PURIFYING PARAFFIN OILS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY, of Midcalder, in the County of Midlothian, North
Britain, Chemical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
for "PURIFYING PARAFFIN OILS" to be as follows:-—
This Invention relates to improvements in the removal of certain impurities
from shale or similar oils which, under the systems of refining at present ordinarily
practised, are removed or removable only by the distillation of the oils over or
from caustic soda.
By dispensing with the introduction of caustic soda into the stills which hitherto
at this stage has necessitated intermittent distillation, continuous distillation is
made available at all stages of the purification of the said oils.
My improved process consists in treating the oils with a solution of caustic alkali
in ethyl or methyl alcohol, preferably after the removal from them by the ordinary
methods,, of the greater part of the basic and acid impurities.-The final traces of
acid or neutral tar dissolved by this reagent are separated by settling and decantation
or by equivalent means..
The economic success of the process depends on the recovery of the alcohol used.
as a solvent, and my researches have had reference to this among other points.-
With certain shale oils on which my investigations have been conducted, I have
found that alcohol equal to about 25 per cent of the volume of oil remains in
solution in the oil.-The alcohol, has therefore to be recovered not only from the
"tar" or solution of tar, but also from the oil itself.-From the tar I recover the
alcohol by blowing steam through the solution either in a dephlegmating column or
in a still-From the oil I recover the alcohol by distillation in a still heated by a
coil or casing through, which steam passes, or by direct fire heat.-In both cases the
stills should be provided with rectifying columns.
My researches have shewn that only a relatively small percentage of the alcohol
employed is actually used up in the process so that with the means herein described
for the recovery of the alcohol treatments of oil therewith of say 5, 7, or 10 per
cent may be economically adopted.

page_text: I, GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY, of Midcalder, in the County of Midlothian, North
Britain, Chemical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
for PURIFYING PARAFFIN OILS and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
.9
My Invention relates to Improvements in the removal of, certain impurities
from shale or similar, oils .which, under the, systems of-refining at present ordinarily
practiced, are, removed or removeable only by the distillation, of the oils, over, or
from caustic soda.
".
By dispensing with the introduction of caustic soda into the stills, which
hitherto, at this stage, has necessitated' intermittent distillation, continuous dis-
tillation is made available at all stages of the purification of the-said oils.
"
My improved process consists in treating the oils with a solution of caustic
alkali in ethyl or methyl alcohol preferably after the removal from them by the
ordinary methods, of the greater part of the basic or acid impurities. The final
traces of acid or neutral tar dissolved, by, this reagent are separated by settling
cand decantation or by equivalent means.
The solution of alcoholic soda is prepared by dissolving dry caustic soda; in
ethyl or methyl alcohol or methylated spirit: what is commercially known as
70% caustic soda is very suitable. The solution should be so strong that it will
sink in the oil to be purified.
The oil to be purified is prepared by preliminary treatments of sulphuric acid
and oqueous solution of caustic soda in the ordinary, well-known way.
A suitable percentage of the alcoholic soda is thoroughly mixed with tho oil in-
an agitating vessel of such construction as to minimise the loss of alcohol by
evaporation during the mixing and subsequent operations. The mixture is allowed
to settle and the alcoholic soda, holding the impurities in solution, separates, and
falls to the bottom of the vessel. The solution is run off-and-is steamed with open"
steam to drive off the alcohol
This operation may be conducted in a simple still but preferably in a dephleg-
The removal of
mating column provided with a rectifier and condensing worm:
the alcohol, leaves an oqueous solution of soda and the tarry impurities which have
been dissolved out of the oil.
The supernatant oil in the mixing vessel, which still contains a considerable
quantity of alcohol in solution, is either again washed with a fresh quantity of
alcoholic soda or is at once passed through a still or column heated by steam coils
or jackets or by fire gases. The alcohol vapours are driven off, and passing through
a rectifier are condensed in a worm.
.0
The oil is now ready. for, such further treatments-or distillations as may be
required to bring it into marketable forms.
The recovery of the alcohol; from solution in the oil, may be effected as herein-
before described in a special still, or may be carried out in the ordinary oil stills.
The former method is to be preferred.

page_text: I am aware that proposals have been made to use a solution of caustic soda in
alcohol for the purification of paraffin oils, and I do not claim as my Invention the
general, use of this reagent for that purpose. But my investigations have had.
reference specially to the economical application of this reagent as supplementary
to the ordinary process of paraffin oil refining and to minimising the actual
consumption of alcohol.
•
I have found that the success of the process chemically and economically chiefly
depends on the following points :-
That the alcoholic soda is of proper strength and that it is used in sufficient
quantity. In the oils I have experimented with, less than five per cent by volume
was the minimum quantity.
That the solution of impurities in alcoholic soda is as completely removed as
possible from the oil by settling and decantation before any attempt is made to
recover the alcohol which remains in solution in the oil.
That dilution of the alcoholic soda while mixed with the oil by steaming with
open steam or by water washing is mischievous or hurtful.
That the various vessels employed and their connections are gas-tight.
That the alcohol is recovered both from the solution of tar and from the oil by
suitable steaming and distillation.
By observing these conditions, oils can be satisfactorily purified with a loss of
only three to four per cent of the alcohol employed.
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 purification of paraffin oils by the treatment as hereinbefore
described.
Second. The double recovery of alcohol used as a reagent from the solution of
tar and from solution in the oil as herein before described.
Third. Passing the oils and tars, separately through dephlegmating and steaming
stills provided with rectifiers as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Sixth day of July 1885.
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