Vacuum Or Pressure Patents (Class 208/357)
  • Patent number: 8784648
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing vacuum in a vacuum oil-stock distillation column and includes pumping a gas-vapor medium out of a column by an ejector into a condenser; feeding a gas mixture and a high-pressure gas into a second gas-gas ejector from which the vapor-gas mixture is fed into a second condenser. A condensate is directed from the condensers into a separator in which the condensate is separated into a water-containing condensate and a hydrocarbon-containing condensate. The hydrocarbon-containing condensate is removed while the water-containing condensate is fed into a steam generator in which heat is supplied to the water-containing condensate from a hot distillate removed from the vacuum column and steam is produced from the water-containing condensate, the steam is fed as a high-pressure gas into the gas-gas ejectors. A plant for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Inventor: Valery Grigorievich Tsegelsky
  • Publication number: 20130220889
    Abstract: A method for improving yield of petroleum hydrocarbon distillate in a distillation tower (6) comprises: preheating raw oil of petroleum hydrocarbon ready for fractionation; feeding it to a vaporization section (11) through a pressure feed system (3) under a pressure 100-1000 kPa higher than the vaporization section (11) of the distillation tower (6) for simultaneous atomizing and vaporizing; then feeding it to a fractionation section (13) for distillation-separation; and finally, discharging distillate product from the top and/or side of the tower and unvaporized heavy oil from the bottom. A distillation tower (6) for improving yield of petroleum hydrocarbon distillate comprises a vaporization section (11) and a fractionation section (13), and further comprises a pressure feed system (3) for feeding the raw oil of petroleum hydrocarbon ready for fractionation under a pressure 100-1000 kPa higher than that in the vaporization section (11) of the distillation tower (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicants: RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF PETROLEUM PROCESSING, SINOPEC, CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zhanzhu Zhang, Junyi Mao, Shuandi Hou, Ya Qin, Qing Yuan, Kejia Xu, Tongwang Zhang, Shaobing Wang, Hongliang Qu, Xiaojin Tang, Zhenxing Zhu, Tao Huang
  • Patent number: 8337672
    Abstract: The invention relates to the oil processing industry and can be used for producing vacuum in a vacuum petroleum distillation column. The inventive method involves pumping out a vapor-gas medium from the column by of a gas-gas ejector in such a way that a vapor-gas mixture is formed at the entry thereof and supplying said mixture to a condenser for producing a gas mixture and a vapor phase condensate. The gas mixture is supplied from the condenser to a liquid-gas jet apparatus and the condensate is delivered to an additional separator. A hydrocarbon-containing condensate is removed from the additional separator for the intended use thereof and a water-containing condensate is fed to a steam generator for producing steam by supplying heat of a hot distillate evacuated from the vacuum column. The thus obtained steam is used in the gas-gas ejector as a high-pressure gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Valery Grigorievich Tsegelsky
  • Patent number: 7993435
    Abstract: A process for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid comprising: heating the feedstock, mixing the heated feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, flashing the mixture to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase which collect as bottoms and removing the liquid phase, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and cooling the product effluent, wherein the bottoms are maintained under conditions to effect at least partial visbreaking. The visbroken bottoms may be steam stripped to recover the visbroken molecules while avoiding entrainment of the bottoms liquid. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, George J. Balinsky, James N. McCoy, Paul F. Keusenkothen
  • Patent number: 7981253
    Abstract: An improved de-entrainment device for use in distillation towers, especially vacuum distillation towers used for fractionating petroleum atmospheric resids is in the form of a baffle which is to be located in the portion of the tower below the feed zone and at the top of the flash zone. The baffle is in the form of an apertured plate above the stripping zone and in its preferred form comprises number of radial fins or blades, resembling a static fan with openings between the fins to permit vapors from the lower portions of the tower to pass upwards through the baffle with a minimal pressure drop. The fins of the baffle are preferably oriented at an angle between 30° and 60° away from the incoming feed so that the incoming feed stream skims over the top edges of the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company
    Inventors: Arun K. Sharma, Theodore Sideropoulos, Rutton D. Patel, Brian D. Albert, Alvin U. Chen
  • Patent number: 7670573
