Improvements in Gasifying and Distilling Hydrocarbon Liquids.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gasifying and Distilling Hydrocarbon Liquids.
I, SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, (a commu-
nication to me from abroad by La Société Internationale des Procédés Adolphe
Seigle, of Levallois-Perret, Seine, France,) 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 has for its object a new process for treating hydrocarbon liquids
mixed or emulsified with water by means of a heating apparatus of any convenient
form for the production of gas or lighter hydrocarbons than the hydrocarbous
treated.
This result is obtained by means of an apparatus shown diagrammatically in the
annexed drawing which consists essentially of a spray, producer or other mixer
producing an emulsion of water and hydrocarbon which emulsion is led through a
metallic worm heated in any manner, in which is effected successively the reduction
of the vapour of water by the carbon resulting from the dissolution of certain
elements of the heavy oil and the carburation of the poor gas thus obtained by
the hydrocarbon vapour.
The proportion of the poor gas can be augmented if necessary by the introduction
of carbon or coke into part of the worm.
The said apparatus comprises besides a washing condenser and purifier for the
condensation of the vapours and the absorption of the carbonic acid mixed with the
gas and a receptacle or gasometer.
The annexed drawing shows a longitudinal section of the apparatus.
a is a spray producer for the heavy coal, petroleum, schist, resin or like oil
operated by vapour of water under pressure. This vapour is admitted to the spray
producer by the pipe . is a pipe supplying the heavy oil. c is the heated
metallic worm in which circulates the jet of vapour of water and of heavy oil
pulverised in such manner that the two bodies are intimately mixed and incorporated
the one with the other as it were molecule to molecule.
Under the influence of the high temperature the oil is partially dissociated with
the formation of stable hydrocarbons and free carbon, the vapour reacts on the
incandescent free carbon forming a mixture of hydrogen carbonic oxide and
carbonic acid in proportions varying according to the temperature and constituting
a poor gas, this poor gas enriched by mixing with the hydrocarbon vapours already
mentioned then leaves the worm and enters the condenser purifier e. is a furnace
of any form heated in any convenient manner in which the worm c is kept at the
desired temperature.
e is a condenser purifier containing thin milk of lime in
which the heated products are deprived of their condensible constituents and
carbonic acid. f is a gasometer.
It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the type of spray producer or
to the arrangement of worm shown in the drawings which may be varied as well
as the mode of introduction of the emulsion of water and heavy oil into the worm
which may differ in different cases, for example the two liquids may be vaporised
separately and their vapours under pressure injected simultaneously in variable
proportions for the desired purpose at the same end of the worm.
A pump may also be employed if desired for forcing the mixture or emulsion of
hydro-carbons and water previously obtained in any convenient manner.
In short any apparatus suitable to the object in view may be employed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The mixture of vapour of water or of water and liquid hydrocarbons before
or at the moment of forcing them through a heated worm."
2. The treatment by heat of the said mixture of liquid hydrocarbons and water
in a heated apparatus for the purpose of obtaining gas or bydrocarbons lighter
than the hydro-carbons treated-all substantially as described and shown in the
drawing.
Dotal shia tail dan al Ontation 1005
SYDNEY PITT.