Improvements in Apparatus for the Separation and Recovery of Valuable Vapours.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th July, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Separation and Recovery of
Valuable Vapours.
We, JAMES RAYNOR WHITING, of Stamford, in the County of Fairfield and
State of Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturer, and WILLIAM
APPLETON LAWRENCE, of Waterville, in the County of Oneida and State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
Our invention relates particularly to the separation of air from the hydro-
carbons known as the lighter products of petroleum, while they are in a state
of vapour but the invention is not confined to the recovery of hydrocarbons
as it may be employed for the separation of air and condensation of other
vapours which are of a greater or less specific gravity than air and largely
insoluble in water, or for separating other vapours from the more valuable
vapours.
In order that the object and usefulness of our invention may be more clearly
understood, it is necessary to state that, particularly in the use of the lighter
products of petroleum as solvents for extracting various valuable substances, it
is necessary, after having brought the solvent in contact with the substance to
be extracted and form a solution, to then evaporate the solvent, leaving the
extract behind. The evaporated solvent is then condensed to a liquid form
and brought back to the original receiver from which it was taken, but in this
process some atmospheric air necessarily becomes mixed with the vapour and
this air, together with any air or vapour of the volatile solvent already in the
receiver, must be allowed to escape by a vent as the receiver fills with liquid or
else there will result from the cushion of mingled air and solvent at the top of
the receiver such a back pressure as will seriously impede or entirely stop the
evaporation, condensation, and recovery of the solvent; therefore there must
b: à sufficient vent provided for the receiver; and in the present practice large
quantities of mingled air and solvent vapour pass out of this vent. By con-
veying this aerated vapour in coils immersed in water, or refrigerated to a
temperature near zero Fahrenheit, it is possible in the case of the lighter products
of petroleum to condense and recover a considerable portion of the solvent
vapour. But passing through the refrigerated coil is a swift current of air
bearing with it in a mechanical mixture a valuable portion of still uncondensed
solvent vapour which must pass into the open air and be wasted except for the
intervention at this point of the apparatus embodied in our invention.
The apparatus comprises a main receiver into which, in the ordinary opera-
tion as already described, condensed solvents flow from a pipe and are with-
drawn as required through another pipe. From the receiver a valve-controlled
pipe leads to a coil in a preliminary cooling tank to which water is supplied
by a pipe. This coil connects with a coil in a refrigerating tank packed with
ice and salt, which coil at its lower end communicates with a collecting-
refrigerating receiver within the refrigerator tank and from the lower end of

page_text: this collecting receiver a pipe provided with a valve leads into the lower portion
of a receiver for receiving the solvent condensed and recovered. The pipe is
also provided with a trap below the collecting receiver.
From the upper
portion of the collecting receiver a valve-controlled pipe leads into the upper
end of a vapour receiver connected at bottom by a pipe with a pump from which
a pipe leads through the top and nearly to the bottom of an air tight condensing
tank. The lower portion of said pipe being extended horizontally and provided
with perforations through its upper side. Arranged in the condensing tank is
a coil having a valve-controlled pipe connection with the refrigerating tank,
therefore the drip or brine water will flow through said coil and cool the liquid
contained in the tank. From the upper portion of the tank leads a valve-con-
trolled air outlet pipe and from a point near the top of the tank and thence
outward to the receiver for the solvent. This pipe. is provided with a trap and
serves to convey the evaporated vapour to the receiver as will be hereinafter
described. The condensing tank is supplied with water from the cooling tank
through a valve-controlled pipe and the water may be drawn off from the con-
densing tank through a pipe. A valve-controlled pipe leads from the bottom
of the condensing tank, to carry off condensed vapours that may be heavier
than the cooling liquid in the tank.
The operation is as follows: We admit a continuous supply of water to the
preliminary cooling tank which is provided with an overflow, pack the refri-
gerating tank with ice and salt, open the valve admitting the drip of brine
from the said tank into the coil, fill the condensing tank with the cooling liquid
which consists of water received from the cooling tank. The water level in the
condensing tank should be slightly below the upper end of the pipe, say about
six inches below. The controlling valves of the pipes are now to be opened.
At this stage of the procedure the main solvent receiver is being filled with
some lighter product of petroleum mingled, as hereinafter explained, with some
air the inflow being continuous while the pipe is supplied from the evaporating
and condensing of solvent during the previous operation of extracting now
going on. As the receiver fills, a cushion of air and vapour of solvent forms as
heretofore mentioned, at the top of the receiver. We now open the controlling
valve of the pipe leading to the coil in the cooling tank, and start the air pump.
