Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1918-05-26 | Page 38 | Oil Refining and Its Various Methods Are Described by Expert

Oil Refining and Its s Various Methods Are Described by Expert Information Given for Uninitiated Concerning v M Modern dern Processes of oJ Petroleum Distillation THE average layman refining oil is a complex operation T TO and the tile terms fractional distillation fractional condensation vapors and cracking mean nothing However it is not as complex oc t I if a onn 1 J I II Crude oil is compo composed ed of or hundreds o or d different molecule some of the molecules les b being gases at ordinary temperature others liquids and still otherS othera others oth oth- ers era am am rn solids and by a 11 process known as Js distillation the tho gaseous liquids and nd solid hydrocarbons of crude can bo hI separated Distillation consists of or chang chan changing by hy the application In ing a a. liquid into a vapor tion of oC heat and then changing th the vapor back bak into a a. liquid b by cooling This process process proc proc- ess eRg of vaporizing vaporizing- and cooling Is what Is termed fractional distillation and amI Is the basis of the petroleum refinery Industry writes P P. M. M lIsl general manager Empire Refineries In Oil and Gas Jour Jour- nat Di DistIllation as ns far as It of or changing crude oh ll to vapor Is the th same In all aU methods However the relative e efficiency of or the different methods depends depends de do- on ho how the vapors are treated after after after aft aft- er leaving the surface of oC the tho liquids and before they enter the condenser and proper equipment is the one ono essential to u maximum fractionation and re recover ro- ro cover covery Therefore the still head or tower towel Installation retaliation must be 10 considered We c have three types of petroleum maximum fractionation average aver aver- ago age fractionation and minimum fraction fraction- atlon Thc They also represent tho the develop develop- moot ment of the refinery Industry the least leu t efficient process obtains the the- least frac- frac rac- rac the most efficient have ap applied applied applied ap- ap plied our modern knowledge of molecules and vapors to obtain the most fractionation tion crude oil being composed of oC hun hun- s of or different molecules not only hOIng tolling at different temperature but each exerting some Influence on the boiling point joint of oC the tho others Consequently the problem of obtaining definite products from rom such a mixture cannot be solved by simply heating and condensing the vapors as is the they como come from the surface o of oC the liquid because these vapors after leaving the surface of the liquid must be separated separated sepa- sepa rated Into different parts To obtain this ther is a process opposite to distillation distillation- namely fractional condensation This process s is effected b by passing passin tho the vapors through h towers x VAPORS ARE CONDENSED At temperature between the boiling bollin poInt of the molecules the vapors of the hl higher her boiling molecules are cooled below below be- be low ow the boiling point of the liquid and condense while l h vapors y of the 10 loser louer er bollIn boll boll- In lug ng point of or the thc liquid do rIo not condense hut but pass ass on to be bo condensed separate separately When hen the hl high h boiling vapors condense the c resulting liquid usually carries 8 with It t more moie or l less s of the low boiling liquids this being a a. combination of oC fractional condensation and distillation and is called fractional distillation the still Itself doing the distilling and the tower permitting per Per- the heavy material to return to the tho still docs ds the fractionating or sepa sepa- rating After Arter distilling distilling- and nd separating the different dif die brent ferent products of crude oil Into groups they are arc further refined and treated sep- sep gasoline being leIng steamed with live steam to remove the odor and treated with sulphuric acid and caustic soda to remove the Impurities and make It white Kerosene Is also allo treated with acid anc and soda to make It marl marketable Lubricating oils and wax are obtained rom wax distillate which Is separated In Inthe Inthe inthe the distilling o of tho the crude oil and further further fur fur- th ther r distilled or cracked a as It Is termed This distillate Is cooled to a temperature d depending on the cold test teat of the thc oil re- re anti and IK is accomplished by pumping through the pipes of a a. chilling machine This chilling causes causes' the wax amounting I to about 10 per cent of or the distillates to I solidify This solid 10 per er cent mixed with the 90 per cent liquid oil forms Corms a a. I mush and IH Is pumped through a high pressure pros pres sure hydraulic filter press What hat remains In the press is called slack wax vax wax and that which goes gocs through h Is called pressed presed distillate dis and this Is tho the distillate from which lubricating oils are made The slack wax Is put through a s sweating west sweat at- at ing process which consists consist of oC cooling the wax to a a. cake then gradually warming it The crystals of the tho wax form forma a net work through which tho oil is distributed dis dis- and when hen the mass is warmed i the oil sweats out and drips awa away which I always alwa's carries with it some ome wax but finally tho the oil all sweats out out leaving the I wax In u it fairly pure puro state te When hen the wax has reached the required point as determined by test bYl test o of melting point and percentage or oL oil and moisture It Is finally percolated through fullers earth to eliminate any coloring matter this converting con con- sit it Into refined colorless wax After Arter the lubricating oil from tho wax It Is further refined to tomake tomake tomake make tho tests required In specifications h by users after which It Is filtered through fullers earth to clarify It PROGRESS IN CRACKING During tho the last five Ivo years great Teat progress progress progress ress has been made in cracking processes processes pro pro- which consist of oC distilling petroleum petro petro- h bum leum um or its distillates at nt a temperature higher than the normal boiling points of tho the which it is IN desired to decompose This Is accomplished b by raisInG raising raising rais rais- ing the boiling point of the liquid by back pressure on the liquids and vapors which are arc maintained under pressure pressur throughout through out their course from the still through h the condenser and nd while undergoing condensation condensation condensation con con- Among Amon the most successful processes IS s the tho Burton process In use uso b by bythe bythe the Standard Oil companies who ho were the first to successfully demon demonstrate that such distillation could bo be safely carried carrie ou out t on a a. lar large e scale calc Another successful Is tho the Rittman Ritt- Ritt man which consists of a t tube installation installation tion tion and b by u using the tho oil In the form Corm of vapor nn any combination of temperatures and anti pressures lOa may be applied and any distillates from rom I kerosene down ma may be bo he I used Rittman processes have been In Installed installed In in- I stalled and are in operation by 11 the time Midwest Midwest Mid Mid- lId lId- I west Refining company compan of Wyoming the Gulf GuIr Refining company at Port Arthur I Tex and the Empire Refineries at Okmulgee Okmulgee Ok- Ok I e. e Okla Among Amon- the other processes el which are ar I prominently mentioned am are the Wells the Jerkins the Sherman and the Greenstreet Green- Green street all being more moro or less successful I However the tho of all these crackIng crack- crack Ing processes is constantly being Improved improved im irs- proved and the day Is fa fast t approaching when the refiner who expects to remain in th tIm tho business must a adopt opt modern modem methods of or refining The passing of or tho the high gravity crude and the tho decreasing supply of or crude oil mako make It Il imperative for the refiner to adopt methods that will give Ive him the maximum recoveries and andallo allow allo hIm him to be a competitor of the lar larger er interests that enjoy this 3 an 1 tl tare tage e