Year: 1887

page_text: I, SYDNEY PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey Gontleman (a communication to
me from Thurston Gordon Hall of Chicago, Cook County State of Illinois one of the
United States of America 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 as made to me:-
I have discovered a process of altering the character of hydrocarbon oils by sub-
jecting the same, under certain conditions, to the action of a high temperature when
imingled with steam. In order to subject the mingled vapours of steam and oil to
this temperature, it is essential that they should be brought in contact with considerable
surfaces of the heating body, and subsequently condensed. I will describe my process
especially as applied to Canadian crude oils, which contain a considerable per centage
of sulphur.
In carrying out this process I provide a converter, which may be of any suitable
shape, provided the requisite temperature can be attained in it. In practice I find
that a cylindrical converter without tubes works well, though one with tubes may
likewise be employed. This converter I make preferably of a diameter of about
10 feet and of a length of about 30 feet, and 1 fill it a little more than half full with
fragments of granite, which may be about two or three inches in diameter. Into the
bottom of this still through a suitable perforated pipe or pipes, preferably extending
the length of the still, I inject the crude oil and steam, preferably using a steam
injector. The still itself must be so constructed as that a high temperature may be
obtained, especially in the upper part of the granite. This temperature preferably
ranges from 420° to 460° Fahrenheit though higher temperatures are useful under
some conditions. In the presence of highly heated blocks of granite at these
temperatures the sulphur leaves the oil, and in the condition of sulphuretted hydrogen
passes into the water where it can be readily detected by the usual tests.
The vapours
of oil and water are condensed in the usual way in a condenser, and the oil and water
are separated by gravity at the end. I find as a result of this treatment that the
specific gravity of the oil has been diminished or its degrees Beaumé increased.
Approximately taking, say a 32 gravity Canadian oil, I find the gravity of this first
Price Adl

page_text: run to be from 47 to 48 on an average. I preferably then take this oil, the gravity of
which has been increased from about 32 to 48° Beaumé, and re-run it through the
same converter and condenser as before with an additional supply of steam. The
result of this second treatment is to still further purify it. The average gravity
will likewise be somewhat increased in this second run, generally from one to two
degrees.
I do not in this application limit myself to the specific material granite as a
converting agent, though I find that to work very satisfactorily, under the conditions
named.
I have found, for instance, that other materials such as marble, quick-lime, and
cryolite give satisfactory results and I believe the action is due not to the body used,
but to the exposure of the large surfaces of material capable of acting upon the
mingled vapours of steam and oil, at proper converting temperatures. I have
obtained very excellent results from lime.
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
The process of manufacturing hydro-carbon oil, which consists in subjecting the
mingled vapours of a hydro-carbon oil and steam to large converting surfaces of
granite or equivalent material heated to a temperature above 420° Fahrenheit by
passing said vapours through and in contact with the converting material, and in
subsequently condensing the same, substantially as described.
Dated this oil, don
1007
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.