    Abstract: A process for decoking of a process that cracks hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid and coke precursors, wherein steam is added to the feedstock to form a mixture which is thereafter separated into a vapor phase and a liquid phase by flashing in a flash/separation vessel, separating and cracking the vapor phase, and recovering cracked product. Coking of internal surfaces in and proximally downstream of the vessel is controlled by interrupting the feed flow, purging the vessel with steam, introducing an air/steam mixture to at least partially combust the coke, and resuming the feed flow when sufficient coke has been removed. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, Arthur R. Di Nicolantonio, James M. Frye, Subramanian Annamalai, Nicholas G. Vidonic
  • Patent number: 7641870
    Abstract: Hydrocarbon feedstock containing resid is cracked by a process comprising: (a) heating the hydrocarbon feedstock; (b) mixing the heated hydrocarbon feedstock with steam and optionally water to form a mixture stream; (c) introducing the mixture stream to a flash/separation apparatus to form i) a vapor phase at its dew point which partially cracks and loses/or heat causing a temperature decrease and partial condensation of the vapor phase in the absence of added heat to provide coke precursors existing as uncoalesced condensate, and ii) a liquid phase; (d) removing the vapor phase as overhead and the liquid phase as bottoms from the flash/separation apparatus; (e) treating the overhead by contacting with a hydrocarbon-containing nucleating liquid substantially free of resid and comprising components boiling at a temperature of at least about 260° C. (500° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Stell, Nicholas G. Vidonic
  • Patent number: 7429312
    Abstract: The present group of inventions relates to processing of multi-component liquid mixtures (MCLM) employing reforming process, preferably for vacuum distillation of hydrocarbon mixtures and in petroleum refining and chemical industries. The inventions include the method for processing of multi-component liquid mixtures. The method of MCLM separation includes pressure feeding of a hydrocarbon liquid mixture to an a liquid-gas jet device nozzle which discharges to a vacuum chamber of liquid-gas jet device. A counter pressure jointly with the liquid-gas jet device forms a pressure surge in the vacuum chamber. The counter pressure is 0.4 to 0.7 of the magnitude of the feed pressure generated by the pump. The plant for MCLM processing includes a feed pump, a head delivery main, a discharge main, control instrumentation and a vacuum-generating device including a vacuum chamber, a liquid-gas jet device with a nozzle in the front end wall of the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Energy Savings Technologies Financial Industrial Group LLC
    Inventors: Yuriy Pavlovich Skakunov, Chamil Khakimovich Iskhakov, Sergey Vladimirovich Tishkin
  • Patent number: 7267747
    Abstract: A vacuum distillation system and method utilizing a low capacity vacuum producing ejector operated in parallel with a primary ejector during the Winter months enables significant reduction in the absolute pressure of a vacuum distillation column. Operation of a vacuum distillation tower at lower absolute pressures results in increased yield of desirable vacuum distillation products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Hugh Musial
  • Patent number: 7172686
    Abstract: Methods of separating components of a mixture, such as crude oil, are disclosed which increase the yield of individual components while decreasing the yield of residue. In one method, a heated mixture is fed to a column, a vapor stream is withdrawn from the column and separated, and a portion of the vapor stream is recycled back to the column. In another method, a mixture is separated into streams composed substantially of components having light, intermediate or heavy molecular weight and/or low, intermediate or high boiling point, respectively, and the streams are fed into the column at different positions. In both methods, individual light, intermediate and/or heavy molecular weight and/or low, intermediate and/or high boiling point component streams are then selectively withdrawn from the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
    Inventors: Shuncheng Ji, Miguel J. Bagajewicz
  • Publication number: 20040188237
    Abstract: A vacuum distillation system and method utilizing a low capacity vacuum producing ejector operated in parallel with a primary ejector during the Winter months enables significant reduction in the absolute pressure of a vacuum distillation column. Operation of a vacuum distillation tower at lower absolute pressures results in increased yield of desirable vacuum distillation products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Hugh Musial
  • Publication number: 20030205506
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed that relate generally to a process for reducing harmful or unwanted emissions during the production of asphalt, such as blue smoke. The process includes the introduction of a pump around of the wax oil fraction for re-introduction into the vacuum tower. Additional desirable features include stripping trays below the wax oil collection tray and the feed zone. The result is to produce an asphalt product that creates less blue smoke in the hot mix plant. Another desirable feature is that a product can be created that meets Performance Grade specifications with the addition of polymers or other additives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Kenneth Hucker, Sanford P. Brass
