IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING VOLATILE FROM NON VOLATILE SUBSTANCES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson Fel. Inst. P.A. of the
Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street
Liverpool in the County of Lancaster Civil Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING VOLATILE FROM NON VOLATILE SUBSTANCES
AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from Jean Antoine Mathieu
a person resident at Detroit in the county of Wayne and state of Michigan one
of the United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel Inst PA of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of
Lancaster Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING VOLATILE FROM NON-
VOLATILE SUBSTANCES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR a communication froin Jean,
Antoine Mathieu a person resident at Detroit in the county of Wayne and state of
Michigan one of the United States of America.
"
In describing this invention it is treated as used in making acctate of lime that
being only one of the substances, for which it is designed.
This invention consists first in an apparatus for separating non-volatile from
volatile substances consisting of a tank for boiling the mixture, into which the
mixture is admitted through a plate perforated with fine holes; and mechanism
for maintaining a partial or entire vacuum within said tank; second in forcing a
mixture of volatile and non-volatile substances, in a heated and finely divided
state, into a heated vessel in which a partial or entire vacuum is maintained.
First. A boiling tank or kettle is provided having a double bottom or stenin
jacket, into which steam is forced, through a pipe, for the purpose of keeping the
bottom of the kettle hot.
A coil of steam pipe is in kettle having an inlet and outlet pipe connected
therewith.
An entrance pipe leads into kettle, through which the mixture to be boiled is
CD C

page_text: admitted into the kettle, the flow of said mixture through said pipe being regu-
lated by a stop cock. The inner end of said pipe is turned up, and provided with
a rose, so that the liquid passing through said pipe will be delivered into kettle in
a series of fine streams.
A pipe opens into the top of kettle and is connected with an air pump or fan
at its outer end, whereby the air can be partially or entirely exhausted from kettle.
A metal plate is suspended below the mouth of said pipe, so that the air in
kettle will pass around the edges of plate, and prevent too powerful draft into said
pipe.
There is also an.exit pipe by which the liquid in kettle ean be drawn off.
Second. A metal tank having at the top an opening is provided with a damper,
by which the same can be partially or wholly closed at will, and a common glass
guage.
A steam pipe is coiled around a portion of the interior of said tank, and provided
with inlet and outlet pipes, passing through the walls of the tank. The steam pipe
is provided with valves to control the admission of steam, precisely as in an ordinary
steam coil or radiator.
A pipe or column, of less diameter than said tank, is placed inside and concentric
therewith, rising nearly to the top of said tank, and extending below the bottom
thereof, a tight joint being made between the bottom of tank and the outside of
pipe. The upper end of the pipe is covered with a plate, perforated with find
holes the bottom of pipe is open, and is set into a metallic vessel, the top of
which is secured with a tight joint to the outside of pipe, or to the bottom
of tank.
This vessel has a double bottom, or steam jacket, into which steam may be
admitted through a pipo to keep said vessel warm.
There is a door or manhole to afford access to the interior of the vessel.
A circular pipe surrounds the upper end of said vessel and is connected at
intervals with the interior of said vessel, which pipe is, by means of an ordinary
metal pipe, connected with an air pump, by which a partial or entire vacuum can
be maintained in said pipe, vessel, pipe inside tank, and tank itself.
A pipe is also provided by which liquid is admitted to tank, having therein a
valve by which the flow of liquid is regulated.
There is a steam pipe, through which steam may be admitted when desired
directly into the interior of the top of tank.
The kettle mentioned in first part of this specification is provided with one or
more sight holes, covered by a plate of glass securely sealed, through which the
progress of tho boiling process may be observed.
A circular metal pipe perforated with fine holes is secured to pipe inside tank
near its lower end by angle irons and nearly filling the annular space between the
pipe and tank.
The size of the tank is immaterial, as it varies with the amount of material
to be acted upon, but it and vessel are usually made of a total height of fourteen
feet, with a diameter of five feet, for extensive work.
The kettlo mentioned in first part of this specification, and tank, and pipe inside
tank, and vessel should preferably be made of metal, either cast or wrought, and
the different parts are put together with flanges and bolts, or else with rivets, in
a manner so common as to be obvious to any mechanic, the joints are packed with
any known packing material.
