Improvements in Analysing Columns.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1881
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 9th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Analysing Columns.
I JULES ALBERT BERLY Civil and Electrical Engineer of 43 London Wall,
London E.C. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for object the construction of an analysing column which may
be arranged in a variety of manners according to the various purposes to which it
is applied and for which it is capable of application; but, whatever the arrange-
ment adopted the fragment or tubular section which constitutes the essential part
of the apparatus and the object of which is to considerably increase the active
heating or cooling surface of the said section is always present.
In one of the arrangements, each fragment or tubular section is entirely contained
in a dish filled with a refrigerating liquid. The said liquid which is cold in the
topmost dish, falls through plunging pipes from dish to dish until it reaches the
bottom one after having been gradually treated in its descent through the column.
The vapours internally circulating in a direction opposite to that of the liquid
the result is a great intensity of exchange and a perfect methodicity.
This arrangement is perfectly suitable for the rectification of the products of
distillation and particularly in this respect that it allows of a perfect regulation of
the final composition or the richuess according to the consumption, always easy
of control, of the refrigerating water. It is always suitable for great many other
operations such for example as the dessicating of liquid ammonia.
The refrigerating liquid may be one that requires heating as for example the
clear liquids the temperature of which it is desirable, if not necessary, to raise
before their introduction into the distilling apparatus.
We also construct a combination apparatus composed of an analysing column
placed on the top of an ordinary distilling column. This apparatus is applicable to
a variety of purposes amongst which, for example, the dissociation of volatile
ammoniacal salts, carbonate and hydric sulphide of ammonia in dissolution in gas
waters or others, and the classification, this separation of dissociated gases less
soluble than ammonia.
This last specimen of analysing column is no other than the preceeding one
combined with an equal number of enveloping sections the stirring diaphragms of
which are immersed in the liquid of the external dish of the central tubular section
so as to form two complete concentric columns.
In the analysing column all the central tubular sections are heating-enrichers,―
all the enveloping ones are heated-dissociaters. In the lower distilling column all
the sections are distilling columns.
If in an apparatus so combined cold gas ammoniacal waters are introduced in a
continuous fashion from the top supply pipe and steam from the bottom one, the
water falls, by being successively displaced, through the series of enveloping
Bections and is progressively heated through its contact with the central tubular
sections at the interior of which the mixture of gas and steam (products of the
distillation of the lower column) rise and condenses therefore becoming enriched.
The dissociation takes place as fast as the ammoniacal water reach a suitable
temperature. CO and SH are liberated and rise stirring and washing into the
colder and colder water which continuously enters the apparatus, and find an exit
at the top. The dissociated ammonia remains dissolved in the water which on
reaching the lowest of the series of enveloping sections penetrates through a syphon
inside and at the top of the distilling column.
It continues falling through the distilling column sections until it is evacuated
through a syphon in a state of spent water.

page_text: The analysing column placed at the top of an inobstructable stirred alkali
column (such as we have previously patented) produces an economy in chalk
equivalent to the dissociated volatile acids.
If the caustification of ammoniacal waters, with a view to the purification of gas
by ammonia is only intended it will be sufficient to gather the waters before their
introduction into the distilling columu and to. cool them by any of the known
processes before sending them to the washers.
The supply of heating steam is, in this case, effected as before.
Similar operations, made in the same apparatus upon liquids such as alcoolic
worts or hydrocarbon (such containing various mixed gases, dissolved or combined)
would enable to carry out the separation and classification of the said liquids, to be
extracted out of each of the enveloping dishes of the analysing column.
The analysing column, object of this Patent, may become a distilling.column
capable of treating in conditions as simple as novel liquids composed of multiple
products of varying vaporizing points. In this case, the heating agent introduced
in the apparatus at its lowest parts, instead of baing exclusively constituted by the
vapours of one of the portions of the liquid to be distilled may be either totally or
partially water steam or any other vapour.
The vapours generated by the action of the heat in the liquid to be treated
should be extracted at various heights of the external column, such heights
depending upon the number of elements to be separated and their vaporizing
points.
London ATL T..1: 1001
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Analysing Columns.
JULES ALBERT BERLY Electrical and Civil Engineer of 43 Loudon Wall
London EC. (communicated from abroad by Paul Alfred Mallet and Tiburce
Albert Pagniez, both of 52 Boulevard de la Villette Paris, France), do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to the construction of portions or segments of distilling
columns.devised in such a manner that a stirring action takes place at the periphery
or circumference, and the combination of such segments so as to produce a variety
of apparatuses suitable for the purposes of industrial processes..
These segments vary in shape and details according to the results which it is
desired to obtain.
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn, by way of example, some columns
constructed according to this invention.
Fig. 1 shows, in sectional elevation, a distilling column the top or analysing part
of which is arranged so that the process of analysis which takes place at the interior
is intensified by the cooling, action of the ambient.air upon the external surfaces.
Fig. 2 shews, partly in elevation and partly in sectional elevation a distilling
column, the top or analysing part of which is arranged so as to be cooled by the
agency of a liquid circulating externally.
Fig. 3 shews, partly in elevation and partly in sectional elevation a distilling
column the top or analysing part of which is provided with external rings fitting
into each other so as to form an external and cylindrical envelope which is
concentrical with the internal analysing column..
"
Fig. 5 is a section through line o p of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the joint yr of Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 is a diagrametric illustration of the process of continuous and simultaneous
rectifying and distilling as hereafter described,
da

