Improvements in the Condensation of the Vapors of Mineral Oils, and in Apparatus for the purpose.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in the Condensation of the Vapors of Mineral Oils,
and in Apparatus for the purpose.
We, THE MINERAL OILS CORPORATION LIMITED, of 96, 97 and 98, Leadenhall
Street, London, Manufacturers, and PAUL DVORKOVITZ, of 16, Devonshire
Chambers, Bishopsgate Street Without, London, Consulting Chemist, do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:
33.
This invention has reference to the condensation of the vapors of mineral oils.
In the method or process of distilling mineral oils as hitherto usually followed
the vapors generally consisting of a mixture of light and heavy on leaving the
retort or heating apparatus have been led through a coil or serpentine of piping
situated in a tank which is kept supplied with cold water. The vapors become
condensed while passing through the coil and the light or "low flash
become mixed with the heavier or
Now according to our invention we condense the vapors in such manner that
the light oils become separated from the heavy oils during the process of con-
densation, this process being effected in a fractional manner. The flash point of
the intermediate and heavy oils is thus greatly raised.
high flash" oils.
oils.
In carrying out our invention in the preferred way we first pass the vapors
through one or more condensers each of which comprises a drum or chamber
with a vapor inlet and a vapor outlet thereto and a number of pipes preferably
vertical through which a circulation of cold water or other cooling liquid is
maintained. Any oil formed by the condensation of the vapors in these .con-
densers falls to the bottom and can be drawn off by a trapped outlet; this oil
will be the heaviest of the distillate.
From the last of the condensers just described the remaining vapors are
conducted to a condenser which comprises a series of preferably vertical pipes
connected together by elbows or U's at top and bottom so as to constitute one
continuous up and down pipe; the terminal end of the pipe is preferably con-
nected with a vacuum pump. These pipes are placed in a tank through which a
circulation of cold water or other cooling liquid is maintained. The bottom
elbows or U's of the up and down pipes have each an orifice through which the
oil due to condensation of the vapor in passing through the pipes escapes into a
compartment below the tank and can be drawn off through a trapped outlet.
The orifices in all the bottom elbows may either communicate with one and
the same compartment or if it is desired to divide the oil into different gravities
the orifices may communicate with distinct compartments. The oil due to
condensation of the vapors in our first described condensers will be of higher
specific gravity than that obtained in our last described condenser. The light
vapors which in the ordinary method of condensation become mixed with the
heavy oil and lower its flash point to a serious extent is not obtained in our

page_text: apparatus above described; they may be liquefied by passing them through a
special condenser or through further. condensers such as that last described.
In some cases we dispense with the condensers first described and lead the
vapors direct from the retort or heating apparatus to the first of the up and
down pipes of the condenser subsequently described, but in this case the number
of such pipes should be increased.
The amount of condensation in each condenser can be regulated as required by
adjusting the size of the water inlet and outlet or by regulating the rate of
flow of the water or by regulating the action of the vacuum pump.
Dated this 24th day of March 1898.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in the Condensation of the Vapors of Mineral Oils,
and in Apparatus for the purpose.
We, THE MINERAL OILS CORPORATION LIMITED, of 96, 97 and 98, Leadenhall
Street, London, Manufacturers, and PAUL DVORKOVITZ, of 16, Devonshire.
Chambers, Bishopsgate Street Without, London, Consulting Chemist, 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 reference to the condensation of the vapors of mineral oils.
In the method or process of distilling mineral oils as hitherto generally
followed, the vapors, generally consisting of a mixture of light and heavy, on
leaving the retort or heating apparatus, have been led through a coil or serpentine
The vapors
of piping situated in a tank which is kept supplied with cold water.
become condensed while passing through the coil and the light or
oils become mixed with the heavier or "high flash" oils.
low flash'
"
Now according to our invention we condense the vapors in such manner that
the light oils become separated from the heavy oils during the process of con-
densation, this process being effected in a fractional manner. The flash point of
the intermediate and heavy oils is thus greatly raised.
