4. DESCRIPTION
Technical Field:
The present invention relates to a process for generation of Liquefied Petroleum
Gas (hereinafter referred to as LPG) from solvent oil (primarily a hydrocarbon
feedstock) and a small handy apparatus for carrying out the process. In
particular, the present invention relates to a small multi-chamber apparatus which
is easy to handle by common man for generation of LPG from solvent oil by
subjecting the solvent oil to pass through different chambers each having
different pressure which results in the production of LPG from solvent oil. The
apparatus is a house hold apparatus which can be installed in kitchen andlor in
restaurants and hotels.
Background of the invention:
The general public is feeling aggrieved with the ever-increasing prices of cooking
gas (LPG). Further the general public is also distressed with the restricted
number of cooking gas cylinders available to the citizens of lndia at subsidized
rate. There have been many proposals from private companies to provide
cooking gas (LPG) to the consumers directly at their door step through pipe line
however the higher rate at which it is being made available to the consumers has
always remained an element of concern for the consumers. Owing to the higher
rates at which the cooking gas is available to the consumers, be it through
cylinders or through pipe line, some of the citizens of lndia are still resorting to
the fuels like kerosene oil or electricity or solar power for cooking purposes. Now
it is an undisputed fact that kerosene oil is not readily available to all classes of
citizens and electrical or solar appliances are high on maintenance and
conditional in functional i.e. continuous supply of electricity or solar power is a
must at the time of cooking. In fact the supply of electricity has always fallen
short of its demand. Solar energy cannot be relied upon as a permanent source
of fuel in all the geographical areas of our country or world throughout the
calendar year. Other sources of fuel like cow-dung cakes, charcoal or wood not
only adversely affect the environment but also emit harmful by-products gases
apart from being low on producing sufficient heat content for cooking.
Summary of the invention
In order to address these problems prevailing among consumers worldwide, the
present invention comes as a major breakthrough. These aforesaid problems are
overcome by the present invention which is a small multi-chamber apparatus.
This invention is extremely easy to operate by common man for generation of
LPG from solvent oil inside their kitchen. In this invention the solvent oil is made
to pass through different chambers each having different pressure which results
in the production of LPG from solvent oil. The apparatus is safe, easy to operate
and is maintenance free for atleast 5 years and works on solvent oil which is
easily available in market.
In one form of the invention, the capacity of each of the chambers in relatively
smaller to make the apparatus fit in household kitchen easily and in another form
of this invention, the capacity is relatively larger to meet the need of commercial
kitchens like if restaurants, hotels, factories.
Figure 1 shows the complete frame and dimensions of one form of the invention.
Figure 2 shows the compressor of 120Watt used in the invention.
Figure 3 shows the Cylinder used in the invention fitted with a meter, switch,
safety valve, hand pump and regulator.
Figure 4 shows Tank 1 carrying solvent oil
Figure 5 shows Tank 2
Figure 6 shows Tank 3
Figure 7 shows storage chamber
Figure 8 is the complete invention
Detailed descri~tiono f the fiqures:
The apparatus consists of one compressor, one cylinder, 3 tanks, one storage
chamber, pipe lines, regulator, safety valve, nozzles, nobs 1 switches.
Referring to Fig.1, it can be seen that it is a compressor of 120Watt which
has been use in the invention to fill the cylinder with the atmospheric air
present in the surrounding. If the compressor is run for a duration of 5
minutes by electric supply, it can supply compressed air which would be
sufficient for operating the apparatus and generating the gas flame for 1
hour. During the functioning of apparatus whenever the compressed air
inside the cylinder diminishes to a mark of 200 pounds, the automatic air
pressure switch present on the connected cylinder (explained in fig.3)
turns on and indicates fresh supply of compressed air to the compressor
and the compressor refills the connected cylinder with compressed air.
Referring to Fig.2, it is a cylinder which remains connected to the
compressor and receives compressed air from the compressor. The
cylinder has a carrying capacity of 1000 pounds air. It is made up of 10
gaze iron plate having height of 12" and diameter of 9". This cylinder has
five attachment: -
(a) A meter showing air pressure - It is a readymade meter showing air
pressure inside the cylinder.
(b) The automatic switch - This switch works as an indicator for the
compressor. If the air pressure inside the cylinder reaches to the
minimum of 200 pound the switch will turn on and thus will send a
message that the cylinder needs air and the compressor will
automatically start supplying compressed air to the cylinder till the
air pressure inside the cylinder reaches up to 400 pound and the
switch by the pressure is automatically gets off.
(c) Safety valve - This safety valve makes the cylinder safe to use as it
will open up if due to any unforeseen reasons the air pressure
inside the cylinder reaches to 500 pounds. However as mentioned
above the cylinder has the capacity of 1000 pounds.
