IMPROVE- MENTS IN DISTILLING OR REFINING MINERAL OILS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Norman Macfarlane Henderson, of Broxburn, in the
County of Linlithgow, North Britain Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DISTILLING OR REFINING MINERAL OILS AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Norman Macfarlane
Henderson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st February
1883.
NORMAN MACFARLANE HENDERSON, of Broxburn, in the County of Linlithgow,
North Britain, Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING OR REFINING MINERAL
OILS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
כן
This Invention relates to the distillatory processes employed in refining mineral
oils, and its object is to simplify and improve the processes and apparatus, and to
render the operations more continuous and more uniform in their results than as
hitherto conducted. The improved processes and apparatus also reduce the cost of
plant fuel and labor.
The Invention may be applied in the treatment of various kinds of mineral oils,
and at various stages of the refining operations. In one arrangement of the
improved apparatus, suitable for treating shale or coal oil after it has undergone
one distillation subsequent to its obtainment by destructive distillation from the
shale or coal there are arranged in connection three horizontal cylindrical stills
placed near together and heated by ordinary furnaces a convenient size for these
stills being 7 feet in diameter by about 19 feet in length. Each still is fitted with
an outlet or discharge pipe in the bottom at one end, and an inlet pipe enters the
same end of each still at a higher level but is continued inside the still to the
other end so that the actual inlet may be as far as possible from the outlet in each
case. Both inlet and outlet orifices open upwards and safety plug valves are
provided within the still for closing them when necessary, these valves consisting
of conical loaded valves attached to vertical rods which pass out through stuffing
boxes in the top of the still, and are ordinarily held up by any simple appliance
which can be disconnected at a moment's notice to allow the valves to close.
Thus in the event of the external stopcocks or pipe connections or joints getting
out of order the safety valves can be instantly closed and leakage of the oil be
prevented. Each still is formed with the usual domne or vapor chest into which
the volatilised oil rises and from which it passes by a curved branch into a long
horizontal cylinder or pipe wherein its heat is utilised in raising the temperature
of the oil which is being continuously fed into the first of the three stills. These
1

page_text: feed heating cylinders are of special construction, each consisting of an external
cylindrical pipe with flanged ends with an inlet for the vapor at one end and with
an outlet at the side near the other end this outlet communicating with the pipe
leading the vapor to the condenser. Within the outer pipe there is fixed an inner
pipe the inner end of which is closed whilst its outer end is formed with or has
tightly fixed to it by screwing a flange by means of which a tight joint is formed
with the outer pipe. The outer end of the inner pipe is closed by a plate which
has fixed through it a short pipe extending only a short distance inwards, and a
longer pipe which extends almost to the inner end; and the feed oil is admitted by
the shorter pipe and passes onwards by the longer one after being subjected to the
heating action of the vapor passing between the outer cylindrical pipe and the
inner one.
With this construction the mixing of the comparatively crude feed oil
with the newly distilled oil is rendered impossible.
The oil supplied to the first still is passed through the feed heaters of all the
three stills, and is fed in continuously; and whilst distillation is proceeding
continuously in the three stills there is a continuous transference of oil from the
first to the second still, from the second to the third still, and from the third still
to one or more residue stills. The temperature maintained in the second still is
higher than in the first, and that in the third higher than in the second; in con-
sequence of which the oils vaporised in the several stills are of different specific
gravities, but the oil vaporised in or distilled over from each still is always of one
quality or specific gravity so long as the feed and the heats applied to the several
stills are suitably regulated. In the first still the oil fed in enters at a certain
distance above the bottom whilst the oil which is transferred passes from the
bottom of the first still and enters the second at a suitable distance above the
bottom; and in a similar way the oil which is transferred from the second still
passes from the bottom of it and enters the third still at a suitable distance above
the bottom. In each still the lighter or more volatile constituents of the oil rise
and are vaporised whilst the heavier constituents draw to the bottom and are
transferred thence to the next still in order.
