Improvements in the Manufacture Aeration of Aorated Water, Liquids. and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 26th day of April 1893, allowed,
under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an Amendment of this
Specification.
Date of Application, 10th May, 1892-Accepted, 11th June, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in the Manufacture Aeration of Aorated Water, Liquids.
and in Apparatus therefor.
I EDWARD KENWORTHY DUTTON of the firm of E. K. Dutton and Company
of Number 5 John Dalton Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Consulting Engineers and Fellows of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (communicated to me from abroad by Carl
Anton Schneible of 325 East 120 Street, New York, County and State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturer, and Joseph Schneible of
73 Division Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, aforesaid, Manufacturer,) and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings
Heretofore the charging and aerating of liquids with carbonic or other gas has
been effected by a more or less violent mixing of the gas with the liquid, as by
agitation of the liquid in a closed vessel with the gas, or by discharging the gas
under high pressure into the liquid, or by using the gas under high pressure in an
atomizing apparatus, or by forcing the mingled gas and liquid under high pressure
through a series of fine apertures or through a mechanical agitator, or by forcing
the liquid in the form of a fine spray into a receptacle filled with the gas and
subsequently fixing the mixture by agitation. It has also been suggested to cause
the gas to pass under high pressure through an ejector and thereby propel the
liquid through the pipes and at the same time charge it. Other processes more or
less analogous to some of the foregoing have also been used and in all of them a
greater or less degree of violence in the mixing has been considered essential.
Actual test of these methods, however, soon reveals their defects and shows that
they are at best only partially effective, the relative proportions of the gas and
liquid varying greatly and much gas being wasted. Moreover, some of these
proposed methods will be found to be wholly incapable of practical operation.
After many experiments and by most careful and oft repeated tests we have
discovered that vastly superior results may be secured by altogether avoiding
violence throughout the process of charging and by mixing the gas with the liquid
as quietly as possible. We have also found that it is necessary to maintain a
uniform pressure upon the liquid throughout the process of charging, that is, after
the introduction of the gas as well as before. Actual measurements show that by
the use of our process, as compared with the processes heretofore followed, a given
quantity of liquid under a given pressure will dissolve more gas and the same will
be retained by the liquid for a longer time and given off with less freedom when
the liquid is exposed to atmospheric air, apparently indicating a more intimate
union of the gas with the liquid. The further results are that there is no waste of
gas, either during the process of charging or subsequently thereto, and that the
foaming and frothing of liquids which are subject to such action, as beer, cider,
wine, etc., is entirely prevented during the process of charging.
The process which we have invented and which is designed to accomplish the

page_text: results mentioned and to provide for the continuous charging of any quantity of
liquid which may thereafter be withdrawn from the apparatus for storage or
transportation or any other purpose, consists essentially in allowing or causing the
liquid to be charged to flow continuously and quietly in a smooth and steady
stream, in introducing at a suitable point in the stream or current a steady and
quiet flow of gas in proportion to the amount of liquid, in making the pressure on
the gas and that on the liquid as nearly equal as possible at the point of mingling,
and in maintaining a constant and uniform pressure upon the combined gas and
liquid.
In our experiments made with the purpose of perfecting the process and the
apparatus employed in its practice we have found that the great difference in
density between the liquid and the gas renders necessary a difference between the
area of the orifice of the gas-supply pipe at the point where it is to be introduced
into the liquid and the area of the conduit of the liquid, and that the areas should
vary substantially as the densities of the gas and liquid.
We have also found that by regulating automatically the flow of the gas by the
pressure on the liquid we attain an important result, namely, the flow of both in
exactly such relative proportions that the greatest volume of gas which can be
absorbed under a given pressure is mingled with the liquid and is absorbed thereby
before it reaches the receiver.
In the accompanying drawing we have illustrated apparatus which we have found
to be well adapted for carrying our new process into effect, but while the apparatus
indicates the principles of our process we do not intend to limit ourselves to the
form shown, as many different arrangements might be used to put in practice the
process.
