Year: 1886

page_text: I, ROBERT TERVET, of Clipens, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Oil
Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention, to be as follows,
that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve and simplify the apparatus
used for distilling or refining mineral oils, so that the operations may be conducted
in a more regular manner than with ordinary apparatus, and so as to yield the
several distillates of more uniform qualities. The mineral oil operated upon is a
mixture of oils boiling at different temperatures and it is distilled for the purpose
of separating the several qualities.
In carrying out the Invention a long horizontal cylindrical vessel like a steam
boiler is employed, and this is divided internally by a number of vertical partitions
into a number of compartments according to the number of distilling stages through
which it is considered desirable to pass the oil. In one modification the distilling
vessel is made with five compartments, the oil being first fed into the middle
compartment for the first stage, and next passed into the two adjacent compart-
ments on each side for the second stage; whilst it is passed into the two outer or
end compartments for the third stage, being finally transferred from these last to
ordinary coking stills. The most volatile part of the oil is distilled off in the
middle or first compartment, then a less volatile oil is distilled off from the two
second compartments, and a third quality from the two third compartments, the
compartments for each stage being connected to separate condensing apparatus. On
the side of each partition further from the centre or first stage compartment there
is a smaller partition extending from the bottom up to a certain level and not to
the top like the main partition; and when the oil is being transferred from one
compartment to another it passes from the first or earlier compartment through
a stop valve or check valve first into the bottom of the space between the main
and smaller partitions, and then rising up between them flows over the top of the
smaller partition into the compartment. Branch steam pipes are led into each of
the compartments and communicate with perforated pipes at the lower parts of
the compartments. The oil may be transferred from the outer or last stage com-
partments to the coking stills either by gravitation or by steam pressure applied
in the compartment, suitable connecting pipes being provided.

page_text: The improved apparatus hereinbefore described may be worked in various ways.
The oil may be fed continuously into the first compartment, and may be allowed
to pass through suitably regulated stopcocks in a continuous manner to the other
compartments in succession, and also to the coking stills. According to a second
arrangement a portion of the contents of each third or end compartment may be
transferred periodically to the coking stills when corresponding transferences will
take place from the first to the second compartments, and from the second to the
third compartments, there being also some transference from compartment to
compartment between the periodical transferences from the third compartments to
the coking stills, owing to the removal of portions of the oil from each compart-
ment by distillation. According to a third arrangement the communications
between the compartments are opened periodically only and at such times steam
pressure is made to act in the middle or first compartment to cause the transference
from it of a portion of the oil. This portion will pass from the bottom of the first
compartment to the upper part of the second and a corresponding portion will pass
from the bottom of the second to the upper part of the third compartments.
The distilling apparatus may be heated by fires placed under the ends or third
compartments, the fire gases passing next under the second compartments, and
afterwards under the first or middle compartment. If preferred the several
compartments may be heated by separate fires regulated as regards their heating
action to suit the requirements of the respective compartments.
1000

page_text: Mineral Oils.
I, ROBERT TERVET, lately of Clippens, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
but now of Forth House, Fisher Row, Musselburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
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 :—
My said Invention has for its object to improve and simplify the apparatus used
for distilling or refining mineral oils, so that the operations may be conducted in
a more regular manner than with ordinary apparatus, and so as to yield the
several distillates of more uniform qualities. The mineral oil operated upon is a
mixture of oils boiling at different temperatures and it is distilled for the purpose
of separating the several qualities.
In carrying out the Invention a long horizontal cylindrical vessel like a steam
boiler is employed, and this is divided internally by a number of vertical partitions
into a number of compartments according to the number of distilling stages
through which it is considered desirable to pass the oil. In one modification the
distilling vessel is made with five compartments, the oil being first fed into the
middle compartment for the first stage, and next passed into the two adjacent
compartments on each side for the second stage; whilst it is passed into the two
outer or end compartments for the third stage, being finally transferred from these
last to ordinary coking stills. The most volatile part of the oil is distilled off in
the middle or first compartment, then a less volatile oil is distilled off from the two
second compartments, and a third quality from the two third compartments, the
compartments for each stage being connected to separate condensing apparatus.
On the side of each partition further from the centre or first stage compartment
there is a smaller partition extending from the bottom up to a certain level and
not to the top like the main partition; and when the oil is being transferred from
one compartment to another it passes from the first or earlier compartment into
the bottom of the space between the main and smaller partitions, and then rising
up between them flows over the top of the smaller partition into the compartment.
Branch steam pipes are led into each of the compartments and communicate
with perforated pipes at the lower parts of the compartments. The oil may be
transferred from the outer or last-stage compartments to the coking stills either by
gravitation or by steam pressure applied in the compartment, suitable connecting
pipes being provided.
The improved apparatus hereinbefore described may be worked in various ways.
The oil may be fed continuously into the first compartment, and may be allowed
to pass through suitably regulated stopcocks in a continuous manner to the other
compartments in succession, and also to the coking stills. According to a second
arrangement a portion of the contents of each third or end compartment may be
transferred periodically to the coking stills when corresponding transferences will
take place from the first to the second compartments, and from the second to the

