Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chlorine.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1892-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chlorine.
We, PROSPER DE WILDE, of 339 Avenue Louise, Brussels, Belgium,
Professor of Chemistry, ALBERT REYCHLER of 12 Rue de l'Arbre Brussels
Belgium, Doctor of Science, and FERDINAND HURTER, Ph. D. of Widnes, in
the County of Lancaster, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of chlorine by the process
for which Letters Patent were granted to P. de Wilde and A. Reychler
No. 17272 dated 31st October 1889.
One mode of carrying out the process described in the said Specification consists
in passing alternately currents of air and currents of approximately pure hydro-
chloric acid gas over and through a heated mixture of manganese and magnesium
chlorides and magnesium sulphate.
in
Owing to the necessity of employing in the process of oxidation a temperature
for the treatment of the said mixture with air different from that used when
treating the mixture with gaseous hydrochloric acid in the process of chlorination and
consequence of alternate currents of air and hydrochloric acid gas rapidly attacking
cast iron pipes it has been found necessary to provide entirely separate heating
apparatus, one working at a high temperature to heat the air, and the other working
at a relatively low temperature to heat the hydrochloric acid gas, so that the two
heaters are worked in conjunction with each cylinder charged with decomposing
material.
These alternate operations produce alternate currents of gases of very different
composition. During the process of chlorination a gas is obtained very rich in
chlorine during the process of oxidation the gas only contains from 15 % to 20%
of chlorine, and this difference in the composition of the gases necessitates
the employment of different absorbing apparatus, when it is intended to utilise
the chlorine in the manufacture of bleaching powder It has been proposed
to overcome the difficulty by simply using the current of gas from two
systems of apparatus, and so arranging that while one of the systems is in the
period of oxidation, the other is in the period of chlorination. Such an
arrangement is however costly as each cylinder requires two heaters and is
difficult to work.
According to this invention an apparatus is employed which permits of the
production of a continuous current of gas. The said apparatus is provided with
two heaters only one for heating the air and the other for heating the hydro-
chloric acid gas, and so arranged that whilst the one feeds one cylinder with air
the other feeds another cylinder with hydrochloric acid gas and the gases resulting
from the reactions unite into one stream.
The apparatus consists of a brick oven divided into say three compartments by
partition walls. The first of these compartments contains an arrangement of pipes
through which pipes the air necessary for the process of oxidation passes and in
which pipes the air becomes heated to the required temperature. The second
compartment contains two cylinders which may be of cast iron and lined with
bricks to protect the iron against the action of the gas. Each of these cylinders
is provided at the top with manholes and covers for supplying the decomposing
material, and with two inlet pipes, one for the air, and the other for the hydrochloric
acid gas. A small aperture may be provided for the introduction of a pyrometer.

page_text: At the lower part of each cylinder is provided an outlet pipe for the gases con-
taining the chlorine. Above this outlet pipe inside the cylinder a grating of
brickwork or cast iron is arranged upon which grating the decomposing material
for instance the mixture of manganese and magnesium chloride and magnesium
sulphate is supported, above the grating a manhole is provided through which the
material may be withdrawn when required.
The third compartment of the said oven contains an arrangement of pipes (similar
to those in the first compartment) through which the hydrochloric acid gas is passed
and in which it is heated to the required temperature.
Near the first compartment is provided a fireplace or furnace which serves to
heat the whole apparatus. The fuel gases from the furnace enter the first com-
partment and are caused to travel in a circuitous course by means of suitably
arranged flues through the three compartments in succession, thereby heating the
arrangements of pipes and cylinders contained therein.
To enable the temperatures of the several compartments to be regulated bye
flues and dampers are provided by which part or all of the fuel gases may be
caused to pass direct from one compartment to the next without circulating
throughout the said compartments.
The outlet pipes of the two heaters and the inlet pipes of the cylinders are
arranged in such manner that either one of the heaters may be readily connected
with either one of the cylinders by means of suitably arranged valves. These
valves may be of any suitable construction, but we prefer to employ conical or
globular valves working on corresponding valve seatings and actuated by spindles
passing loosely through apertures, and actuated by screws or levers. To avoid
leakage round the valve spindles sand lutes are provided. The portion of the.
apparatus situated outside the oven should be protected against loss of heat by
radiation by any suitable means.