In the third still where there is a tendency for coke or adhesive carbonaceous
matter to separate from the oil, there are fitted inside of the still certain plates or
dishes to promote the circulation of the oil and to form receptacles for the coke so
that it may not adhere to the bottom of the still. These dishes or circulating
plates extend along the still on each side of its longitudinal central plane, with a
middle space between them. Their bottoms are shaped so as to be nearly parallel
to or cencentric with the bottom shell of the still, and they are hinged to straps
which are riveted to the sides of the still, their inner parts being supported by foet
resting on the bottom of the still; whilst provision is made for attaching chains by
means of which the dishes can be turned up for cleaning purposes. The oil
circulates so as to pass from the middle under the dishes or plates and up the sides
of the still returning downwards from the sides towards the middle; and this
circulation is assisted and insured by jets of steam issuing from perforations in the
If found
sides of a pipe extending along the still near the middle of the bottom.
necessary or desirable the circulating plates or dishes may be applied to the second
still and even to the first.
Two or more residue stills are by preference provided in connection with each set
of three connected stills in order that whilst one of the residue stills is being
cleaned out there may be no interruption in the continuous action of the three
stills.
Instead of heating the oil supplied to the first still by means of the vapor feed
heaters as hereinbefore described; or in addition to that means of heating, it may
be heated by being passed through a coil of piping in the third still. Or the feed
oil may be heated in any other convenient way.,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Norman Macfarlane Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st July 1883.
NORMAN MACFARLANE HENDERSON, of Broxburn, in the County of Linlithgow,
North Britain, Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING OR REFINING MINERAL
OILS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR "
My said Invention relates to the distallatory processes employed in refining
mineral oils, and its object is to simplify and improve the processes and apparatus,
and to render the operations more continuous and more uniform in their results
than as hitherto conducted. My improved processes and apparatus also reduce the
cost of plant, fuel, and labor.
My Invention may be applied in the treatment of various kinds of mineral oils,
and at various stages of the refining operations. In one arrangement of my
improved apparatus, suitable for treating shale or coal oil after it has undergone
one distillation subsequent to its obtainment by destructive distillation from the
shale or coal, there are arranged in connection three horizontal cylindrical stills
placed near together and heated by ordinary furnaces. Oil is continuously fed into
the first still, and portions of the oil continuously flow from the first still into the
second, from the second into the third and from the third into one or more residue
stills; and in each still the inlet is kept as far separated as possible from the outlet
leading to the next still. The inlets are also placed at higher levels than the
outlets, and both inlets and outlets are provided with special safety valves herein-
after particularly described.
Each still is formed with the usual dome or vapor chest into which the volatilised
oil rises, and from which it passes by a curved branch into a long horizontal
cylinder or pipe wherein its heat is utilised in raising the temperature of the oil
which is being continuously fed into the first of the three stills. These feed heating
cylinders are of special construction, hereinafter particularly described and which
is such as to render impossible the mixing of any of the comparatively crude feed
oil with the newly distilled oil.
The oil supplied to the first still is passed through the feed heaters of all the
three stills; and the distillation proceeds continuously, the temperature maintained
in the second still being higher than in the first, and that in the third higher than
in the second. Consequently the oils vaporised in the several stills are of different
specific gravities; but the oil vaporised in or distilled over from each still is
always of one quality or specific gravity so long as the feed and the heats applied
to the several stills are suitably regulated. In each still the lighter or more
volatile constituents of the oil rise and are vaporised whilst the heavier
constituents draw to the bottom and are transferred thence to the next still in
order.
In the third still where there is a tendency for coke or adhesive carbonaceous
matters to separate from the oil, there are fitted inside of the still certain plates
or dishes to promote the circulation of the oil and to form receptacles for the coke
so that it may not adhere to the bottom of the still. These dishes or circulating
plates extend along the still on each side of its longitudinal central plane, with a
middle space between them. Their bottoms are shaped so as to be nearly parallel
to or concentric with the bottom shell of the still; and the oil in circulating passes
from the middle under the dishes or plates and up the sides of the still returning
downwards from the sides towards the middle; and this circulation is assisted and
insured by jets of steam issuing from perforations in the sides of a pipe extending
along the still near the middle of the bottom. If found necessary or desirable the.

