IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PETROLEUM AND MINERAL OILS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Vincent Gardner, of Berners Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Professor of Chemistry, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PETROLEUM AND MINERAL OILS, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 3rd July 1863, and dated the 6th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Vincent Gardner
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th January 1863.
I, EDWARD VINCENT GARDNER, of Berners Street, in County of Middlesex,
Professor of Chemistry, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PETROLEUM AND MINERAL OILS, AND
IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to arrangements of apparatus
herein-after set forth, and to the use of both high and low pressure and
superheated steam in connection therewith, by which means I completely
obviate all risk of fire and explosion, and contrive to separate the various
distinct compounds which are contained in ordinary mineral oils in one
continuous operation.
The second part of my Invention consists of an improved agitator to be used
in the purification of these oils.
The third part of my Invention consists of an apparatus or still used in the
rectification of the oils.

page_text: The fourth part relates to certain chemical processes by means of which I
am able greatly to increase the yield of oil and diminish the tarry or heavy
carbonaceous products and to render the various oils free from their unpleasant
odour.
I proceed to show how my Invention is carried into effect. I take a shallow
and wide vessel which is kept supplied with mineral oils from a service pipe ;
this vessel is provided with several conducting tubes, each one leading to a
separate condenser, these pipes terminate each in a distinct receiver which
for convenience and safety should be buried. The oil previously treated with
chlorides of iron, zinc, tin, or manganese, is run from the agitator into the
vessel, or the oil and chloride are introduced without agitation, and steam of low
pressure is allowed to enter and traverse a perforated coil in the bottom of
the vessel. The steam escapes with the light oils and passes off by a condenser
pipe No. 1 to its condenser; high pressure steam is now introduced into the
same coil by means of convenient pipes from another boiler, the product of this
second process passes off by condenser pipe No. 2 to its distinct condenser and
receiver, outlet through pipes Nos. 1 and 3 being closed; superheated steam
is next passed from a third source through the same coil, outlet through pipes
Nos. 1 and 2 being closed, and this product passes by a third condenser pipe
to its separate condenser and receiver. These condenser pipes are fitted with
taps for use as required. The remaining dead oil is run from the vessel
through a tap and pipes to a general receiver while hot, or into another
ordinary still and submitted to fire distillation.
If the oils be not previously agitated and treated with chloride, but introduced
with the chloride into the vessel, then before the introduction of superheated
steam the mixture must be allowed to subside and the solution of chloride
run off, the remaining oil is treated as if the chloride had not been present ;
a gauge glass is fitted to the vessel. The resulting products, those in the
receiver, are further treated and improved as herein-after described; when
I manufacture on an extensive scale and when a continuous operation
becomes of the utmost value I adopt the following plans.
I use a vessel not so shallow and wide nor is it provided with three
outlets for the products as before, it has a discharge pipe beneath in addition
for service as described.
The condenser pipe and tube from the vessel are received by a second vessel
containing another vessel inside it, in which the condenser pipe from the first
vessel is fixed, both are surrounded with water. The internal vessel is a tubulated
receiver through the tubes of which the water in the second vessel freely passes,
The tubulated receiver has an ordinary trap at its lower portion communicating