At those parts of the apparatus where necessary apertures closed by thin cast
iron lids are provided to facilitate the cleaning of the apparatus.
By means of this apparatus a continuous current of the gas may be obtained of
sufficiently uniform composition that the chlorine may be absorbed in a single
apparatus (such as a Deacon chamber) without endangering the quality of the
bleaching powder.
The chlorine from this apparatus may however be utilised for any other purposes
for which dilute chlorine is applicable.
Dated this 15th day of October 1801
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chlorine.
We, PROSPER DE WILDE, of 339 Avenue Louise, Brussels, Belgium,
Professor of Chemistry ALBERT REYCHLER, of 12 Rue de l'Arbe, Brussels
Belgium, Doctor of Science, and FERDINAND HURTER Ph. D. of Widnes, in
the County of Lancaster, Analytical Chemist, 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 :-
This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of chlorine by the process.
for which Letters Patent No. 17272, dated 31st October 1889 were granted to two
of us, namely; Prosper de Wilde, and Albert Reychler.
One mode of carrying out the process described in the said Specification consists
in passing alternately currents of air and currents of approximately pure hydro-
chloric acid gas over, and through, a heated mixture of manganese chloride,
magnesium-chloride, and magnesium-sulphate.
Owing to the necessity of employing, in the process of oxidation, a temperature

page_text: for the treatment of the said mixture with air different from that used when treating
the mixture with gaseous hydrochloric acid in the process of chlorination, and in
consequence of alternate currents of air and hydrochloric acid gas rapidly attacking
iron pipes, it has been found necessary to provide entirely separate heating
apparatus; one working at a high temperature to heat the air, and the other
working at a relatively low temperature, to heat the hydrochloric acid gas, so that the
two heaters are worked in conjunction with each cylinder charged with decomposing
material.
These alternate operations produce alternate currents of gases of very different
composition. During the process of chlorination a gas is obtained very rich in
chlorine whilst during the process of oxidation the gas only contains from 15 to
20 per cent. of chlorine and this difference in the composition of the gases necessitates
the employment of different absorbing apparatus when it is intended to utilise the
chlorine in the manufacture of bleaching powder. It has been proposed to over-
come the difficulty by simply using the current of gas from two systems of apparatus
and so arranging that while one of the systems is in the period of oxidation the
other is in the period of chlorination. This is however, as the means for effecting
it have hitherto been arranged, costly and difficult to work as each cylinder or
vessel containing decomposing material has required two heaters one of which is at
work whilst the other is idle. Moreover it has been found that the heaters which
are idle whilst subjected to the high temperatures employed become rapidly
deteriorated and destroyed.
According to this invention an apparatus is provided which permits of the pro-
duction of a continuous current of gas of the same quality from the apparatus.
The said apparatus is provided with two heaters only: one for heating the air, and
the other for heating the hydrochloric acid gas, and so arranged that whilst the one
feeds with air one cylinder or vessel charged with decomposing material the other
feeds another such cylinder or vessel with hydrochloric acid gas, and the gases
resulting from the reactions, after they pass off, are united into one stream.
We will describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the best means
with which we are acquainted for carrying our invention into effect; premising that
we do not limit ourselves to the precise details illustrated, as it will be evident that
they may be varied without departing from our invention.
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections, at right angles to each other, and Figure 3
is a sectional plan.
The apparatus consists of a brick oven divided into three compartments A, B
and C, by partition walls. The first of these compartments (A), contains an
arrangement of pipes consisting of the inlet d, communicating with the pipe d³,
from which open the bent pipes d³, which communicate with the pipe (, which
communicates by the pipe do, with pipes d', d', leading respectively into' the
cylinders E, E, containing the decomposing material. Through these pipes the
air necessary for the process of oxidation passes and as it so passes becomes heated
to the required temperature. The second compartment (B), contains the said two
cylinders E, E, which may be of cast iron lined with bricks to protect the iron
against the action of the gas. Each of these cylinders is provided at the top with
manholes and covers for supplying the decomposing material, and with two inlet
pipes, one for the air, and the other for the hydrochloric acid gas. A small aperture
may be provided for the introduction of a pyrometer as at f. At the lower part
of each cylinder is provided an outlet pipe e, e, for the gases containing the chlorine.
