Improvements in and Apparatus for the Distillation of Tar and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left. 18th Mar.. 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 11th May, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Distillation of Tar and
the like.
I, FREDERIC LENNARD of Ordnance Wharf, Blackwall Lane, East Greenwich in
the County of Kent, Manufacturing Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to provide means whereby the distillation of tar, or
other matters which can be distilled according to my Invention, is effected in a
continuous manner and more rapidly economically and efficiently than hitherto. I
will refer to tar in describing my invention but it is to be understood that I do not
thereby intend to limit my.Invention to the distillation of tar.
According to my invention I cause the tar to be subjected to distillation to pass in
films or streams but of small depth over surfaces which are heated with the inter-
vention of a bath of oil or other liquid which can be conveniently raised to and
maintained at the temperature necessary for distilling the tar. To ensure the
effectual working of the still the tar before being admitted to the still should be raised
to such a temperature that distillation commences immediately the tar enters the
still. The volatile products are collected as they arise and the pitch passes off at the
outlet. Steam should be injected into the still to facilitate the distillation. The
following is a convenient arrangement according to my Invention. In a furnace
I mount a vessel or trough for containing the oil or liquid which is to be used as
the vehicle for heating the still which is immersed in the said liquid. The said still
has a number of divisions in it the bottom surfaces between each division being
lower and lower as they recede from the inlet and approach the outlet so that the
tar can flow from one to the other. The partitions have openings alternately at
opposite sides of the still and the bottom surfaces or floors of the still are preferably
inclined alternately in opposite directions transversely of the still so that the tar
passes over the bottom surface in one direction transversely to the length of the
still and then passes onto the next lower bottom surface of the still and passes there-
along in the opposite direction and so on in alternately one and the other direction

page_text: and descending from each bottom surface between the partitions to the one next
below it and so on to the exit. A steam pipe is led into the still and branches
therefrom with outlet jets are situated in cach division of the still near to the bottom
surfaces. The first division of the still and several of the following divisions have
wells below the bottom surfaces with divisions therein and steam jets are led to the
lower part thereof so that the tar on its way through the still passes from the bottom
surface into these wells and overflows on to the surface again and passes thereover
into the next compartment of the still and down the well in that compartment and
overflows from that well and so on the steam in the well thoroughly acting on the
tar therein. The products of distillation pass into a pipe with openings into each
division of the still and thence pass through a condenser and can be collected and
treated in the usual way. prefer to heat the tar for supply to the still by passing it
through a coil immersed in the liquid bath and I also prefer to use the condensed
liquors for condensing or assisting in condensing the gases the heat of which will
drive off the more volatile products such as naptha and creosote the vapours of which
can be passed into a tower from the top of which the naptha vapours pass off to be
condensed and the creosote passes off at the lower part. The anthracene and heavy
oils remaining behind are led off as they accumulate. The tar may on its way to the
coil in the liquid bath also be used for condensing or assisting in condensing the
vapours passing from the still.

page_text: I, FREDERIC LENNARD of Ordnance Wharf, Blackwall Lane, East Greenwich in
the County of Kent Manufacturing 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 :-
The object of my Invention is to provide means whereby the distillation of tar or
other matters which can be distilled according to my Invention, is effected in a
continuous manner and more rapidly economically and efficiently than hitherto.
I will refer to tar in describing my Invention but it is to be understood that I do not
thereby intend to limit my Invention to the distillation of tar.
According to my Invention I cause the tar to be subjected to distillation to pass in
films or streams of but small depth over surfaces which are heated preferably with
the intervention of a bath of oil or other liquid which can be conveniently raised to
and maintained at the temperature necessary for distilling the tar.
To ensure the effectual working of the still the tar before being admitted to the
still should be raised to such a temperature that distillation commences immediately
the tar enters the still.
The volatile products are collected as they arise and the pitch passes off at the
outlet.
