Improvements in Apparatus for Distillation of Fatty Acids and other substances.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th 'Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1892-Accepted, 9th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distillation of Fatty Acids and
other substances.
I, LÉON HUGUES, of 23 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, France, Chemical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to effect rapidly and economically distillation of
fatty acids or other substances, for which purpose I arrange stills and condensers
in the following manner. I place two alembic stills side by side, each set in flues
from one central furnace, these flues having suitable valves or dampers by which
the whole or part of the hot products of combustion from the furnace can be
directed on either or both of the alembics. Usually I time the operations iu such
a way that the material is undergoing preliminary heating in the one alembic,
while the vaporisation under the action of superheated steam is going on in the
other, alternately.
To each alembic is connected a pipe for charging, a pipe for discharging, a pipe
for the supply of steam, and a passage to a condenser all governed by suitable
cocks or valves..
The condenser may be of the surface kind, but I prefer, for the sake of rapidity
of action, to effect condensation by injection of cold water in finely divided jets into
a vessel to which the vapour from each alembic in turn is admitted. Below the
main condenser is a second condensing vessel communicating with the upper as well
as the lower part of the main condenser, for effecting condensation of such vapour
as may not have been condensed in the main condenser. The products of con-
densation collect with the water in a closed tank from which they are drawn by the
action of an ejector jet of water under pressure, by which final condensation is
effected of such vapours as may have escaped previous condensation, and by which
also the uncondensable gaseous products are drawn off, and a partial vacuum is
maintained in the condensing vessels.
Dated this 9th day of September 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Distillation of Fatty Acids and
other substances.
I, LÉON HUGUES, of 23, Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, France, Chemical
Engineer, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to effect rapidly and economically distillation of
fatty acids or other substances, for which purpose I arrange stills and condensers in
the following manner. I place two alembic stills side by side, each set in flues
from one central furnace, these flues having suitable valves or dampers by which
the whole or part of the hot products of combustion from the furnace can be
directed on either or both of the alembics. Usually I time the operations in such a
way that the material is undergoing preliminary heating in the one alembic, while
the vaporisation under the action of superheated steam is going on in the other,
altomatal

page_text: maintained in the condensing
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a plan of the furnace.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line A. A of Fig. 1 through the furnace B B B around
the alembic No. 2, and A' A' through the condenser.
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan half on the right on the level C C and half on the left
on the level D D of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section on R R of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a section on G G.
a is the fire, b the superheater, the steam pipe, d the steam trap. At A the
superheated steam can be directed by the cocks RV', R V' to either of the two
alembics No. 1 or No. 2, G G flues descending to the chimney flues 9 g,
Fl counterpoise float to indicate level; Th thermometer; M n pressure gauge;
Rd' Rd charging and discharging cocks from or to pipe T connected by branch t;
B' receiver of distilled products, F condenser, I distributer of water spray from
pipe J K pipe leading uncondensed vapour into H; ff and H successive con-
densing effects; LL' pipe leading to water ejector M supplied with water under
pressure by pipe N; P receptacle for condensed matters drawn out by ejector M;
RR' double dampers with close parts and open parts for alternately opening
and closing the passages 0 0¹ by moving the chain R. T.
The apparatus is worked in the following manner.
The furnace being heated, the alembics are charged with fatty acids (dehydrated)
by the pipe T from a receptacle at a higher level. The dampers are set so as to
direct the heated gases on alembic No. 1, the gases on their return heating No. 2.
The course of the gases is by O where they divide into two currents which
descending at 0' 0", pass under No. 1 separated by the partition Cl, then descend
by 0° 0' into 0, whence they ascend by O' O' and pass under No. 2, then ascend
and pass around No. 2 to 0 whence they pass by G to the chimney flue 9.
Superheated steam being admitted to No. 1 and distributed through its heated
contents, they become rapidly distilled, as can be ascertained by examining the
float Fl, whereupon the residue is discharged, and the alembic is charged again.
The contents of No. 2 are treated in the same manner, and thus the two alembics
are alternated, the contents of each being heated up while the contents of the other
are being distilled, the result being a great saving of fuel and of time
The condensation of the vapours is effected as follows. In the condenser F, with
which the alembic is put in communication, there is a perforated distributing
nozzle I supplied with water which is discharged in numerous jets breaking against
then
the top and sides of the condensing vessel, effecting first condensation at f
by the descending water shewn at, and finally condensing such vapour as comes
by the pipe K at H whence the water and condensed fluid flow into the
receptacle B. A partial vacuum is produced in B' by the ejector M which draws
off vapours or gases by the pipe Land liquid by L'; this partial vacuum assists
the vaporisation in the alembic. Instead of or in addition to the condenser
described, a surface condenser or other known condenser may be employed, and the
form and position of the condensing vessel F and nozzle I may be varied. The

page_text: ejector M is supplied with water under pressure from an elevated cistern or from
the discharge of a pump.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
in respect of apparatus for distillation of fatty acids and other substances is :-
1. The combination of two alembics with one furnace, steam superheater, and
condenser, arranged with pipes, cocks, and communications so as to operate
alternately, substantially as described.
2. The arrangement of the furnace and its flues and dampers, substantially as
described.
3.. The condenser arranged and operating substantially as described.
4. The adaptation of water ejector to aid vaporisation, and to withdraw gases and
the products of distillation and condensation.
נים
ABEL & IMRAY.
Agents for the Applicant.
ABEL & IMRAY.
Agents for the Applicant.