Improvements in the Treatment of the Wash Liquors from Wool and other Animal Fibre to Recover the Grease and Potash therefrom.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in the Treatment of the Wash Liquors from Wool and
other Animal Fibre to Recover the Grease and Potash therefrom.
We, JOHN SMITH AND SONS LIMITED, of Field Head Mills, Bradford, in the
County of York, Worsted Spinners, and WALTER LEACH, of Field Head Mills,
Bradford, aforesaid, Technical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
-
Wool and other animal fibres such as alpaca, mohair and the like are washed
or treated with soap and water to remove the grease and potash therefrom and
by the processes hitherto adopted it has been found difficult or impossible to re-
cover or separate all the grease from the wash liquors and the greasy effluents
have been difficult to purify or dispose of and are objectionable when run into sewers
or drains.
By this invention the grease and potash can be effectually separated and
recovered leaving a residue or effluent sufficiently pure to be easily dealt with or
disposed of.
It consists essentially in concentrating the wash liquors or soap solution to
increase its density until there is a considerable difference in density between the
fatty material and the water or potash solution .and then separating the denser
part of the liquid or solution from the lighter in a centrifugal machine and finally
purifying the separated liquids to obtain lanoline from one and potash from the
other.
In carrying out the invention we prefer to dispense with the washing or steep-
ing of the wool in water but wash the raw or crude wool with a soap solution in
the ordinary way.
This soap or wash liquor then contains all the natural fat and potash adhering
to the wool, in its present state it has not been found possible to effectually separate
the fat from the liquor.
We find that by concentrating the liquid reducing it to from 1/10 to 1/20 of its
bulk that the difference between the density of the fat and the concentrated solution
render the two capable of separation by mechanical means.
We, therefore, concentrate the soap or wash liquor in a suitable concentrator and
then run it into a centrifugal machine by which practically all the fat is separated
from the other liquor.
The fat thus separated is purified by any ordinary means rendering a lanoline
or wool fat of good quality for manufacturing or domestic purposes.
33
The effluent liquid is treated in a "Yaryan" or other concentrator and concen-
trated to a thick syrupy or pasty consistency and then passed to a rotary or other
furnace where it is calcined to remove the impurities and leave the potash which
is subsequently collected and purified, if desired.
The insoluble impurities, sand etcetera, may be allowed to settle from the liquor
prior to concentration but we prefer to pass the whole of the said liquor with

page_text: sand and insoluble impurities into the concentrator and to remove them in the
centrifugal machine in which being denser than the fat and potash solution, they
are driven to the outside under centrifugal action and can be removed therefrom
by mechanical means.
Although we prefer to wash the wool in its original raw state it may be first
steeped or washed with pure water to remove the potash and solid matter and then
subsequently washed with soap, the soap liquor being treated as above described.
The water distilled off during the concentration may be collected and used for
further washing.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester,
Patent Agents.
Improvements in the Treatment of the Wash Liquors from Wool and
other Animal Fibre to Recover the Grease and Potash therefrom.
We, JOHN SMITH AND SONS LIMITED, of Field Head Mills, Bradford, in the
County of York, Worsted Spinners, and WALTER LEACHI, of Field Head Mills,
Bradford, aforesaid, Technical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Wool and other animal fibres such as alpaca mohair and the like are washed
or treated with soap and alkali in water to remove the grease and potash there-
from and by the processes hitherto adopted it has been found difficult or impossible
to recover or separate all the grease from the wash liquors and the greasy effluents
have been difficult to purify or dispose of and are objectionable when run into
sewers or drains.
By this invention the potash and grease washed out of the wool and the alkali
and soap employed for the purpose can be effectually separated and recovered
from the wash liquors leaving a residue or effluent of clean water available after-
wards for washing purposes the separated materials being utilized as valuable
bye products.
soap
It consists essentially in concentrating the wash liquors or
solution known
as sud liquor from the wash bowl to increase its
density until there is considerable difference in density between the fatty matter
(i.e. wool grease) and soapy potash solution and then separating the denser part
of the liquid or solution from the ligher in a centrifugal machine and finally
purifying the separated liquids to obtain lanoline from one and potash from the
other.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying draw-
ings which illustrate a plant suitably constructed and arranged for the purpose
of carrying it out though it is to be understood that the invention may be carried
out by any apparatus that may be found to be suitable therefor.
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation.
Fig. 3, is a sectional plan.
In carrying out the invention we prefer to dispense with any preliminary
washing or steeping of the wool in water.
The wool (or other animal fibre) preferably in its raw or crude state is washed
in an alkaline solution with soap in the usual way. After this washing the liquor

