Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1886.
Complete Left, 20th Oct., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 20th Apr., 1887.
I, PETER THOMAS of 108 Carter Street Greenheys Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for producing sulphurous acid
in solution, which apparatus is particularly applicable to the bleaching process for
which Letters Patent No. 549, bearing date February 4th 1882, were granted to me,
and in which Letters Patent, the use of sulphurous acid in aqueous solution, is
specified.
To generate this SO, primarily, I employ a sulphur burner of ordinary form, but I
may also use a Pyrites burner, if circumstances make it desirable to employ Pyrites ;
as a rule, however, I prefer to burn sulphur, as it gives a purer acid for my purpose.
Water absorbs SO, at a temperature of about 47° F. at the ratio of about 58 volumes
of the gas to one volume of water and in this stato it is as hydrate (SO, H₂) in
solution. I do not however bind myself to this proportion, but I produce the aqueous
solution of such strengths most suitable for the various requirements of my bleaching
process, as mentioned before in the following manner :-. As the SO, which is evolved
in the burner has the high specific gravity of 2.2, I employ a steam jet exhauster of
known construction, such as for instance, "Kortings," for forcing the gas into the
scrubbers in an upward or downward direction. Gas which is not absorbed in the
scrubbers I blow into vessels, of peculiar construction, containing water, so as to
make it impossible that any acid may escape in gaseous form, and to allow any air
which may inevitably have been drawn into the apparatus, to escape before having
been quite free from acid.
To carry the above into effect I sometimes first cleanse, if necessary, the SO, gas
directly after issuing from the, burner, from any suspended solid matters which
might arise out of impurities contained in the sulphur or Pyrites, or from any flower
of sulphur, which is sometimes carried away with the gas, by retaining these suspended
solid particles in a box which has a series of leaden sheets suspended from hooks in
an inclined position, so that the gas in passing these sheets in a downward direction,
may leave the solid matter behind in the said box. The same purpose of retaining
any solid matters I may sometimes also attain by giving the gas simply a tortuous or
zig zag path in a suitable chamber.

page_text: From the dust retainer the gases are aspirated into a series of Coke-scrubbers
similar to those used in scrubbing illuminating gas. For absorbing the SO, which is
caused to traverse these coke-scrubbers by means of a steam jet exhauster, I employ
(here for solving agent) as a rule & principally, the SO, acid solution which has
been partially exhausted & weakened by use in connection with my bleaching process.
To do this, I run the just-mentioned spent SO, acid liquor into a tank standing at a
lower level than the bleaching vat in which it has been in use & circulate it through
the coke scrubbers, by means of a pulsometer-pump, the pulsometer taking the liquor
from the said tank & lifting it up into a small overhead reservoir, from whence it
gravitates into the top part of the scrubbers, and is distributed over the coke by
means of suitable nozzles.
I preferably arrange the steam jet exhauster directly behind the coke scrubbers,
so that the gases in their further circuit are now forced, whereas previous to this
stage they were drawn.
Whatever SO, gas is left in coming from the scrubbers, receives now a thorough
mixing up with the steam of the exhauster, which steam, however, being immediately
condensed to the greatest extent by passing the mixture through an externally water-
cooled coil-pipe, serves now to pass over the greatest part of the remainder of SO₂ in
aqueous solution to a tank partially filled with acid liquor (which is being con-
tinuously replenished by the condensed steam from the coil) which is kept at a
constant level by a suitable overflow.
The air and SO, gas which collect in the top part of the just mentioned tank, are
now led to a washer of the following construction, the object being to pass the
remaining gases through a liquid continuously replenished with pure water, & by
dividing the gas into a sufficiently fine state.
This washer consists mainly of two boxes bolted together by vertical flanges, one
box being destined for the inlet of the gas, the other for the outlet of the liquor on
the one hand, & of the pure air on the other hand.
The inlet box has a number of lead tubes fixed to one of its faces, which are
provided with numerous perforations. The gas has free access to the inside of these
tubes and on depressing the liquid in the inlet box, it is caused to bubble up through
the perforations and the liquor in the outlet box, before allowing the liquor to overflow;
by a suitably arranged pipe, it may be caused to percolate through a number of lead-
wire sieves, to make the intermixture between the SO, gas and the inflowing pure
water, still more intimate.
