The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-18
PERTINENT QUESTIONS
Concerning Mr.. Chipman's Process Of
Clearing Our " alter Supply.

Concerning Mr.. Chipman's Process Of
Clearing Our W alter Supply
Editor Of Tho Times Dispatch;
Sir.-A process to clear our water by
electricity" after a process of Mr.. w. r..
Chapman. has been mentioned recently at
various times In the papers. 1t Is said
that demonstration OF tho process Will
be given at the University College OF
Medicine. and 1t is also said that tho city
would adopt tho process If It was not
must go on with the settling basin,
whether It was good or not,
For the last reason 1t would seem USE
Tor the proba blllty that the matter will
this point IN IL Vie View a That Mr. thlpnsn pro
Poses to give Re- o % ne coy oy
Medicine. 1t Is further advisable to throw
some light on this process because It
seems to be absolutely nlsunderstood by
10 do with 1t. Therefore. desire to ask
Mr. Chapman some questions, which no
may answer publicly at his demonsua-
ton.
First. Doe, Mr. Chapman or his repre-
sentatives claim in Richmond that a
current Of electricity. or perhaps the de,
composition Of the water to oxygen s!,' a., and u
James River water? Everybody here
seems to think that this is the case, It
IL easy to show that current or cleo
tricity. accompanied by. bubbling OF o1y-
gen and hydrogen. win not clear our
water II 'insouble electrodes, like platt-
mum, arc used. Even an aluminium eiec-
:rode may be used without, any clarih-
ing result, provided it is used as cathode.
1t Is only that when aluminium Is used an
anode, where 1t dissolves. that clarihca-
ton Immediately ensues.
Mr. Chlpman's patent Is one OF several
patents. which use an aluminium anode
for clarifying water. Boucher, Pat. No.
72S44o. uses a series, OF aluminium plates.
Liyor. Pat. No ,7ls4s5, uses alumlnun,
patent uses electrodes. which contain
aluminium. tin and nickel. Tho way N
which these processes may be considered
to act Is that the electric current decom-
poses the suiphates and chlordes OF the
water; tho acid appearing on the anoda
dissolves the aluminium. forming solu-
tho water is alkaline. is Immediately de-
composed, so that aluminium oXyhydrate
isI precipitated. which clears the water.
Tho principle Is the same as that OF the
with alum. Alum Is slowly decomposed
by alkaline water. and aluminium oxyhN-
drate is slowly prccipitated. which clears
the water. These elecu.cai processes processes
in the water from the anodes. when
clear the water In the same way as other
coagulating aluminium compounds; the
electrical current has otherwise nothing
to do with the clearing. This Is SO well
understood that the PATENTS make no con-
cealment about this point. Boucher saya
that at the anode insoluble alulainum
compounds are formed. which cause TIC
impurities in the water to coagulate aao
Mr.. Chapman in his patent says that the
publication Is done by the forming OF
aluminium oxyhydrate at the anode. Yet
our city officials seem TO think that the
electrical current, in some mysterious
way, clears the water, WIN MI: CHIP
man In his demonstration enlghteh MS
oh
Tho second question which Mr. Chip
man ought to answer. when nc PROPOSES
his process for the PURPOSE OF i,e.inn
anode II is undoubtedly thrown down ut
first and as long as the water remains
a ased Up ut an T viii np' not eo the aAa amn
after while remain in solution? Ihis IS
a very natural question. and 1t can pc ae.
cided by careful experiments. ! nave not
made such experiments, because the PROOF
rests with Mr.. Liyor. Boucher and Chip-
drinking water 1t is their business to
ed to the danger OF becoming a dilute
aluminium salt. Simple claims will be no
proof, but only CAREFUL Investigations py
Nj M Chapman such investigations Of dis
The third question which Mr.. Chapman
ought to answer refers 10 SUI , inGls
With aluminium In HIS anode. Does he
claim that no tin and nickel not even
q trace. goes into the water? Or does he
claim that. while some goes into the
water. all Of 1t, even to the last trace.
is precipitated again? 1t Is again up to
Mr.. Chapman to bring undonbted PROOF
that the water. after having received his
treatment cannot contain dangerous
nelson's like tin and nickel. even IN traces.
neither under ordinary circumstances, nor
under conditions which abe liable to arise
in such a plant, ! have not considered
ter experimentally. because ] consider
it Mr. Chipman's business, But have
In former experiments used anodes or
tin and aluminium myself, and from my
former experience ] am inclined to think
that 1t VIII be scarcely possible Tor MI.
ing proof that there can be no TIN ana
nickel in the water.
FINALLY, l Will state that even snould
Mr.. Chapman bring undoubted PROOF tlat
the water does not contain more alulnl.
mum than at the start, ana no traces OF
his process. because the same result can
be obtained with an initial plant. Whic IN
would cost a small fraction Of what ms
initial plant would cost, and win operat-
ing expenses, which would form irac-
tlon Of his operating expenses MI Chip-
man with his process &C can uhq peu miny
utes, hut the same result can pc obtained
in a much moro simple and cheap man
ner and II this We're considered neces"
sary it could be done Y oT phe m MEYbR
Richmond, Va, October 18th,
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