IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION OF MINERAL OILS, THEIR RESIDUES AND TARS AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: We, WILLIAM YOUNG of Priorsford in the Town and County of Peebles, North
Britain Chemical Engineer and GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY of Midcalder in the
County of Midlothian, North Britain, Chemical Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION OF MINERAL
OILS, THEIR RESIDUES AND TARS AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the distillation to dryness of mineral oils, their
residues and tars and it consists of an improved process and apparatus for effecting
their distillation.
The apparatus for carrying out this invention consists of a vessel containing
a series of shelves or trays placed over each other all being built of malleable or
cast iron. The oils, their residues or tars are made to flow down from tray to tray
of the arrangement whilst a current of superheated steam is made to flow upwards
and effect the distillation of the down-Bowing oils, their residues or tars.-Tho
coke or solid matter left behind upon the trays is either removed by mechanical
scrapers or by hand through openings.-The apparatus is either surrounded by
some substance of a non-conducting nature, or jacketed with brickwork and heated
by fire gases externally or instead of trays the apparatus may be filled with broken
coke, fire-brick, hollow iron balls or similar substance presenting a large surfaco
and having considerable spaces between.-The oils, their residues or tars to be
distilled are. run into the top and spread over and descend through the broken
bricks, iron balls or other substance, and is, or are there met by the ascending
current of superheated steam and the volatile matters distilled out and conveyed
to suitable condensers and condensed.-So soon as the interstices between the
broken bricks, iron balls or other substance become so far clogged as to interfere
with the proper working of the apparatus a portion of the solid substance is
withdrawn from the bottom which allows the position of the whole solid substance
in the column to be disturbed, and opens up new spaces and a fresh portion of
A

page_text: Bolid substance is charged into the top of the apparatus by means of a hopper and
valve arrangement.
When the oils, their residues or tars are basic and contain considerable quantities
of nitrogen in their composition the lower portion of the apparatus may be com-
posed of brickwork and the superheated steam mixed with air so that the carbon
may be incinerated and the nitrogen converted into ammonia; the brick portion
of the apparatus may be heated sufficiently by external fuel so as to insure
incineration.
Dated this tanto ninth da 36 1001

page_text: We, WILLIAM YOUNG, of Priorsford, in the town and County of Peebles, North
Britain Chemical Engineer, and GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY of Midcalder in the
County of Midlothian, Chemical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our
said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION OF MINERAL OILS, THEIR
RESIDUES AND TARS AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
Our Invention, relates to the distillation to dryness (that is to say, to a solid
or semi-solid condition) of nineral oils, their residues and tårs, and it consists of
an improved process and apparatus for effecting their distillation.
The apparatus for carrying out this Invention consists of a vessel containing
a series of shelves or trays placed over each other, all being built of malleable or
enst iron. The oils, their residues, or tars are made to flow down from tray to tray
of the arrangement whilst a current of superheated steam is made to flow upwards
and effect the distillation of the down-flowing oils, their residues or tars.-The
coke or solid matter left behind upon the trays is either removed by mechanical
scrapers or by hand through openings.-The apparatus is either surrounded by
some substance of a non-conducting nature, or jacketed with brick-work and heated
by fire gases externally; or instead of trays the apparatus may be filled with
broken coke, fire-brick, hollow-iron balls or similar substance presenting a large
surface. The oils, their residues or tars to be distillod, are run into the top and
spread over and descend through the broken bricks, iron balls or other substance
and is or are there met by the ascending current of superheated steam and the
volatile matters distilled out and conveyed to suitable condensers and condensed.
So soon as the interstices between the broken bricks, iron balls or other substanco
become so far clogged as to interfere with the proper working of the apparatus,
a portion of the solid substance, is withdrawn from the bottom which allows the
position of the whole solid substance in the column to be disturbed and opens
up new spaces, and a fresh portion of solid substance is charged into the top of
the apparatus.
When the oils, their residues, or tars contain considerable quantities of nitrogen
in their composition, the lower portion of the apparatus may be composed of
brickwork and the superheated steam mixed with air so that the carbon may be
incinerated and the nitrogen converted into ammonia, the brick portion of the
apparatus may be heated externally by burning gases passing through the
surrounding flués.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe tlie drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1, is in part a vertical section, and in part an end elevation of one form
of distilling apparatus constructed according to and constituting our present
Invention.
Figure 2, is a plan of a portion of the same.
Figure 3, is a vertical section of another form of distilling apparatus constructed
according to our present Invention.
Figure 4, is a view of the saine shewn partly in plan and partly in horizontal
section.
Figuro 5, is a transverse section of apparatus similar to that shewn at Figures 2,
and 3. but provided with choibitions of fondanak kalam