  • Patent number: 6605208
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are disclosed that relate generally to a process for reducing harmful or unwanted emissions during the production of asphalt, such as blue smoke. The process includes the introduction of a pump around of the wax oil fraction for re-introduction into the vacuum tower. Additional desirable features include stripping trays below the wax oil collection tray and the feed zone. The result is to produce an asphalt product that creates less blue smoke in the hot mix plant. Another desirable feature is that a product can be created that meets Performance Grade specifications with the addition of polymers or other additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Inventors: Kenneth Hucker, Sanford P. Brass
  • Patent number: 6483002
    Abstract: Construction and operational costs of simulated moving bed adsorptive separation process units are reduced by recovering desorbent from both the extract and raffinate streams of the process in a single column. Both streams are fractionated to recover desorbent, which is removed at one end of a dividing wall column, while separate extract and raffinate products are removed from the other end of the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Dennis E. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 6398918
    Abstract: Pertaining mainly to the field of the petrochemical industry the method essentially includes delivery of a motive liquid into a liquid-gas ejector from a separator by a pump, feeding a liquid-gas mixture obtained in the ejector into the separator, cooling of the motive liquid with simultaneous heating of a circulating portion of a distillation residual while the motive liquid is pumped through a heat-exchanger/heater by the pump, and maintaining such an operational mode while the temperature of mediums in the separator is higher than the temperature of the motive liquid at the nozzle inlet of the ejector, where the latter is higher than the temperature of the distillation residual at the point of discharge from a rectification column and the temperature of a gas-vapor phase at the gas inlet of the ejector is lower than the temperature of the distillation residual at the point of discharge from the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Inventor: Serguei A. Popov
  • Patent number: 6350351
    Abstract: A plant for the vacuum distillation of liquids has a vacuum rectification column and a vacuum-producing device based on a liquid-gas jet apparatus. The plant is furnished additionally with a jet pump. A nozzle of the jet pump is connected to a pipeline for bleeding a liquid fraction from the column, an evacuated medium inlet of the jet pump is connected to an outlet of the liquid-gas jet apparatus and an outlet of the jet pump is connected to a separator of the vacuum-producing device. The plant provides more effective vacuum distillation of liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Inventors: Serguei A. Popov, Mikhail V. Akimov
  • Patent number: 6348637
    Abstract: Construction and operational costs of simulated moving bed adsorptive separation process units are reduced by recovering desorbent from both the extract and raffinate streams of the process in a single column. Both streams are fractionated in the same column to recover desorbent, which is removed at the bottom of the column. The bottom of the column is divided into a reboiler sump section and a bottoms product-desorbent inventory section, with this reducing the equipment required in the overall process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: James W. Harris
  • Patent number: 6348134
    Abstract: The invention pertains to the field of oil refining and the petrochemical industry. The proposed plant for the distillation of a liquid has a vacuum rectification column with pipes for feed of a stock product and for bleeding of a gas-vapor phase and at least one liquid fraction; and a vacuum-producing device composed of a liquid-gas jet apparatus, a separator, a pump and a condenser. The gas intake of the liquid-gas jet apparatus is connected to the pipeline for bleeding of a gas-vapor phase, the liquid intake of the jet apparatus is connected to the discharge side of the pump and the outlet of the jet apparatus is connected to the condenser's intake. The intake of the separator is connected to the condenser's outlet, the liquid outlet of the separator is connected to the suction side of the pump and the gas outlet of the separator is connected to consumers of compressed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventor: Serguei A. Popov
  • Patent number: 6346173
    Abstract: The invention essentially relates to a method for vacuum distillation of liquids that includes feeding a polar liquid into a vacuum-producing liquid-gas jet apparatus as a motive liquid if evacuation of a nonpolar gas-vapor medium is to be effected. Further, the method includes condensing the nonpolar gas-vapor medium, forming a gas-liquid mixture, disengaging a gaseous phase from the mixture, forming a liquid emulsion containing the polar liquid and a nonpolar condensate, separating the emulsion into continuous layers, withdrawing the nonpolar condensate and recycling the polar liquid by pumping it back into the liquid-gas jet apparatus. A nonpolar liquid is to be used as the motive liquid of the liquid-gas jet apparatus if evacuation of a polar gas-vapor medium is required. There is another variant of the method applicable when an evacuated gas-vapor medium contains both polar and nonpolar components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Inventors: Serguei A. Popov, Evgueni D. Petroukhine