2
I also may employ an additional coke-scrubber or an additional washer of a similar
or just-mentioned construction in connection with this SO, absorption plant for the
following purpose-viz, in the practical bleaching of piece goods, yarns, etc, by
my process I find that much SO, is set free again in a gaseous form by the agitation
caused by the piece goods, yarns etc, in the bleaching tanks, and by the machinery
employed for bleaching by my process. This SO, acid so far has been lost, & besides
causing considerable annoyance, by its pungent smell, to the workmen. I now con-
struct a hood of conical or other form over the just mentioned bleaching vat, in which
I collect the thus-liberated acid gas & by means of a ventilator I carry this gas either
into a coke scrubber, or into one of my washers, just described, for recovery.
Thus it will be observed that the described apparatus serves alike for the preparation
of the sulphurous acid solution used by my bleaching process, & also for the recovery
of the spent SO, in solution from the vats, as well as for the recovery of the gaseous
SO, which would otherwise be lost.
D
10L
1002
Pro PETER THOMAS,
Bosshardt & Grant,
Agents to the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Sulphurous Acid
in Solution.
I, PETER THOMAS, of 108 Carter Street Greenheys, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the samo is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for producing sulphurous acid
in solution, which apparatus is particularly applicable to the bleaching process for
which Letters Patent No. 549 bearing date February 4th 1882, were granted to me,
and in which Letters Patent, the use of sulphurous acid in aqueous solution is specified.
To generate this SO, primarily, I employ a sulphur burner of ordinary form, but
I may also use a Pyrites burner, if circumstances make it desirable to employ Pyrites;
as a rule, however, I prefer to burn sulphur, as it gives a purer acid for my purpose.
I employ a steam jet exhauster of known construction, such as, for instance
Kortings," for forcing the gas into the scrubbers in an upward or downward
direction. Gas which is not absorbed in the scrubbers I blow into vessels, of peculiar
construction, containing water, so as to make it impossible that any acid may escape
in gaseous form, and to allow any air which may inevitably have been drawn into the
apparatus, to escape before having been quite free from acid.
«
To carry the above into effect I sometimes first cleanse, if necessary the SO, gas
directly after issuing from the burner, from any suspended solid matters which might
arise out of impurities contained in the sulphur or pyrites, or from any flower of
sulphur, which is sometimes carried away with the gas, by retaining these suspended
solid particles in a box which has a series of leaden sheets suspended from hooks in an
inclined position, so that the gas in passing these sheets in a downward direction, may
leave the solid matter behind in the said. box. The same purpose of retaining any
solid matters I may sometimes also attain by giving the gas simply a tortuous or
zig-zag path in a suitable chamber.
From the dust retainer the gases are aspirated into a series of Coke scrubbers
similar to those used in scrubbing illuminating gas. For absorbing the SO, which
is caused to traverse these coke scrubbers by means of a steam jet exhauster, I employ
(here for solving agent) as a rule and principally, the SO, acid solution which has
been partially exhausted and weakened by use in connection with my bleaching process.
To do this, I run the just mentioned spent SO, acid liquor into a tank standing at a
lower level than the bleaching vat in which it has been in use and circulate it through
the coke scrubbers by means of a pulsometer or any other suitable pump, the
pulsometer taking the liquor from the said tank & lifting it up into a small overhead
reservoir, or into an overhead pipe, from whence it gravitates into the top part of the
scrubbers, and is distributed over the coke by means of suitable nozzles. I preferably
arrange the steam jet exhauster directly behind the coke scrubbers, so that the

page_text: gases in their further circuit are now forced, whereas previous to this stage, they
were drawn.
Whatever SO, gas is left in coming from the scrubbers, receives now a thorough
mixing up with the steam of the exhauster, which steam, however, being immediately
and entirely condensed by passing the mixture through an externally water-cooled
coil pipe, serves now to pass over the greatest part of the remainder of SO, in
aqueous solution to a tank partially filled with acid liquor (which is being continuously
replenished by the condensed steam from the coil) which is kept at a constant level by
a suitable overflow.
The air and SO, gas which collect in the top part of the just-mentioned tank are
now led to a washer of the following construction, the object being to pass the
remaining gases through a liquid continuously replenished with pure water, and by
dividing the gases into a sufficiently fine state."
