Improvements relating to the Purification of Water, and to Apparatus therefor..
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 23rd June, 1894
TRUVIDIONAL DE DUINICATION.
Improvements relating to the Purification of Water, and to
Apparatus therefor..
We, LOUIS MAICHE and CHARLES MAICHE, of 20 Rue Halphen, Bois-
Colombes, in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the purification of water and to apparatus therefor.
According to this invention we add to the water to be purified a quantity of lime
so that in this water, which has become lime water, there will be no organic
matters, germs or microbes, as they are destroyed by the action of the lime.
The water thus obtained could then be used for domestic purposes only after the
complete elimination of the lime which it contains. For attaining this result
industrially we eliminate the lime by subjecting the water to a current of carbonic
acid produced under special conditions.
Among the means employed up to the present time for purifying water has been
the use of a small quantity of lime, which has the effect of softening the water, but
could not free it from ferments and germs.
Our process is designed for the rapid and economic treatment of large volumes
of water designed for instance for the supply of towns.
The quantity of lime employed in our process, which may be varied from
200 to 500 grammes of lime per cubic metre of water, rapidly and completely
destroys all the organic matters, microbes and germs which the water contains.
For rendering the water thus purified fit for drink it will be sufficient to eliminate
all the lime which is contained therein.
The transformation of the lime into carbonate would be effected alone in the
air, but in practice this would take too long for large volumes of water. We obtain
this transformation almost instantly by introducing into the lime water a current of
carbonic acid to precipitate carbonate of lime so that the water remains in an
absolutely pure state.
We might use for this purpose carbonic acid derived from any desired source
either in the liquid or gaseous state as supplied in the market, or obtained by any
of the means employed for the manufacture of aerated waters, but by reason of
the large quantity of water which has to be treated and consequently the
importance of effecting this work economically and industrially we produce for
instance the carbonic acid necessary for the purification of the water by directly
transforming charcoal into carbonic acid by its combustion in the air. The
products of combustion, whether they are drawn on leaving the hearth or whether
air is forced upon the fire, are washed in a solution of protochloride of copper
diluted with hydrochloric acid..
This operation has for its object to retain the traces of carbonic oxide which
may be formed and afterwards the gas is utilized as would be carbonic acid
obtained by any other reaction by causing it to pass into lime water.
The application of our process in works for the distribution of water enables the
combustion of the charcoal to be utilized in furnaces which supply the motive
power used for delivering the water or for other purposes.
The passage of carbonic acid into the water is effected so as to utilize it entirely.
With this object we prefer to use in our process the economic production of carbonic
acid by recovering an indefinite number of times the same lime without other
expense than the fuel.

page_text: In order that our invention may be readily understood we have represented in
the accompanying drawing, but only by way of example, the apparatus whereby it
can be carried into effect.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus for the production of carbonic
acid, and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the apparatus serving for the purification of
the water.
The apparatus represented in Figure 1 comprises in principle a furnace a of
masonry provided with a hearth b. This furnace receives at its upper part a
receptacle or boiler c closed by a cover d carrying a pipe e connected by a union
with a pipe g communicating with a gas holder.
The cover d of the boiler c has a lifting bracket h fixed to a chain i guided by
pulleys and provided at its extremity with a counterweight l.
The apparatus represented in Figure 2 comprises in principle a pipe m for the
inlet of the water to be purified, which carries a nozzle n communicating through
a pipe m¹, in which a cock m³ is included, with a receptacle q.
A tank or vessel p containing lime water into which a pipe o
communication with the nozzle n.
dips is in
The receptacle q carries at its upper part a cock u² connected with a vessel u
containing a porous material, for example cotton, for the passage of sterilized air
into the receptacle q. On the side of the receptacle q is arranged a glass tuber
which enables the mixture enclosed in this receptacle to be observed, and the
lower part of the latter is provided with a cocks and a plug t.
A gas holder v is in communication with the receptacle q through a pipe
provided with cocks v¹ x'.
We will first describe the operation of the apparatus designed for producing
carbonic acid very economically by recovering an indefinite number of times the
same lime without other expense than that for the fuel, Figure 1.
C
For this purpose we introduce into the boiler c carbonate of lime y resulting from
the deposit produced by the action of carbonic acid upon lime.
This boiler being closed by the cover d with a joint of clay is placed in the
furnace a, whereupon the pipes eg are connected together by the union f
The furnace being heated, the carbonic acid which is disengaged from the
carbonate of lime passes through the pipes eg into a suitable receptacle or gas
holder. As soon as the gas ceases to be disengaged the lime which has become
caustic may be replaced by carbonate of lime. For this purpose the boiler is
removed from the furnace and after the cooling a new operation commences.