These outlet pipes are connected, or communicate, with one pipe by which the
gases are led off together, to the place of utilization. Above the said outlet pipes,
and inside each cylinder, a grating, or perforated floor, of brickwork, clay, or cast
iron, is arranged, as at g, upon which grating or perforated floor the decomposing
material, (for instance the mixture of manganese-chloride, magnesium-chloride, aud
magnesium-sulphate) is supported. Above the grating a manhole h, is provided
through which the material can be withdrawn when required.
The cylinders may be provided with two or more such gratings, or perforated

page_text: floors, one above the other, at suitable distances apart, to support the material in
such a way as to facilitate the contact of the air and gas therewith, and, in this
case, there will be a manhole above each such grating, or perforated floor.
The third compartment (C) of the said oven contains an arrangement of
pipes i,,,,,,, (similar to those in the first compartment A), through
which the hydrochloric acid gas is passed so as to become heated to the required
temperature.
Near the first compartment A, is provided a fireplace, or furnace, J, which serves
to heat the whole apparatus. The fuel gases from the furnace enter the first com-
partment and are caused to travel, in a circuitous course, by means of suitably
arranged flues through the three compartments in succession, thereby heating the
arrangements of pipes and cylinders contained therein.
The
This is shewn as being effected by flues arranged as follows: as it is advantageous
to admit the heated products from the fireplace or furnace at the upper part of
each compartment whilst they leave each compartment at the lower part.
said products pass through the opening j, up the flue 1, out by the opening, into
the compartment A, which they leave by the opening, and pass up the flue, and
into the compartment B, which they enter by the opening, and leave by the
opening, and then pass up the flue 8, and enter the compartment C, by the
opening leaving by the opening, which leads to the outlet flue, or chimney.
To enable the temperatures of the several compartments to be regulated bye-
flues, and dampers, may be provided by which part, or all, of the fuel gases may be
caused to pass direct from one compartment to the next without circulating
throughout the said compartments. As the compartments A and B are usually
most advantageously kept about the same temperature we have shewn such a bye-
pass at k, between these two compartments.
The outlet pipes of the two heaters, and the inlet pipes of the cylinders, are
arranged in such manner that either one of the heaters may be readily connected
with either one of the cylinders by means of suitably arranged valves. These
valves may be of any suitable construction, but we prefer to employ the arrange-
ment shewn in Figure 2, consisting of conical, or globular, valves 1, l, working on
corresponding valve seatings, and actuated by spindles 1³, 1³, passing loosely through
apertures, and actuated by screws, or levers. We have shewn them as being
actuated by the screws on their spindles, passing through screw nuts in the bosses
of the wheels . To avoid leakage round the valve spindles sand lutes are pro-
vided as shewn at . Although Figure 2 shews only the valves which are used in
connection with the passages from the air heater it will be readily understood from
the other figures that a like arrangement is similarly applied in connection with the
passages from the hydrochloric acid gas heater. Any portion of the apparatus
which may be situated outside the oven should be protected against loss of heat by
radiation, by any suitable means, such as, for instance, by an iron casing filled with
brick dust.
At those parts of the apparatus where necessary apertures closed by thin cast
iron lids are provided to facilitate the cleaning of the apparatus.
By means of this apparatus a continuous current of the gas can be obtained of
such sufficiently uniform composition that the chlorine may be absorbed in a single
apparatus (such as a Deacon chamber) without endangering the quality of the
bleaching powder. The chlorine from this apparatus may however be utilized for
any other purposes to which dilute chlorine is applicable.
In using the apparatus the valves are opened, or closed, so that the air passes
into one of the cylinders and the hydrochloric acid gas into the other, the gases
leaving each cylinder afterwards uniting and passing together to the place where
they are to be stored, or utilized. The positions of the valves are altered at the
requisite intervals so that the air passes through the cylinder through which the
hydrochloric acid gas previously passed, and the hydrochloric acid gas passes
through the cylinder through which the air previously passed; and so on whilst the
apparatus is at work.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for the manufacture of chlorine, the combination of two heaters,
one for air and one for hydrochloric acid gas, each connected with two cylinders,
or vessels, for containing the decomposing material, and with means for putting
either heater in communication with each such cylinder, or vessel, alternately, and
for drawing off the gases from each such cylinder, or vessel, conjointly; substan-
tially as hereinbefore described.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting an apparatus for the
manufacture of chlorine; substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
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J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.