page_text: by a pipe and tap with a steam chamber. This steam chamber is fitted with
inclined shelves or division plates passing transversely but not completely from
side to side. There is a pipe for conveying high pressure or superheated steam
into the lower part of the steam chamber, while from the upper part thereof
there is a pipe leading to one or two condensing apparatuses as may be
necessary, and at bottom a waste or dead oil pipe is fitted.
The process is as follows:-The oil is introduced into the first vessel, as
in the former instance, the steam of a temperature of from 200° to 300°
Fahrenheit is allowed to pass into and through the perforated coil, it passes
through the oil and eventually escapes with any light oil by the condenser
pipe which terminates in the internal vessel. The water in the second vessel
cools the steam and oil which flow into the internal vessel, the water is
gradually becoming warmed and as no continuous flow of cold water is allowed
in the second vessel, this water increases to 212° and communicates this
temperature to the contents of the internal vessel which are thus distilled, the
light oils escaping by the condenser arrangement attached to the internal
vessel in a manner similar to that already described.
The first vessel must be sufficiently strong to bear a slight pressure to force
the condensed oils through the coil in the second vessel into the internal vessel.
The more dense oils will remain unaffected by this temperature in the
internal vessel and fall into the trap to be treated in the steam chamber as
about to be described.
The charge of oils in the first vessel can be renewed by the supply pipe,
or in the case of the chlorides being introduced into it with the oil, subsidence is
allowed, the solution of chloride run off by the pipe, and the remaining denser
oil by the discharge pipe into the steam chamber. By the discharge pipes
from the first and second vessels a continuous and regular flow of oil is
preserved in the steam chamber which oil traverses and gradually descends
the inclined plates therein, as it does so it is met by and submitted to the
steam which enters from below. The steam carrying a considerable proportion
of this oil which it separates by either 1 or 2 or 3 distinct treatments.
These oils escape by the escape pipe in the upper part of the steam chamber
to condensing apparatus. The oil which has escaped the action of the steam
falls through the dead or outlet pipe into proper receptacles to be afterwards
submitted to destructive distillation or to be manufactured into grease.
By these means I procure 1. Some light spirits which do not grease or
stain; 2. Some pure oils for lubricating delicate machinery; 3. Illuminating
oils; 4. Heavy oils.

page_text: In this process I must particularly mention that neither acids or alkalies
must be allowed to come in contact with the oils previous to the above
treatment, as the action of the acid is to change the nature of the oil and so
much upon the action of heat that the oil is considerably carbonized and the
production in pure oil lessened, the alkali never sufficiently counteracting its
action.
My next improvement is in the construction of an agitator formed as a
common ventilator but contained in a box, the agitator is constructed with.
blades moving on an axle in the box which is fixed at the upper part; the
box has a condenser head and pipe leading to a condenser and receiver.
The material to be agitated is introduced through a manhole in the upper
part of the box, and steam through a union pipe and perforations in the box,
the fan is set in motion, and the whole thus agitated. The light oils pass
away through perforations in the box to the pipe and condenser. After
agitation steam is turned off and the contents of the agitator run off, My still to
be used in the rectification of the oils is a fractional still of an improved
character. The body or pan of the still is made to receive the still head and
lining which fit into it by sand bags or joints. The contents are distilled by
any ordinary method, such as steam, by a pipe and coil in the lower part of the
pan. The head and lining can at any time be lifted out from the pan, the
materials examined and readjusted without preventing the continuance of any
operation as well as of affording considerable safety from explosion and con
venience for cleaning.
The chemical treatment is as follows:-I submit the crude oils to agitation
with either chloride of iron, tin, zinc, or manganese, or a mixture of two or more
of them, I then expose the resulting oils to distillation as described, The
various oils are thus purified. They are treated with about 10 or 12 per
cent. of concentrated oil of vitriol, well agitated, and when the oil smells of
sulphurous acid it is allowed to subside and the clear oil poured off.
The clear oil is next treated with a cold saturated solution of bichromate
of potassa or soda well agitated and allowed to stand on this solution unțil
most of the odour of the oil is removed. The oil is next run off into a
vessel containing one or other of the following substances, or a mixture of them,
Peroxide of manganese, oxide of iron, oxide of lead, red lead, alumina (by
preference white clay), magnesia.
The oil is well agitated with the chosen substance, and allowed to stand
for a few days; by occasionally agitating it becomes bright and clear, almost
colourless, and possessed of an agreeable odour. I prefer in this treatment

