December 16, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



699 



then described by means of which it was found 

 possible to hold the temperature of the sample 

 under test constant to 0.01° F. over a period of 

 mdny minutes. Tabulated data show the Saybolt 

 readings at different temperatures, for samples 

 tested under ' ' standard ' ' conditions, and with the 

 new apparatus. 



Cracking of unsaturated hydrocar'bons hy heat 

 to give saturated hydrocar'bons: Ealph H. McKee 

 and Ralph T. Goodwin. The real liquid fuel 

 reserve of America is in ite oil shale deposits. 

 In a study of oil shale we have found that dis- 

 tillation in vacuum gives an intermediate product 

 which on heating gives over into petroleum. A 

 study of this intermediate from various oil shales 

 shoiws it always to be highly unsaturated (dis- 

 solved by 66° Be sulfuric), sometimes 100 per 

 cent, unsaturated. If this waxy intermediate is 

 distilled at atmospheric pressure, there is ob- 

 tained a petroleum containing 48 per cent, sat- 

 urated hydrocarbons. Eedistillation brings about 

 additional cracking with a further increase of 

 the percentage of saturated hydrocarbons. Ordi- 

 narily we expect the cracking of hydrocarbons to 

 proceed with increase of unsaturated constituents 

 but here we have the reverse, the unsaturated con- 

 stituents decreased 48 per cent, on the first dis- 

 tillation and still more on redistillation. 



The refining of gasoline and Tcerosene hy hypo- 

 chlorite solutions: A. E. Dtjnstan and B. T. 

 Bbooks. The present paper is a description of 

 the process developed and perfected by A. E. 

 Dunstan and his associates in the Anglo-Persian 

 Oil Company. It is the first successful industrial 

 utilization of hypochlorite solution for refining of 

 petroleum oils. Gasoline and kerosene may be 

 refined in this way with treating losses of less 

 than one half of one per cent. Malodorous com- 

 pounds, including sulfur derivatives, are removed. 

 The treated oil is free from chlorine, is free from 

 substances which develop acidity, gummy sub- 

 stances or discolorations on standing, and it elim- 

 inates obnoxious waste products, such as acid tar, 

 eliminates acid recovery and the process can be 

 carried out in the usual form of treating appara- 

 tus. The new method, therefore, is cleaner and 

 easier to operate, gives a much better refined 

 product, and the refining costs are markedly low- 

 er, particularly when the losses incidental to sul- 

 furic acid refining are included iu the comparison. 

 The process is particularly adapted to light dis- 

 tillates from high sulfur crudes and the savings 

 are greatest in the case of cracked gasolines. 



Refining of cracked hydrocarbon oils: Jacque 

 C. MoRKELL and Gctstav EoLOrr. The various 



methods of refining light petroleum distillates 

 are discussed. The general methods involved are 

 (a) physical and (&) chemical. The physical 

 method of refining involving the use of various 

 adsorbent earths, though giving good results, can 

 not compete commercially with the chemical meth- 

 ods of refining. The chief chemical method in 

 use to-day is the sulfuric acid method of refining, 

 and it is the use of various modifications of this 

 method upon which the authors lay the greatest 

 stress. Applying various modifications of this 

 method with regard to subsequent treatment as 

 well as concentration and amounts of reagents, 

 the authors have successfully refined cracked dis- 

 tillates from the following raw materials and 

 have produced water white gasoline of sweet odor, 

 as well as a product which will pass the corrosion 

 and doctor test: (a) California gas oil, (6) Mid- 

 continent fuel oil, (o) Midcontinent gas oil, {d) 

 Mexican gas oil, (e) Texas fuel oil. The raw 

 oils were cracked on a commercial scale in the 

 gas-liquid phase. The authors describe in detail 

 the methods used 'wdth full discussion of the 

 theories involved, especial gtress being laid upon 

 the treatment of hydrocarbons containing sulfur 

 compounds. The effect of the sulfuric acid treat- 

 ment upon the unsaturate per cent, is also dis- 

 cussed. It is concluded that following the meth- 

 ods and principles laid down by the authors, all 

 types of cracked hydrocarbons, regardless of the 

 type of raw oil used to produce them, can be 

 successfully treated to produce water-white 

 products of sweet odor. 



Fractional distillation of various petroleums 

 under reduced pressure with new type receiver: 

 Jacque C. Morreix and Gustav Egloff. A new 

 type of receiver for fractional distillation under 

 reduced pressure is described. The general prin- 

 ciples and elements of the receiver are as fol- 

 lows: The receiver is made up of two graduated 

 chambers, the whole being arranged so that it 

 can be properly mounted. These chambers are 

 connected by a stop-cock. The arrangement is 

 such that one fraction may be drawn off from the 

 lower chamber, while the next fraction is being 

 distilled in the upper chamber. The rate of dis- 

 tillation is always under perfect control. With 

 regard to the fractional distillation of petroleums 

 under reduced pressure, following a general dis- 

 cussion of the theory and experimental method, 

 comparative distillation of the following crude 

 oils, under atmospheric distillation and vacuum 

 distillation, are shown: Kentuck}' crude, Arkansas 

 crude, Colorado crude, Ohio crude, California 

 crude, Texas crude and Mexican crude. A dis- 