page_text: in which the residues are incinerated as herein before referred to and hereinafter
more fully described.
In constructing a still according to our present Invention, and as represented at
Figure 1, we secure the shelves a, within the vertical cylinder b, at the undersides
of these shelves, two or more wings or scrapers c, are secured. To the vertical
rotating shaft d, the shelves e, aro rigidly attached, and at the outer and under
sides of these shelves, two or more wings or scrapers f. are provided. The
shelves a, are provided with openings g, at their central part around the shaft d,
so that the oils, their residues or tars poured upon the upper surface of a shelf c,
are directed to and pass over the outer edges thereof, and fall upon a shelf a, below
it, and by the said shelf a, the oils, residues or tars are directed to, and pass down
through, the centre openings g, thereof, as represented by the arrows, and so on
throughout the series of such shelves in the apparatus. This said apparatus is
built up in brickwork u, and is heated from the furnace h, the fire gases passing
upwards thereto through the ports i, formed in the arch j, of the said furnace.
A steam jacket, is provided around the vertical cylinder b, steam being
admitted thereinto from the steam pipe l, by means of the valve m, and pipe n,-
The steam which becomes highly heated in its passage through the steam casing k,
escapes between the distance pieces at the outside of the lower end of the
cylinder b, and passes under its lower edge to the interior thereof as shewn by
the arrows. The superheated steam is thus caused to travel in an upward
direction and effect the distillation of the down flowing oils, their residuos or
tars, which enter at the upper part of the cylinder b. through the pipe o.
We have shewn a combined condenser and heater p. similar to that described
in our Specification N° 6,294 of even date with this Specification, not for the
purpose of being connected with the still now hereinlast described but for a
further purpose or feature of our Invention to be hereinafter described and also
described in the aforesaid Specification.-The vertical shaft d, passes at its upper
part through the gland and stuffing box q, by which the escape of any oil vapours
is prevented. The said shaft d, with its attached shelves e, and wings or scrapers f
is rotated by the worm r, and worm wheels, shewn more particularly at Figure 2,
or by other equivalent gearing, and as represented, any number of vertical shafts d,
It will.thus
may be operated from one horizontal shaft t, carrying the worms 8.
be seen that any coke or solid matter left behind upon the upper surface of the
shelves a, and e, and upon the inner surface of the cylinders b, is removed by
the scrapers c, and f-The vapours arising from the oils, their residues or tars
being treated within the still pass upwards with the super heated steam, and escape
through the outlet v, into the pipe w, by which they are conveyed to any suitable
form of condenser.-The coke or solid matter scraped off in the manner herein-
before described from the surfaces of the shelves a, and e, and of the casing b, is
carried by the flow of the liquid from shelf to shelf downwards through the
apparatus and collects in the lower portion . of the still and is removed therefrom
through the door y.
With reference to the apparatus represented at Figures 3, and 4, of the annexed
drawings, it will be seen that the shelves here take the form of a continuous spiral
blado which is preferably at a considerable angle inclined downwards from its
vertical axis, so that any matter falling upon the upper surface thereof, is directed
outwards to the inner surface of the enclosing cylinder b'. The helical blades a
in the enclosing cylinders b¹, and c', when worked off one tangent screw 7, are
respectively right and left handed, so that upon the worm wheels a, being rotated
in the directious indicated by the arrows at Figure 4, the oils, their residues or tars
are directed towards the lower end of the stills, while the outer edges of the said
screws, scrape off any coke or solid matters deposited upon the inner surface of the
still, and convey them down to the lower portion x, of the said stills, from which
they may be withdrawn through the door y. The apparatus herein last described is
built up in brick work u, and is heated from the furnace h, the fire gases from
which pass up into the Bues c', surrounding the casings d', thereby giving off their
-