This washer consists mainly of two boxes bolted together by vertical flanges, one box
being destined for the inlet of the gas, the other for the outlet of the liquor on the one
hand, and of the pure air on the other hand.
The inlet box has a number of lead tubes fixed to one of its faces, which are provided
with numerous perforations.
The gas has free access to the inside of these tubes and on depressing the liquid in
the inlet box, it is caused to bubble up through the perforations and the liquor in the
outlet box, before allowing the liquor to overflow by a suitably arranged pipe, it may
be caused to percolate through a number of lead wire sieves to make the intermixture
between the SO, gas and the inflowing pure water, still more intimate.
I also may employ an additional coke-scrubber, or an additional washer of a similar
or just mentioned construction in connection with this SO, absorption plant for the
following purpose:-viz, in the practical bleaching of piece goods, yarns, etc, by my
process I find that much SO, is set free again in a gaseous form by the agitation
caused by the piece-goods, yarns, etc in the bleaching tanks, and by the machinery
employed for bleaching by my process.
This SO, acid so far has been lost and besides causing considerable annoyance, by
its pungent smell, to the workmen. I now construct a hood of conical or other form
over the just mentioned bleaching vat, in which I collect the thus liberated acid gas,
and by means of a ventilator I carry this gas either into a coke scrubber, or into one
of my washers, just described, for recovery.
Thus it will be observed that the described apparatus serves alike for the preparation
of the sulphurous acid solution used by my bleaching process, and also for the recovery
of the spent SO, in solution from the vats, as well as for the recovery of the gaseous SO,
which would otherwise be lost.
And in order that this invention may be better understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto two sheets of drawings marked with letters of reference indicating
like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation.
Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 a side elevation showing the complete arrangement of the
apparatus.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are detached sectional views of the different parts
constituting the whole apparatus.
B shows the sulphur burner in which the sulphurous acid is produced as usual.
The gases thus evolved are aspirated from the burner by means of the exhauster I,
see Fig. 1, by being drawn through the apparatus hereafter described.
From the burner B the gases enter first by means of the taper pipe C, the
apparatus D and E, see Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, which serves to retain any impurities,
ashes, etc., which the gases may contain in their flow towards the exhauster and also to
give the gases a first cooling down before entering the scrubbers S, S, S.
This apparatus, see Figs. 4, 5 & 6 consists of two leaden tubes D-& W jointed.
together at G as shown on drawing see Fig. 4.
The tube D is made square in cross section, see Fig. 5, and contains a number of
lead plates or strips T, T, T, T, T, T, suspended from the cover H in such a way by

page_text: means of their ends being hooked as shown, that each individual strip assumes in the
state of rest a somewhat inclined position.
Two rows of these strips are arranged side by side and suspended so that one row,
on being suspended, inclines the opposite way from the other row, the object being to
give the said acid gases in passing or rolling downwards these strips T, T, T, T, T, T,
as much contact with the inclined surfaces as possible, as owing to the friction thus
created, the gases deposit the dust and ashes which they may contain on coming from
the burner B.
Opposite to the tube W is a cover c, which may be easily removed for the purpose
of shaking the lead strips T, T, T, T, T, T, whenever the deposited ashes require
removing.
The same purpose may also be obtained by giving the gas simply a tortuous or
zig zag path in a suitable chamber as illustrated in Fig. 7.
In order to cool the gases on their way downwards I surround the tube D with a
jacket D', through which cold water entering at D³, is continually circulating. This
jacket has an overflow at D³.
For the purpose of still more effectually depositing the dust contained in the gases
the tube W, is employed. The same has an enlarged diameter so as to give the gases
time (by virtue of decreasing the velocity) to leave any impurities behind. This
pipe Wis immersed in water contained in and circulating through trough K.
Instead of the square tube D, (Fig. 4), I may in some cases preferably arrange a
spray pipe outside and underneath the flange of cover H, the object being to still more
effectually cool down the gases. In that case the jacket D¹ would not be required.
The spray running down the sides of I would act in two ways to cool down the
gases, viz, by means of its inherent lower temperature and by means of evaporation.
From tube W of the dust catcher the gases enter a suitable number of
scrubbers S. S. S. by means of the bent connection and pipe X, see Figs. 1, 2 and 8.
These scrubbers S. S. S are made of earthenware piping A, A1, A2, A3, of the
construction shown in Fig. 8.
The latter are jointed to the scrubber pipes S. S. S. by means of spigots and faucets
so that on their road to the exit Q and to the steam jet exhauster I, (Fig. 1,) the
gases circulate upwards and downwards as shown by arrows in Fig. 8. The
scrubbers, S, S, $, are filled with coke or stone pebbles which are resting on per-
forated grids at the bottom, and a spray of water (which may be or may not be
previously acidulated by the sulphur di-oxide) is continuously sent on the top of the
scrubbers, by means of spray arrangement J, J, J and pump P see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 8.
This spray arrangement may be made adjustible by means of taps J¹ as shown in
Fig. 1, 2, 3 & 8. The water or liquor injected is continuously overflowing at T¹
and T, (Fig. 1) and is collected in the tank Z, and from the latter continually
circulated by means of a pump P and supply pipe V, through the scrubbers S, S, S.
Any number of scrubbers S, $, S may be employed so that sometimes [ may make
all the acid I require of suitable strength on the suction side of the exhauster.
The tank Z1 divide by means of a partition a into two compartments a¹ & a² which
are made to communicate with each other through the opening a³, the compartment a²
being in connection with the suction pipe of the pump P, and the compartment a¹ by
means of the pipes a & a³, with the top and bottom of the scrubbers S respectively
whereby a different pressure in the said compartiment is created, for the purpose of
facilitating the discharge of the liquid from the scrubbers on the suction side of the
exhauster into the catch tank Z.
I have shown a pulsometer P in the drawing for circulating the liquor, but I may
employ any other pump of known construction for that purpose, steam pump or
otherwise. By means of suitable connection the pump may also serve to fill the
storage tank N by means of pipe L.
On leaving the scrubbers at (Figs. 1 and 8) the gases (if there be any left) enter
the exhauster I, which in this case is a steam jet exhauster, such as "Kortings" of
well known construction.

page_text: I may however employ, for moving the gases, any other suitable apparatus, such as
rotary exhausters or reciprocating ones as might be found most convenient.
In Fig. 1 a steam coil M immersed in cold water has been shown to condense the
steam used by the steam jet exhauster but of course this steam coil would not be
required in case of using a rotary or such like exhauster.
From the steam coil the mixture of gas, air, steam and condensed water is blown
into the vat Y, by means of the perforated pipe Y. The liquor from here overflows
by means of a suitable syphon o into tank Z whilst the gases etc, which might still
be left, i.e. not yet absorbed by water, are pressed forward to the washer U, U,
shown in Figs. 3, 9 & 10, by means of tube 0.
This apparatus consists of two castings U, U partially divided by partition A¹ but
communicating by opening 02 and perforated tubes P, P, P, P. Pure water is
slowly introduced through pipe W. The gases which arrive at 0', under a certain
pressure will force down the water in U until equilibrium is established, i.e. until the
water in U overflows at B¹.
Thus the gases are forced to pass a column of water in which they are still
further retained and split up by means of sieves S¹, S¹, S¹, S¹, S¹. The overflowing
liquor is conducted out of V2 into the large tank Z while the remaining air may be
conducted by pipe M.
For utilizing the gaseous SO, acid evolved during bleaching by my process a
similar apparatus or a plain scrubber may be employed, and also for the recovery of
the spent SO, in solution from the vats.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. The manner of drawing the sulphurous acid gas from the sulphur burner B,
and combination of apparatus therefor, substantially as set forth.
2nd. The construction of the apparatus for cleaning the SO, gas from dust, and
ultimate cooling of the same, substantially as described and illustrated.
3rd. The employment of a suitable number of scrubbers on the suction side of the
exhauster, substantially as set forth and for the purpose specified.
4th. Collecting the acid gas liberated during the use in bleaching, by suitable
means such as a hood and ventilator and passing the same into a coke scrubber or
one or more washers, in the manner specified in the preceding claims, and likewise
recovering the spent weakened acid liquor by circulating the same through the herein-
before mentioned apparatus and thus producing afresh the necessary strength required
as set forth.
5th. The peculiar construction of circulating tank with partition, wall & two
compartments containing different pressures of air for the purpose described.
Dated 10th do
1000