The current of mingled air and vapour passes through the said pipe, through
the cooling coil, and thence into the receiver surrounded as described with ice
and salt. Here a certain portion of the vapourized solvent is condensed to a
liquid in the coil and receiver and recovered by passing down through the
trapped pipe into the solvent receiver, but a valuable portion of the solvent
vapour still remains with the current of atmospheric air. This current of air
bearing the vapour passes through a pipe into the vapour receiver whence it is
drawn by the pump and forced through a pipe to the bottom of the body of
cold liquid in the condensing tank and being set free through the perforations
begins its ascent through the cold liquid. The current heretofore bearing the
air and vapour is now destroyed by impact with the water or other cooling
liquid. The air being of lighter gravity than the valuable vapour arrives first
at the top of the liquid and passes off through a pipe but the heavier valuable
vapour brought thus intimately into contact with the cold liquid is condensed
in its passage toward the top and collects at the top as a liquid. As soon as this
stratum of liquid acquires sufficient height to over-run the top of the trapped
pipe it will be steadily drawn off and recovered for use in the solvent receiver
and from this receiver it will flow by gravity through a pipe into the main
receiver from which it may be drawn as required for use. At the close
of the operation the entire stratum of condensed solvent can be drawn off
through a pipe by raising the column of water in the condensing tank sufficiently
high to almost reach the top of the pipe.
By this invention we save a valuable product heretofore wasted by manu-
facturers. We are also enabled to recover the said product not only without

page_text: detriment to the previous very delicate operations of evaporation and condensa-
tion, from which our now recovered product was previously and necessarily
thrown off, but render positive assistance to the previous operations by removing
from them all back pressure of-this vapour thus aiding in the perfect evapora-
tion of a solvent whose complete elimination from the substances extracted by
this solvent is of the utmost importance to the value of the extracts. In case
of a vapour which when condensed is heavier than the cooling liquid, the con-
densation can be drawn off at intervals from the bottom of the condensing tank
and conveyed to any suitable receiver; the condensed vapour of bromine or
mercury, for instance, being of a greater specific gravity than water will sink
to the bottom of the tank and could be drawn therefrom. Further in case of
vapour other than that of the lighter products of petroleum and capable of being
recovered by our invention, the temperature of the coils and the nature, quan-
tity, and temperature of the liquid in the condensing tank may be varied by
any one skilled in the art, to suit the condensation and recovery of such vapours.
Dated this 11th day of April 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Separation and Recovery of
Valuable Vapours.
We, JAMES RAYNOR WHITING, Manufacturer, of Stamford, in the County of
Fairfield and State of Connecticut, United States of America, and WILLIAM
APPLETON LAWRENCE Manufacturer, of Waterville, in the County of Oneida
and State of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates particularly to the separation of air from the hydro-
carbons known as the lighter products of petroleum, while they are in a state
of vapour, but the invention is not confined to the recovery of hydro-carbons,
as it may be employed for the separation of air and condensation of other
vapors which are of a greater or less specific gravity than air, and largely in-
soluble in water; or for separating other vapors from the more valuable vapors.
That the object and usefulness of our invention may be more clearly
understood, it is necessary to state that particularly in the use of the lighter
products of petroleum as solvents for extracting various valuable substances, it
is necessary, after having brought the solvent in contact with the substance to
be extracted and form a solution, to then evaporate the solvent, leaving the
extract behind. The evaporated solvent is then condensed to a liquid form
and brought back to the original receiver from which it was taken; but in this
process some atmospheric air necessarily becomes mixed with the vapor, and
this air together with any air or vapor of the volatile solvent already in the
receiver, must be allowed to escape by a vent as the receiver fills with liquid, or
else there will result from the cushion of mingled air and solvent at the top of
the receiver such a back pressure as will seriously impede or entirely stop the
evaporation, condensation and recovery of the solvent; therefore there must
be a sufficient vent provided for the receiver; and in the present practice large
quantities of mingled air and solvent vapor pass out of this vent. By con-
veying this aerated vapor in coils immersed in water, or refrigerated to a

page_text: temperature near zero Fah., it is possible in the case of the lighter products
of petroleum to condense and recover a considerable portion of the solvent
vapor. But passing through the refrigerated coil is a swift current of air
bearing with it in a mechanical mixture a valuable portion of still uncondensed
solvent vapor, which must pass into the open air and be wasted, except for the
intervention at this point of the apparatus embodied in our invention.