  • Patent number: 6280578
    Abstract: Essence of the invention is a: a liquid, whose saturated vapour pressure is not less than the pressure at the top of a rectification column, is delivered into the nozzle of a liquid-gas jet apparatus as a motive liquid; the pressure maintained in a separator represents from 1.1 to 160 times the pressure of a vapor phase at the inlet of the liquid-gas jet apparatus; condensation of easy-condensable components of the vapor phase in the motive liquid and forming of a liquid-vapor mixture take place after mixing of the vapor phase with the motive liquid; the liquid-vapor mixture is separated in the separator into a compressed gaseous component and a liquid medium. The introduced method results in an increase in efficiency of a pumping-ejector system for the distillation of a liquid product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Inventor: Serguei A. Popov
  • Patent number: 6277247
    Abstract: The invention pertains to the field of the petrochemical industry. The invention essentially relates to a system and method that includes feeding of a liquid having molecular weight more than 100 (in atomic mass units) into a nozzle of an ejector as a motive liquid, and delivery of a mixed medium from the ejector into a shaped reservoir, where flow velocity is reduced and static pressure is boosted. The outlet of the ejector is connected to the inlet of the shaped reservoir, the inlet of a separator is connected to the outlet of the shaped reservoir. The introduced method and the system for its embodiment ensure a more efficient operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Inventor: Serguei A. Popov
  • Patent number: 6086721
    Abstract: A vacuum-creating apparatus of the unit is provided with a pump and a separator, wherein the pump is connected at its inlet to the separator, a jet device is made as a liquid-gas device and is connected at its outlet, by means of a pressure main, to the separator and at its liquid input to an output of the pump, wherein the longitudinal axis of the jet device is positioned vertically, the permissible deviation from the vertical axis being .+-.15.degree., an outlet cross section of a liquid supply nozzle of the jet device is positioned at a height of from 5 m to 35 m above an inlet to the separator and an outlet section of the pressure main is positioned below the level of the liquid in the separator to form a hydraulic seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Inventor: Valery Grigorievich Tsegelsky
  • Patent number: 5980698
    Abstract: A method for vacuum distillation includes separation of a liquid product delivered to a reservoir under vacuum into a vapour-gaseous phase and at least one liquid fraction, withdrawal of the vapour-gaseous phase from the reservoir using a vacuum-creating device, and subsequent separation of the vapour-gaseous phase into gas and a liquid phase by condensing performed directly in the vacumm-creating device. A portion of the liquid phase is used as a fluid working medium in the vacuum-creating device.An equipment for vacuum distillation includes a reservoir under vacuum conditions equipped with mains and a vacuum-creating device, which has an ejector, a separator and a pump, interconnected by mains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Valery Grigorievich Tsegelsky
    Inventors: Alexandr Alexeevich Abrosimov, Alexandr Mikhailovich Kochemasov, Ivan Alexandrovich Kochergin, Valery Grigorievich Tsegelsky
  • Patent number: 5876591
    Abstract: A process for fractionating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce a lube oil fraction having a constant, predetermined flash point. A liquid stream is removed from the fractionator, cooled in response to a fractionator top temperature and returned to the fractionator above the original draw point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Steven P. Lankton
  • Patent number: 5877384
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for separating propane and benzene from alkylation reaction products in cumene production. An integrated fractionation tower combines the functions of propane separation, recycle benzene recovery as well as system dewatering to eliminate the need for separate depropanizer and dehydration columns and thus save capital and operating expenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg Company
    Inventors: Harold Edward Gimpel, Eric Wing-Tak Wong, Kourosh Faiz Ghassemi
  • Patent number: 5814207
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for re-refining used oil, in which the used oil is processed in at least one cyclonic vacuum evaporator comprising a void evaporation chamber (4) into which feedstock is tangentially injected, and in which a fraction of the feedstock is condensed in a spray condenser (7) communicating with the evaporation chamber (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Enprotec International Group N.V.