page_text: the magnesia. but in place of that; being too expensive, the peroxide of
manganese, or, when further economy is desirable, oxide of iron. I am aware
that bichromate of potassa has been employed in conjunction with oil of vitriol
and heat, but in my process I never allow the oil of vitriol and potassa salt to
exert their combined action on the oil, as it will be found to injure the oils
beyond recovery: I also carefully avoid beating in this part of my treatment;
I do not depend solely upon this treatment; but adopt it as a part of my process
described.
My next improvement is in the employment of chlorates and oil of vitriol or
some other acid; or the perchlorates in deodorizing and bleaching mineral oils:
The acids must never be brought in contact with the solid chlorates under any
circumstances, as thereby a most dangerous explosion would ensue. I make a
cold saturated solution of a soluble chlorate; I treat the oil with about 10 to 20
per cent. of this after it has been treated and drawn off from the subsided oil of
vitriol as already described and well agitate several times during a few hours; this
rapidly and effectually deodorizes and bleaches most oils, they can be finished for
especial purposes, as in the former case, with any of the compounds mentioned;
but generally it will be found unnecessary. Sometimes when the oil is intrac-
table I hasten the process by the addition of a small quantity of dilute oil of
vitriol to the mixed oil and chlorate solution. Sometimes I employ the chlorate
solution to act upon oils not previously submitted to the action of oil of vitriol
but in the condition furnished by the distillation process described; the action
of which I may hasten by a small quantity of dilute oil of vitriol as above
stated. I sometimes treat oils with nitric acid in the proportion of 3 or 5 per
cent. and well agitate them therewith, they are allowed to subside and afterwards
poured off and agitated with lime. By this means I deprive them of the whole
of their offensive odour.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Vincent Gardner in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME; I, EDWARD'
VINCENT GARDNER; of Berners Street, in the County of Middlesex, Professor
of Chemistry, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of January in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Vincent Gardner, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Vincent Gardner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or. such
others as I, the said Edward Vincent Gardner, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PETROLEUM AND MINERAL OILS,
AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Edward Vincent Gardner, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause. the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Vincent Gardner, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
The first part of my Invention relates to arrangements of apparatus herein-
after set forth, and to the use of both high and low pressure and superheated
steam in connection therewith, by which means I completely obviate all risk
of fire and explosion, and contrive to separate the various distinct compounds
which are contained in ordinary mineral oils, and, if necessary, in one con-
tinuous operation.
The second part of my Invention consists of an improved agitator to be
used in the purification of these oils.
The third part of my Invention consists of an apparatus or still used in the
rectification of the oils.
The fourth part relates to certain chemical processes by means of which
I am able greatly to increase the yield of oil and diminish the tarry or heavy
carbonaceous products, and to render the various oils free from their un-
pleasant odour.
I proceed to shew how my Invention is carried into effect. I take a shallow
and wide vessel or still A (see Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings),
which is kept supplied with mineral oils from a service pipe B; this vessel or
still is provided with several conducting tubes, each one leading to a separate

page_text: condenser in the manner shewn at No. 1; these pipes terminate each in a
distinct receiver C, which for convenience and safety should be buried. The
oil previously treated with chlorides, perchlorides, or hypochlorites of iron,
zinc, tin, lime, soda, or manganese, or any such compounds, or a mixture of
two or more is run from the agitator in which it has been thoroughly treated
with the above-named substances into the vessel or still A, or the oil and
chlorides are introduced without agitation; steam of low temperature is
allowed to enter by the pipe D and traverse a perforated coil E in the bottom
of the vessel. The steam escapes with the light oils and passes off by a
condenser pipe No. 1 to its condenser G. High-pressure steam is now
introduced into the same coil E by means of convenient pipes from the same
or another boiler; the product of this second process passes off by condenser
pipe No. 2 to its distinct condenser and receiver, pipes Nos. 1 and 3 being:
closed. Superheated steam is next passed from the same or a third source
through the same coil E, pipes Nos. 1 and 2 being closed, and this product
passes by a third condenser pipe to its separate condenser and receiver.
These condenser pipes are fitted with taps for use as required, or I can
conduct the same operation by successive steps in an ordinary still, but this is
not so convenient. The remaining dead oil is run from the vessel A through
a tap F and pipes to a general receiver while hot, or into another ordinary
still and submitted to further distillation. If the oils be not previously
agitated and treated with chloride or chlorides, but introduced with the
chloride into the vessel A, then after being submitted to steam at 212°, and at
high pressure before the introduction of superheated steam, the mixture must
be allowed to subside, and the solution of chloride run off by the tap F; the
remaining oil is treated as if the chloride had not been present. A gauge
glass His fitted to the vessel. The resulting products, those in the receiver,
are further treated and improved as herein-after described.
When I manufacture on an extensive scale and when a continuous operation
becomes of the utmost value I adopt the following plans. I use a vessel (see
Figure 2, in which A, B, D, E, F, refer to the same parts as in Figure 1) not
so shallow and wide, nor is it provided with three outlets for the products as.
before; it has a discharge pipe H beneath in addition for service, as described.
The condenser pipe from the vessel A is received by a second vessel I con-
taining another vessel K inside it, in which the condenser pipe from the
vessel A is fixed as shewn at L, both are surrounded with water. The vessel
K is a tubulated receiver, through the tubes of which the water in the second
vessel I freely passes. The tubulated receiver K has an ordinary trap M at

