Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Liquids by Means of Heat.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1895-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Liquids by Means
of Heat.
I, SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, (a com-
munication to me from abroad by La Société Internationale des Procedes Adolphe
Seigle, of Levallois-Perret, Seine, France,) 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 :-
This invention has for its object an apparatus heated in any manner but
preferably by a jet of incandescent vapour furnished by a gas producer or sprayer
of liquid hydrocarbon.
This apparatus has for its principal object to submit any liquid to a series of
reactions brought about by the action of fire at a more or less elevated temperature
in such a manner as to give rise to new liquid or gaseous products such for
example as oil gas. This apparatus specially serves to transform the heavy into
light, petroleums.
This apparatus owing to the arrangement adopted for refrigeration may also
simply be utilised as an apparatus for fractional distillation.
This apparatus is represented in the annexed sheet of drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section.
--
Figure 2 is a vertical section of one of the elements of the heating apparatus
properly so called.
Figure 3 is a section on the line a y Figure 2.
In these figures
A represents the heating apparatus properly so called formed of a series of
shells or cylindrical sections A 'A' A³ of cast iron or steel forming a combustion
flue.
BB represent two series of metallic tubes.
C C¹ are junction tubes connecting the hollows of the walls of the shells or
elements of the combustion fluc.
D is a tube leading to the surface refrigerator E at the bottom of which is a
draw off cock F. ee are the tubes of the refrigerator. e¹ e' are boxes or collectors
connecting these tubes. A pipe G connects the refrigerator E to the reservoir H
provided at the top with an outlet tube I on which is a cock. K is a feed reservoir.
L is a gas producer of any type capable of gasifying or spraying liquid hydro-
carbons. Its delivery is regulated by means of a pyrometer M. P is a pump.
The apparatus A* is arranged in such a manner as to be heated by means of an
incandescent jet issuing from the gas producer L. The shells or elements A A' A³
constituting the principal combustion chamber are double walled as is clearly
shown in the annexed drawings and have cast in them longitudinal partitions
forming channels between the walls in which the liquid passes in a serpentine
manner backwards and forwards along the cylinder as many times as there are
free spaces between the partitions.
Figures 2 and 3 show the construction of these heating channels. The ends of
the hollows between the walls are closed by annular flanges pressed by means of
bolts against corresponding seats at the ends of the shell.

page_text: Tightness is ensured by metalloplastic joints of suitable shape and size.
The channel may have along part of its length suitable refractory material or
metallic chips or shot.
The shells A A¹ A² which make up the combustion flue instead of being formed
of two concentric tubes connected together by longitudinal partitions may be
formed of a central cylindrical combustion flue lodged in a triangular, square,
hexagonal &e. prism upon the faces of which longitudinal or transverse grooves
are formed.
The tubes B leading from the channels are connected at their ends by
boxes B B and B and are heated by the gases of combustion coming from the
combustion flue. These gases follow the path indicated by the arrows 1.
The liquid to be treated is contained in the reservoir K in which the required
pressure is produced by means of the pump P or otherwise; the liquid may also be
sent into the apparatus by means of a compression pump P or in any other
suitable manner.
The tube through which the liquid is forced may be provided with a meter or
other feed regulating apparatus. This liquid follows the path indicated by the
arrows 2, it first passes into the tubes B before going into the channels in the
element or shell A³ then by the tube C¹ into the shell A'.
After having traversed this path at a speed more or less great according to the
pressure maintained in the reservoir K the liquid is either dissociated and trans-
formed into fixed gases or into lighter liquids or simply vapourised according to
the object to be attained.
The vapours or gases then pass by the tube D into the surface cooler E
formed of a series of vertical tubes e connected at both ends with boxes or
collectors e¹.
The products condensed in these collectors may be taken out en bloc by the
cock or collected separately by as many cocks as there are collectors.
This arrangement is necessary in cases where it is intended to fractionally distil
or treat any liquid.
The non-condensible products pass therefore in a serpentine manner from top to
bottom and from bottom to top through the whole series of tubes of the
refrigerator, they then escape by the pipe G into the reservoir or gasometer H of
any type containing water. The gases in passing through this water are washed
and completely cooled.
In cases in which treatment only produces gases the surface cooler may be
omitted.
The delivery of the gas producer L or of a sprayer which may be substituted
for it is regulated by hand or automatically by means of the pyrometer M heated
by a portion of the gases or vapours from the exit end of the apparatus being
allowed to pass through it, thence they pass to the condenser by a tube not shewn
in the drawings. B is a drain cock which is closed when the apparatus is at work.
The pyrometer may regulate the jet either directly or through the intermediary of
any suitable electric arrangement.
As shewn the pyrometer M consists of a tube mounted at one end upon a suitable
support. The other end of the said tube is provided with a rod which under the
influence of the temperature of the apparatus regulates the admission of the
hydrocarbon in the gas producer by closing its feed orifice more or less.
The gas producer may be fed indifferently either by a specially constructed
reservoir or by the reservoir K when the liquid to be treated is a hydrocarbon or a
mixture of liquid hydrocarbons.
The jet of flame may also be furnished by the gaseous products in the
apparatus especially as these gases may be under very high pressure; for this
purpose it is only necessary to give to the feed liquid a sufficient pressure which is
maintained nearly completely in the gases.
The details of carrying out the invention may be varied.

page_text: 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 :-
An apparatus consisting of a series of shells forming a combustion flue serving
as a heater, these shells or elements being double walled and having between them
partitions arranged in any suitable manner in order to form channels in which the
liquids to be treated circulate, the said channels being connected by tubes or
passages causing each shell to communicate with the next all substantially as
described and represented in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1895.