Improvements in the Treatment of Kerosene Shale for the Production of Hydrocarbons and other Products therefrom.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1895-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
JUMI LEIE DI BUITIOAION.
[Communicated from abroad by JAMES CARNEGIE ALEXANDER, Engineer, and
ROBERT CHRISTOPHER BEVERIDGE, Accountant, both of Sydney, in the
Colony of New South Wales.]
Improvements in the Treatment of Kerosene Shale for the
Production of Hydrocarbons and other Products therefrom.
I, CHARLES HENRY MCEUEN of -97 Cannon Street in the City and County of
London, Merchant 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 :-
What is known as the destructive distillation of kerosene shale has been hitherto
accomplished by the well known and recognised means of direct fuel firing.
There is in this a considerable amount of uncertainty due to the acknowledged
difficulty in controlling the requisite temperatures. I have found that under
certain conditions the necessary temperature requisite for the economical treatment
of the shale can be kept under control with a certainty not hitherto attainable.
In the carrying out of my improvements I have found that the necessary
temperature for the distillation of the shale under treatment and the volatilizing
of the produced hydrocarbons may be attained with great certainty by the
employment of a molten metal bath, either lead, zinc or tin or similarly easily
melted metal or a mixture of any of them as may be desired; by preference
I employ a bath of molten lead. For carrying out my improved method I may
employ different modifications of known means by which I may bring the shale
to be treated in contact with the source of heat required to liberate the wished
for products. For instance by means of mechanical conveyors the shale may be
passed over, through or along the molten metal while the liberated products are
caught by an air-tight covering placed over the conveyor used to pass the shale
over, through or along the molten metal.
In performing my improved process by the aid of mechanical conveyors I may
use the arrangement shewn on the drawings,
Figure 1 being a longitudinal section,
Figure 2 a cross section, and
Figure 3. a sectional plan thereof.
A covered bath A having a suitable feed opening formed at the top, is provided
with a hopper B for introducing the shale or other material to be treated, an air-
tight valve C operated by any well known means being arranged within the hopper
for the purpose of closing the feed opening.
Within the bath and near each end thereof a drum D is arranged to be rotated
upon a horizontal axis by suitable mechanism, and a conveyor grating E forming
an endless chain or band is caused to travel around the drums D and to pass
directly under the feed opening so as to receive the material introduced. This
conveyor is furnished at short intervals with projecting arms or sweeps for the
purpose of carrying the material, and is operated to travel over the drums in a
direction from the feed opening towards opposite end of the bath, returning under
the drums below the surface of the molten lead or other metal F, so as to immerse
therein the material to be treated.
At convenient positions above the level of the molten metal F, suitable outlet
pipes G connect the covered bath with an exhaust for the purpose of carrying off
[ Prine Q71

page_text: the volatile products or gases to a receiver or storage vessel. The bath is provided
also with a discharge-shoot H opposite the drum at the end where the conveyor
emerges from the molten metal, and suitable vanes I are arranged to revolve
within the shoot for the purpose of removing the residual products which rise to
the surface at that end of the bath.
The products are condensed in the usual manner and are then ready for use, or
for refining or other treatments by well known methods.
It may if desired be
also arranged that the shale under treatment be immersed in the bath of molten
metal by well known means or also that the shale, in pieces be filled into retorts
either horizontal, vertical or angular; these retorts being immersed in the molten
metal and which for greater heating surface may be corrugated if desired, whilst
the products are condensed as before mentioned. I do not confine myself to any
particular method of introducing the shale to be acted on.
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 :-
The application and use of a nearly constant and easily controlled temperature
by means of a molten metal bath (preferably of lead) in the production of
volatilizable hydrocarbons from what is known as kerosene shale substantially as
described.
...
•
1002
Dated
First day of August
1000
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Agents.