page_text: its lower portion communicating by a pipe and tap N with a steam chamber O.
This steam chamber is fitted with inclined shelves or division plates P passing
transversely but not completely from side to side. R is a pipe for conveying
high pressure or superheated steam into the lower part of the steam chamber
O, while from the upper part thereof there is a pipe S leading to one or two
condensing apparatuses as may be necessary, and at bottom a waste or dead
oil pipe T is fitted. The process is as follows:-The oil is introduced into the
vessel A as in the former instance, the steam of a temperature of from 200° to
300° Fahrenheit is allowed to pass by the pipe D into and through the
perforated coil E, it passes through the oil and eventually escapes with any
light oil by the condenser pipe, which terminates in the vessel K. The water
in the vessel I cools this steam and oil which flow into the vessel K; the water
is gradually becoming warmed, and as no continuous flow of cold water is
allowed in the vessel I the water increases in temperature, and communicates
its heat to the contents of the vessel K which are thus distilled, the light oils
escaping by the condenser arrangement attached to the vessel K in manner
similar to that already described. The vessel A must be sufficiently strong to
bear a slight pressure to force the condensed oils through the coil in the
vessel I into the vessel K. The more dense oils will remain unaffected by
this temperature in the vessel K, and fall into the trap M to be treated in the
steam chamber as about to be described. The charge of oil in the vessel A
can be renewed by the supply pipe B, or in the case of the chlorides being
introduced into it with the oils subsidence is allowed, the solution of the
chlorides run off by the pipe I, and the remaining denser oil by the discharge
pipe H into the steam chamber O. By the discharge pipes H and N a con-
tinuous and regular flow of oil is preserved in the steam chamber O, which oil
traverses and gradually descends the inclined plates P. As it does so it is met
by and submitted to the steam which enters from below by the pipe R, the
steam carrying a considerable proportion of this oil which it separates by
either one or two or three distinct treatments. These oils escape by the escape
by the escape pipe S to condensing apparatus. The oil which has escaped the
action of the steam falls through the dead oil outlet pipe T into proper recep-
tacles, to be afterwards submitted to destructive distillation or to be manu-
factured into grease. By these means I procure,-1. Some light spirits which
do not grease or stain; 2. Some pure oils for lubricating delicate machinery
and other purposes; 3. Illuminating oils; 4. Heavy oils; 5. Paraffin;
6. Charcoal. In this process I must particularly mention that neither acids
nor alkalies must be allowed to come in contact with the oils previous to the