page_text: circulating plates or dishes may be applied to the second still and even to
the first.
Two or more residue stills are by preference provided in connection with each
set of three connected stills, in order that whilst one of the residue stills is being
cleaned out there may be no interruption in the continuous action of the three
stills.
Instead of heating the oil supplied to the first still by means of the vapor feed
heaters as herein before described; or in addition to that means of heating, it may
be heated by being passed through a coil of piping in the third still.
oil may be heated in any other convenient way.
Or the feed
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append four sheets of explanatory
drawings to be hereinafter referred to and representing my improved apparatus.
Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings is a plan, and figure, 2,
on sheet 2, is a back elevation of a set of three stills with one of the residue stills.
Figure, 3, on sheet, 3, is a front elevation partly in section. Figures, 4, and 5,
on sheet, 4, are enlarged longitudinal and transverse vertical sections of the third
still; and figure, 6, is an enlarged longitudinal section of one of the feed heaters.
In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
In the arrangement shown in the drawings, there are three horizontal cylin-
drical stills, 11, 12, 13, placed near together in a suitable building, and heated by
ordinary furnaces, 14, a convenient size for these stills being 7 feet in diameter by
about 19 feet in length. The fireplace of each furnace, or the space immediately
over the grate is arched over, and the fire gases pass through lateral openings, 15,
(figure, 3) into a heating chamber, 16, in which they act directly on the still, and
from one end of which they pass off downwards by lateral flues, 17, indicated by
dotted lines in figure, 2, to a main underground flue leading to the chimney. Eac
still is fitted with an outlet or discharge pipe, 18, in the bottom at one end, and
in the second and third stills, 12, 13, an inlet pipe, 19, enters the same end at a
higher level, but is continued inside the still to the other end so that the actual
inlet may be as far as possible from the outlet. The orifices inside the stills of
both the inlet and outlet pipes, 19, 18, open or face upwards and safety plug
valves, 20, are provided within the still for closing them when necessary, these
valves, 20, consisting of conical loaded valves, attached to vertical rods, 21, which
pass out through stuffing boxes in the tops of the stills, and are ordinarily held
up by any simple appliance which can be disconnected at a moment's notice to
allow the valves to close. Thus in the event of the external stopcocks, 22, 23, or
any pipe connections, or joints getting out of order, the safety valves, 20, can be
instantly closed so as to prevent leakage of the oil.
I
Each still is formed with the usual dome or vapor chest, 24, into which the
volatilised oil rises, and from which it passes by a curved branch, 25, into a long
horizontal cylinder or pipe, 26, wherein its heat is utilised in raising the tempe-
rature of the oil which is being continuously fed into the first, 11, of the three
stills. As shown in figure, 6, each feed heating cylinder, 26, is a cylindrical pipe
with flanged ends, with an inlet, 25, at one end for the vapor and with an outlet, 27,
for the same at the side near the other end, this outlet, 27, being in a curved
branch communicating with the pipe, 28, which leads the vapor to the condenser.
Within the outer pipe, 26, there is fixed an inner pipe, 29, the inner end of which
is closed, whilst its outer end is formed with, or has tightly fixed to it by screwing
a flange, 30, by means of which a tight joint is formed with the flange at the
outlet end of the outer pipe, 26. The outer end of the inner pipe, 29, is closed by
a plate, 31, which has fixed through it a short pipe, 32, extending only a short
distance inwards, and a longer pipe, 33, which extends almost to the inner
end; and the feed oil is admitted by the shorter pipe, 32, and passes off by
the longer one, 33, after being subjected to the heating action of the vapor
passing between the outer cylindrical pipe, 26, and the inner one, 29

page_text: The feed oil passes through the heaters, 26, of all three stills being led from one
to the other through pipes, 34, 35, 36, and finally passing by a pipe, 37, into the
first still, 11, the pipe dipping a short distance below the surface of the oil in that
still. Whilst the distillation is proceeding continuously in the three stills, 11,
12, 13, there is a continuous transference of oil from the first still, 11, to the second
still, 12, by a pipe, 38, connecting the outlet pipe, 18, of the first still to the inlet
pipe, 19, of the second still. Similarly there is a continuous transference of oil
from the second still, 12, by a pipe, 39, to the third still, 13, and from the third
still, 13, by a pipe, 40, to one or more residue stills, 41. As the specific gravity
of the oil varies in the three stills, 11, 12, 13, the surface levels of the oil will be
at correspondingly different levels. When operating upon an average quality of
shale oil with stills of the size shown in the drawings, that is of 7 feet diameter, I
believe the best working levels are 5 feet, 41 feet, and 4 feet, respectively in the
three stills, 11, 12, 13. The residue still, 41, is at a lower level than the other
stills and the stopcock on the pipe, 40, leading to it, is in practice to be adjusted
to allow of such a flow from the third still, 13, as will cause the levels mentioned
to be maintained without much variation. The heats applied to the several stills
must also be regulated to suit the different qualities or specific-gravities of oil
which it is found in practice to be most advantageously volatilised in each still.
