GB448956A - Improvements in and relating to method of and apparatus for treating liquids capable of polymerisation - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0448956/III/1> <PICT:0448956/III/2> Unsaturated vegetable, animal, and marine oils, are polymerized by passing the oil in a continuously and rapidly flowing stream through a heated and restricted conduit of small cross-section, to heat the oil rapidly to polymerizing temperature, then through a conduit adapted to maintain the oil at polymerizing temperature for a time sufficient to effect the desired polymerization, the oil being then rapidly cooled to arrest polymerization. As shown in Fig. 1, the oil is circulated by a pump 18 at a rapid rate through a tubular or sinuous heating conduit 1 leading to enlarged conduit 9 from which the polymerized oil passes to a cooler 16 where it is rapidly cooled by fresh oil passing to the heating conduit 1. From the cooler 15 the oil passes through a pressure-regulating valve 21 to an expansion tank 22 furnished with a vent 23 for gases and uncondensed vapours. The conduits 1, 9 are formed of high resistance metal and are heated by electric current from transformers 5, 12. The conduit 9 comprises sections 8A, 8B, 8C of different cross-sectional areas controlled by valves 30, 31, 32, whereby the oil may be passed through the appropriate sections to obtain the requisite time for polymerization. Temperature controllers 24, 27, at the outlets of the conduits 1, 9, respectively, regulate the heating current through magnetic switches 25, 28. Switch 25 is also opened, in the event of failure of the oil supply, by a cut-out switch 29, Fig. 2 shows modified apparatus in which the sections 8A, 8B, 8C are provided with cooling tubes 35 through which water, oil, &c. is circulated to absorb excess heat when treating linseed, chinawood, perilla and like oils where the polymerizing reactions is exothermic. Further, to remove fatty acids, glycerine, &c. the oil from the cooler 15 is passed to a distilling column 40 to which superheated steam is supplied by a pipe 44, the purified oil passing to a further cooler 56. Additional heat may be supplied by electric ribbon heaters of the kind described in Specifications 377,528 and 378,716, [both in Group XI], immersed in the oil in the distilling trays 45 .. 50, between bubble cups 51. Other oils referred to are Brazil nut oil and soya, sunflower, sardine, menhaden, salmon, and shark oils.