    Inventor: Kalevi John Kenton
  • Patent number: 5456823
    Abstract: A process for the dehydration and/or desalination and simultaneous fractionation of a petroleum deposit effluent containing oil, associated gas and water which can be saline, which process comprises:(a) at least one step for separating the liquid and gaseous phases at the pressure P1 for removal of the gas, producing a gaseous fraction G1, on the one hand, which is removed and a liquid fraction L1, on the other hand, which is sent to step(b) at least one step for separating, at least partly, the two liquid phases mixed in the liquid fraction L1, the aqueous phase being partly removed and the oil phase containing a quantity of residual aqueous phase being sent to step (c);(c) at least one distillation step carried out at a pressure P2 which is less than, or at the most equal to, the pressure P1 in step (a), in a distillation zone C1, said distillation being carried out in the presence of the oil phase coming from step (b), said zone C1 comprising an internal heat exchange zone and a boiling zone, and enabling
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Christophe Lermite, Joseph Larue, Alexandre Rojey
  • Patent number: 5389242
    Abstract: A description is given of a process for the fractionation of oil and gas on a petroleum deposit effluent, including:(a) a stage wherein the liquid and gaseous phases are separated at the gas evacuation pressure P1, producing a gaseous fraction G1, on the one hand, which is evacuated, and a liquid fraction L1, on the other hand, which is constituted at least partially of oil, sending the liquid fraction L1 to stage (b);(b) at least one distillation stage carried out at a pressure P2 which is less than or at least equal to the pressure P1 in stage (a), in a distillation zone C1 which has an internal heat exchange zone and a reboiling zone, and which permits a gaseous fraction G2 to be recovered, on the one hand, and a liquid fraction L2 to be recovered, on the other hand, which is sent to the internal exchange zone, then evacuated; and(c) at least one recompression stage at the pressure P1 of at least a part of the gaseous fraction G2 which is at least partly mixed with the gaseous fraction G2 and evacuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Christophe Lermite, Joseph Larue, Alexandre Rojey
  • Patent number: 5167773
    Abstract: A distillation tower (1) has a plurality of liquid sidestream lines (5, 6, 7) and a multi-stage sidestream stripper (13) which includes a respective stripping section (14, 15, 16) for each sidestream line housed in a common, upright, cylindrical shell (28) which allows vapor to pass freely from each stage to the one above. Partial vaporization of each sidestream is achieved by applying a vacuum to the top of the stripper shell (point 21) and/or introducing strip gas at the bottom (point 20). Because the vapor passes serially through the stripping sections from the bottom of the stripper (13) to the top, the need to supply strip gas separately to the stripping sections and/or apply vacuum individually is avoided. The separation between the sidestream products is improved by including, in each stage, a rectification zone (22, 23, 24) positioned above the stripping section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: James D. Eagan, Adrianus Welmers
  • Patent number: 4994168
    Abstract: The quality and yield of dewaxed, hydrotreated lube oil base stocks are improved by reducing the top temperature in the hydrotreated lube stripper so as to increase the proportion of heavy kerosene components in the lube oil base stock. The separation system provides for a two stage stripping of the lube oil fraction such that the kerosene fraction stripped from the lube product in the primary product stripper under vacuum is stripped in a second stage stripper at a higher pressure with recycle of the heavy kerosene fraction as a reflux stream to the primary vacuum stripper so that a product with improved viscosity index and flash point is separated in the primary stripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Mohsen N. Harandi
  • Patent number: 4954247
    Abstract: A process for improving the separation of a hydrocarbonaceous oil is provided, in which the oil is separated into fractions in an atmospheric distillation zone. The heavy bottoms fraction (atmospheric residuum) is split into two streams. One stream is passed through a heating zone and, subsequently, to a vacuum separation zone. The other stream by-passes the heating zone and is introduced directly into the vacuum separation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Gregory M. Lipkin, Joseph L. Niedzwiecki
  • Patent number: 4834868
    Abstract: Rerefined used oil supplies are treated on a continuous basis so as to clarify the flow and so as to neutralize oxidation product components such as carboxylic acids which remain within the oil stocks after they have been rerefined by upstream procedures. The process is carried out on a continuous basis, and the treatment includes utilizing very low quantities of strong base for each volume of rerefined used oil that is thus treated. The treatment process includes continuously vacuum distilling a continuous flow of used oil stock and strong base composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Breslube USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Francis J. Lappin
