Improvements in Apparatus for Distilling Mineral Oils.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 26th July, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distilling Mineral Oils.
I, NORMAN MACFARLANE HENDERSON, Manager of the Broxburn Oil Works,
Broxburn, in the County of Linlithgow, North Britain, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention relates partly to the heavier mineral oils, such as those obtained
in redistilling crude shale oil, and has for its object the obtainment therefrom of
superior oil suitable for lubricating and other purposes by means of improved apparatus
which is economical in fuel and such that large quantities of oil can be treated
expeditiously and satisfactorily with plant of comparatively small extent.
improved apparatus is applicable for various kinds of mineral oils.
The
In carrying out my invention I combine direct fire heat in combination with super-
heated steam which latter first acts on the oil whilst passing through a coil of piping
immersed in the oil, and afterwards blows through a pipe openly into the oil.
The apparatus may be considerably varied as regards form and arrangement, but
in a convenient and successful modification I employ a still of a circular form in plan,
having a hemispherical cast iron bottom with an upper part of wrought iron or steel
and of an enlarged diameter. The still is supported on walls with the still bottom at
some distance above a fire grate; and the steam is superheated by the same fire, being
passed through a coil of piping arranged round the upper part of the furnace space
such upper part being larger than the fuel space. The superheated steam passes into
the still through a continuation of the piping, which inside of the still is arranged
in coils two or three of which lie in a horizontal plane close to the bottom of the
upper enlarged part of the still; and from these coils the piping is continued in two
or three coils extending downwards near the sides of the lower part of the still which
is of smaller diameter. From the end of the coils last referred to the pipe is led
upwards and out of the upper part of the still to regulating valves and thence again
enters the still and proceeds nearly to the bottom where it issues amongst the oil and
assists in the usual way. The steam is highly heated when first entering the still but
in passing through the coils it yields part of its heat in an effective but non-injurious
manner through the pipes to the oil, and when it finally enters openly amongst the
oil its temperature has become suitably reduced.
The various parts of the piping are provided with external connections and valves
so that steam can be led into the stlll to pass directly into the oil without passing
through the coils, as it is desirable to shut off the steam from the coils when the level
of the oil has become lowered to a certain extent.
Dated this Thirtiath day of October 1889
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distilling Mineral Oils.
I, NORMAN MACFARLANE HENDERSON, Manager of the Broxburn Oil Works,
Broxburn, in the County of Linlithgow, North Britain, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention relates partly to the heavier mineral oils, such as those obtained
in redistilling crude shale oil, and has for its object the obtainment therefrom of
superior oil suitable for lubricating and other purposes, by means of improved
apparatus which is economical in fuel, and such that large quantities of oil: can be
44

page_text: treated expeditiously and satisfactorily-with plant of comparatively small extent.
The improved apparatus is applicable for various kinds of mineral oils.
In carrying out my invention l'employ direct fire heat in combination with
superheated steam; which latter first acts on the oil whilst passing through a coil of
piping immersed in the oil; and, afterwards, blows through a perforated pipe openly
into the oil..
The apparatus may be considerably varied as regards form and arrangement;
1however, show a convenient and successful modification on two accompanying sheets
of explanatory drawings, figure, 1, on. sheet, 1; being a sectional elevation,, figure, 2,
on sheet, 2, a sectional plan, and figure, 3; on sheet, 2, a vertical section. In theso
drawings thes
same reference: numerals are used to mark the same or like. parts
wherever they are repeated:
'
The still; 4, 15 is of a circular- form in plan, having a hemispherical: cast iron
bottom, 4, with an upper part; 5, of, wrought irqu or. steel, and of an enlarged diameter.
The still, 4, 5, is supported on; and has its upper part enclosed in walls; 6, with the
still bottom, 4, at some distance above a fire grate, 7, and combustion chamber; Si;
and the steam is superheated by the same fire; being passed through a coil, 9, of piping,
arranged round the upper-part, 10, of the combustion or furnace space, such upper
part, 10, being larger than the lower part, 8. The superheated steam passes from the
coil, 9, through a continuation, 11, of the piping into the still, and inside the still
proceeds through a coil of which two or three convolutions, 12, lie in a horizontal
plane close to the annular bottom of the upper enlarged part, 5, of the still, and from
these coils, 12, the piping is continued in two or three coils, 13, extending down-
wards near the sides of the lower part, 4, of the still, which is of smaller diameter.
From the end of the coils, 13, last referred to the pipe, 14, is continued upwards and
out of the upper part of the still to a regulating valve or stopcock, 15, whence a
pipe, 16, again enters the still and proceeds centrally downwards nearly to the bottom,
where the steam issues amongst the oil and assists the distillation in the usual way.
The steam is highly heated when first entering the still, but in passing.through the
coils, 12, 13, it yields part of its heat in an effective yet non-injurious manner through
the pipes to the oil; and when it finally enters openly amongst the oil, at the bottom
of the pipe, 16; its temperature has become suitably reduced. The pipe, 16, has a
disk; 17; fixed to its lower end to spread and distribute the steam amongst the oil...
The various parts of the piping are provided. with external.connections and valves
or stopcocks, so that steam can be led into the still to pass directly into the oil without
passing through the coils, 12, 13, as it is desirable to shut off the steam from those
coils when the level of the oil has become lowered to a certain extent. For this
purpose the pipe; 11, is provided with a stopcock; 18; just below, which a branch
pipe, 19, provided with a stopcock, 20, forms a connection with the pipe,: 16, through
which the steam enters the still when about: to issue openly amongst the oil:: The
pipe, 21, shown in figure, 1, is a branch pipe connected to a main-steam supply
pipe, 22, and it supplies the superheating coil, 9, a stop valve, 23, being fitted to it to.
regulate the supply...
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. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus for distilling
mineral oils, substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In apparatus-for distilling mineral oil, a still arranged to be heated partly by
direct fire heat and partly by steam in closed coiled piping within the:still; such steam
being superheated in, coiled, piping beated by the same fire as the still,. together, with
piping for, distributing steam openly, amongst, the oil either after.or without passing
through the closed coils, and with connections, and, stopcocks..for.. controlling, and
regulating the operation of the steam, substantially as and, for, the purposes herein-
before described.

page_text: 3. In apparatus for distilling mineral oils, constructing the still with its lower part
of comparatively small horizontal area and heated by direct fire heat, its upper part
being of larger horizontal area and not heated by direct fire heat, combined with the
application of coiled piping inside the still for beating by means of superheated
steam substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of July 1890.
EDMUND HUNI,
Applicant's Agent.