An Improved Apparatus for the Vaporising of Petroleum, Heavy Oils, Tar Oils, and Hydrocarbons generally.
Year: 1896

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for the Vaporising of Petroleum, Heavy
Oils, Tar Oils, and Hydrocarbons generally.
I, LOUIS ERNEST FRAIPONT, of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object an improved system of distilling and vaporising
apparatus for converting into gas, by a series of successive distillations simultaneously
combined with vaporisations, any of the volatile products contained in crude or
refined petroleum, the heavy oils of petroleum, or coal tar, and in the hydrocarbons
generally, the gas thus obtained being directly utilisable either for heating or lighting
purposes.
The apparatus is essentially composed of a series of retorts of suitable number and
shape communicating one with another by means of pipes. These retorts are heated
independently of one another by any suitable means, or what is more simple they may
be heated by the gas itself furnished by the apparatus when the latter is in action.
The hydrocarbons to be distilled are conveyed to the first retort in a liquid condition,
they enter into ebullition, and the vapor resulting therefrom passes into the second
In this latter, the vapor is superheated, and, according to the oil employed,
the lighter vapor is at once converted into gas. The mixture of vapor and gas then
passes into a third retort where another part of the vapor is converted into gas, and
the same operation is successively reproduced in the following retorts, and is
recommended as many times as is necessary in order to obtain the complete
vaporisation or conversion into gas of all the elements of the oils which are capable of
being distilled. The elements which are not capable of being distilled, remain in the
bottom of each retort, whence they are discharged from time to time by means of
discharge pipes with which the retorts are provided.
There is thus obtained a series of successive distillations and conversions into gas,
which allow of any suitable hydrocarbons being converted into gas in a complete
manner, whilst the products which are incapable of being distilled are discharged as
they are produced.
The arrangement preferably comprises a first retort into which the hydrocarbons
are conveyed by means of a pipe provided with a regulating device consisting of a
cylindrical chamber containing a movable ball, which latter by its displacement
regulates the admission of the hydrocarbon and prevents any back pressure on the
supply pipe arising from the apparatus.
The heavy vapors which are given off from the first retort pass by means of a pipe
into a second retort. In this retort they are superheated, and the most volatile
elements are converted into gas. The two retorts herein before mentioned are heated,
when the apparatus is in action, by means of burners mounted on a suitable feed pipe
and fed by means of gas produced by the apparatus itself.
The mixture of these superheated vapors and the gas already formned, is sent in a
dry condition into a gas producer by means of a pipe. This gas producer is composed

page_text: of three cylinders communicating one with another by means of passages or ports, and
heated directly by means of another series of burners fed by the gas itself arising from
the gas producer, by the intermediary of suitable pipes.
In this arrangement of the gas producer, the vapor is forced to pass first through
the two upper cylinders which are the least heated, and then into the one which is
the most heated, because it is directly in contact with the flame of the heating
burners.
The retorts and the cylinders have internal wings or projections serving for increasing
the heating surface. Discharge tubes are mounted on the retorts and extend
downwards almost to the bottom of the retort with the object of causing the discharge
of the residuals from the distillation during the working of the apparatus by means of
the pressure produced by the evaporation of the hydrocarbons. By the use of this
discharging device crude hydrocarbons may be consumed and any accumulation of
residues and formation of coke is prevented. The retorts have covers on which are
attached the pipes conveying the hydrocarbons to them, also the pipes for carrying
off the gas, and the discharge pipes previously mentioned. The body of the retort is
pressed against the cover or lid by means of a suitable rod fixed in the framework of
the apparatus and a nut. This arrangement allows of the spherical part of the retort
being dismounted very rapidly in order to be cleaned, without it being necessary to
interfere with the other parts of the apparatus. The same system of closing, and of
joint, is employed for the gas producing cylinders.
The gas on being discharged from the gas producer, is conveyed by means of a
suitable pipe into a receiver or gasometer which allows of its being distributed to any
suitable heating or lighting apparatus for which it is intended.
The forms, dimensions, proportions and accessory parts of the apparatus and the
materials employed in its construction may be suitably varied without affecting the
principle of the invention.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Apparatus for the Vaporising of Petroleum, Heavy
Oils, Tar Oils, and Hydrocarbons generally.
I, LOUIS ERNEST FRAIPONT of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris in the Republic of France
Engineer, 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 :-
My invention has for its object an improved system of distilling and vaporising
apparatus for converting into gas, by a series of successive distillations simultaneously
combined with vaporisations, any of the volatile products contained in crude or refined
petroleum, the heavy oils of petroleum, or coal tar, and in the hydrocarbons generally,
the gas thus obtained being directly utilisable, either for heating or lighting
purposes.
The apparatus is essentially composed of a series of retorts of suitable number and
shape communicating one with another by means of pipes. These retorts are heated
independently of one another by any suitable means, or, what is more simple, they
may be heated by the gas furnished by the apparatus itself when the latter is in
action. The hydrocarbons to be distilled are conveyed to the first retort in a liquid
condition, they enter into ebullition, and the vapor resulting therefrom passes into the

