IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATI FOR DISTILLING AND RECTIFYING GREASY BODIES."
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Pierre Nicolaï at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1878.
16
PIERRE NICOLAÏ, of No. 22, Rue de Trévise, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATI FOR DISTILLING AND RECTIFYING
GREASY BODIES."
It is usual in distilling to heat from below; the heat is imparted from the lowest
layers to the highest, and this communication produces the carbonization and
decomposition of the products in direct contact with the fire.
•
One of my improvements relates to the construction of a special furnace, the
fire-place of which may be either below or at the side, the heated gases only being
brought into contact by means of superposed flues. By this means the boiler is
protected from direct contact with the fire, and by means of registers or dampers
the heated gases may be directed at pleasure to such parts of the boiler as may be
deemed suitable. By this process the heaviest parts of the matters under treatment,
which have always a tendency to descend to the bottom of the boiler, are brought
to the surface when the registers are opened, so as to bring the heated gases to the
places were these heaviest parts are found.
The above simple statement of my mode of heating for distillation will suffice to
show the difference which exists between it and that hitherto employed.
Another improvement which I obtain by my novel distilling apparatus is that
the distillation may be stopped at any moment.
The arrangement of the boiler and of the interior of the rectifying apparatus form
the second part of my Invention.
I will now proceed to describe the arrangement and working of my improved
apparatus.
I introduce steam into the boiler through a pipe passing through the side and
descending nearly to the bottom, inside the boiler, where it is provided with a rose
or perforated plate. This steam is intended to serve from time to time as an
agitator between the heavy parts, and at the same time to quicken the distillation.
[Price 2dI

page_text: A pipe starting from the top of the boiler brings the gases produced by the fatty
matters introduced into the boiler through a funnel, or otherwise, into the first com-
partment of my improved rectifying apparatus, which may have two, three, or more
compartments; there the heavy parts condense, the lighter passing through a bent
tube from the top of the first compartment into the second where the same work of
condensation takes place, the gases passing thence in the same way to the third
compartment where a third operation of condensation takes place, and the surplus
gases still remaining are brought through a pipe to a worm where their final con-
densation takes place.
Each compartment of my improved rectifier is provided at the lower part with a
pipe leading to a refrigerator of any kind, and provided with suitable cocks.
The compartments of my rectifer are further provided with pipes, each furnished
with a cock, and all communicating with a pipe passing to the inside of the boiler
Dearly to the bottom, and through which the liquids not demed suitable are brought
back from each of the compartments into the boiler.