AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF INCINERATING IN THE DRY WAY SEA-WRACK, SEAWEED, AND LIKE PLANTS, AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Amédée Collet and Paul de Lavillasse, of Rue
Lafayette, 162, at Paris, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF
INCINERATING IN THE DRY WAY SEA-WRACK, SEAWEED, AND LIKE PLANTS,
AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Sealed the 2nd June 1874, and dated the 16th December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Amédée Collet and
Paul de Lavillasse at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 16th December 1873.
We, AMÉDÉE COLLET and PAUL DE LAVILLASSE, of Rue Lafayette,
162, at Paris, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF INCINERATING IN THE DRY WAY SEA-WRACK, SEAWEED,
AND LIKE PLANTS, AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
To incinerate or carbonise sea-wrack and the like, it is necessary to
have a heat of considerable intensity, and to obtain this powerful heat
in a rapid manner we propose the following method:-A furnace of
peculiar construction is fed by three exhausters forming aerohydric fans
(of the kind Patented by Mr. Testud de Beauregard, in the year 1861,
No. 3141), and utilizing directly the existing power or force of the
superheated steam.
When the furnace is lighted it yields it oxygen

page_text: for combustion, the hydrogen is ignited, and by reason of the speed
with which it is forced out or emitted such an intense heat is produced
that the sea-wrack or other plant is almost instantaneously carbonized.
The incineration takes place below the bars in a space left free for the
purpose.
At the top of the furnace is a large basket funnel terminated by
In spacious conduit in which one or more exhausters draw or work
with sufficient power to exhaust first and to repel afterwards the products
of combustion, which are rendered cold and condensed in passing over
long surfaces of liquids, the conduit being diminished in section pro-
portionally to the space occupied by the gas, and in proportion to the
size of the cooling space.
1
The steam which becomes condensed acts not only as a refrigerating
agent, but added to salts it acts also by affinity and is combined with the
salts. which it, is wished to retain (iodurets, alkalines of soda and of 1
potassium). The fixed gas produced by combustion escapes by an
aperture at the back.
Our Invention therefore consists,
First. In the construction of a furnace specially appropriated to the
purpose referred to.
Secondly. In an intensity of combustion necessary to this species of
industry.
Thirdly. In the simple formation of great quantities of hydrogen.
Fourthly, and lastly. In the mode of exhausting powerfully and
economically the results of the aerohydric exhausters of Mr. Testud de
Beauregard's construction, permitting us to gather in these substances
precious to a manufacturer, which produces immense quantities of steam,
and of the fumes of gases in the course of operation.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Amédée Collet and Paul de Lavillasse,
Her special licence, that we, the said Amédée Collet and Paul de
Lavillasse, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Amédée Collet and Paul de Lavillasse, our executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,.
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF INCINERATING
IN THE DRY WAY SEA-WRACK, SEAWEED, AND LIKE PLANTS AND APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Amédée Collet and Paul de Lavillasse, or one of us, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or one of our,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Amédée Collet and Paul de
Lavillasse, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
To incinerate or carbonize sea-wrack and the like it is necessary to have
a heat of considerable intensity, and to obtain this powerful heat in a
O rapid manner we propose the following method:-A furnace of peculiar
construction is fed by three exhausters forming aerohydric blowers (of the
kind Patented by Mr. Testud de Beauregard,) in the year 1861, No.
3141, utilizing directly the active power or force of superheated steam.
When the furnace is lighted the superheated steam yields its oxygen in
5 order to support the combustion, while its hydrogen left by itself is
ignited and in consequence of the great speed with which it is projected
produces such an intense heat that the sea-wrack or other plant is almost

page_text: instantaneously carbonized. The incineration takes place below the grate
bars in a space left free for the purpose.
At the top of the furnace is a funnel terminated by a spacious
conduit in which one or more exhausters create a sufficient draught to
first draw and then expel the products of combustion which become cool
and condense by passing over long liquid surfaces. The size of the con-
duit is diminished in section in relation to the space occupied by the
heated gases, and proportionately as the cooling takes place. In this
case the water of condensation which has just been mentioned acts not
only as refrigerating material, but with salts added to it will also act by
affinity by combining with the salts it is desired to retain such as the
alkaline iodides of sodium and potassium. The fixed gases produced
by combustion escape through an exit provided for them.

page_text: hollow metal grate separating the incinerating chamber H from the
receiver of the products of combustion E; I is the exit for the products
of the incineration.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-The receiver E is heated
for a certain time and then filled with sea-wrack which rapidly car-
bonizes under the enormous heat of powerful jets of inflamed hydrogen,
and fall by their weight into the incinerating chamber H, which is main-
tained at the temperature necessary for the agglomeration of the soda;
the operation is continuous.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,—
First. Our improved process of incinerating sea-wrack, seaweed, and
other marine plants, as herein-before described.
Secondly. The special construction and arrangement of furnace, as
herein-before described and shown in the accompanying Drawing in
which the incineration of seaweed and other marine plants is effected.
Thirdly. The employment of the "Testud de Beauregard" acrohydric
blowers to the incineration of seaweed and other marine plants in
combination with the special furnace and process, as herein-before
described, whereby we are enabled to produce the hydrogen necessary for
obtaining the intense heat required, and the strong draught or exhaust
enabling the valuable products to be collected, and the vapours and
smokes expelled.
In witness whereof, we, the said Amédée Collet and Paul de
Lavillasse, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighth
day of June, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
C. H. ARMENGAUD,
AMEDEE COLLET.
(L.S.)
PAUL DE LAVILLASSE. (L.S.)
Civil Engineer,
Boulevard de Strasbourg,
No. 23, à Paris.