In general, the gas and the liquid to be charged are led from their respective
sources of supply, by independent pipes or conductors, to a pressure regulating
device adapted to maintain the proper relative pressure, and thence to the point
where the gas is to be introduced into the liquid. From this point a common
delivery pipe conducts the charged liquid to a receiver.
In the apparatus shown for illustration the liquid to be charged flows through a
pipe B, under the influence of gravity, from a supply tank or vessel A.
The gas-supply, which is shown as ordinary liquid carbonate containers C, is
connected with the pressure regulator either directly or by a branch which passes
through an expansion chamber as hereinafter described. The supply tank is placed
at such a height as to give to the liquid in the pipe a suitable pressure, and the
pressure on the gas is so regulated that at the point where it enters the moving
column of liquid it shall be substantially equal to the pressure on the liquid at that
point.
The pressure regulator which is employed to maintain the substantial balance or
proper relation between the pressure on the gas and that on the liquid, comprises
essentially a suitable casing which is divided by a suitable diaphragm D into two
chambers E and F, communicating respectively with the gas-supply and the liquid-
supply, and a valve operated by the diaphragm to control the flow of either the gas
or the liquid. We have shown the upper chamber as connected on one side,
through a pipe G, with the liquid-carbonate cylinders, and as connected on the
other side with a gas-delivery pipe H, and we have shown the valve for controlling
the delivery of the gas as consisting of a screw-plug K suitably seated opposite the
orifice of the pipe and connected through an arm and link with the diaphragm, to
be turned by the movement of the diaphragm, to open or close the orifice of the
pipe but the character of the gas-supply, of the connections and of the valve is
immaterial, it being essential merely that the gas shall be delivered to the regulator
under a proper degree of pressure. Likewise the character of the liquid-supply
and of its connections with the other chamber of the regulator is immaterial
provided a steady pressure is maintained either by gravity or by a force pump...
The liquid and gas-conducting pipes may be united by any convenient connection,
due allowance being made for the fact that the orifice through which the gas flows
5

page_text: should be reduced in size, with respect to the orifice through which the liquid flows,
in proportion to the relative densities of the gas and liquid. This relation of the
orifice we have found to be productive of the best results in striving to secure
mixture of the gas and liquid in exactly the proper proportion. When liquified
carbonic acid is used as the source of the gas, it is desirable to allow the expansion
to take place between the cylinder in which it is stored and the pressure regulator.
Ordinarily the expansion is allowed to take place in the cylinder itself. The intense
cold thus produced within the cylinder not infrequently causes a congelation of the
carbonic acid and a consequent stoppage of the operation. We therefore prefer to
extend the conducting tube to the bottom of the cylinder, as at c, or to invert the
cylinder so that the liquid itself is forced from the cylinder. The size of this tube
is kept uniform so that there shall be no expausion, until it is brought to a point
where it is desired that expansion shall take place. Here a suitable arrangement
of tubes, as at m, m, allows the liquid to expand into gas, and connection is made
to the regulator through tubes g and G. The delivery tube I is brought from the
point where the gas introduced into the liquid, and is led in close proximity to
the expansion tubes, so that the charged liquid therein contained may be subjected
to the reduced temperature, before leaving the delivery pipe. To facilitate the
cooling we prefer to enclose both the series of expansion tubes and the coil of
delivery tubes within a tank which may be filled with salt water or any other
suitable medium which, being cooled itself by contact with the expansion tube, will
the more rapidly absorb heat from the delivery tube.
Instead of allowing the pressure to be varied after the mixing of the gas we
maintain a constant and uniform pressure upon the liquid after the introduction of
the gas as well as before, and this we accomplish, in the apparatus shown, by making
both the supply-tank A and the receiver N as closed vessels and by connecting them
by the pipe P. Whatever pressure is then put upon the liquid in the pipe B the
same pressure will therefore be maintained upon the liquid after it is mingled with
the gas and the absorption and holding of the gas in the liquid will be facilitated
accordingly.