While waiting for the cooling of this boiler we may immediately replace it by a
boiler prepared beforehand that is to say one which contains carbonate of lime.
For achieving the recovery of the lime an indefinite number of times we proceed
as follows:
The caustic lime which has been obtained is placed in a tank or vessel p
containing water, Figure 2.
The water to be purified arrives through the pipe m and passing through the
nozzle n draws lime water from the receptacle p through the pipe o. The cock m²
being open, the water and lime water pass into the receptacle 9 until the latter is
filled, then the cock m² being closed the carbonic acid contained in the gas holder v
is in its turn conducted to the receptacle q through the pipe & the extremity of
which may be perforated in order to enable the gaseous current to be better
directed. The operation may be easily followed by means of the glass tuber and
the deposit, that is to say the carbonate of lime, resulting from the mixture is
withdrawn through the aperture ordinarily closed by the plug t to serve for the
next operation and so on.
Thus the water contained in the receptacle q is completely sterilized and freed
from injurious germs.
This water having been rendered fit for drink is withdrawn according to
requirements by the cock s; during this time the outer air passes through the

page_text: orifice u and traversing the cotton in the vessel u arrives in the receptacle q free
from injurious germs which it might otherwise contain.
By using carbonic acid gas somewhat in excess the water will become slightly
aerated and will contain a little bi-carbonate of lime, which renders it light and
more digestive.
In all cases the water thus obtained by our process is absolutely pure and does
not contain any germ or microbe. It has the advantage of being kept pure. and
can be used for the same purposes as drinkable water.
The saturation by means of carbonic acid may be effected either by atomizing
the water by a jet of this acid or by causing the water to fall in the form of rain in
a reservoir containing the carbonic acid, or by causing this water to pass as a thin
stratum over an inclined plane or in cascades in the reservoir wherein the carbonic
acid gas is contained.
It will be understood that we may vary the forms, dimensions arrangements,
details, materials and accessories of the improved apparatus hereinbefore described
without departing from the principle of our invention.
Dated this 1st day of July 1893
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, Loudon, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Purification of Water, and to
Apparatus therefor.
We, LOUIS MAICHE and CHARLES MAICHE, of 20 Rue Halphen, Bois-
Colombes, in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to the purification of water and to apparatus therefor..
According to this invention we add to the water to be purified a quantity of lime
so that in this water, which has become lime water, there will be no organic matters,
germs or microbes, as they are destroyed by the action of the lime.
The water thus obtained could then be used for domestic purposes only after the
complete elimination of the lime which it contains. For attaining this result
industrially we eliminate the lime by subjecting the water to a current of carbonic
acid produced under special conditions.
Among the means employed up to the present time for purifying water has been
the use of a small quantity of lime, which had the effect of softening the water,
but could not free it from ferments and germs.
Our process is designed for the rapid and economic treatment of large volumes
of water designed for instance for the supply of towns.
The quantity of lime employed in our process, which may be varied from 200 to
500 grammes of lime per cubic metre of water, rapidly and completely destroys all
the organic matters, microbes and germs which the water contains.
For rendering the water thus purified fit for drink it will be sufficient to eliminate
all the lime which is contained therein.
The transformation of the lime into carbonate would be effected alone in the air,
We obtain
but in practice this would take too long for large volumes of water.
this transformation almost instantly by introducing into the lime water a current of
carbonic acid to precipitate carbonate of lime so that the water remains in an
absolutely pure state.
We might use for this purpose carbonic acid derived from any desired source
either in the liquid or gaseous state, as supplied in the market, or obtained by any
of the means employed for the manufacture of aerated waters, but by reason of the
large quantity of water which has to be treated and consequently the importance of

page_text: effecting this most economically and industrially we produce for instance the
carbonic acid necessary for the purification of the water by directly transforming
charcoal into carbonic acid by its combustion in the air. The products of com-
bustion, whether they are drawn on leaving the hearth, or whether air is forced
upon the fire, are washed in a solution of protochloride of copper diluted with
hydrochloric acid.
This operation has for its object to retain the traces of carbonic oxide which may
be formed and afterwards the gas is utilized as would be carbonic acid obtained by
any other reaction by causing it to pass into lime water.
The application of our process in works for the distribution of water enables the
combustion of the charcoal to be utilized in furnaces which supply the motive
power used for delivering the water or for other purposes.
The passage of carbonic acid into the water is effected so as to utilize it entirely.
With this object we prefer to use in our process the economic production of carbonic
acid by recovering an indefinite number of times the same lime without other
expense than the fuel.
In order that our invention may be readily understood we have represented in
the drawing left with our Provisional Specification, but only by way of example,
the apparatus whereby it can be carried into effect.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus for the production of carbonic
acid, and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the apparatus serving for the purification of the
water.
The apparatus represented in Figure 1 comprises, in principle, a furnace a of
masonry provided with a hearth b. This furnace receives at its upper part a
receptacle c closed by a cover carrying a pipe e connected by a union with a
pipe g communicating with a gas holder.
The cover d of the receptacle c has an armature fixed to a chain i guided by
pulleys and provided at its extremity with a counterweight 7.
The apparatus represented in Figure 2 comprises in principle a pipe m for the
inlet of the water to be purified, which carries a nozzle n communicating through a
pipe m' in which a cock m² is included with a receptacle q..
A tank or vessel p containing lime water into which a pipe o dips is in communi-
cation with the nozzle n.
The receptacle 9 carries at its upper part a cock u³ connected with a vessel u
containing a porous material, for example cotton, for the passage of sterilized air
into the receptacle q. On the side of the receptacle q is arranged a glass tube r
which enables the mixture enclosed in this receptacle to be observed, and the lower
part of the latter is provided with a cocks and a plug t.
A gas holder is in communication with the receptacle 9 through a pipe ×
provided with cocks v¹ x².
We will first describe the operation of the apparatus designed for producing
carbonic acid very economically by recovering an indefinite number of times the
same lime without other expense than that for the fuel, Figure 1.
For this purpose we introduce into the receptacle c carbonate of lime y resulting
from the deposit produced by the action of carbonic acid upon lime.
This receptacle being closed by the cover d with a joint of clay is placed in the
furnace a, whereupon the pipes eg are connected together by the union f.
The furnace being heated the carbonic acid which is disengaged from the
carbonate of lime passes through the pipes eg into a suitable receptacle or gas
holder. As soon as the gas ceases to be disengaged the lime which has become
caustic may be replaced by carbonate of lime.
For this purpose the receptacle is removed from the furnace and after the cooling
a new operation commences.
While waiting for the cooling of this receptacle we may immediately replace it
by a receptacle prepared beforehand, that is to say, one which contains carbonate
lime.

page_text: For achieving the recovery of the lime an indefinite number of times we proceed
as follows.
The caustic lime which has been obtained is placed in a tank or vessel p containing
water, Figure 2.
The water to be purified arrives through the pipe m and passing through the
The cock m
nozzle n draws lime water from the receptacle p through the pipe o.
being open, the water aud lime water pass into the receptacle-q until the latter is
filled; then the cock m² being closed the carbonic acid contained in the gas
holder is in its turn conducted to the receptacle 9 through the pipe x the
extremity of which may be perforated in order to enable the gaseous current to he
better directed. The operation may be easily followed by means of the glass tuber
and the deposit, that is to say the carbonate of lime, resulting from the mixture is
withdrawn through the aperture ordinarily closed by the plug t to serve for the
next operation and so on.
Thus the water contained in the receptacle q is completely sterilized and freed
from injurious germs.
This water having been rendered fit for drink is withdrawn according to require-
ments by the cock s; during this time the outer air passes through the orifice u¹
and traversing the cotton in the vessel u arrives in the receptacle q free from
injurious germs which it might otherwise contain.
By using carbonic acid gas somewhat in excess the water will become slightly
acrated and will contain a little bicarbonate of lime, which renders it light and
more digestive.
In all cases the water thus obtained by our process is absolutely pure and does
not contain any germ or microbe. It has the advantage of being kept pure and
can be used for the same purposes as drinkable water.
The saturation by means of carbonic acid may be effected either by atomizing
the water by a jet of this acid or by causing the water to fall in the form of rain.
in a reservoir containing the carbonic acid, or by causing this water to pass as a
thin stratum over an inclined plane or in cascades in the reservoir wherein the
carbonic acid gas is contained.
It will be understood that we may vary the forms, dimensions, arrangements,
details materials and accessories of the improved apparatus hereinbefore described
without departing from the principle of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. A process for sterilizing water, which consists in destroying the germs and
microbes by the employment of lime, then rendering the water thus treated
drinkable by the employment of carbonic acid which precipitates the lime, as
described and in the manner specified.
Second. The apparatus for carrying out the above described process in the case
of its restricted applications which apparatus permits of the recovery of the
carbonate of lime and consisting of a vessel a containing the lime in the hearth b,
drawing the lime water from the vessel a and mixing it with the water to be purified
in the reservoir e and the carbonic acid gas holder, as described and represented in
the drawing.
101
of Amil 1804
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.