(d) Hand Pump - The fourth attachment to the cylinder is a hand
pump. This will be proved beneficial in the absence of electric
supply. One can easily fill the cylinder using the hand pump and
measure the air pressure on meter attached.
(e) Regulator - This cylinder is further connected to Tank I. The
cylinder has a regulator at the top which will allow continuous flow
of only 2 pound air to Tank I.
Referring to Fig.3, it is Tank 1 of the apparatus and the air supplied by the
cylinder passes to Tank I through the pipe line. Tank 1 is made up of 16
gaze iron plate having height of 12" and 9" diameter. There is an iron pipe
of 10 mm diameter set at the middle of the Tank 1 and the end of the pipe
is kept at a height of 1" from the bottom of Tank 1 inside. The pipe is
turned round in shape at the bottom taking 7" diameter. There are about
300 holes present in the pipe each having 1 mm diameter atleast. The
lower edge of the pipe having holes is always submerged in solvent oil as
the Tank 1 has oil present at the bottom. So, the lower edge of the pipe
remains dip in solvent oil. The solvent oil travels inside the pipe through
the holes present in it and when the compressor supplies compressed air
to the cylinder and cylinder passes it to Tank 1. The supplied compressed
air gets into this pipe line full of holes and throws the oil out present in it
with great force. The oil gets evaporated due to pressure and gas is
generated. There is a 10 mm diameter pipe set at the top of tank I by
which the raised gas passes to tank II.
Referring to Fig.4, it is Tank 2 having dimensions of 12" height and 9"
diameter. It is made up of 16 gaze iron plate. There are two iron pipes
inside tank 2 of 10 mm diameter. This tank is divided into two vertical
chambers from inside. The first chamber has a direct connection from
Tank 1. Here the mixed gas and oil that has come from Tank 1 gets
filtered through an iron plate that has a net like structure and filters gas
from oil. The filtered gas passes to the outlet pipe. This is our flammable
gas. There is nozzle at the top of Tank 2 and a valve that will automatically
be switched off if the burner of combustion unit is switched off and the
processes of production of gas will shut down.
Referring to Fig.5, it is a Regulator Container at the bottom of Tank 1 &
Tank 2 and is connected to both Tank I and Tank 2 through pipe lines. It is
used to store the unused oil that has passed through Tank 1 and Tank 2
from pipes. There is an outlet pipe, which is transparent and place
vertically of 12" height to show if there is any overflow in the rectangular
tank. In case of over flow the transparent pipe can be put down to make
the way out for oil or pour it in some vessel.
Referring to Fig.3, it is a feeder tank or the cap tank at the top having
dimension of 13" width, 7" length, 6' height and made up of 22 gaze iron
plate. It has the capacity of 8 litre storage. It works as a storage of oil.
There is a pipe line connected to Tank 1 from this rectangular Tank 2. The
knob attached to feeder tank will allow atleast 5 litre of oil to flow to tank I
and keeps 3 litre of oil reserved in the cap tank for the time of scarcity.
This reserved three litre of oil can be send to tank I after the 5 litre is
consumed by switching on the same knob. The reserved 3 litre oil has the
capacity to burn the flame continuously for 10 days at least. Hence, it
gives time of 10 days to fill the tank again or we can say that it is an alarm
that we can use 10 more days the reserved oil.