Before the process of charging is commenced an initial pressure is established
throughout the system of pipes and tanks. As this initial pressure is intended, not
to introduce gas into the liquid, but to operate merely as a cushion to fix gas already
in the liquid, it may be established in any convenient manner, either by gas or air
under pressure. The degree of this initial pressure varies according to the degree
to which the liquid is to be charged. The connection of the return-pipe P enables
this initial pressure to be maintained uniformly throughout the operation without
the use of relief valves and without requiring any further attention from the
operator. There being no access to the atmosphere while at the same time there
is free communication from the receiver to the supply tank, a perfect displacement
of the liquid and of the gas or air takes place without diminution of pressure or
waste of gas.
the
It is, of course, essential, in order that the liquid may flow into the receiver, that
pressure on the liquid before it reaches the receiver shall be greater than that
on the surface of the liquid in the receiver. The latter is of course the initial
pressure which is established before the process of charging is commenced while
the excess of the former is secured by elevating the supply-tank or by using a
pump. Accordingly, the pressure on the liquid at the point where the gas is
introduced is equal to the initial pressure plus the weight of the column of water
at that point and this total gives the degree of pressure which acts on the diaphragm
of the regulating valve.
In operating the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawing let it be
supposed that the supply tank A is filled with liquid to be charged by gas and that
all valves are closed. We start the operation by first opening the cylinder valves a,c,
and valve R, which allows the liquid carbonate to expand in the expansion chamber,
or by opening valve S which will conduct the gas directly to the pressure regulator.
Then by opening valve T we permit the pressure of the column of liquid in tank A

page_text: and in pipe B to act on the diaphragm D, thereby operating the mechanism of
valve K which allows the gas to flow into the upper part of the pressure regulator
until an equal pressure is established on both sides of diaphragm D. We now open
valve U and let the gas flow into the system through pipe u thereby augmenting
the pressure on surface of liquid and consequently on the lower side of the
diaphragm D until the proper initial pressure under which the liquid to be charged
is established, when valve U must be closed. Valves V, Y, may now be opened,
allowing the gas and liquid to mingle together at the point ✗, thence to flow through
pipe I where the mixture is fully fixed, into the receiver N.
The practice of our improvement in the art of aerating or charging liquids,
whether carried on by the apparatus described above or by any other suitable
apparatus, has always in view, as the immediate result to be attained, the avoidance
of all violent agitation, mechanically or otherwise, during the entire process and
the effecting of the first mixing of the gas with the liquid as quietly as possible.
To this end, therefore, we cause both the gas and liquid to flow continuously in
steady and quiet streams. It is important also to preserve a substantial balance
between the pressure on the gas and that on liquid, as any excess of pressure on the
gas would produce a corresponding agitation at the point of mingling of the gas and
liquid, and the existence of free gas which would be carried along into the receiver
without absorption.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
1. The improvement in the art of aerating or charging liquids with gas which
consists in producing a smooth and steady flow of the liquid under a uniform
pressure, producing a smooth and steady flow of the gas under a uniform pressure,
mingling the gas and liquid quietly and without agitation, and maintaining a
substantially uniform and equal pressure upon the liquid after the mingling of the
gas therewith.
2. The improvement in the art of charging liquids with gas which consists in
producing a smooth and steady flow of the liquid, under a uniform pressure,
producing a smooth and steady flow of the gas under a uniform pressure, mingling
the gas and liquid quietly and without agitation, and establishing free communication,
without access to the external air, between the surface of the charged liquid and the
supply of liquid to be charged.
3. An apparatus for charging liquids with gas comprising a liquid-supply tank, a
receiver, a pipe for conducting the liquid from the supply tank to the receiver,
means for introducing gas into the moving column of liquid in said pipe, means for
maintaining the pressure of the gas substantially equal to the pressure on the
liquid, and an independent pipe for establishing free communication between the
surface of the liquid in the receiving-tank and the liquid in the supply tank.
4. An apparatus for charging liquids with gas consisting of a gas-supply and a
liquid-supply, pipes for conducting the gas and liquid from the sources of supply
and connected to mix the gas and liquid, the gas-conducting pipe having at the point
of connection a contracted orifice through which the gas may flow into the liquid,
and a pressure regulator having a diaphragm acted upon by both the flowing gas
and the liquid before mixing and having a valve operated by said diaphragm to
control the flow of the gas.
Dated this 9th day of May 1892.
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester.