SOLVENT VAPOR DRYING PROCESS DRIES WOOD IN HOURS WITHOUT DETERIORATING EFFECTS Heretofore wood has been dried in open air, by steam, or by high temperature air. Open air drying takes 6 to 18 months; steam and high temperature air often result in hydrolysis or burning. Now, one of the country's largest wood preserving plants has developed a Vapor Drying process which safely and effectively dries wood in from 6 to 1U hours! The drying agent used is Esso's Solvesso Xylol. The drying process begins when a locomotive pushes a charge of crossties. approximately 100 feet long, into a cylinder or drying chamber. At the proper time, vaporized Solvesso Xylol is passed into the drying cylinder. The hot Solvesso Xylol vapor is circulated through the cylinder for a few hours, penetrating many inches into the wood and evaporating much of its moisture. As "dry cleaning" and moisture evaporation continue, the solvent vapor with its moisture-lignin content leaves the cylinder and is condensed, separating the solvent from the water in the settling tank and returning the Solvesso Xylol to the evaporator to be reused, (see diagram)
5 Gallons of Water frown One Crosstie The amount of water removed from the settling tank determines the relative dryness of the wood being treated. When drying is finished, the Solvesso Xylol lines are closed, the chamber evacuated and the wood is ready for treatment with wood preservative. Water from the settling tank is passed through a meter, which is read periodically to determine wood drying progress. One charge of 800 crossties may be made to give up as many as 4,000 gallons of water—or 5 gallons per crosstie— in a 12-hour drying period.
Esso Solvents Play Vital Role in Scores of Industries Rubber, textiles, chemicals, paper, food, leather and scores of other industries are utilizing the many types and grades of solvents manufactured by E s s o Standard Oil. Production men know they can rely on Esso Petroleum Solvents' purity and uniformity, maintained through most modern and stringent refinery treatment. If you have a solvents problem, let our technical men examine your requirements and determine the solvent best suited to your needs. Drop a line today to our office nearest you.
Paper Mill Machinery now Cleaned with Solvesso 100 Solvesso 100 is now being used to clean paper machine screens and felts when they become congested with natural wood pulp gums and resins. Since paper machines are operated at extremely high temperatures, Solvesso 100's high Hash point (over 100°F.) makes it ideally suited. In addition, Solvesso 100 has especially high solvency for resins since it contains more than 95% petroleum aromatic8.
Before they were creosoted, the crossties in this picture were dried by a new vapor process employing Solvesso Xylol.
PETROLEUM SOLVENTS SOLD I N Me., N.H., Vt., Mass., R.I., Conn., N.Y., Pa., N.J., Del., Md., D.C., Va., W.Va., N.C., S. C , Term., Ark., La. ESSO STANDARD OIL COMPANY-Boston, Mass. New York, N. Y.-Elizabeth, N. J.-Baltimore, Md. Richmond, Va.—Charleston, West Va.—Charlotte, N. C— Columbia, S. C—Memphis, Tenn.— Little Rock, Ark.—New Orleans, La. ESSO STANDARD OIL COMPANY OP P I N N SYLVANIA—Philadelphia, Pa.
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m This diagram shows how Solvesso Xylol is being used in new vapor drying process for drying crossties. 2 7,
NO.
50
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DECEMBER
12,
1949
3733