We will first describe an apparatus embodying our invention, and then point
out the novel features in the appended claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this
specification, in which the figure is a sectional elevation of the apparatus.
Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the main receiver, into which in the
ordinary operation as already described, condensed solvents flow from the pipe 2,
and are withdrawn as required through a pipe 3. From the receiver 1 a valve-
controlled pipe 4 leads to a coil 5 in a preliminary cooling tank 6, to which
water is supplied from the pipe 7. The coil 5 connects with a coil 8 in a refri-
The coil 8 at its lower
gerating tank 9 designed to be packed with ice and salt.
end communicates with a collecting refrigerating receiver 10 within the
refrigerator tank, and from the lower end of this collecting receiver a pipe 11
leads into the lower portion of a receiver 12, which we provide for receiving the
solvent condensed and recovered by our invention. The pipe 11 is provided
with a valve 13, and it is also provided with a trap 14 below the collecting
receiver.
From the upper portion of the collecting receiver 10, a valve-controlled
pipe 15 leads into the upper end of a vapor receiver 16. The lower portion of
the vapor receiver 16 has a pipe connection 17 with a pump 18, from which a
pipe 19 leads through the top and nearly to the bottom of an air tight condensing
tank 20. The lower portion of the pipe 19 is extended horizontally, and this
horizontally disposed portion is provided with perforations at 21 through its
upper side.
Arranged in the condensing tank 20 is a coil 22, having a valve-controlled
pipe connection 23 with the refrigerating tank 9, therefore the drip or brine
water will flow through said coil and cool the liquid contained in the tank 20.
From the upper portion of the tank 20 leads a valve-controlled air outlet pipe 24,
and from a point near the top of the tank and above the water level, a pipe 25
leads downward in the tank and thence outward and to the receiver 12. This
pipe 25 is provided with a trap 26, and it is designed to convey the evaporated
vapor to the receiver as will be hereinafter described. The tank 20 is supplied
with water from the tank 6 through a valve-controlled pipe 27, and the water
A. valve-controlled
may be drawn off from the tank 20 through a pipe 25.
pipe 29 leads from the bottom of the tank 20. This pipe is designed to carry
off condensed vapors that may be heavier than the cooling liquid in the tank 20.
The operation is as follows:
We admit a continuous supply of water to the preliminary cooling tank 6,
which as here shown, is provided with an overflow a; pack the refrigerating
tank 9 with ice and salt, open the valve admitting the drip of brine from the
tank 9 into the coil 22; fill the condensing tank 20 with the cooling liquid,
which as here shown, consists of water received from the tank 6. The water
level in the tank 20 should be slightly below the upper end of the pipe 25, say
about six inches below. The controlling valves of the pipes 2, 11, 15, 19, 24
and 26 are now to be opened. At this stage of the procedure the main solvent
receiver 1 is being filled with some lighter product of petroleum mingled as
hereinafter explained with some air, the inflow being continuous, while the
pipe 2 is supplied from the evaporating and condensing of solvent during the
previous operation of extracting now going on. As the receiver 1 fills, a cushion
of air and vapor of solvent forms as heretofore mentioned, at the top of the
receiver. We now open the controlling valve of the pipe 4, and start the air
pump 18 in motion. The current of mingled air and vapor passes through the

page_text: At
pipe 4, through the cooling coil 5, and thence into the receiver 10, surrounded
as described with ice and salt. Here a certain portion of the vaporized solvent
is condensed to a liquid in the coil S and receiver 10, and recovered by passing
down through the trapped pipe 11 into the receiver 12; but a valuable portion
of the solvent vapor still remains within the current of atmospheric air. This
current of air bearing the vapor passes through the pipe 15 into the vapor
receiver 16, whence it is drawn by the pump and forced through the pipe 19 to
the bottom of the body of cold liquid in the tank 20, and being set free through
the perforations, begins its ascent through the cold liquid. The current here-
tofore bearing the air and vapor is now destroyed by impact with the water or
other cooling liquid. The air being of lighter gravity than the valuable vapor
arrives first at the top of the liquid, and passes off through the pipe 24, but the
heavier valuable vapor brought thus intimately into contact with the cold liquid
is condensed in its passage toward the top. and collects at the top as a liquid.
