The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-09-24
49,.
c@9
V e52
Extraction of Sugar by the New
Chemical Process.
\ DISCOVERY BY WHICH TIE YIELD or
SUGAR Is DOUBLED. eh

During the last lew weeks the atten-
ton of all interested in the growth and
manufacture of sugar has been aroused
by the reports of new process for the
extraction of saccharine matter from
cane and other vegetable substances.
The subject is of such great Importance
that we publish at the earliest moment
possible copy OF the specifications regis
tered at the patent Office. The patentees
are Carl Daniel Ekman of Bergvik, Swe-
den, now of 571a Old Broad street, Lon
don; William Bancroft Espeut, OF ia
maica, now of II Southwick street Lon
don; and George Fry, of 571s Old Broad
street, London, and their names, as
"El1nan- Fry Espeut Process Ff
THE SPECIFICATIONS
These are registered under the title,
Improvements in the Extraction Of
Saccharine Matter from Vegetable Sub
Stances" and are as follows:
The object of this invention is to eX-
tract from sugar-cane and other yegeta-
bic substances q larger proportion of the
saccharine matter which they contain
than is obtained by methods commonly
practiced, and also to avoid, as much as
possible, the inversion or degradation of
crystallizable sugar during the process
OF extraction and subsequent manufac-
ture.
''The invention consists in boiling the
raw material under steam pressure, i'll a
solution containing sulphurious acid, and
base OF alkali. 7s y.
"a method OF carrying into effect this
invention when applied to fresh sugar
canes is as follows: The canes, previous
ly freed from the parts OF the plants
which it may be advisable to reject ION
account OF the small percentage of sugar
which they contain), are cut in slices
from one-quarter to one-half inch in
thickness, in order that they may be
thoroughly permeated by the liquid dur
ing the boiling operation, hereafter to be
described, or they may be crushed, bro
ken, or otherwise treated, to effect the
same object. 3io
''In this state they are placed in
boiler or vessel constructed of or lined |
with lead or other metal alloy or sub
stance capable of resisting the action of
the boiling solution and of the action of !
the chemicals employed.
''This vessel or boiler must be so con-
structed as to be capable of being heated |
in gradual and suitable manner (such |
as for example by means of Il steam |
Jacket and must be of sufficient strength |
to resist the pressure necessary for the |
for filling and discharging.
THE pieces OF cane prepared as de-
scribed are placed in this vessel or boil
er with as little delay and exposure to
the atmosphere as possible) and it is
filled with them to such an extent that,
when they are covered with the boiling
solution, steam still remains. The
chemical agent employed consists of
sulphurous acid and magnesia, in the
proportions which form a salt containing
one equivalent of base commonly called
the normal or monosulphite. This salt
may either be dissolved or suspended in
water and this liquid used for filling the
boiler, or the salt may be thrown on
mixed with the pieces of cane, and then
water used for filling the boiler. In some
cases it may be advisable to treat the
pieces OF cane with the sulphate in the
form of a solution or other convenient
form immediately that the canes are out
as such treatment will aid their preser-
walton previous to their introduction into
the boiler.
''The quantity of sulphate of magne-
STA which we have found most advage
Gus in treating, say ordinary sugar cane,
is about one per cent of the weight of
the cane treated; but in certain cases,
where the condition or quality of the
cane may render it advisable, the pro-
portion may be increased or diminished.
Sufficient liquid having been intro
duced into the boiler to insure the pieces
OF cane being covered Herewith during
the subsequent boiling, the boiler is boil-'
ed the usual way, and the temperature
is gradually raised until pressure of
about fifteen pounds to the square inch
is produced.
III the operation has been properly
performed, the fluid will be found to
contain very large proportion of the
saccharine matter contained in the cane.
"The bulk OF the sulphite of magne-
STA will be removed when the saccharine
solution is treated with lime according to
the usual practice, and the solution may
then be utilized in the ordinary or other
suitable manner to obtain the sugar in a
crystalized form, or alcohol may be OBJ
tanned from it by fermentation and dis
! tillation.
"When our object has been to extract
| crystallizable sugar we have obtained
the best results by the use of the normal
sulphite of magnesia under the condi-
tons described, but when the inversion
OF the sugar is unimportant, solutions
containing relatively larger proportion
of sulphurous acid and pressure exceed
ing that above named may be used.
solutions containing more base than
the quantity equivalent to the sulpurous
acid present may also, in some cases, be
used with success, (for instance when
the juice of the cane or plant treated is
acid
The base which we have found most
advantageous is magnesia, but other
suitable bases, such as soda and potash.
may also be used
* In treating II raw material, regard