Improvements in and connected with Retorts for Distilling Shale or other Oil-yielding Minerals.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Apr., 1891-Accepted, 6th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Retorts for Distilling Shale or
other Oil-yielding Minerals.
We, FREDERICK JOHN ROWAN, of 121 West Regent Street, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, and HARRY ARMOUR, of
East Breich, in the County of Linlithgow, North Britain, Oil Works Manager,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said invention has principally for its object, to facilitate the escape of the
vapors and gases evolved in or passing through retorts used for distilling shale or
other oil-yielding minerals, in order that such vapors or gases may not be subjected,
so much as in existing retorts, to injurious action from the heated sides of the
retorts; and our improvements, whilst applicable to retorts constructed and worked
in various ways, are especially advantageous in the case of retorts in which the
materials are subjected to large quantities of heat and to steam, with the view of
obtaining as much ammonia as practically possible along with the oil.
In carrying out our invention in the case of a vertical retort, we place within the
retort by preference centrally a pipe extending from the top or from a point below
the top, either to the bottom or not so far down. This pipe which may be of iron
or other suitable material has its upper end connected to the pipe.which leads the
vapors and gases to the condensers; and it has perforations or slits made in its
sides to admit the vapors and gases into it, such perforations or slits being arranged
or distributed as may be found best in practice. At one or more points in the
length of the pipe the internal passage up through it may be contracted or com-
pletely stopped, with the object of causing vapors and gases or a portion of the
vapors or gases which have entered the pipe at parts below each contraction or
stoppage to pass out amongst the materials contiguous to the pipe and return into
the pipe again at a higher point. A portion of the interior of the lower end of the
pipe may be shut off from the part above, and the steam may be led by a pipe into
such lower portion, the steam issuing therefrom through perforations so as to be
uniformly distributed amongst the materials.
The shale or material undergoing distillation occupies the space between the
pipe and the sides of the retort, and the pipe may be tapered with its diameter
diminishing downwards so as to facilitate the descent of the shale or material. In
a retort of oblong horizontal section the pipe may be of similar oblong section or
there may be two or more pipes in each retort and if found more convenient or
desirable in the case of some forms or arrangements of retort the pipe or pipes for
the escape of the vapors and gases may be placed otherwise than at the centre of
the retort, and the retort may be heated by means of a flue extending along the
middle of it.
The materials in the retort are by preference kept constantly moving downwards
in order that no parts may remain a long time in contact with highly heated
surfaces. For this purpose the bottom discharge continuations of the retorts may
dip into water troughs from which the residuary materials may be continually
removed by means of screws or of reciprocating paddles, and the materials may
also be fed in at the top of each retort in a continuous manner by means of a
screw.
Dated this Twenty-third day of Iul. 1200
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Retorts for Distilling Shale or
other Oil-yielding Minerals.
We, FREDERICK JOHN ROWAN, of 121, West Regent Street, Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, and HARRY ARMOUR, of
East Breich, in the County of Linlithgow, North Britain, Oil Works Manager,
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 :-
Our said invention has principally for its object to facilitate the escape of vapors
and gases evolved in or passing through retorts used in distilling shale or other oil-
yielding minerals in order that such vapors or gases may not be subjected, so much
as in existing retorts, to the injurious action from the heated sides of the retorts;
and our improvements whilst applicable to retorts constructed and worked in.
various ways are especially designed for retorts in which the materials are
subjected to large quantities of heat and to steam, with the view of obtaining as
much ammonia as practically possible along with the oil. In retorts of the kind
and for the purposes referred to the steam is admitted at the lower parts of the
retorts and along with matters volatilised in the lower parts passes up through the
materials in the higher parts.
On an accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings there are shown in vertical
section two vertical retorts as fitted with two modifications or examples of apparatus
for carrying out our invention, the retorts, and heating flues, and other parts being
such as are described in John Armour and Harry Armour's Patent Specification
No. 7634 of 1889.
