IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING ALCOHOL AND PARAFFINE AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd July 1869.- A communication from abroad by Charles
Chauncey Parsons, of the City of New York, in the United States
of America.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING ALCOHOL AND PARAFFINE AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication from abroad by Charles
Chauncey Parsons, of the City of New York, in the United States of
America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improved method of purifying
alcohol and spirits whereby considerable economy is effected; and,
secondly, to an improved method of purifying and preparing paraffine
by which the loss which occurs in the ordinary process, the amount of
labor required, and wear and tear of machinery are greatly diminished.
The first part of this Invention is based upon the employment of
paraffine as the purifying agent, and consists in so treating the alcohol
and paraffine when mixed together that the latter shall take up the

page_text: At
oils and impurities of the former, the two being then separated by
suitable means. By regulating the quantity of paraffine and the length
of time it is mixed with the spirits the purification can be carried to
any desired point. To give effect to the process it is essential to have
suitable means for agitating the mixture and for raising or lowering
its temperature. The apparatus employed may be of any ordinary or
suitable construction. It is preferred to employ a steam-tight tank
furnished with an agitator, and provided with a coil of pipe or jacket
for receiving the heating or cooling agents, but any other suitable con-
trivance for raising or lowering the temperature of the liquid may be
used. In carrying the process into effect the tank is filled about one-
third full of ordinary alcohol, which should preferably contain as much
as 90% of absolute alcohol, or in other words be 80 over proof. About
5% by weight of pure paraffine is then introduced, preferring that
which has a somewhat low melting point. The mixture is then heated
to about 140° Fahr. and agitated violently for about 3 hours.
the expiration of this time water is slowly introduced at the same tem-
perature as that of the mixture, until the tank contains 45 parts of
alcohol to 55 parts of water, or in other words until the mixture stands
10 below proof. The agitation is continued for about one hour longer,
after which the temperature is slowly reduced by passing cold water
through the coil of pipe, and the agitation is continued until the
alcohol is reduced in temperature to that of the atmosphere, or to
whatever temperature may be desired. The alcohol is then drawn.off
on an ordinary filter, which will retain the paraffine and let the alcohol
pass through. It will be noticed that the agitation continues through-
out the operation. The introduction of the warm water causes the
paraffine to separate as an oil, retaining and carrying with it the oils
and other matters in the spirits, and by then cooling and agitating
simultaneously the paraffine agglomerates or gathers in small lumps,
and can be easily removed by filtration. The paraffin thus recovered may
be used over again by first passing a jet of steam through it, so as to
drive off the volatile matters. Spirits containing less than 90% of alcohol
can be used, but they will require to be treated a longer time, and if
they contain much less alcohol will not be much improved. By using
less paraffine and treating a shorter time, as much flavoring may be
left in the spirits as may be desired. The amount of paraffine given is for
an average alcohol, but the quantity may be varied and the time consumed
in the treatment lengthened or shortened according to the purity of the

page_text: spirits to be operated on. The spirits after treatment may be r
and made of any desired strength.
The second part of this Invention, which relates to the purifi-
cation and preparation of paraffine, consists of the following essential
features:-
1. Melting the paraffine with naphtha and cooling it while continually
agitated. By this means the paraffine forms small scaly crystals, which
are easily purified.
2. Washing the paraffino by passing cold naphtha up through it, stirring
it at the same time so as to expose all the paraffine to the naptha
and doing this at such a speed that the paraffine remains in the lower
part of the vessel in which this operation takes place.
In carrying this process into effect it is preferred to employ an appa-
ratus consisting of a tank lined with lead and provided with a steam
coil and a draw-off cock, into which tank the charge of crude paraffine
is introduced, where it is treated with acids and alkalies if necessary,
after which the impuritics are drawn off. Naphtha of about 70° Beaumé
is then added to the amount of about 150 per cent. of the weight of
paraffine, and is mixed with the paraffine at the lowest temperature at
which it will dissolve it, and is allowed to stand for a short time for the
impurities to settle. The mixture is then pumped into an agitator,
which consists of a metal tank having projecting arms on its internal
circumference, in the centre of which tank there is disposed a vertical
shaft provided with horizontal arms, which when the shaft is turned
pass between those placed on the inside of the tank. The agitator is
surrounded or enclosed on its sides and bottom by another tank, which
is filled with broken ice and salt. The agitator is then turned at a
moderate speed, and by constantly bringing fresh portions of the
melted paraffine and naptha in contact with the face of the tank the
contents are rapidly cooled. Another tank is provided, which is placed
somewhat higher than the agitator, and is provided with an overflow
pipe leading to the bottom of the latter, where it is divided into two or
more coils and perforated on its lower side.. This tank is filled with finely
broken ice, and salt and water is poured in until it rises within a short
distance of the end of the overflow pipe. Above this tank there
is disposed a small supply tank, which is filled with pure naptha
of 70° Beaumé; a pipe extends from the bottom of this tank to

page_text: the bottom of the tank below it, where it forms a number of coils
and is perforated with small holes on its upper side. Connected with
this pipe is a ball valve, which is so regulated that the level of the
liquid in the lower tank shall be constantly above the end of the over-
flow pipe which dips into it. When the temperature of the contents
of the agitator are cooled down as before explained to, say, about 32°
Fahrenheit, a cock with which the overflow pipe is provided is slightly
opened. The ball valve then opens and the naphtha passes from the
small supply tank to the bottom of the tank below it through the pipe
before mentioned, and issuing through the holes in the coils of that
pipe rises through the ice and freezing water, when it is reduced to a
temperature of about 32° Fah. and then overflows into the agitator.
The naphtha is thus admitted into the agitating tank. and the agitator
is turned as fast as practicable. The naphtha at this temperature will
wash out all the oil from the paraffine and dissolve little if any of the
latter. If any of the paraffine rises it will be retained by felt or flannel
covering or wire guage belt, which extends around the inside of the
agitating tank at its top part. The naptha is conducted into a still, the
upper end of the pipe through which it flows being fitted inside the wire
guaze belt.
When the napththa runs nearly colourless a cock com-
municating with the still is closed, and another opened to run a sufficient
supply of naphtha into the first-mentioned tank for the next charge,
and the operation is completed, when the naptha runs off as free from
color and smell as when it entered the agitating tank. The pipe con-
ducting the naphtha into the agitating tank is then closed and the
agitator revolved very slowly. After the paraffine has settled to the bottom
the mixed paraffine and naphtha are run into a still, provided with a per-
forated steam coil and a goose neck and condensing worm, in which still
the naphtha is distilled off by steam or otherwise. The condensed water
and melted paraffine are drawn off by separate cocks, and the paraffine may
be formed into moulds. The still into which the naphtha is run from the
agitating tank may also be provided with a perforated steam coil, goose
neck, and condensing worm, and steam introduced through the perforations
of the coil until the naptha is entirely removed, when the heavy oils
and sedimentary matters are drawn off. The distilled naphtha may be
used again, and so on indefinitely. As the temperature of the naphtha
introduced into the agitating tank rises above 32° F. it will dissolve the
paraffine of a low melting point, and the paraffine left behind in the

page_text: tank will have a very high melting point. The temperature of the
naphtha should never rise above 43° Fah., or it will dissolve too much
paraffine. When the naphtha is wanted above 32° Fahr. it should
be passed through a pipe immersed in ice. By this process it is thus
possible to either retain all the paraffine so that it will have an average
melting point, or to separate it as may be desired into two or more
paraffines having varying melting points.