IMPROVE- MENTS IN WATER SOFTENING PROCESSES to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: I, PROSPER AUGUSTE MAIGNEN, of 32 St. Mary-at-Hill, in the City of London,
Filter Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WATER SOFTENING PROCESSES to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to improvements in water softening processes, such as that
patented to me under N°8 3038 and 8745 dated 7th of February 1884 and 9th of
June 1884 respectively, or to other processes for softening water which produce a
deposit or precipitate composed mainly of carbonate of lime, and it is designed to
render such deposit or precipitate capable of serving to soften water by itself or in
combination with other suitable substances.
but my
At present the precipitate in the form of sludge is a waste product;
invention I convert it into a most powerful softening agent which, alone, or in
combination with other suitable substances, may be used to soften water and thus
constitute an additional economy and utilisation of what has hitherto been con-
sidered a waste product or at any rate of little value.
Further, the quantity of available agent is increased, inasmuch as not only in
the lime of the original agent itself rehabilitated, but also the additional lime
precipitated by its use.
1
The precipitate or sludge remaining after the softening of the water, and which
consists mainly of carbonate of lime, I place in a suitable vessel of refractory
material such as fire clay, which may be plain, cylindrical, or may be formed
with spirally corrugated walls for the best utilisation of the heated gases of the
furnace.
I propose to heat these vessels by placing them in the furnaces of steam
boilers or generators, where convenient, or in a prepared pocket in the flues of
the said boilers; or I may use an independent furnace provided with suitable
supports on which conveniently to pack the said vessels in numbers for burning.
The sludge or precipitate being then subjected to great heat, the carbonic acid
and water are driven off, and the result consists principally of strong caustic lime,
perfectly anhydrous, the particles of which are so fine and so little homogeneous
that it may with ease and expedition be reduced to fine powder without slaking
or grinding, capable of reservice, prior or subsequent to such reduction, as a water
softening agent, either by itself or in combination with other materials, according
to the particular process in combination with which it may be found desirable to
employ it.
Dated this 17th don of T... 100%

page_text: I, PROSPER AUGUSTE MAIGNEN, of 32 St Mary at Hill, in the City of London,
Filter Manufacturer, 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 :—
My invention relates to improvements in water softening processes such as that
patented to me under number 3038 and 8745, dated the 7th of February 1884 and
the 9th of June 1884 respectively, and to other processes for softening water which
produce a deposit or precipitate composed mainly of carbonate of lime; and it is
designed to render such deposit or precipitate capable of serving to soften water by
itself or in combination with other suitable substances hereinafter specified.
At present the precipitate, in the form of sludge, is a waste product or of little
value; but by my invention I convert it into a most powerful softening agent,
which, alone, or in combination with other suitable substances, may be used to
soften water, and thus constitute an additional economy and utilisation of what
has hitherto been considered a waste product, or of little value.
The precipitate or sludge, remaining after the softening of the water and
consisting mainly of carbonate of lime, may be placed in a suitable vessel of
refractory material, such as fire clay, which may be plain, cylindrical, or may be
formed with spirally corrugated walls for the best utilisation of the heated gases
of the furnace.
I propose to heat these vessels by placing them in the furnaces of steam boilers
or generators, where convenient, or in a prepared pocket or oven of any suitable
shape in the flues of the said boilers, or I may use an independent furnace of any
suitable construction, provided with suitable supports, on which conveniently to
pack the said vessels in numbers for burning, or I may reburn the said material in
any known or convenient manner.
The sludge or precipitate being thus subjected to great heat, the carbonic acid
and water are driven off, and the result consists principally of strong caustic lime,
perfectly anhydrous, the particles of which may with ease and expedition be
reduced to fine powder without slaking or severe grinding. This powder is
capable of being used prior or subsequently to such a reduction as a water
softening agent, either by itself, or in combination with silicate of soda in the
case of water containing sulphate of lime or sulphate of magnesia, and, when
the water is salt or brackish, with the addition of dioxide of manganese saturated
with sulphuric acid in the proportion of about 5 parts of dioxide of manganese
to 2 parts of sulphuric acid all dried and powdered; or equivalently with the
addition of sulphate of manganese.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st The method of regeneration or conversion of the precipitate or sludge,
composed mainly of carbonate of lime, resulting from water softening processes,

page_text: by burning, so as to reproduce strong caustic or anhydrous lime, substantially as
and for the purposes specified.
2nd The use of such prepared caustic lime either alone or in combination with
the silicate of soda to soften water, substantially as specified.
3rd The use of such prepared caustic lime in combination with silicate of soda
and oxide of manganese saturated with sulphuric acid, all dried and powdered, or
equivalently with powdered sulphate of manganese to soften and purify brackish
or salt water substantially as described.
4th The composition of such a water softening powder, namely caustic lime and
silicate of soda, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
5th The composition of such a softening powder viz, caustic lime, silicate of
soda, and oxide of manganese, saturated with sulphuric acid, as and for the
purposes specified.