Steam should be injected into the still to facilitate the distillation.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate an apparatus arranged according to my
Invention.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section. Figure 2 is a sectional plan and Figure 3 is
a transverse section of a still or vessel for distilling the tar according to my Invention.
Figure 4 is a plan of the complete plant and Figures 5 and 6 are respectively an end
and side view of the same.
Figure 7 is a plan with the top removed of the tanks in which the vapors are
condensed and Figures 8. 9 and 10 are respectively a plan and sections at right
angles to each other of the wells in the still all as hereinafter explained.
In the furnace A. (see Figure 4) 1 mount a vessel or trough B for containing the
oil or liquid which is to be used as the vehicle for heating the still in which the
tar is to be distilled and which is immersed or partially immersed in the said oil or
liquid. The said still has a number of divisions c in it the bottom surfaces between

page_text: each division being lower and lower as they recede from the tar inlet c² and approach
the pitch outlet c³ (as shown clearly in Figure 1) so that the tar can flow from one to
the other.
The partitions have openings alternately at opposite sides of the still and the
bottom surfaces or floors of the still are preferably inclined alternately in opposite
directions transversely of the still so that the tar passes over the bottom surface in
one direction transversely to the length of the still and then passes on to the next
lower bottom surface of the still and passes therealong in the opposite direction and
so on in alternately one and the other direction and descending from each bottom
surface between the partitions to the one next below it and so on to the exit by which
time it will have been converted into pitch.
Steam pipes D are led into the still and branches d therefrom with outlet jets d³
are situated in each division of the still near to the bottom surfaces.
The first division of the still and several of the following divisions have wells
below the bottom surfaces with dividing plates e therein and the steam jets d² in
these divisions are led to the lower part of the wells. The tar on its way through
the still passes from the bottom surface into these wells and overflows onto the
surface again and passes thereover into the next compartment of the still and down
the wells in that compartment and overflows from those wells and so on, the steam
passed by the jets d' into the wells thoroughly acting on the tar therein. The supply
of steam to the jets in the wells may be separate from the supply to the other jets
so that the supply to the wells can be regulated independently of the supply to the
others. D' is a superheater in the furnace flue for superheating the steam on its way
to the still.
Pi
I prefer to heat the tar for supply to the still by passing it through a coil Y
immersed in the liquid bath B. From this coil the tar passes by the pipe O to the
top of the scrubber P, passing down through the scrubbing material
and being
met by an ascending jet of steam from the perforated pipe p². The vapour given off
by the tar in the scrubber passes by the pipe f to the pipe and the tar which falls to
the bottom of the chamber P passes by the pipe c¹ to the still Cor instead of passing
the tar through the scrubber Pit may be passed directly from the coil Y to the still C.
The products of distillation pass from the still into a pipe F which conducts them
into the coils G and G in the condensers H and I through which coils they pass
being then led by the pipe to a condenser Q where their condensation is completed
and whence they are pumped by the pump Q2 through the pipe f3 to the tank Wor
the products of distillation may be collected and treated as desired. These liquors or
oils resulting from the distillation of the gaseous products from the still may be used
for condensing or assisting in condensing the gases as they pass from the still, the
heat of which gases will at the same time subject the liquors or oils in the tank H to
fractional distillation by driving off from the said liquors or oils the more volatile
products such as naptha and creosote the vapours of which can be passed into a
tower as hereinafter described from the top of which the naptha vapours pass off to
be condensed, the creosote passing off at the lower part. The anthracene and heavy
oils remaining behind in the tank H are let off as they accumulate. Or I may force
the liquors or oils from the tank H after being heated into the top of a tower or
scrubber similar to the tower or scrubber J; the liquors or oils in their passage
down through the scrubbing material therein being met by an ascending current of
steam which will carry the creosote. and light oils into the coil in the tank K, the
anthracene and heavy oils falling to the bottom of the tower or scrubber.