page_text: Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
As will be seen from the illustrations, each segment is composed of a tray W
having a concentric dish D divided into two compartments by means of a diametrical
partition K, and of a dipping pipe P.
The vertical walls of the inner concentric dishes D, as well as their diametrical
partition K are rising above the walls of the trays W.
Two apertures O. O' are cut through the walls of the innor dish D; they are
diametrically opposed to each other and at two different levels both of which are
below the top of the trays W.
It will be seen that the descending liquid falls, through the dipping pipes P.
P. P... from tray to tray that is to say from one segment into the one below
and so on, and follows the following course:
.
It is first discharged, by the dipping pipe P, at the bottom of that of the two
compartments of the inner dish D which is not provided with a dipping pipe'; the
liquid in this compartment, is still that is to say not emulsioned. The liquid,
rising until it reaches the level of the lower aperture O falls into the tray W in
which it rises until it reaches the level of the upper aperture O' when it overflows
into the other compartment of the central dish D and, finally, falls, through the
dipping pipe P, into the following segment in which it follows a course similar to
that which it has followed in the previous one as described.
This arrangement, causing an active circulation of the liquid at the periphery or
circumference, ensures a better diffusion of the bodies in course of treatment and,
at the same time, increases the intensity of the reaction in each segment.
An additional increase in the surfaces of exchange of heat is obtained by
connecting the tubular plates R. R' with a series of tubes TTT. (Figs. I.
2. 3. 4. 5.) as well as by the addition of the external trays W, W, W₁
(Figs. 2 & 3) in which the refrigerating liquid is made to circulate, externally to
the column and from segment to segment, through the agency of the dipping
pipes P, PP... situate at 180° from each other.
1
In Fig. 3, the external trays W, W, W₁. of the segments are enclosed
into rings or casings S. S. S. which fit into each other and constitute an
external, continuous and concentric envelope to the analysing column. The
diaphragms W, W, W₂ . . . . with which the said rings S. S. S. . . . are provided
further increase the stirring action at the periphery or circumference.
The activity of the surfaces of exchange of caloric may still be increased by
suitably partitioning or checking the trays and the tubular plates so as to compel
the refrigerating liquid to lick, on its journey, the whole of the said surfaces of
exchange of caloric.
In order to illustrate the advantages resulting from the arrangements herebefore
described, I will, by way of example, consider a few of the uses to which they can
be applied.
DISTILLATION OF GAS AMMONIACAL WATERS.
In an apparatus constructed on the principle illustrated Fig. 3, the ammoniacal
water, in either a cold state or after having been previously heated by the residual
waters discharged from the bottom distilling column enter at the top of the
enveloping column and, descending from section to section, or from seginent to
segment, gradually increase in temperature. The result of this methodical heating
is a continuous dissociation of the carbonate and hydric sulphide of ammonia.
CO, and SH, rise, bubbling all the way until they reach up to the level of the
inlet water. The dissociated ammonia remain dissolved in the water which passes
from the enveloping column into and at the top of the distilling column through
the syphon X (Fig. 3).
The aqueous products of the distillation, liberated from the distilling column,
rise in the enveloped analysing column, gradually becoming richer and abandoning
to the liquid of the enveloping column the dissociating heat which they require.

page_text: The following continuous process takes place :
1 The spent residual waters run out at the bottom of the distilling column.
2° The acid gases CO, and SH,, the result of the dissociation escape through
the top of the enveloping column.
30 Ammoniacal vapours, comparatively dry, nearly cold, and consequently very
rich in ammonia (the state of great causticity of which prevents any ultimate
crystallization of ammonium carbonate) flow from the top to the center of the
analysing column.
SIMULTANEOUS RECTIFYING AND DISTILLING HYDROCARBONS, ALOHOOL
MUSTS, AND SIMILAR PRODUCTS.
(H
A certain number of analyzing columns are arranged, cascade-like, as illustrated
at the top of Fig. 3, and diagrametrically represented Fig. 7.
The liquids to be treated first enter A, (Fig. 7.) and reach the distilling column D
after passing through A, and A3. The products of the distillation in column D are
analysed in aa; those of the distillation or dissociation of the enveloping column A,
are, analysed in a,, and so on.
The vapours, after leaving the analysers az α, α₁ (Fig. 7.) may be made to pass
through a retarding analysing column similar to that illustrated Fig. 2 instead of
being allowed to go directly through a condenser as indicated in the diagrametrical
figure No. 7.
.
}
Or, the said vapours, in D, A3, and A.,,, instead of being analysed in'α, a and ແງ
respectively may be caused to pass directly through an analyser such as the one
illustrated Fig. 3. in which case the enveloped segments a₁, a, a, are heated by
means of live steam.
It will readily be understood that no difficulty would be experienced in combining
groups from which could be collected, separately, the various inaterials contained
in the hydrocarbons,,alchool musts and other analogous liquids.
Having now particularly described' and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in wlint manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is':
1° The construction and use of distilling columns made of segments or rings in
which the active circulation or stirring effect Lakes place at the periphery or
circumference, such segments or rings being provided or not with horizontal
projecting teeth and being fitted with trays having a partitioned and indented
central concentric dish as herein before described and illustrated:
2° The construction and use of retrogressive or retarding analysing columns,
with perepheric or circumferential stirring or scouring and projecting or non
projecting teeth, indented central dishes, tubular plates connected by tubes, with or
without a partitioning or checking arrangement for the more complete circulation
of the refrigerating liquid within the external trays as described with reference to
the drawings.
3º The arrangements, and combinations, and grouping of the aforesaid segments
in order to obtain apparatuses such as those described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,
and 3 and in the diagrammetrical figure No. 7 and acting in the manner herein
described.