Improvements in Purifying Hydro-carbon Oils and Rendering them Non-Explosive.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Purifying Hydro-carbon Oils and Rendering them
Non-Explosive.
I, JOHN SOUTH, Oil Dealer, of 10, Roman Street, Sett Lees, near Oldham, in
the County of Lancashire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement;-
This invention relates to improvements in purifying hydro-carbon oils so as to
render them non-explosive and free from smell and also to prevent lamps using
such oil from smoking, and to provide a clear white light of greater power than
that hitherto obtained.
For this purpose I mix with the oil, such as petroleum the following ingre-
dients, viz. For every 25 gallons of oil I add one ounce of the strongest bleach-
ing powder or chloride of lime, one ounce of pearl ash, one ounce of caustic
potash and one and a half ounces of alum.
These substance are ground to a powder and placed in the oil contained in a
suitable cistern, or tank, air having been previously forced by a fan through
perforations in a pipe immersed in the oil so as to thoroughly boil" the latter
for the space of about ten minutes.
The air is then continued to be forced through the oil with its ingredients
for the space of about three hours during which time the oil will be thoroughly
mixed or combined with the said chemical substances and the water, naptha,
and gas, will be eliminated and blown out of the oil.
The oil is then allowed to settle for an hour, the ingredients falling to the
bottom of the cistern, after which the oil is run off and passed through a filter.
This filter consists of a vessel in which is fitted a filtering medium prepared as
follows: Common sawdust is roasted in an oven until it is of a dark brown
colour and with it is mixed, while still hot, sugar of lead, two ounces or there-
abouts of the latter being used for every six pounds of sawdust.
These ingredients are placed in a covering of course linen or canvas forming
a pad, or bag which is supported upon a perforated plate carried in the vessel.
I prefer to employ two pads filled with the said ingredients and supported in
a similar manner with a space of about three inches between them.
The propor
tions of the chemical ingredients mixed with the oil as above given are for oils
of medium strength but where a stronger oil is required more of the ingredients
are added, whilst for a weaker oil the quantity is diminished.
After the oil has been thus treated the air is cut off from the said tank, or
cistern and turned on to a second tank where it is allowed to blow through the
oil, which has passed therein from the aforesaid filter for about ten minutes.
وو
I then take one and a half ounces of chlorate of potash and one and a half
ounces of carbon which I grind together and add to the oil in the second tank.
The air is then admitted as before and allowed to continue its "boiling
action until the tank is full or nearly so, when the oil is ready for use in about
fifteen minutes after the latter ingredients have been added to it.

page_text: In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated diagramatically the apparatus
I prefer to use in carrying out my invention. a is the first tank for holding the
oil to be treated and b is the second tank. These tanks are respectively provided
with the perforated pipes c, c¹ connected by the sliding joint pipes d, and d¹ to
the branches e¹, and 2 of the air pipes e leading from the centrifugal fan f.
The branches e¹ and e² are each provided with a stop-cock g for connecting or
shutting off one or other of the tanks with the air supply. When the oil has
been treated as before described in the tank, a it is run off by the pipe h fitted
with the cock h¹ into the filter i fitted with the filtering pads k resting upon the
perforated plates as shewn.
The oil from the filter then passes by the pipe 7 into the second tank 6 where
it is acted upon by the air from the 'fan escaping' through the perforated pipe c¹
for about ten minutes.
The two last named ingredients are then added to it and the air admitted as
before to continue its "boiling" action until the oil is ready for use, when it is
drawn off by the pipe m. The gases from the tanks escape by the outlets, or
ventilators n and cold air is admitted by the pipes o.
1
The bye-product resulting from the sediment in the tanks may be used for
killing vermin or for cleaning and bleaching purposes.
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:
(1). The improvement in treating hydro-carbon oils comprising the addition
thereto of chloride of lime, pearl ash, caustic potash and alum, suitably prepared
and ground, the mixture being acted upon by currents of air in a tank and the
said treated oil being passed through a filter into a second tank where ground
chlorate of potash and carbon is added to it, and wherein further currents of
air act upon it to cause it to "boil" so as to throughly incorporate the chemical
ingredients therewith substantially as described and for the purposes s] cified.
(2). In apparatus for treating hydro-carbon oils the combination of titank a,
b provided with perforated pipes c, e fitted with sliding joints pipes, d, the
air pipe e, formed with branches el, e², the air fan f, stop-cocks g, pipe h, fitted
with cock h¹, the filter i, fitted with pads k, pipes l, m, outlets and pipes o all
arranged and operating substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 4th day of November 1898
J. B. FLEURET,
5, Hatton Garden, Holborn Circus, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.