page_text: third compartments, there being also some transference from compartment to
compartment between the periodical transferences from the third compartments
to the coking stills, owing to the removal of portions of the oil from each
compartment by distillation. According to a third arrangement the communications
between the compartments are opened periodically only and at such times steam
pressure is made to act in the middle or first compartment to cause the transference
from it of a portion of the oil. This portion will pass from the bottom of the first
compartment to the upper part of the second and a corresponding portion will pass
from the bottom of the second to the upper part of the third compartments.
The distilling apparatus may be heated by fires placed under the ends or third
compartments, the fire gases passing next under the second compartments, and
afterwards under the first or middle compartment. If preferred the several
compartments may be heated by separate fires regulated as regards their heating
action to suit the requirements of the respective compartments.
Figures, 1, 2, and 3, on the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings are
respectively a plan, a front elevation (partly in section), and a transverse vertical
section, of a set of oil stills comprising a primary still, A, with two second-stage
stills, B₁, B,, at each end of the primary still, and two third-stage stills, B., B., at each
end of the second-stage stills, B₁, B, and four ordinary coking stills, C₁, C., C, C₁,
two of these last being at each end of the set. Figure, 3, is a transverse vertical
section; and figures, 4, 5, and 6, are enlarged transverse and longitudinal vertical
sections. In these drawings the same reference numerals and letters are used to
mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The several distilling compartments, A, B,, B., B., B., are heated by furnaces, 7,
placed beneath and at right angles to them and a partition or bridge, 8, is built at
the back of each furnace, 7, of a considerable height and forming a combustion
chamber from the top of which the fire gases pass into a vertical descending flue, 9,
and thence into a main horizontal flue, 10, leading to the chimney.
In the primary still, A, the oil operated on enters by a vertical feed pipe, 11,
provided with a stop cock, this pipe, 11, dipping down a little below the surface of
the oil in the still. The oil passes into the second-stage stills, B₁, B, and from
them into the third-stage stills, B3, B4, in each case by an opening, 12, in the
bottom of a vertical partition, 13, extending up to the top of the still. On the
side of each vertical partition, 13, further from the primary still, A, there is fixed
a smaller partition, 14, extending from the bottom up to about the surface level of
the oil and when the oil is being transferred from one compartment to another it
passes through the opening, 12, in the bottom of the main partitions, 13, and
rising up between the partitions, 13, 14, flows over the top of the smaller
partition, 14, into the next compartment. A valve, 15, is hinged to each of the
main vertical partitions, 13, and can be adjusted by a hand wheel, 16, fixed on a
spindle passing up through the top of the still. The oil is finally transferred from
the third-stage compartments, B., B., into the coking stills, C₁, C., C, C₁, by steam
pressure the steam being led into the top of the third-stage compartments, B3, B4,
through a pipe, 17, provided with a stop cock and forces the oil through a pipe, 18,
into the coking stills, C₁, C2, C3, C4, the valve, 15, serving to prevent the pressure
from acting in the second-stage or primary compartments.
A steam pipe, 19, extends longitudinally over the set of stills and has branch
pipes, 20, provided with stop valves which branch pipes, 20, pass down into and
nearly to the bottoms of the stills and have fixed to their lower ends horizontal
perforated pipes, 21, through which steain issues amongst the oil.
Each compartment of the still is fitted with a manhole door, 22, for cleaning
purposes and also with a glass gauge, 23, for showing the level of the oil in the
still.
4
B
The most volatile part of the oil is distilled off in the primary still, A, then a
less volatile oil is distilled off in the second-stage stills, B₁, B, and a third quality 5
from the third-stage stills, B., B. The oils distilled off in each successive stage
pass up through short vertical pipes, 24. fitted with stop valves, and thence into

page_text: horizontal pipes leading to the condensers. The stills or compartments for each
stage are connected to separate condensers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The improved combination of apparatus for distilling or refining mineral oil
substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination in one vessel or still of several compartments separated from
each other by pairs of partitions the two partitions of each pair being placed near
each other and so as to form a narrow passage from the bottom of one compartment
to the upper part of the next substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown
in the accompanying drawings.
D
"
T
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.