US1621475A - Method and apparatus for treating petroleum hydrocarbons - Google Patents

Description

' Malfh 15 1927 w. M. cRoss- METHODl AND ArPARATUs Fon TREATING PETROLEUM HYDRoGARBoNs Filed Nov. 24. 1924 fess; y 'I l l lPatented. Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES WALTER M. CROSS, OF KANSAS CITY,4MISSOURI.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FR TRATING PETROLEUM HYDBOCARBONS.

Application' led November 24, 1924. Serial No. 751,849.

This invention relates to improvements in a process and apparatus for treating petroleum hydrocarbons, and refers more particularly to a process in which the hydrocarbons are subjected to an acid treatment and a subsequent treatment with clay alone or in combination with a metallic salt in order to remove from the hydrocarbons such objectionable impurities' as gums, resinous and sulphur compounds, some of which are difcult to eliminate without rather complete treatment and with an attendent loss of considerable quantities of the oil and' treating materials.

The advantages in the present process lie particularly in the effectiveness of the treat.-

ment, the continuity of operation, the resulting product passing all of the well known tests such as the doctor tests, the copper corrosion test, and test for percentages of gum or resinous material remaining in the oil after treatment. f

The process also reduces considerably the time of treatment and the amount of treating materials utilized and aords a process by means of which the ingredients recovered after treatment may be reused for subsequent treatment; of hydrocarbons.

The single ligure is a diagrammatic elevational view of the apparatus with parts in section.

The hydrocarbon to` be treated is introduced through the line 1 controlled by a valve 2, while an acid material, preferably sulphuric-acid, is combined therewith, vbeing introduced through a line 3 regulated by a valve 4. The mixture is charged, by means of a pump 5 suitably constructed so as not to be attacked by the acid, through a line 6 `at the end of which is positioned a homogenizing valve shown diagrammatically at 7. The function ofl this valve is to separate and divide the particles of the combined liquids into a spray or mist inducing a combination of the particles which is much more intimate than can be obtained by agitation or mechanical mixing devices. The homogenized mixture passes through a tube 8 in which are positioned a plurality of vanes arranged in reverse directions in order yto produce still further turbulency and more intimate contact of the liquid. The mixture is then passed through the pipe l0 and is discharged through a divided pipe 11 into a centrifuge 12. The centrifuge is mounted upon bearing members 13 carried by supports 14 and rotated at high speed byv means of a.` motor 15 driving the pulleys vlo and 17 by means of a belt 18. A gland connection 19 is positioned between the stationary tube 8 and the rotating shaft 20 of the centrifuge.

The effect of the centrifuge is to separate the lighter oil from the heavier acid, the latter being thrown to the outer portion of the revolving centrifuge, while the lighter material will remain near the center thereof. Stationary outlet lines 21 extend practically to the circumference of the inner surface of the centrifuge and serve to withdraw the heavier acid from the interior of the revolving separating element. Near the center of the centrifuge is a discharge'line 22 for removing the lighter oil. The oil withdrawn through the line 22 is discharged into a receptacle 23 and passes down through the line 24 tothe agitator25. The acidtaken ofi' through the lines 21 is withdrawn through the line 26 from which it may be returned to1 the line 3 for reuse with the incoming o1 rlhe acid treated oil collecting in the agitator has introduced thereto a highly adsorbent hydrated silica clay of aluminum silicate such as bentonite or innumerable other clays of a highly vadsorbent nature. rlhis clay may or may not be combined with al metal or metallic salt such as copper, lead,

zinc, iro orother metal having an lafiinity for the iilp'hur compounds of the oil, such as described in Patent No. 1,515,733 of N0- .vember 18, 1924, to Roy Cross. Where the oil has a high sulphur content, the treatment is much more elfective Where the metallic mineral is used with the clay. This clay. or adsorbent aluminum silicious matter is introduced to the agitator by means of a hopper 27 and a conveyor screw 28 drivenl by means of a motor 29. The amount of clay or silica used will vary according to the character of the oil and the amount' of acid necessary for proper treatment. It will -be noted that there is no water wash between the acid treatment and the treatment with the adsorbent clay or bentonite.

In order t0 produce the desired turbulency `and intimate mixture of the clay and oil, a circulatory system consisting 0f pipes 30, 3l and a centrifugal pump 32, are supplied in order to circulate the mixture to and from the agitator. From time to time quantities of the mixture are drawn olf through the pipe 33 regulated by a valve 34 and directed to a filter press diagrammatically shown at 3 5. In the filter press the clay is separated from the treated liquid oil, the oil passing off' through the line 3 6 controlled by a valve 3 7, While the clay is removed-from the filter cloths or screens and-reignited when it is ready for reuse in the agitator. By means lof this system, a relatively short and complete contact-say, of one-half minute duration-of the acid and oil may be produced,the rapidity of contact eliminating, to a great extent, polymerization of the gasoline'which considerably diminishes the undesirable eHect of the acid treatment.v For like reasons, the Water Wash has been dispensed with and also for the fact that the addition of Water tends` to produce a hydrat.

- ing redissolving of certain of the resinous compounds of the oil. The centrifuge may be put in a horizontal position.

By utilizing a quick acid treatment and a subsequent effective adsorbent clay treatment, a distillate oilfor untreated gasoline,`

kerosene or the like, may be purified to a degree that it Will pass the commercial tests for marketable motor fuel. yThis treatment, also, does not affect the boiling point range as do redistillation treat-ments heretofore deemed necessary in the -refining of commercial motor fuel commonly known as gasoline.

`During ythe period of acid contact, it is highly desirable that the temperature of both oil and acid bekept as low as is'practically possible and at all times below 100 F. To advantageously maintain this temperature, parts of the apparatus may be suitably water-cooled, such as the centrifuge and related parts, or the oil may be chilled prior to its introduction to the system. f

' I claim as my invention:

1. A continuous process for treating petroleum hydrocarbons, consisting in combining the oil with an acid to form an intimate mixture, limiting the period of contact to a predetermined length of time of approxi- 4mately one half minute to prevent polymerization of the oil, separating the oil from the acid sludge by mechanical separation.

2. A continuous process for treating petroleum hydrocarbons, consisting in combining the oil With-an acid to form an intimate mixture, .limiting the period ofcontact to a predetermined length of time of approximately one half minute to prevent polymeri. zation of the oil, Separating the oil from the acid sludge by centrifuging. I

3., An apparatus for purifying oil comprising a homogenizer, a conduit connected to f' the homogenizer and provided With baille means in the conduit, means connected to the conduit adapted to separate the oil from the acid body.

WALTER 'M. CROSS.

Images