In carrying out our invention in the preferred way, we first pass the vapors
through one or more condensers, each of which comprises a drum or chamber
with a vapor inlet and a vapor outlet thereto, and a number of pipes, preferably
vertical through which a circulation of cold water or other cooling liquid is
maintained. Any oil formed by the condensation of the vapors in these con-
densers falls to the bottom, and can be drawn off by a trapped outlet; this oil
will be the heaviest of the distillate.
From the last of the condensers just described the remaining vapors are
conducted to a condenser, which comprises a series of preferably vertical pipes
connected together by elbows or U's at top and bottom so as to constitute one
continuous up and down pipe; the terminal end of the pipe is preferably con-
nected with a vacuum. pump. These pipes are placed in a tank through which a
circulation of cold water or other cooling liquid is maintained. The bottom
elbows or U's of the up and down pipes have each an orifice, through which the
oil due to condensation of the vapor in passing through the pipes escapes into a
compartment below the tank and can be drawn off through a trapped outlet.

page_text: the orifices in all the bottom elbows may either co
he same compartment, or if it is desired to divide the oil into different gravities
he orifices may communicate with distinct compartments.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section on the irregular
ine 1-1 of Figure 2, and Figure 2 a plan partly in section on the line 2–2
f Figure 1 of an apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention as
ereinbefore described. The apparatus as shown comprises two condensers A
and B of different construction, the vapor that passes from the condenser A being
conducted by the pipe C to the condenser B; there may however be two or more
condensers such as A through which the vapors pass successively before being
conducted to the condenser B.
The condenser A. comprises a drum or chamber a having a vapor inlet bin
communication with the retort or heating apparatus in which the oils are
vaporised, and having also a vapor outlet c connected with the pipe C. In the
drum a are a number of vertical pipes d through which a circulation of cold
water or other cooling liquid is maintained; this water or liquid is admitted
by the pipe e and after flowing up through the pipes d passes off through the
overflow f. The oil formed by the condensation of the vapors in the drum a
falls to the bottom of this drum and can be drawn off by the outlet g.
.From the drum the vapors which have not become condensed therein flow
through the pipe C to the condenser B. This condenser comprises a series of
vertical pipes h h connected together at top and bottom by elbows or U's i i so
as to constitute one continuous up and down pipe, whose terminal end k is
preferably connected with a vacuum pump (not shown). The pipes hh are
placed in a tank through which a circulation of cold water or other cooling
liquid is maintained; this water is admitted by the pipe m and passes off by
the overflow n. The bottom elbows ii have each an orifice as seen more clearly
in the detail view Figure 3, through which the oil due to condensation of the
vapor in passing through the pipes h h escapes into a compartment g from which
it can be drawn off by the outlet r. All the orifices may communicate with a
common compartment as shown or they may communicate with distinct com-
partments each of which will have a separate outlet such as r.
The oil due to condensation of the vapors in the condenser A will be of higher
specific gravity than that obtained in the condenser B. The light vapours which
in the ordinary method of condensation become mixed with the heavy oil and
lower its flash point to a serious extent are not obtained in our apparatus above
described; they may be liquefied by passing then through a special condenser or
further condensers such as B.
In some cases we dispense with the condenser A and lead the vapors direct
from the retort or heating apparatus to the first of the up and down pipes h h
of the condenser B but in this case the number of such pipes should be increased.
The amount of condensation in such condenser can be regulated as required by
adjusting the size of the water inlet and outlet, or by regulating the rate of
flow of the water, or by regulating the action of the vacuum pump.
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 herein described process of condensing the vapors of mineral oils which
consists in first passing the vapors evolved from such oils in a retort or heating
apparatus through a drum or drums containing pipes through which a cooling
liquid circulates, whereby a condensation of the vapors of the heaviest oils is
effected, and in then passing the remaining vapors through a continuous up and
down pipe, the lower bends or turns of which have oil outlets, and said continuous
up and down pipe being placed in a tank supplied with cooling liquid, whereby
a condensation of the vapors of the next heaviest oils is effected in a fractional
manner, the oil issuing through the said outlets, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. For the condensation of the vapors of mineral oils, the combination of one
or more condensers such as A, and one or more condensers such as B, substantially
as described.
3. The special construction of the condenser B as hereinbefore described.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.