USRE1902E - Improvement in condensing and separating oils and gases - Google Patents

Description

W. G. W; JAEGER.

Condensing and Separating Oils and Gases.

Nb. 1,902. Rissued March 14, 1865.

my the products of the heavy oils.

' UNITED ST T S PATENT O FICE.

WM. G. W. JAEGEB, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEM ENT IN CONDENSING AND SEPARATING OILS AND GASES,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24,561, dated June 28, 1859; Reissue No. [,902, dat-(d March 14, 1865.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it "known that 1, WILLIAM G. W. JAE

GER, of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore ,2 is-an elevation of a longitudinal vertical section of'the. condensing-main.

l parts.

This invention consists in certain improvements in apparatus for condensing and separatmg oils and gases in the process of distillation.

"The modes in common use for distilling oils are liable to serious difficulties from the frequent choking of the condensing pipes or tubes It is, moreover,diflicult in working with them to regulate the temperature of the refrigerating me dium in the tubs, vats, or boxes-pontaining the condensing-pipes, and to keep'it uniform throughout. With the best attention these modes are slow in operation, and'are attended with danger and inconvenience from the 'es-' cape of uncondensed and permanent gases with the oils through the discharging end of the condensing worm or'pipe.- These are some of the defects of the modes hitherto followed in distilling hydrocarbons. I

My invention has for its object to remove them, and to condense the vapors" of distillation in a more perfect manner, and to separate the oils in such a way as to prevent the escape of gaseous matter therewith.

In the distillation of hydrocarbons and other liquids, it is desirable to remove from the action of the heat as soon as possible all vapors and gases generated in the retort or still, and

to 'give them an unimpeded passage through the condensing apparatus. If they are checked in their passage through the condn r, they will be forced back toward and into t 'erdtont or still, causing an accumulationyofvapors,

etters of reference indicate like therein which can only be driven over by an increase of heat. From this 'it-results that much of the vapor so thrown back and other vapors accumulating in the retort are decomposed and turned into permanent gases by combinations whose formations are, however,"

not fully understood. It is therefore desirable to construct a condenser which will afl'ord an unimpeded passage to the vapors which come over from the retort or still. It is also desirable to prevent as much as possible the deposition of paraffine or other residuum in the condenser and to remove such depositions when formed. It is also desirable to prevent the escape of uncondensed and permanent gases fromw the end of the apparatus which.

have heretoiore passed 011 with the condensed liquid. 7

To remedy the defects above mentioned, as well as to improve the mode and facilitate the operation of obtaining and separating the oils sought after'from the gases, I introduce between the retort or still and the-usnal condensingworm alarge surface-condenser, which I call the condensing'main, the construction of which is as follows:

a b are two concentric cylinders, properly secured to each other so as to inclose an annular space, e. Through the center of the inner cylinder I place another cylinder, 0, closed at its inner end, which does not pass beyond the ends of the cylinders a b, and whose outer end rises to a suitable elevation, f, to receive wa ter or other refrigerating matter from any convenient source. The inner pipe, 0, is connected to the annular space 0 by meansofapipe, d, through which the water or other refrigerating medium used passes into said annular space, and it is delivered therefrom through the overflow-pipe g, which ,rises from the upper side of the condensing-main to'a suitable height, whence it is to be conducted away by any discharge-pipe. (Not shown.) The flow of the water can be regulated by the usual appliances, and I have not shown any example of any such appliances, because they are common and well known and can be applied by any artisan of ordinary skill. An annular chamber, h,-is inclosed between the exterior of the pipe 0 and the inner circumference of the cylinder 1). This chamber is closed at that end of the main which receives the pipe 0,

l wheretthe operations-are carried on.

and is open at that, endwhich is cohn'ected to the worn'rn. lt; h a s a pip, P-, which passes from its lower side through the annular space e, through which the heavy and condensed oils are drawn off, and which may be furnished with aspigot or trap, "(not shown,) and it also has a man-hole, Z, at its end.-- Th'e chambenh communicates with a retort or still by means of a large pipe, t, which enters it by passing through the annular space e. The place of the pipe is seen in Fig. 1. When there is morethan one,retort or still discharging into i the main, a valve or damper can be placed ator near the end of each discharging-pipe from 'such retorts or stills, so that when either ofthe retorts is being charged its d'ischagingpipe can be closed against the entrance-of vapors from said main. The chamber h is con nected to the worm n by a pipe, m, which is so placed that'its lower side, a, is inclined to ward said chamber. A thermometer, r, is connected with the annular space 6, to indicate the temperature of the water-or other medium Qused, Z t l a The operation of the condensing-main is as J follows: The vapors from the retort or still enten'chamber h, and the heavier. parts and those which condense most readily'are there condensed int-o a liquid and discha-rgedthrough pipe.P, whi;le.the vapors which remain unf'condensed pass along through the pipem into thecondensing-worm n. If any of these vapors become condensedin the'p ip'e m, the liq-. flixi'will-run down its inclined bottom {it into thechamber h. It will be seen that the action is entirely different-from that of the worm or anyflotherlcondenser ever heretofore used, injasmuchwas the vapors bothsurround and are 'sur'rbunded by a refrigerating" nediu m. If, .the bottom of the chamberH becomes clogged, by paraffine or'other residuuimitcan be cleaned outzthrough the "man hole I. The sides and othensurfaces of the chamber can also be kept freefi'om any d'eposits'of par'aifine by shutting Ofl'the flow' of cold-water and allowingthe wa tefiin: the condenser to become heated by the hot vaporspassing through the condenser, or

by turningrin steam through the water-pipe G, andrthereby melting the deposits and resid- :uumziii the chamber, so that they will run off through thepi'pe P. Thevapors which are not condensed in the chamber h and "pipe mi will pass into the condensing-worm n, in which .theyare to be subjected to the condensing action of any suitable 'refrigerating' medium, The liq'uid derived therefrom will escape from -the lower end of the condenser. The gases which are-not condensed in the worm or 0on [denser have commonly been suffered, to run off with theoil orliquid from the worm or conidenser'and escape intothe air, whereby seriouszaccidentsghave occurredfrom theirpresencelim the" atmosphere of.;the apartments More overytheir odor is veryofi'ensive, and their inspiration is injurious'to'health. my. invention also has for one ofa-its objects the separation of such uncon densed gases from thefo iljorjliquidsdelivered from the worm or condenser, so that they shall not escape therewith. e To this end I immerse the deliveryend of the worm or condenser in a trap, a, which has its discharge spout or pipe at a higher elevation than the delivery end of the worm or condenser, so that the oil shall always cover the said delivery end.

' I do not confine myself to any peculiar construction of a trap, myobjectbeihgto trap the gases at the end of the condenser and separate them from the oils and liquids by an opening and pipe back of the exit of the liquids, through which opening and pipe. the gases pass, and which opening and pipe arejdirectlyin com.- munication with the retort or still,';by=livh'ich means. thevapors generated pass out of .the re:-. tort orstill, through the condenser, free of all: obstruction, the uncondensed vapors or gases passing through the opening and pipe X, the condensed liquids passing through the trap a. The trap may be an open or a closed vessel; but in this example I have shown it open to the atmosphere. The trap may be made in any other form which will accomplish theobjectas, for instance, of the 'form of the letter. U,. which is a cheap and ping air and gas.

- :0 IS a pipe, which is connected to. 16132011111 or condenser near its lower end and at apoin't above the trap. The pipew may be connected densing apparatus and retort, andzthe gases thereby withdrawn maybe forced. into asuitable receptacle to be further utilized, or. the

end of the pipe as may be left open, and the gases be burnedfor either light or heat as they issue therefrom, by which a suction will be created in the pipe wand the condensing. ap- ,paratus and retort will be-relieved of pressure independent of a fan or:pump; or the-pipe 41: may be carried to the open atmosphere'orxled into any, convenient flue. When a fan isconnected to the pipe, .the action is the same upon the gasesringthe worm as when-=the, ,pipe is merely left open orthe gases'are; burned-at theirexit, only the action is more energetic by reason of the increasedsuctio'n thereby made, and any othenmode of producing suction in the pipem' may be used with'like effect.

The operation of this part of my invention is to relieve the retort and'condenser of the presence of the uncondensed gases trapped,-and; to prevent their escape with'the liquid frcmlthe' end of the condenser in such .a wayzasnottto check the free passage of the vapors from the retort or still through the condenser,- and. to

deliver them into any suitable receivefor gasometer to be further utilized; or through any suitable supplementary condensing -medium, or to be burned or disposed ofasaforesaidt. The

communication between the pipe'z and 'the retort. or still beingldirect and unbroken, -the pressure-of the vapor in the retort or stillland .inthe'c'ondensing sapparatus here' sh own" will simple shape for traphediminished and the passage of the vapor through the apparatus will be facilitated.

I am aware that pumps are used in gasworks to relieve the main of the gas which has passed through the water.

I do not claim compelling the uncondensed gases to pass out of the discharge end of the worm and through the trap;--but this'part of my invention consists in trapping the said gases without checking the flow of vapors from the retort or still, and at thesame time in separating the uncondensed gas% from the liquids at or near the en d of the condenser, as above stated, in such a manneras that they shall not escape with the condensed liquids into the trap.

It will be observed in my condensing-main that the refrigerating medium enters the apparatus centrally, and is then conducted downward into the lower side of the outer chamber,

e. and is delivered therefrom at the upper side.

This construction not only effects the condensation rapidly, but it enables me, by a proper arrangement of stop-cocks, to regulate the flow of the water or other refrigerating medium used, and thereby retard the condensation, or

vice versa, as the exigency of the work may demand.

I do not confinevmyself to any particular point in my condensing apparatus at whichl attach the coldwater pipe for the purpose of refrigeration;-nor do I confine myself toany particular point at which the vapors and gases may enter the same.

The fan may be connected with other parts of the worm or condenser than the bottom, with similar advantages in respect to relieving the pressure, since the communication between the still and all parts of the condensing apparatus is free.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: t

' 1. In apparatus for condensing oils and other liquids, in combination, an annular condensing-chamber, through which the vapors of oils and other liquids are to pass as they come from the retort or still, a condensingsurface surrounding such chamber, and acoudensing-surface surrounded by such chamber.

2'. The combination of a condenser with the conducting pipe m, having, an inclined bottom, substantially as described, whether the condenser be arranged within or without a refrigerating-surface, or with both surfaces, in-

the manner here'shown.

3. A trap at the discharge end ofthe worm or other pipe of a condensing apparatus for trapping the uncondensed gases and preventing their escape from the end of the condenser, substantially as shown and described.

4. Placing a pipe or other opening back of r oils before they reach the worm, substantially as described.

8. The use of a fan or equivalent means for relieving the pressure of the vapors in a condensing apparatus and still and facilitating their movements through such apparatus, substantially as described.

WM. G. W. JAEGER. \Vitnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, G. L. TOPLIFF.

Images