As soon as this stratum of liquid acquires sufficient height to overrun the top
of the trapped pipe 25, it will be steadily drawn off and recovered for use in the
receiver 12, and from this receiver 12 it will flow by gravity through the pipe 30
into the main receiver 1, from which it may be drawn as required for use.
the close of the operation, the entire stratum of condensed solvent can be drawn
off through the pipe 25, by raising the column of water in the tank 20; that is,
this column of water should be raised sufficiently high to almost reach the top
of the pipe 25. This may be ascertained by the water gauge 31 on the tank 20.
By this invention we save a valuable product heretofore wasted by manu-
facturers. By our invention also we are enabled to recover the said product
not only without detriment to the previous very delicate operations of evapo-
ration and condensation, from which our now recovered product was previously
and necessarily thrown off, but render positive assistance to the previous opera-
tions by removing from them all back pressure of this vapor, thus aiding in
the perfect evaporation of a solvent whose complete elimination from the sub-
stances extracted by this solvent, is of the utmost importance to the value of the
extracts. In case of a vapor which when condensed is heavier than the cooling
liquid, the condensation can be drawn off at intervals from the bottom of the
tank 20 through the pipe 29 and conveyed to any suitable receiver; the con-
densed vapor of bromine or mercury, for instance, being of a greater specific
gravity than water, will sink to the bottom of the tank 20, and could be drawn
therefrom. Further, in case of vapor other than that of the lighter products
of petroleum and capable of being recovered by our invention, the temperature
of the coils and the nature, quantity and temperature of the liquid in the tank 20
may be varied by any one skilled in the art, to suit the condensation and
recovery of such vapors.
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. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a receiver
for hydrocarbon vapors mixed with air, and a condenser with which the
receiver is connected and by means of which a portion of the vapors are con-
densed, of a second condenser comprising a closed tank adapted to contain a
liquid cooled to a temperature sufficiently low to condense vapors, and provided
with an air outlet at its top, a connection between the condensers, said connec
tion leading from the top of the first condenser to the bottom of the second
condenser, and a pipe in the tank of the second condenser and extending above
the liquid level of the said tank, for conducting away the condensed vapors
floating on the liquid, substantially as described.
2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a receiver
for hydrocarbon vapors mixed with air, and a condenser with which the
receiver is connected and by means of which a portion of the vapors are con- .

page_text: densed, said condenser containing a collecting vessel, of a second condenser
comprising a closed tank adapted to contain a liquid cooled to a temperature
sufficiently low to condense vapors and provided with an air outlet at its top, a
receiver connected with the collecting vessel of the first condenser, a pump
connected with the receiver and from which a pipe leads from the bottom of the
tank of the second condenser, and a pipe leading into the side of the said tank
near its bottom and extending up above the liquid level of the tank for con-
ducting away the condensed vapors floating on the liquid, substantially as
described.
3. An apparatus for recovering valuable vapors, comprising a refrigerating
tank, a collecting vessel in said tank, a trapped pipe leading from said vessel to
a receiver for condensed vapor, a vapor receiver having communication with the
collecting vessel, an air tight tank for containing a cooling liquid, a pump for
drawing vapor from the vapor receiver and discharging it into the lower portion
of the air tight tank, an air outlet pipe leading from the upper portion of said
air tight tank, and a pipe for conveying away the condensed vapor, the said pipe
extending from the upper portion of the liquid tank to the receiver.
4. An apparatus for recovering or restoring vapors to liquid form, comprising
a main receiver, a refrigerator, a pipe leading from the main receiver into a coil
in the refrigerator, a collecting vessel in said refrigerator, with the interior of
which the coil communicates, a trapped pipe leading from the lower portion of
said collecting vessel to another receiver, a vapor receiver having a valve-
controlled pipe connection with the upper end of the collecting vessel, a pump
having a pipe connection with the vapor receiver, an air tight tank for con-
taining a liquid, a pipe leading from the pump to the bottom of said tank and
having a perforated horizontally disposed portion, a coil in said tank commu-
nicating with and receiving the drip from the refrigerator, an air discharge
pipe leading from the said tank, and a pipe leading from the upper portion of
said tank to the said other receiver.
Dated this 7th day of July 1800
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.