page_text: contains the natural fat and potash that was adhering to the wool and it is this
wash liquor that is treated by this invention to separate and recover therefrom
the lanoline, potash and other substances contained therein leaving the water clean
and suitable for re-use.
We find by concentrating the wash liquor reducing it about 1/10th to 20th of its
former volume-that the difference in density between the fatty matter or lanoline
contained therein and the potash solution renders the two capable of separation by
mechanical means the density then being about specific gravity 916 for the fatty
matter and about specific gravity 1350 for the alkaline solution.
The wash or sud liquor is concentrated by boiling it in any suitable concentrator
or evaporator G until reduced to the required volume and density and is then run
into a tank or holder A. The steam or water evaporated off is preferably collected
for re-use in washing in a tank or cistern B.
The liquor from the tank or holder A (which serves as a supply tank) is run
into centrifugal separators C wherein the lighter material is separated from the
heavier the fat or fatty matter being practically all separated from the other liquor.
The fat thus separated is practically all lanoline and the other liquor a solution
of potash which runs from the separators to the tanks or holders D and E re-
spectively.
The separated fatty matter is purified by any ordinary or well known means
rendering a lanoline or wool fat of good quality free from fatty acids for use either
for pharmaceutical manufacturing or domestic purposes.
The effluent potash liquor from the tank or holder Eis then run into and
treated in a suitable concentrator or evaporator G and the water is evaporated off
until it is concentrated to a thick syrupy or pasty consistency, which is delivered into
tank A. The condensed or distilled water is collected in the tank B for re-use.
The concentrator G is employed for concentrating the sud or wash liquor and
subsequently for concentrating the potash solution after separation of the fat.
The concentrated product is placed in a rotary or other calcining furnace H in
which it is heated or calcined to remove organic impurities leaving a residual pro-
duct of potash. This is collected and may be further purified by a process of
crystallization or otherwise.
The insoluble impurities, sand, etcetera, may be allowed to settle from the liquor
prior to concentration but we prefer to pass the whole of the said liquor with the
sand and insoluble impurities into the concentrator and to remove them in the
centrifugal machine in which being denser than the fat and potash solution, they
are driven to the outside under centrifugal action and can be removed therefrom
by mechanical means.
Although we prefer to wash the wool in its original raw state it may be first
steeped or washed with pure water to remove the potash and solid matter and
then subsequently washed with soap, the soap liquor being treated as above de-
scribed to purify it and recover the lanoline therefrom.
The water distilled off during the concentration is collected in the tank B and
used for further washing. B¹ is a tank for water. K is a storage tank for the
wash liquors prior to concentration and L L are steam boilers the flues of which
communicate with the chimney M.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The process for treating wash liquors from wool and other animal fibres to
purify it and recover valuable products therefrom which consists in concentrating
the liquor to a density that the fatty matter and the solution can be mechanically
separated, separating the fat and other liquor mechanically and subsequently
purifying these to obtain lanoline and potash substantially as described.
2. The process for treating wash liquor from wool and other animal fibres to purify
it and recover valuable products therefrom consisting in concentrating the liquor

page_text: to a density that the fatty matter can be separated by mechanical means separating
the fat and the other liquor mechanically in a centrifugal machine, and purifying
the fat obtained therefrom, further concentrating the liquor to a pasty consistency
and then calcining it to remove organic matter substantially as described.
3. The process for treating wash liquor from wool and other animal fibres sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described and shown.
1
1
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool & London,
Patent Agents.