page_text: second retort. In this latter, the vapor is superheated, and, according to the oil
employed, the lighter vapor is at once converted into gas. The mixture of vapor and
gas then passes into a third retort where another part of the vapor is converted into
gas, and the same operation is successively reproduced in the following retorts, and is
recommenced as many times as is necessary in order to obtain the complete
vaporisation or conversion into gas of all the elements of the oils which are capable of
being distilled. The elements which are not capable of being distilled, remain in the
bottom of each retort, whence they are discharged from time to time by means of
discharge pipes with which the retorts are provided.
There is thus obtained a series of successive distillations and conversions into gas,
which allow of any suitable hydrocarbons being converted into gas in a complete
manner, whilst the products which are incapable of being distilled are discharged as
they are produced.
Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of a practical apparatus arranged for
converting the ordinary heavy oils into gas;
Figure 2 is a plan view and
Figure 3 a longitudinal section on the line 1-2 of Figure 2.
The arrangement preferably comprises a first retort A into which the hydrocarbons
are conveyed by means of a pipe C provided with a regulating device, consisting as
shown in Figure 1 of a cylindrical chamber R containing a movable ball a which latter
by its displacement regulates the admission of the hydrocarbon and prevents any back
pressure arising from the apparatus in the supply pipe.
The heavy vapors which are given off from the first retort A pass by means of a
pipe D into a second retort B. In this retort they are superheated, and the most
volatile elements are converted into gas. The two retorts A and B hereinbefore
mentioned are heated, when the apparatus is in action, by means of burners P¹
mounted on a suitable feed pipe S and fed by means of gas produced by the apparatus
itself.
The mixture of these superheated vapors and the gas already formed, is sent in a
dry condition into a gas producer F by means of a pipe E. This gas producer is
composed of three cylinders communicating one with another by means of passages or
ports O, Figures 2 and 3, and heated directly by means of another series of
burners P fed by the gas itself arising from the gas producer, by the intermediary of
suitable pipes I and T.
In this arrangement of the gas producer, the vapor is forced to pass first through
the two upper cylinders which are the least heated, and then into the one which is
the most heated, because it is directly in contact with the flame of the heating
burners.
The retorts and the cylinders have internal wings or projections serving for
increasing the heating surface. Discharge tubes X, Figures 2 and 3 are mounted on
the retorts and extend downwards almost to the bottom of the retort with the object
of causing a discharge of the residuals from the distillation during the working of the
apparatus by means of the pressure produced by the evaporation of the hydrocarbons.
By the use of this discharging device crude hydrocarbons may be consumed and any
accumulation of residues and formation of coke is prevented. The retorts have
covers Z on which are attached the pipes C conveying the hydrocarbons to them, also
the pipes for carrying off the gas D, and the discharge pipes X previously mentioned.
The body of the retort is pressed against the cover or lid Z by means of a suitable
rod V fixed in the framework of the apparatus and a nut Y. This arrangement allows
of the spherical part of the retort being dismounted very rapidly in order to be cleaned,
without it being necessary to interfere with the other parts of the apparatus. The
same system of closing, and of joint, is employed for the gas producing cylinder.
The gas on being discharged from the gas producer, is conveyed by means of a
suitable pipe U into a receiver or gasometer which allows of its being distributed to
any suitable heating or lighting apparatus for which it is intended.
The forms, dimensions, proportions and accessory parts of the apparatus and the

page_text: materials employed in its construction may be suitably varied without affecting the
principle of the invention.
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 :-
. 1. An apparatus for the complete vaporization of hydrocarbons by the production
of fractional and successive distillation of such hydrocarbons, the said apparatus being
characterised by the combination of a series of retorts or vaporizers of any suitable
number and form heated independently of one another and communicating with each
other by pipes which enable successive distillations and vaporizations to be produced
in each of them; the whole substantially as herein before described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
2. The general construction and combination of parts taken as a whole, forming the
improved apparatus for vaporizing hydrocarbons, substantially as described and
illustrated.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.