By the present invention according to the modification shown in connection with
the retort, L, shown in the left-hand half of the accompanying drawing we provide
for the egress from the retort, of vapors and gases or volatilised matters, a pipe, A,
connected to the ordinary outlet pipe, B, this pipe, A, extending downwards within
the retort, and being made with a number of slits or holes, through which the
vapors and gases enter the pipe. In a retort of the kind shown we make the
pipe, A, extend downwards to a limited extent as shown, and it may in practice
possibly be found better to make it somewhat shorter than as shown or to close
some of the lowermost slits or openings into it, because at the lower part of the
retort the presence of the large quantities of steam (with matters volatilised at the
lower part) amongst the materials, will be advantageous. At the higher part of
the retort however where a large proportion of oil vapor is mixed with the other
volatilised matters it is desirable for such vapors to get out of the retort as speedily
as possible. When the outlet pipe; B, is placed as shown at the lower part of the
hopper, C, we prefer to add an upward extension, D, of the pipe with slits or holes
to draw off any vapors rising up into the hopper, and to thereby prevent their con-
densation by the coldness of the shale when freshly charged into the hopper.
In this modification the steam is admitted into the retort by a pipe, S, as
heretofore.
In the modification shown in the right-hand half of the drawing there is arranged
a pipe extending down within the retort, R, in three lengths, E, F, G, and it is
through holes or slits in the highest length, E, that the vapors and gases finally
enter and find their way into the outlet pipe, B. The next lower pipe length, F,
which does not communicate directly with either the length, E, above, or the
one, G, below, is made with holes or slits and some vapors and gases may enter
the lower part of it and pass out again amongst the materials in the retort from the
upper part of it. The lowest pipe length, G, is used for distributing steam amongst
the materials in the lower part of the retort in a more general and uniform manner
than is done with ordinary arrangements, and for this purpose it is made with holes

page_text: or slits, and the steam is conveniently led into the interior of it by a pipe, H,
which is a branch from an external supply pipe, J, and passes through the outlet
pipe, B, and centrally down through the pipe lengths, E, F, G, its bottom open
end terminating near the bottom of the steam distributing pipe length, G. In this
modification as in the one first described a length of outlet pipe (D) may extend up
into the hopper, C. The steam in passing down the central pipe, H, becomes
superheated by the vapors and gases passing upwards, which action increases its
efficiency whilst moderating the temperature of the ascending vapors and gases.
The dimensions of the pipe or pipes placed within the retort and the extent and
distribution or arrangement of the slits or holes in them may be modified as may
be found desirable in practice.
In a retort of oblong section horizontally the internal pipe may be of similar
oblong section, or there may be two or more pipes in each retort; and if found
more convenient or desirable in the case of some forms or arrangements of retort
the internal pipe or pipes for the escape of the vapors and gases may be placed
otherwise than at the centre of the retort, and the retort may be heated by means
of a flue extending along the middle of it.
In the case of a retort constructed or arranged so that the vapors and gases are
led off by a pipe at the bottom or lower part, the steam being admitted at the top,
a pipe like the pipe, A, hereinbefore referred to, is made to extend upwards from
the outlet pipe to a limited extent. Or a combination of pipe lengths such
as, E, F, G, with the central steam pipe, H, may be arranged in an inverted
position in connection with an outlet pipe at the bottom or lower part of the
retort.
The materials in the retort may be kept constantly moving downwards in order
that no parts may remain a long time in contact with highly heated surfaces. For
this purpose the bottom discharge continuations of the retorts, might, according to
a well known arrangement, dip into water troughs from which the residuary
materials may be continually removed by means of screws or of reciprocating paddles;
and the materials might also be fed in at the top of each retort in a continuous
manner by means of a screw.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1-In a vertical retort for distilling shale or other oil-yielding minerals providing
for the egress of vapors and gases by means of a pipe or pipes with perforated sides
extending in the interior of the retort to a limited distance from the outlet pipe
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
2-In combination with a pipe or pipes for the egress of vapors and gases
arranging an extension of the said pipe or pipes into which steam is supplied and
from which the steam issues through perforations substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
Dated this Twenty-second day of April 1891.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.