page_text: above treatment, as the action of the acid is to change the nature of the oil
and so much upon the action of heat that the oil is considerably carbonized
and the production in pure oil lessened, the alkalies never sufficiently counter-
acting its action.
:
My next improvement is the construction of an agitator formed as a common
ventilator, but contained in a box (see Figure 3). A is the agitator, it is con-
structed with blades moving on an axle in the box B which is.fixed; the upper
part of the box B has a condenser head and pipe C leading to a condenser
and receiver. The material to be agitated is introduced through a manhole D
in the upper part of the box, and steam through a union pipe E, and per-
forations in the box B; the fan is set in motion and the whole thus agitated,
In agitating these oils the light oils pass away through perforations in the
box B to the pipe C and condenser. After agitation steam is turned off by the
tap F and the contents of the agitator run off by the pipe G. My still to be used
in the rectification of the oils is a fractional still of an improved character. It
is shewn in Figure 4. The body or pan A of the still is made to receive the
still head and lining B, which fit into it, and are rendered tight by sand bags or
joints C. The contents are distilled by any ordinary method, such as steam
admitted by a pipe D, and coil E in the lower part of the pan, or otherwise as
convenient. The head and lining can at any time be lifted out from the pan,
the materials examined and readjusted without discontinuing the operation; it
further affords considerable safety from explosion and convenience for cleaning.
The chemical treatment is as follows:-1 submit the crude oils to agitation
with either chlorides, perchlorides, or hypochlorites, or a mixture of these aş
already stated; I then expose the resulting oils to distillation as described.
After distillation the various oils are thus purified; they are treated with
about 5, 10, or 12 per cent. of concentrated oil of vitriol well agitated, and
when the oil smells of sulphurous acid it is allowed to subside and the clear
oil poured off. The clear oil is next treated with a cold saturated solution of
some chromate or bichromate (I prefer bichromate of potassa or soda) well
agitated and allowed to stand on this solution until most of the odour of the
oil is removed. The oil is next run off into a vessel containing one or other
of the following substances, or a mixture of them :-Peroxide of manganese,
oxide of iron, peroxide of iron, scale oxide, oxide of lead, peroxide of lead, red
lead, alumina (by preference white clay), magnesia, lime, baryta, peroxide of
barium, and charcoal. The oil is well agitated with the chosen substance or
mixture of substances, and allowed to stand for a few days; by occasionally:
agitating it becomes bright and clear, almost colorless, and possessed of an
agreeable odour.
I prefer in this treatment the magnesia, but in place of

page_text: that being too expensive the peroxide of manganese, or when further econoniy
is desirable oxide of iron, the scale oxide or a mixture of scale oxide, alumina,
and magnesia. The light oils will be found frequently to require only
agitation with a mixture of perchloride of iron and bleaching powder to
completely deprive them of all unpleasant odour, failing in this they must be
treated as above described. I am aware that bichromate of potassa has been
employed in conjunction with oil of vitriol and heat, but in a very different
manner to the above, as in my process I never allow the oil of vitriol and
potassa salt to exert their combined action on the oil under purification, as it
will be found to injure the oils beyond recovery. I first treat with sulphuric
acid, pouring off the oil from the acid, submit the oil only to the action of the
bichromate solution. I also carefully avoid heating in this part of my treat-
ment. I do not depend solely upon this part of my treatment but adopt it as
.a part of my process described.
My next improvement is in the employment of chlorates or perchlorates in
deodorizing and bleaching mineral oils in a similar manner to that described
where the chromates and bichromates are used. The acids must never be
brought in contact with the solid chlorates under any circumstances, as thereby
a most dangerous explosion would ensue. I make as most convenient a cold
saturated solution of soluble chlorate. I treat the oil with about 10 to 20 per
cent. of this after it has been treated and drawn off from the subsided oil of
vitriol, as already described, and well agitate several times during a few hours;
this rapidly and effectually deodorizes and bleaches most oils, they are to be
finished as in the former case with any of the compounds mentioned. I some-
times treat oils with nitric acid in the proportion of 3 or 5 per cent., and well
agitate them therewith; they are allowed to subside and afterwards poured off
and distilled, or agitated with lime and then distilled; by this means I deprive
them of the whole of their offensive odour. I distil them previous to the
addition of lime, especially when treating crude oils with nitric acid.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ments in the treatment of petroleum and mineral oils, and in apparatus
employed therein.
First, treating petroleum and mineral oils substantially in manner and for
the purposes herein-before described.
Second, the construction of the apparatus herein-before described and shewn
at Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the construction of the apparatus shewn at Figure 2 and herein-
before described, whether the parts be used separately or combined.

page_text: Fourth, the apparatus shewn at Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings,
and herein-before described.
And, fifth, the apparatus shewn at Figure 4 of the accompanying Drawings
and herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Vincent Gardner, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.
EDW. V. GARDNER. (L.S.)
Professor of Chemistry.