5. CLAIMS
A process for generating liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) which comprises:
feeding a cylinder with atmospheric air with the aid of either a compressor
connected to the cylinder or manually with the help of a hand-pump
mounted over cylinder;
subjecting the atmospheric air to pass through pipe line in a controlled
manner, controlled with the aid of a regulator, from cylinder to Tank 1
already containing solvent oil;
allowing the atmospheric air flowing in pipe line to release in Tank 1 from
pipe line through numerous small holes present at the end of the pipe line
which end is well submerged in a surrounding of solvent oil which process
throws away the solvent oil with pressure in Tank 1;
subjecting the solvent oil to vaporize by throwing pressurized atmospheric
air in a pool of solvent oil inside Tank 1 resulting in generation of gaseous
particles rich in Liquefied Petroleum Gas;
allowing the mixture of gaseous particles and small solvent particles
generated in step (d) to pass through a pipe line mounted at the top of
Tank 1 to enter into Tank 2 which Tank 2 is partitioned from inside into two
vertical chambers separated at an iron plate having net like structure;
allowing the mixture of gaseous particles and small solvent particles to
separate inside Tank 2 as the gaseous particles pass through a vertically
placed iron plate to the advanced chamber of Tank 2 while the solvent oil
particles settled down at the bottom of Tank 2;
separating the gaseous particles rich in LPG from the solvent oil that
settled down at the bottom of Tank 2 and allowing the gaseous particles
rich in LPG to be used through an outlet pipe which is further connected to
the gas-stove or burner;
collecting and withdrawing the unused separated solvent oil from the
bottom of Tank & Tank 2 in a rectangular container connected to Tank 1 &
Tank 2 and is fitted with a transparent plastic pipe of 12" protruding
vertically up from the lower end to indicate the capacity of rectangular
container and to prevent overflow;
2. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein solvent oil is separated into LPG
consisting predominantly propane and butane and unused solvent oil;
3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the said solvent oil is a
hydrocarbon feedstock having CAS number 11 0-54-3;
4. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the compressor of 120 watt
is used to fill the cylinder with atmospheric air and gets automatically
turned on as the air pressure inside the cylinder diminishes to a mark of
200 pounds in order to supply fresh lot of compressed air to the cylinder;
5. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein alternatively the hand pump
is used to fill the cylinder with atmospheric air;
6. A process as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the cylinder has a capacity
of 1000 pounds and is provided with an automatic air-pressure switch
which turns on as the air pressure inside the cylinder diminishes to a mark
of 200 pounds;
7. A process as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the cylinder is provided with
a regulator at the top which allows only 2 pound air to pass into Tank I
connected to the cylinder;
8. An apparatus for carrying out the process as claimed in any preceding
claim comprising a compressor of 120 watt, a cylinder to receive
compressed air from the compressor through pipe line, a Tank 1
containing solvent oil and connected to the cylinder through pipe line, a
Tank 2 which receives mixture of gaseous particles and small solvent
particles, a rectangular container at the bottom of both Tank 1 & Tank 2 to
receive and store unused solvent oil, a rectangular feeder tank placed at
the top of Tank 1 & Tank 2;
connected to the cylinder and is used to fill the cylinder with compressed
atmospheric air and gets automatically turned on as the air pressure
inside the cylinder diminishes to a mark of 200 pounds in order to supply
fresh lot of compressed air to the cylinder;
I
i 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cylinder is made up of 10
gaze iron plate and having dimensions of 12" in height and 9" in diameter
and has a capacity to store 1000 pounds compressed air;
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cylinder is fitted with a
meter indicating air pressure inside the cylinder;
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cylinder is fitted with a
switch which works as an indicator for the compressor and gets turned on
as the air pressure inside the cylinder touches a mark of 200 pounds and
gets turned off as the air pressure reaches to 400 pounds;
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cylinder is fitted with a
safety valve which opens up as the air pressure inside the cylinder
reaches to 500 pounds to prevent bursting of cylinder;
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cylinder is fitted with a
hand pump which is alternatively used to manually fill the cylinder with
atmospheric air;
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cylinder is fitted with a
regulator which allows a continuous flow of only 2 pound air to Tank 1
from the cylinder;
16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein Tank 1 is made up of 16
gaze iron plate and having dimensions of 12" in height and 9" in diameter;
An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein Tank 1 is fitted with three
different iron pipes each of 10 mm in diameter; firstly a pipe of 10mm in
diameter which is placed vertically at the middle of Tank 1 and the bottom
of the pipe is kept at a height of 1" from the bottom of Tank 1 which end of
the pipe runs horizontally round taking 7" diameter and bears 300 small
holes each of Imm; secondly an iron pipe of 10 diameter at the top of
Tank 1 and is used to fill Tank I with solvent oil and thirdly an iron pipe
through which the mixture of gas and solvent particles passes to Tank 2;
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein Tank 2 is made up of 16
gaze iron plate and having dimensions of 12" in height and 9" in diameter
and is fitted inside it with a vertically placed iron plate having net like
structure;
An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein Tank 2 is fitted with a nozzle
and a valve at the top which allows the passage of gas to the combustion
unit;
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rectangular container is
placed at the bottom of both Tank 1 & Tank 2 to receive and store unused
solvent oil and is fitted with a transparent plastic pipe of 12" protruding
vertically up from the lower end to indicate the capacity of rectangular
container and to prevent overflow;
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rectangular feeder tank
having dimension of 13" width, 7" length, 6" height and made up of 22
gaze iron plate with a capacity of 8 litre solvent oil and placed at the top of
Tank 1 & Tank 2;
An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the rectangular feeder tank
is fitted with a knob to control the passage of solvent oil from rectangular
feeder tank to Tank 1 ;
3 . An apparatus for generating liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) gas from
solvent oil as herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawings
(SHARMA GAURAV)
Place: New Delhi
Dated:10.06.2013