IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SOLIDIFYING PARAFFIN IN OILS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We FREDERICK NOEL MACKAY of Upper William Street Liverpool, in the
county of Lancaster Engineer, and WILLIAM BAXTER of Loanhead near Edinburgh
in the county of Midlothian Chemist do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SOLIDIFYING PARAFFIN IN OILS
to be as follows:-
The object is to refrigerate economically with simple and durable appliances oils
containing paraffin so that the latter is solidified into a plastic mass having as low
or nearly as low a temperature as that of the cooling medium and in such a
condition with regard to its crystals of paraffin as will best fit it for the operation
of pressing in order to obtain the best results therefrom.
Apparatus under our invention for securing the above mentioned effect consists
essentially of a vessel or vessels placed horizontally with segmental, concave, or
curved surfaces around which the refrigerating agent is caused to circulate or
expand and is or are fitted with rotating reciprocating or oscillating scrapers. The
tank forming or containing the said vessels is connected to refrigerating appliances
of usual or suitable form.
A convenient construction has one or more semi cylindrical or segmental vessels
bolted to the end plates of a tank forming a concavity below and around which
flows the cooling medium. From each end of the said vessels discharge ways
provided with cocks or valves lead to oil pumps and presses. Within the said
vessels scrapers or agitators suspended or carried in bearings are caused to rotate
or oscillate by suitable gearing. The tank or vessel is connected by pipes to tho
refrigerating appliances in such manner that brine or other cooling medium or
ammonia or other gas is caused to circulate through it in contact with the exterior
surfaces of said vessel or vessels.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Refrigerating liquid or gas is caused
to circulate through the tank containing the concave horizontal vessels which are
filled with oil to the required depth. The agitators or scrapers are set in motion
and remove the frozen paraffin which collects on the cold surfaces thus allowing
fresh and warmer oil to take its place. This frozen paraffin falls back again into
the unfrozen mass thereby becoming mixed with it and reducing the temperature
of the whole mass which when reduced to a temperature corresponding with that
of the cooling medium the discharge ways are opened and the contents of the
vessels allowed to flow to the pumps or presses. As there are several vessels in
one or more tanks the said vessels are filled and emptied in succession thus
rendering the process continuous.

page_text: rotary and to and fro end motions may be given to the shaft, and both longitudinal
and transverse agitators used in such manner as will best ensure the contents being
mixed while cooling is being done, and the cooling surfaces continually freed from
the frozen paraffin.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Refrigerating liquid or gas is caused
to circulate through the pipes be into and out of the tank a around the vessels &
da. Oil is run into the said vessels to the required depth, and the agitators or
scrapers are set in motion to remove the frozen paraffin from the surface of the
vessels on which it collects so as to allow fresh and warmer oil to take its place.
The frozen paraffin removed by the scrapers or agitators becomes mixed with the
unfrozen oil, thus gradually cooling the whole mass, which when reduced to the
desired temperature according to the quality and nature of the oil is ready for
pressing in order to separate the paraffin from the oil. The discharge ways are
opened and the contents of the vessels allowed to flow to the press pumps. It is
advisable to fill and empty the vessels in succession, thus making the process
continuous.
It is advantageous to carry on the process in a room kept at such a temperature
either naturally or artificially as will give full effect to the cooling power of the
apparatus.
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
First. The combination with a tank for containing refrigerating fluid, of oil
containing vessels provided with agitators or scrapers constructed in the manner
and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The combination of the tank a inlet and outlet ways bc, vessels d,
outlet ways e and agitators or scrapers and operating mechanism.
Dated this 24th day of Tul.. 100=