of Matter Mechanically Suspended in Liquids.
Year: 1885

page_text: of Matter Mechanically Suspended in Liquids.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of 3 Vernon Chambers, Southampton Row, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CHEMICAL PRECIPITATION, AND
SEPARATION OF MATTER MECHANICALLY SUSPENDED IN LIQUIDS, to be as follows:-
IN THE
My invention relates to Chemical Precipitation, and to the Separation of Matter
mechanically suspended in liquids: and it has for its object the facilitating of
such operations, and the saving of time by hastening the same. In many chemical
and industrial operations the formation of the precipitate takes place very slowly
and gradually under ordinary conditions; and when formed it takes a long time to
settle. Flocculent precipitates and matter of a more or less gelatinous or viscid
nature frequently remain suspended in a liquid for a long period before settling at
the bottom of the containing vessel.
In carrying my invention into effect I pass through the liquid in which the forma
tion of a precipitate is taking place, or in which matter is already mechanically
suspended, electricity of the kind known as statical electricity. This statical
electricity may be generated by a frictional electric machine, continuous electro-
phoros, convection induction machine, influence machine, or other form of electro-
static generator.
I may pass such electricity into or through the liquid, or charge it, by immersing
in the same two plates or series of plates of platinum, carbon or other suitable
conducting material, which may be roughened or studded with projections to
facilitate discharge or lessen polarisation. One of these plates, or series of plates,
may be connected to one pole, terminal or element of the electrostatic generator,
and the other plate, or series of plates, to the other pole, terminal or element.
Or I may connect the liquid by means of a conductor with one pole of the electro-
static generator, and suspend over the surface of the liquid a conductor, which if
desired may terminate in a plate, ring or other shaped mass of conducting material,
studded or not with projections, and connected with the other pole, terminal or
element of the said electrostatic generator, so that electric discharge may take
place between it and the liquid. When desired may interpose condensers in the
circuit: and I may also interpose interrupters or apparatus for rapidly making and
breaking the circuit.

page_text: During the operation of precipitation or formation of a precipitate I may submit
the liquid to the action of heat, light or mechanical agitation, simultaneously or
alternately with the action of statical electricity as herein before described: and
during the settling of mechanically suspended matter I may subject the containing
liquid to the action of light simultaneously or alternately with such electrical
action.
Instead of employing a separate electrostatic generator, I may make the vessel
containing the liquid in which the formation of a precipitate is to be brought about,
itself fulfil the function of a part or element of a frictional electric machine; and I
may make it correspond either to the rubbed part or element, or to the rubber or.
rubbing element: and it may constitute either the moving or the fixed element, or both
elements may move or revolve. For the purpose mentioned the vessel may be
formed of suitable insulating material, or of conducting material suitably insulated,
and the other element may also be suitably insulated. The connection between the
vessel and the liquid it contains will be throughout the surface of contact between
them, whilst the other element may be in connection with a conductor dipping into
the liquid, or suspended over its surface, and terminating or not in a plate with
projections.
As the level of the liquid, in the case where the containing vessel revolves, will
vary at different parts of its surface, with the speed of rotation, I may adopt
suitable means for keeping the speed constant, or for maintaining the distance
between the level of the liquid and the discharge plate suspended over it constant,
however much the speed of rotation may vary; and I may effect this automatically
or otherwise.
'

page_text: .
of Matter Mechanically Suspended in Liquids.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, formerly
of 3 Vernon Chambers, Southampton Row, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
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 :-
My invention relates to Chemical Precipitation, and to the separation of matter
mechanically suspended in liquids. In many chemical and industrial operations
the formation of the precipitate takes place very slowly and gradually, and when
formed it frequently takes a long time to settle. Flocculent precipitates and
matter of a gelatinous or viscid nature and matter whose specific gravity is about
the same as that of the liquid in which it is suspended takes as a rule a very long
time to settle. The object of my invention is to facilitate and hasten the
formation, segregation and separation of precipitates; and also to hasten the
segregation and separation of matter already suspended in liquids.
In carrying my invention into effect I pass through the liquid in which the
formation of a precipitate has taken or is taking place, or in which matter is
already mechanically suspended, electricity of the kind known as statical electricity.
To produce this statical electricity I employ any convenient form of electrostatic
generator: I find a Wimshurst Influence Machine convenient for my purpose.
I charge the liquid, or pass the electricity into or through it, by immersing in it
two plates or other shaped masses of platinum, carbon or other suitable conducting
material; and these I prefer to roughen or stud with projections. I connect one
of these plates or masses to one pole, terminal or element of the electrostatio
generator, and the other plate or mass to the other pole, terminal or element. Or
instead of immersing both plates or masses in the liquid I sometimes only immerse
one of them therein, or otherwise place the liquid in electrical connection with one
pole, terminal or element of the electrostatic generator (as for example through the
intermediary of the containing vessel or part thereof, such vessel or part thereof
being in this case of conducting material), and the other plate or mass I suspend
over the surface of the liquid so that electrical discharge may take place between
it and the liquid. Sometimes I suspend both of the plates or masses over the
surface of the liquid, and in this case suspend them so that they are each nearer
to the liquid than they are to one another. In the cases where I suspend one or
more plates or other shaped masses over the surface of the liquid I prefer to
furnish such with projections or discharging points pointing in the direction of the
liquid.
I generally find it desirable to interpose a condenser in the circuit of the
electrostatic generator.
I have tried high tension currents transformed to such by means of induction
coils and so called secondary generators, and employing continuous interrupted
currents and alternating currents, and with or without condensers, but the supply

page_text: of electricity of sufficiently bigh tension thus obtained is so small and so costly as
compared with that furnished by an electrostatic generator that I do not consider
the plan as of any value.
During the formation of a precipitate I sometimes submit the liquid to the
action of heat or of light or of mechanical agitation simultaneously or alternately
with the action of statical electricity.
The action of my apparatus is as follows. When a precipitate is forming in a
liquid or solution the charging of the said liquid or solution by the passing into or
through the same of statical electricity causes the formation of the precipitate to
take place more quickly; and when the precipitate is formed, it causes it to
Begregate or cluster together, as it were, and separate from the liquid either by
settling at the bottom or at the surface of the liquid, or in some cases around or
upon one of the conductors when such is immersed in the liquid. Similarly matter
already suspended in a liquid is caused to segregate and separate in the same way
as a precipitate after formation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In apparatus for hastening or facilitating chemical precipitation or for the
separation of matter mechanically suspended in liquids the use of an electrostatic
generator substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The method of hastening or facilitating the formation of a precipitate by
charging by means of statical electricity the liquid in which the precipitate is
being formed substantially as described.
3. The method of hastening or facilitating the segregation and separation of a
precipitate or other matter mechanically suspended in a liquid by charging the
said liquid by means of statical electricity substantially as described.
4. The method of hastening or facilitating the formation of a precipitate by
submitting the liquid in which the precipitate is forming to the action of heat or of
light or of mechanical agitation simultaneously or alternately with the action of
statical electricity substantially as described.