Improved process for obtaining high boiling organic acids from their mixtures with high boiling oils

摘要

294,892. Standard Oil Development Co., (Assignees of Coleman, S. P.). July 30, 1927, [Convention date]. Mineral oils, purifying.-Mineral oils which contain naturally occurring or artificially produced acids are treated with alkali to convert the acids to salts, the oil is distilled off, and the acids are recovered from the salt residue. In an example, for the production of naphthenic acids from Gulf coast oil, the crude oil or an oil distillate, which may have been treated with acid, is passed from a tank 1 to an agitator 4 having a steam-jacket 4a in which it is treated with alkali solution and agitated with air. The oily layer is withdrawn by a swing-pipe 9 to a tank 8, and the aqueous layer is treated with sulphuric and other mineral acid which causes the organic acids and remaining oil to separate from the aqueous liquor. The aqueous liquor is discharged by a pipe 13, and caustic soda solution is added to combine with the organic acids, the mixture being blown dry by warm air from a pipe 5. Gas oil is added and the hot homogeneous mixture is taken to a tank 15 from which it passes to a heading-coil 18 to which steam may be admitted by a pipe 19 to increase the rate of flow. The mixture is heated rapidly to above 700‹ F, and is discharged into a vaporizing drum 20 which is preferably maintained under high vacuum. The vapour passes to a condenser 22 and the condensed soil collects in a drum 23 from which it goes to a tank 32. The soda-salts which remain in the drum 20 are run into water in a tank 27, and treated with mineral acid in a tank 29, the separated organic acids being collected in a tank 31.