Process of and Means for the Utilisation of Household and similar Waste.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Process of and Means for the Utilisation of Household and similar
Waste.
I, ROBERT SCHLEICHER, of 79, Bayenstrasse, Cologne-on-the-Rhine, in the
German Empire, 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:―
The processes used hitherto for the utilisation of house-hold and similar waste
have been attempts to extract the fat therefrom, or to disinfect it so as to use it
as manure. Benzine vapours have been used to extract the fatty matter from
waste, and steam has been used to disinfect such waste. The treatment by
benzine vapours can of course be only used where the waste contains a sufficient
amount of fat, but it is of no use where fat is not contained by the waste in
paying quantities. The treatment by steam has the disadvantage to effect only
a partial disinfection of the waste.
Now, this invention relates to a process to render such waste entirely free
from germs, so that it will be of real value as a manure; which cannot be said
to be the case with waste treated with steam, because such treatment does not
render the waste permanently free from smell etc.
The object of this invention is attained by the preliminary treatment of the
waste with vapours under pressure of benzine or ether, and subsequently treat-
ment by steam; and experiments have shown that the waste becomes thereby a
product which is free from gums and permanently devoid of smell.
By the preliminary treatment the bacteria, surrounded by fatty substances, is
exposed and killed or at least the vitality thereof is greatly decreased. The
subsequent action of steam, which may be superheated, is effective because the
steam is able to come into contact with the atoms of the waste, because of the pre-
vious treatment with benzine vapour, in consequence the rest of the bacteria is
completely destroyed, and the resulting product is permanently free from germs
and devoid of smell.
The accompanying drawing illustrates an apparatus by which the process may
be carried out.
The waste, without having been sorted or otherwise treated is fed from the
car direct into a receptacle A through a man hole B, which latter is closed air-
tight when the receptacle has been completely filled. Then benzine, ether or
other equivalent liquid is pumped through pipes e by means of a pump S.
When the waste has been inoistened with the benzine or other similar liquid,
the pump S is stopped and the pipe g connecting the apparatus A with the con-
denser is closed so that steam at a pressure of about four atmospheres can pass
through the sinuous tube H (which is situated below a perforated bottom and
ends in an exit pipe J) in order to cause the benzine or similar liquid to vola-
tilize. The benzine vapour now permeates intimately and acts on the contents
of the receptacle A. After about ten minutes the pipe is reopened by means
of a tap R. The benzine vapour now passes through the pipe g into the sinuous

page_text: tube K which is cooled by the uninterrupted admission and escape of cold
water. The benzine vapours now become condensed and flow into the collecting
basin L below the condenser, from which they are taken by the pump when
required and pumped again into the apparatus in the manner described. When
this treatment has been repeated a suitable number of times, the condensed
benzine vapours are collected, the pumping of benzine into the apparatus is not
repeated, and direct steam of a pressure of about four atmospheres is passed
through the cock M and the apparatus for some hours, and condensed in the
condenser. When after a time, a sample of the condensed water drawn from
the tap n shows still traces of benzine, the cock R is closed and the steam pres-
sure in the apparatus is raised to about 4 atmospheres, under which pressure
it is allowed to remain for some minutes. The cock R is then opened again
and steam passed through the apparatus a little longer until the product has
no trace of benzine. The two cocks H, M, for the passage of the indirect and
direct steam are then closed, the two manholes O, P, are opened for the discharge
of the perfectly disinfected product which is devoid of smell, dry, free from
germs, free of dust, and in proper chemical condition. The discharge takes
place on to a jigging sieve, through which the product suitable for manure
passes, while the metallic waste earthenware, rags, paper; &c., remain on the
sieve and can be removed by an operative without any danger to health, and
sorted for suitable purposes.
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 is:
-
A process to render suitable waste such as house refuse a product free from
germs permanently devoid of smell and suitable for munuring purposes by pre-
liminary treatment with benzine, ether, or similar vapours under pressure and
subsequent treatment by superheated or other steam under pressure, substan-
tially as described.
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