It will however be obvious to those conversant with the refining of mineral oils,
that the rates of feed and of flow of the oil through the stills, the levels in the
several stills and the heats applied, will in practice have to be adjusted to suit the
particular oil operated upon in each case.
The dishes or plates, 42, for promoting circulation and for collecting coke and
which will in general be applied to the third still, 13, are shown in figures, 4, and 5,
on sheet, 4. There are two dishes, 42, in the still, each being made with a curved
bottom nearly concentric with the bottom of the still; whilst there are vertical
ends and a nearly vertical side along the inner part of each, there being a middle
space, 43, between the two dishes. The dishes, 42, are jointed to straps or
hinges, 44, rivetted to the sides of the still and are supported by feet, 45, rings
or shackles being jointed to them for the attachment of chains by which the dishes
can be turned up for cleaning purposes. At the lower part of the middle space, 43,
between the dishes, 42, there is a longitudinal steam pipe, 46, which has
perforations made along the lower part of each side. The oil in circulating
passes down the middle space, 43, between the dishes, 42, and being aided by the
steam jets from the pipe, 46, passes under the dishes, 42, and up the sides of the
still, the non-volatilised portions returning downward above the dishes, 42, and
towards the middle space, 43. As the circulating currents are at their slowest
whilst passing over the dishes, 42, the coke which separates from the oil tends to
be deposited in the dishes instead of on the bottom of the still, and it can be
removed from the dishes periodically.
As hereinbefore mentioned the oil fed or supplied to the first still, 11, or some of
that oil instead of being heated by the feed heaters, 26, may be heated by passing
through a pipe, 47, led through the third still, 13, in which still it is arranged in a
number of lengths or coils. On leaving the third still, 13, the pipe, 47, is
represented as passing directly to the first still, 11, but it might also be led through
the second still, 12, if found desirable.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated but that what I believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the berein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The system or mode of distilling or refining mineral oils, wherein the oil is
fed continuously into a first still from which there is a continuous transference to
one or more other stills in succession, the distillation being effected at graduated
temperatures in the successive stills sulstantially in the manner hereinbefore
described.

page_text: 2. The system or mode of distilling or refining mineral oils, wherein the oil is
fed continuously into the still at a point higher than and remote from an outlet at
which a portion of the oil is continuously withdrawn.
3. The arrangement of two or more stills in combination, and fitted with
connecting pipes, for the transference of oil from one still to another in succession
as its specific gravity increases, the stills being worked at graduated temperatures,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
4. The fitting of the inlet and outlet pipes of the stills with simple safety valves
consisting of loaded conical plugs or equivalent simple parts in addition to the
ordinary stopcocks, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
5. The improved construction of feed heater hereinbefore described more
particularly with reference to figure, 6, of the accompanying drawings.
6. The construction and arrangement of the dishes or plates for promoting
circulation in the still and for receiving coke or matters deposited from the oil
substantially as hereinbefore described.
In Witness whereof I, the said Norman Macfarlane Henderson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal this twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
N.M.
מתגודד
(STT) NOSU
זגי