The liquors or oils before they are admitted into the tank H are preferably heated
as hereinafter described to a temperature sufficient to prevent their descending to the
bottom of the tank and passing off undistilled. The tar may on its way to the
coil Y in the liquid bath also be used for condensing or assisting in condensing
the vapours passing from the still. The arrangements for the aforesaid purposes
illustrated in the drawing consist as follows:-The vapours from the still pass on
their way to the condenser through coils G G2 which are situated in two tanks H

page_text: and I. Through the tank I the tar may be passed entering by the pipe and passing
away by the pipe a² to the boiler X in which the water is separated therefrom From
this boiler the tar passes by pipe into the boiler X2 and thence by the pipe y to the
pump y2 which forces it by the pipe y³ into the coil Y in the oil bath. The condensed
liquors or oils may be forced by a pump or passed from an overhead tank W by the
pipe we or otherwise into the tank H so that the hot gases passing through the coil G
from the still (whilst being themselves partially condensed drive off the more
volatile products such as naptha and creosote the vapours of which pass by the pipe
into the tower or scrubber J from the top of which the naptha vapours pass by the
pipe into the coil in the condenser K the creosote passing off from the tower J by
the pipe . The anthracene and heavy oils which remain in the tank H are at
intervals drawn off at m. The liquids or oils before entering the tank H are heated
which may be effected by their being caused to pass into a coil N which is situated
in the tank H and so the said vapours or oils are in their passage through the coil
heated to a temperature equal to that of the liquors or oil in the tank H before their
exit from the coil by the distributing outlet perforations n so that they do not sink
as they would do if admitted cold. The tank H and also the tower J may have
furnaces or heaters L L under them to heat them independently of the coil G when
necessary. Steam may if desired be admitted to the tank H. preferably about
midway of its depth and the distillation may if desired be facilitated by a vacuum
or partial vacuum created by a pump or the like at the outlet.
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 distillation of tar or other matter by passing it in films or streams of small
depth over heated surfaces substantially as herein before described.
2. The distillation of tar or other matter by passing it in films or streams of small
depth over surfaces heated with the intervention of an oil or liquid bath substantially
as herein before described.
3. In apparatus for effecting the distillation of tar or other matter the combination
of a furnace or heating device and an oil or liquid bath with a still immersed or
partially immersed therein substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In apparatus for effecting the distillation of tar or other matter the combination
of a furnace or heating device and an oil or liquid bath with a still immersed or
partially immersed therein and a tower or scrubber through which the tar or the
like may be passed and in which it may be acted upon by steam before passing to the
still substantially as herein before described.
5. In apparatus for effecting the distillation of tar or other matter the combination
of a furnace or heating device and an oil or liquid bath with a still immersed or
partially immersed therein and a coil situated in the said bath for heating the tar
or other matter before it enters the still or a tower or scrubber situated between the
heater and the still substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. In apparatus for effecting the distillation of tar or other matter the combination
of a furnace or heating device and an oil or liquid bath with a still immersed or
partially immersed therein and an outlet pipe or passage for conducting the vapours
to and through chambers H and I substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
7. In apparatus for effecting the distillation of tar or other matter the combination
of a furnace or heating device and an oil or liquid bath with a still immersed or
partially immersed therein and with means for admitting steam into the said still in
combination or not with the wells E used in the said still all substantially as herein
before described.
8. In combination with apparatus for distilling tar or other matters as herein before
described and claimed the arrangements for fractionally distilling the condensed
liquors or oils by the heat of the vapours from the still substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 9. In combination with apparatus for distilling tar or other matters as herein
before described and claimed the arrangement for fractionally distilling the condensed
liquors or oils by forcing them after being heated to the top of a tower or scrubber
through which they descend being met in their descent by an ascending current of
steam substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
10. The general combination and arrangement of parts for the distillation of tar
and the like as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of March 1889.
FREDERIC LENNARD.