  • Patent number: 4381992
    Abstract: A novel process for the purification of used oil comprising removing the ash-forming components, then subjecting the oil to vacuum fractionation. A novel vacuum fractionation column is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1983
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventors: William E. Wood, Donald K. MacQueen
  • Patent number: 4345976
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for substantially separating the components of mixtures of substances at least one of which is of low volatility while the other is of low or no volatility, the process using a compressed gas under supercritical conditions and an entrainer which increases the concentration of said mixture in the gaseous phase as well as the separation factor between the components to be separated. The process operates in two distillation zones the first of which substantially separates the components of low volatility in a process similar to a rectification process while the second distillation zone separates the top product of the first distillation zone from the gas with the aid of the entrainer which is condensed partially and in this state is passed in countercurrent to the gas carrying the separated component of low volatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1982
    Assignee: Siegfried Peter
    Inventors: Siegfried Peter, Gerd Brunner, Rolf Riha
  • Patent number: 4261814
    Abstract: The invention provides an improvement in the conventional operation of a vacuum pipestill, whereby when used with, for example, an atmospheric residuum either (a) conventional yields are obtainable with less stripping steam utilization, or (b) a deeper cut into the residuum is obtainable for conventional steam utilization. Some of the gaseous mixture normally withdrawn from the top of the vacuum pipestill for washing and removal is fed into compression and recycle means and recycled to the stripping zone of the pipestill to replace, or augment, the conventionally used stripping steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1981
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Klaus A. Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 4191640
    Abstract: An improved dual fractionating process for hydrocarbons which employs a high pressure and a low pressure fractionating zone, light ends from the low pressure fractionating zone being introduced into the high pressure fractionating zone, heavy ends from the high pressure fractionating zone being introduced into the low pressure fractionating zone, the improvement being characterized by the introduction into one of the fractionating zones of a stable hydrocarbon stream, the hydrocarbon stream being stable under the conditions existing in the high pressure fractionating zone, at least a portion of the hydrocarbon stream having a boiling point lower than the boiling point of at least one of the unstable components which accumulates in the high pressure fractionating zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1980
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: David D. Chess, Clements A. Helbling, Jr., Randlow Smith
  • Patent number: 4175034
    Abstract: A fractionation process wherein a fractionation column is maintained at a subatmospheric pressure through the use of a steam-jet ejector. Water drawn off the overhead receiver of the fractionation column is vaporized by indirect heat exchange to form the moderate pressure steam charged to the ejector. The effluent of the ejector is passed through a condenser, and the resultant condensate is recycled to the overhead receiver by admixture with the overhead vapor stream of the fractionation column. The disposal of hydrocarbon-contaminated aqueous overhead liquid is thereby minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1979
    Assignee: UOP Inc.
    Inventor: H. Lytle Thompson
  • Patent number: 3989616
    Abstract: The production of normal and premium lube grade blending stocks of 100, 300 and 700 second neutral material along with high boiling by-product material for the manufacture of asphalts is improved by using a low pressure vacuum tower provided with an overflash separation in the tower bottom from resid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1974
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1976
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Pagen, Richard J. Petrucco
  • Patent number: RE38366
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for re-refining used oil, in which the used oil is processed in at least one cyclonic vacuum evaporator comprising a void evaporation chamber (4) into which feedstock is tangentially injected, and in which a fraction of the feedstock is condensed in a spray condenser (7) communicating with the evaporation chamber (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Avista Resources, Inc.
    Inventor: Kalevi John Kenton