The operation of the invention is as follows: A mixture of acetic acid and lime
is admitted to kettle, mentioned in first part of this specification, through entrance
pipe, and is there boiled by steam passing through the steam coil. As the liquid
strikes the hot interior of the kettle in fine streams caused by the rose on pipe, it
heats more readily than if injected in a large stream..
The air pump attached to pipe from top of kettle creates a partial vacuum in
kettle by which the temperature at which the acetic acid and lime will boil is
reduced, and at the same time a large portion of the water contained in the kettle

page_text: is carried off in the shape of steam through said pipe. When the mixture of acetic
acid and lime is sufficiently concentrated it is drawn out of kettle through exit
pipe into some convenient receptacle, or, if preferred, immediately into tank
mentioned in second part of this specification. This tank is now heated by
admitting steam into the coil, and the concentrated mixture of acetic acid and lime
is admitted into the tank until it stands in said tank higher than the top of pipe.
inside same.
The air pump attached to circular pipe is now set in operation and a partial
vacuum produced in vessel at bottom of pipe and in pipe, when the air pressure in
tank will force the heated mixture of acetic acid and lime through the small holes
in plate at top of pipe into pipe.
The sudden diminution of pressure, owing to the partial vacuum in the pipe
causes the volatile elements contained in the fine streams of heated liquid to
instantly flash into steam, which is drawn downwards through the pipe, upwards
through perforated plate and vessel and out through circular pipe, while the acetate
of lime or non-volatile substance falls in a fine powder on the bottom of vessel,
whence it may be removed through a door.
The opening in top of tank is left sufficiently open to supply air to force the
liquid through the holes in plate at top of pipe, and steam is admitted through pipe
at top of tank if the liquid becomes too thick to pass through holes.
It is obvious that the principle of the invention is applicable to all cases where
it is desired to separate a non-volatile substance from a volatile substance holding
the same in solution.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th July 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEPARATING VOLATILE FROM NON-
VOLATILE SUBSTANCES, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR."-A communication from Jean
Antoine Mathieu, a person resident at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State
of Michigan, one of the United States of America.
In describing this invention it is treated as used in making acetate of lime, that
being only one of the substances for which it is designed.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a boiling kettle.
Fig. 2-a vertical section through the drying apparatus.
Fig. 3-a horizontal section on the line of pipe W, Fig. 2, and
Fig. 4-a plan view of the perforated plate.
This invention consists, first, in an apparatus for separating non-volatile from
volatile substances consisting of a tank for boiling the mixture into which tho
mixture is admitted through a plate perforated with fine holes, and mechanism for
maintaining a partial or entire vacuum within said tank: Second, In forcing a
mixture of volatile and non-volatile substances in a honted and finely divided state
into a heated vessel in which a partial or entire vacuum is maintained.
A is a boiling tank or kettle having a double bottom, or steam jacket, a, into
which steam is forced through a pipe, R, for the purpose of keeping the bottom of
the kettle hot.
S is a coil of steam pipe in kettle A having an inlet and outlet pipe connected
therewith.
B is a pipe lending into kettle A, through which the mixture to bo boiled is
admitted into the kettle, the flow of said mixture through sail pipe being regulated
by a stop-cock, b. The inuer end of pipe B is turned up and provided with a rose,
as shown in fig. 1, so that the liquid passing through said pipe will be delivered
into kettle A in a series of fine streams.
C is a pipe opening into the top of kettle A, and connected with an air pump or
fan at its outer end, whereby the air can be partially or entirely exhausted from
kettle A. c is a metal plate suspended below the mouth of pipe C, so that the
air in kettle A will pass around the edges of plate c, and prevent too powerful
draft into pipo C.
D is a pipe by which the liquid in kettle A can be drawn off.
E is a metal tank, having at the top thereof an opening, H, provided with a
damper by which the same can be partially or wholly closed nt, will, and a common
glass gauge.
Gis a steam pipe coiled around a portion of the interior of tank E, as shown in
fig. 2, and provided with inlet and outlet pipes passing through the walls of tauk E.
Steam pipe G is provided with valves to control the admission of steam, precisely
as in an ordinary steam coil or radiator.
F is a pipe or column of less diameter than tank E placed concentric therewith,
rising nearly to the top of suid tank, and extending below the bottom thereof, a
tight joint being inade between the bottom of tank E and the outside of pipe F.