page_text: heat to the steam passing from the pipe n, through the steam jackets k., to the
interior of the stills. The oils, their residues or tars are conducted to the still
through the pipe el. From this pipe they are passed through the cocks f', into the
funnels g', by which they are conducted to the lower part of the receptacles h¹.
From the upper part of these receptacles h¹, the oils, their residues or tars are
conducted directly through the inclined pipes i, into the upper part of the stills.
The vapours arising from the materials under treatment within the stills pass out
therefrom through the pipes v, by which they may be conducted to condensers or
other apparatus for further treatment. When the oils, their residues or tars contain
considerable quantities of nitrogen in their composition they are, under the present
Invention, run into the top of a still or vertical retort, and spread over and descend
through broken coke, fire-bricks, iron balls or other substance and under which
circunstances they are therein met by an ascending current of superheated steam,
and the volatile matters thereby distilled out, may be conveyed to suitable condensers
and condensed, whilst the residue containing nitrogen is incinerated by an ascending
current of steam, or steain and air. An apparatus suitable for the distillation of
oils, their residues or tars, in the manner hereinlast described is represented in
vertical section at Figure 4, Sheet 4, and on Sheets 1, and 2, of the drawings
attached to the Specification filed in pursuance of Letters Patent granted to us the
said William Young and George Thomas Beilby dated March, 21st 1882, and
numbered 1377.-So soon as, under such working or distillation, the interstices
between the broken coke or other substance in the upper part of the apparatus,
become so far clogged as to interfere with the proper descent therethrough of the
fluid substance under treatinent, a portion of the solid substance is withdrawn
through the door at the bottom of the still or retort. This allows the position of
the whole solid substance in the column to be disturbed, and opens up new spaces
therein or therethrough and a fresh quantity of solid substance is charged into the
top of the apparatus by means of an opening and closing hopper arrangement. Or
in treating oils, their residues or tars containing considerable quantities of nitrogen
they may be treated in the apparatus such as is represented in vertical section at
Figure 5 of the annexed drawings. The upper part of this construction of still, is
the same as that shewn at Figure 3, the lower part being constructed of brick-
work. The lower chamber l', is heated by firo gases passing through the
external flues m³, Superheated steam or steam and air is injected in the manner
set forth in our aforesaid Specification No 137782 through the pipe n¹, into the
chamber, which incinerates the carbon and eliminates the nitrogen as ammonia
as is well understood, any solid matter after having been treated within the
apparatus is removed therefrom through the doors y.
The apparatus hereinbofore described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, of
the annexed drawings, may be employed in series of several of them, for example
four, five or six thereof for fractional distillation and condensation of mineral oils,
their residues and tars in substitution for the subdivided or partitional horizontal
stills set forth in our aforesaid Complete Specification No 6004 A.D. 1884. when so
employed the partially distilled residues from the lower portion x. of one still, are
drawn up by the pump a³, (Figure 1) operated by the eccentric b³, or its equivalent,
and forced or fed into the upper part of a similar still following it next in the
series, the oil vapours from the several stills being led to combined condensers and
heaters p, like those described in our aforesaid Specification N° 60948 and as shewn
at Figures 1, and 2 of the annexed drawings, and which, it is obvious may be
similarly applied to the apparatus shewn at Figures 3, and 4 thereof.
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 system or process of distilling oils, their residues or tars to dryness,
(that is to say, to a solid or semi-solid condition) in a current of superheated steam,
by passing them down through a distilling column provided with shelves and

page_text: scraj.ers substantially as hereinbefore set forth with reference to Figures 1. 2, 3.
and 4 of the annexed drawings.
Second. The system or process of distilling oils, their residues or tars to a solid
or semi-solid condition in a current of superheated steam, by passing them down
through a distilling column filled with coke, brick, iron balls or other loose material
presenting a large evaporating surface and which column of material is capable of
being disturbed from time to time so as to present fresh surfaces to the descending
oile, their residues or tars, substantially as herein before described.
Third. In combination with the systems or processes claimed in the two preceding
claiming clauses, the incineration of nitrogenous residues by the injection of steam,
or steam and air substantially as herein before set forth with reference to Figure 5
of the annexed drawings.
Fourth. The apparatus shewn at Figures 1, and 2 of the annexed drawings in
which shelves are used so that the oils, their residues or tars flow alternately
through the central and side openings of the said shelves downwards, whilst met
with a current of steam flowing upwards, the said shelves being provided with
scrapers for removing the solid residues from the shelves themselves and from the
sides of the distilling chamber so that they aro collected in the lower part of the
said distilling apparatus, substantially as herein before set forth with reference to
Figures 1, and 2.
Fifth. The apparatus shewn at Figures 3, and 4. of the annexed drawings
wherein the shelves down which the oils, their residues or tars flow are arranged
in the form of a helical blade which also constitutes the scraper by which the solid
residues are removed from the sides of the said distilling apparatus so that they are
collected in the lower part of the said distilling apparatus substantially as herein-
before set forth.
Sixth. In apparatus such as is herein before described to Figures 1, to 4, (inclusive)
of the annexed Drawings the interposition of the space k, between the fuel gases
and the liquid under treatment in the still which performs the double function of
superheating the steam and at the same timo prevents the oils from being carbonized
and decomposed substantially as herein before described.
Dated this Sirth day of January 1885
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
Applicants' Agents.