US3616375A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method employing wave energy for the extraction of sulfur from petroleum and the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1967-02-03
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Granted: 1971-10-26
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Expires: 1987-02-03
Abstract
Abstract A method of decreasing the sulfur content of crude oil and other petroleum products in which the sulfur is present in an elemental state or in chemical combination with an organic substance (i.e., the crude oil), in which high-energy activation at relatively low temperatures ruptures carbon-sulfur bonds of the molecules and effectively forms hydrogen-sulfur bonds in the form of H2S or carbon-sulfur bonds as CS2, etc. so that gaseous sulfurcontaining compounds are evolved from the liquid. The periodic high energy can be an impulsive spark discharge alone or accompanied by vibrational shock of sonic or ultrasonic frequency; laser activation with or without sonic waves of a frequency facilitating the rupture of the bonds to produce gaseous sulfur-containing compounds is also suitable. The apparatus includes an activation chamber through which the crude oil is pumped while being transported aboard a tanker or the like, means for recovering or discharging the gases, and one or more sulfur-removing devices such as a spark-discharge electrode assembly, cavitation generator, ultrasonic or sonic transducer, shock wave generator, high frequency electrode assembly, laser or microwave generator.
Inventors
- 👤 Kiyoshi Inoue
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:04
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10G; C10G32/00; C10G32/04; B; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/08; B01J19/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said liquid is passed continuously through a treatment chamber in which the liquid is subjected to said wave energy and the separation of said sulfur-containing gases is effected at least in part by applying a reduced pressure to said liquid and collecting sulfur-containing gases above a free surface of the liquid upon its subjection to said wave energy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said liquid is continuously recirculated through said chamber until the sulfur content of said liquid drops below a predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 3, further comprising the step of inducing the release of sulfur-containing gases from said liquid during the continuous displacement of said liquid by creating cavitation in the moving liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method defined in claim 3 wherein said wave energy is at least partially produced by subjecting the liquid to a laser beam of a wavelength adapted to activate the separation of sulfur from said liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method defined in claim 5, comprising the step of immersing a laser in said liquid to subject the latter to said beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 3 wherein said wave energy is at least in part produced by effecting an electric discharge in said liquid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method defined in claim 7 wherein said electric discharge is an impulsive spark discharge generated periodically across a pair of spaced-apart electrodes at a frequency in the kc./sec. and mc./second range.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method defined in claim 8, further comprising the step of catalyzing the release of sulfur from said liquid by contacting it with a catalytically effective quantity of a substance selected from the group which consists of tungSten, molybdenum, titanium, vanadium, cadmium, chromium or zinc and oxides or salts thereof and incorporated in at least one of said electrodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method defined in claim 3 wherein said wave energy is applied to said liquid in part by passing same between a pair of spaced-apart plates and applying a relatively high periodic electrostatic potential across said plates at a frequency in the kilocycle or megacycle range.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 3 wherein said wave energy is applied to said liquid at least in part by subjecting same to a shock wave from a shock-wave generator immersed in said liquid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein said shock wave generator includes a vessel filled with a force-transmitting liquid and separated from the sulfur-containing liquid by a flexible wall, further comprising the step of generating an electric discharge in the liquid within said vessel to generate the shock wave.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method defined in claim 3 wherein said wave energy is applied to said liquid at least in part by immersing in said liquid an electroacoustical transducer, further comprising the step of energizing said transducer at sonic or ultrasonic frequency capable of promoting the release of sulfur from said liquid.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of desulfurizing crude oil or fuel oil containing molecules having at least some chemically bound sulfur, comprising the steps of circulating the oil continuously through a treatment zone, in the form of a catalyst-free liquid at ambient temperature; subjecting said liquid in said zone to at least one of the following forms of wave energy of a frequency, intensity and duration sufficient to release at least part of the chemically bound sulfur from said liquid, thereby converting the released sulfur to sulfur-containing gases, said forms of wave energy consisting of laser energy, vibratile and shock wave energy of a frequency in the range of kilocycles or megacycles/second and electromagnetic energy in the range of kilocycles and megacycles/second; collecting above the liquid in said zone the sulfur-containing gases released from said liquid; and evacuating said sulfur-containing gases from said zone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-25 | 1975-04-26 | 1975-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-25 | 1979-04-26 | 1979-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-25 | 1983-04-26 | 1983-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |