stills.
The hot oil feed is then led to the bottom of the still by an internal pipe from which
it issues among the hot oil, the more volatile parts being quickly vapourised and
passing up through the body of oil above, help in its distillation.
The following is a description of the drawings which accompany this
Specification:-
:―
Fig. 1. Sheet 1. Elevation of Still & Condensers the former in section.
Fig. 2. Plan of the same Still.
Fig. 3. Horizontal section of Still on the line A, B.
Fig. 4. Horizontal section of Still on the line C, D.
Fig. 5. Sheet 2. Elevation of a pair of cast iron Stills with condensers-one of the
Stills in section.
Fig. 6. Plan of the same Stills and Condensers.
The same reference letters and numbers apply throughout.
3. 32. Still.
s. Outer shell of maileable iron or steel.
Inner shell of the same.
3. Crown of inner shell of cast iron.

page_text: f. Furnace.
Flues heating internal shell of Still.
3. Ports under Still from internal to external flues.
f. Flues heating external shell.
5. Drop to main flue.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The system of distillation in which the vapours of the more volatile oils are
used to help in the distillation of the less volatile oils substantially as described in
the foregoing specification.
2. The system of Still construction, combination and working by which increased
rapidity of distillation is secured-substantially as described.
3. Stills constructed and shown in the foregoing Specification and in Figs. 1, 2,
3 & 4 or any mere modification of the same.
Dated this 30th day of December 1889.
WM. YOUNG,
GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY,
Applicants.