The upper end of pipe F is covered with a plate perforated with fine holes, o; the
bottom of pipe F is open, and is set into a metallic vessel M, the top of which is
secured with a tight joint to the outside of pipe F, or to the bottom of tank E.

page_text: Vessel M has a double bottom, or steam jacket, n, into which steam may be
admitted through pipe P, to keep said vessel warm.
N is a door or man-hole, to afford access to the interior of vessel M.
W is a circular pipe surrounding the upper end of vessel M, and connected at
intervals with the interior of said vessel as shown in fig. 3. Pipe W is by means
of an ordinary metal pipe, connected with an air pump, by which a partial or entire
vacuum can be maintained in pipe W, vessel M, pipe F, and tank E.
D' is a pipe by which liquid is admitted to tank E, having therein a valve by
which the flow of liquid is regulated.
L is a steam pipe through which steam may be admitted when desired directly
into the interior of the top of tank E.
Kettle A is provided with one or more sight holes, covered by a plate of glass
securely sealed, through which the progress of the boiling process may be observed.
V is a circular metal plate perforated with fine holes, secured to pipe F near its
lower end by angle irons, as shown in fig. 2, and nearly filling the annular space
between pipo F and tank E.
The size of the tank E is immaterial, as it varies with the amount of material to
be operated upon, but tank E and vessel M are usually made of a total height of
fourteen feet, with a diameter of five feet, for extensivo work.
The kettle A, tank E, pipe F, and vessel M should preferably be made of metal
either cast or wrought, and the different parts are put together with flanges and
bolts, or else with rivets, in a manner so common as to be obvious to any mechanic
who sees the drawings. The joints aro packed with any known packing material.
The operation of the invention is as follows: A mixture of acetic acid and lime
is admitted to kettle A through pipe B, and is there boiled by steam passing
through the steam coil S. As the liquid strikes the hot interior of the kettle in
fine streams caused by the rose on pipe B, it heats more readily than if injected in
a large stream.
The air pump attached to pipe C crentes a partial vacuum in kettle A, by which
the temperature at which the acetic acid and limo will boil is reduced, and at the
same time a large portion of the water contained in the kettle is carried off in the
shape of steam through pipe C. When the mixture of acetic acid and limo is
sufficiently concentrated, it is drawn out of kettle A through pipe D into some
convenient receptaclo, or, if preferred immediately into tank E. Tank E is now
heated by admitting steam into pipe G, and the concentrated mixture of acetic acid
and lime is admitted into tank E until it stands in said tank higher than the top
of pipe F.
The air pump attached to pipe W is now set in operation and a partial vacuum
produced in vessel M and pipe F, when the air pressure in tank E will force the
heated mixture of acetic acid and lime through the small holes o, into pipe F.
The sudden diminution of pressure owing to the partial vacuum in pipe F causes
the volatile elements contained in the fine streams of heated liquid to instantly
flash into steam, which is drawn downwards through pipe F, upwards through
perforated plate and vessel M, and out through pipe W, while the acetate of lime
or non-volatile substance falls in a fine powder on the bottom of vessel M, whence
it may be removed through a door N.
The opening H in the top of tank E is left sufficiently open to supply air to force
the liquid through holes o, and steam is admitted through pipe L if the liquid
becomes too thick to pass through holes o.
It is obvious that the principle of the invention is applicable to all cases where
it is desired to separate a non-volatile substance from a volatile substance holding
the same in solution.
Having now described the invention as communicated to me I wish it to be
understood that what I desire to protect under the Letters Patent is:
1 A tank for holding and heating the mixture to be operated upon, an inner
tank having its upper end covered with a plate perforated with fine holes, and in
which is maintained a partial or entire vacuum, and a steam pipe opening into the

page_text: upper end of the outer tank, by which a direct steam pressure can be brought upon
the upper surface of the mixture in the outer tank.
2nd The kettle A, pipo B having a rose thereon, steam pipe S, and exhaust
pipe C, substantially as shown and described.,
3rd The combination of tank E having steam pipe G, pipe F, metallic vessel M
having door N, and exhaust pipe W, substantially as herein shown and described.
4th The herein described process of separating. solid matters from any fluid
holding the samo in solution, consisting in subjecting the same in a heated and
finely divided state to the action of a partial or entiro vacuum.
5 The combination of the tank E and steam pipe L, as and for the purposes
Bet forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this sixth day of July in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.