An Improved Process for Obtaining Dry Manure and Ammonia from Fæces or Fæcal Matter, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Obtaining Dry Manure and Ammonia from
Fæces or Fæcal Matter, and Apparatus therefor.
A communication by the Firm of WIRTH & Co., of 42 Hermannstrasse, Frankfort-
on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, Patent Agents.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6. Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 31, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In the processes hitherto employed for the treatment of fæcal matter, either the
ammonia was obtained by direct distillation, and the solid constituents were not
further utilised, or these latter were dried and the ammonia was left unutilised.
The only process for recovering both constituents consisted in treating with acid
the liquid matter before being dried, in order to fix the ammonia. The yield of
ammonia was however in this case deficient, although it was necessary to work
with an excess of acid which attacked the vessels.
This invention has for its object a process and apparatus for the simultaneous
recovery of both constituents by means of a continuous mode of treatment.
The process consists in the use and special arrangement of the series heating
process already employed for other objects, in which process the vapours from the
first heated matter serve for heating other quantities of material. Such process
cannot without alteration be utilised for evaporating liquid fecal matter for several
reasons. One of these is that the resulting ammonia is troublesome because it
necessitates special forms of construction of the vessels, but another and more
important reason is the frothing which takes place to so great an extent at each
evaporation of fæcal liquids that not only large quantities of liquid but also of
solid matter are carried off into the steam pipes and in a short time stop the latter
up, and contaminate the residual water. This froth must be again destroyed
mechanically at the places where it is formed.
In the improved process of this invention the fæcal matter is evaporated in
a boiler by means of steam heating at a high temperature and under constant
agitation. The vapour arising therefrom, in which the ammonia is also contained,
is freed from froth by vigorous beating, the separate froth bubbles being broken
and the slimy skin and solid matter which form them sinking back into the mass.
The vapour is then passed through a vessel containing sulphuric or other suitable
acid in order to retain the ammonia, and reaches a second vessel entirely similar
The mass
to the first heating vessel, in which it serves as heating medium.
previously treated in the first vessel is conveyed into this second vesse! by means
of the higher pressure which naturally exists in the former. This operation is
repeated once more, and then all the ammonia has been given off and the liquid
matter remaining has reached such a degree of concentration that it
yeyed actually by the pressure to which it is exposed in the last vessel directly
into an open apparatus for further drying in the usual inanner.
may
he con-
The vessel in which the vapour is treated with sulphuric acid must of course be
provided with a discharging apparatus in order to allow the sulphate of ammonia

page_text: formed to be removed continuously or from time to time. The residual water is so
pure that it may be run off into streams or rivers without further treatment.
An apparatus arranged on this improved system is shown in the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a section on the line of Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a section on the line
y y of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line z z of Figure 2.
Figures 4 and are two sections on a larger scale of a boiler with a froth
destroying apparatus.
The fecal matter enters at a into a preliminary heater A (which is preferably
heated by the waste vapour from the drying apparatus), and reaches the first
evaporating apparatus Bi by means of the pipe b. This apparatus B¹ is directly
'heated by steam from a boiler, and is further provided with an agitating or
stirring apparatus for preventing the setting of the drying substances. In this
"apparatus, steam and ammoniacal vapour is freely developed and a viscous
extremely voluminous froth is formed, which soon fills the whole vessel. This
froth is broken up by means of any suitable rapidly revolving device placed in the
upper part or dome of the evaporating vessel, the wings of this device beating
and thus destroying the separate bubbles of froth. For destroying the froth there
is shown in the drawing, a shaft d rapidly revolved by means of a belt pulley c¹
(Figure 3), on which shaft, wings or beaters e are attached, which cover the entire
area of the dome, traverse the froth, and by beating the same, destroy it. The
vapour thus purified then passes through a pipe f1 into the sulphuric acid con-
taining vessel D¹ in which the ammonia is retained and from which it is removed
from time to time. The steam now free from any admixture then passes into
the heating apparatus E3 of the evaporator B. A somewhat lower heat is thereby
obtained than in the first evaporator B', and therefore the pressure is less. It is
consequently possible to force the concentrated contents of the first evaporator by
means of the pressure existing therein, through the pipe ' into the second
evaporator. The waste steam from the first evaporator passes preferably to the
preliminary heater A. The third evaporator B is also operated in the same way,
and is the last of the series. This evaporator discharges, by reason of the pressure
existing in it, a very concentrated liquid mass through the pipe 98 into the drying
apparatus G, where its further treatment takes place by direct heat, currents of air,
or other suitable means. The ammonia is by this entirely removed so that open
vessels may be used. An apparatus for destroying the froth may if desired be
omitted in the last vessel. It may be preferable in some cases to recover the
ammonia first from the collected sewage water.
Figures 4 and 5 show the evaporating apparatus in which the vapour developed
first passes through a beating mechanism which is provided with bars, beaters or
the like organs, which occupy the whole width of the steam passage, so that the
steam or vapour must necessarily pass through them. The bubbles of froth are
then broken by encountering these bars. The device is more particularly shown
in combination with an evaporating apparatus with rotary heating pipes which also
serve as stirrers or agitators.
A is a boiler in which the steam pipes a arranged in the end pieces b rotate on
the spindles C, which also serve as the steam supply. The vapour rises with the
froth through the connecting piece F into the warm boiler B. A series of bars d
mounted on a shaft E to rapidly rotate is arranged in this boiler, the said
bars being held in end supports c c. The vapour or steam must pass between
these bars.
Dated this the 10th day of December 1894:

page_text: An Improved Process for Obtaining Dry Manure and Ammonia from
Fæces or Fæcal Matter, and Apparatus therefor.
A communication by the Firm of WIRTH & Co., of 42 Hermannstrasse, Frankfort-
on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, Patent Agents.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick, and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil 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 :-
In the processes hitherto employed for the treatment of fecal matter, either the
ammonia was obtained by direct distillation, and the solid constituents were not
further utilised, or these latter were dried and the ammonia was left unutilised.
The only process for recovering both constituents consisted in treating with acid
the liquid matter before being dried, in order to fix the ammonia. The yield of
ammonia was however in this case deficient, although it was necessary to work
with an excess of acid which attacked the vessels.
This invention has for its object a process and apparatus for the simultaneous
recovery of both constituents by means of a continuous mode of treatment.
The process consists in the use and special arrangement of the series heating
process already employed for other objects, in which process the vapours from the
first heated matter serve for heating other quantities of material. Such process
cannot without alteration be utilised for evaporating liquid fæcal matter for several
reasons. One of these is that the resulting ammonia is troublesome because it
necessitates special forms of construction of the vessels, but another and more
important reason is the frothing which takes place to so great an extent at each
evaporation of fecal liquids that not only large quantities of liquid but also of
solid matter are carried off into the steam pipes and in a short time stop the latter
up, and contaminate the residual water. This froth must be again destroyed
mechanically at the places where it is formed.
In the improved process of this invention the fecal matter is evaporated in a
boiler by means of steam heating at a high temperature and under constant agitation.
The vapour arising therefrom, in which the ammonia is also contained, is freed
from froth by vigorous beating, the separate froth bubbles being broken and
the slimy skin and solid matter which form them sinking back into the mass. The
vapour is then passed through a vessel containing sulphuric or other suitable acid
in order to retain the ammonia, and reaches a second vessel entirely similar to the
first heating vessel, in which it serves as heating medium. The mass previously
treated in the first vessel is conveyed into this second vessel by means of the
higher pressure which naturally exists in the former. This operation is repeated
once more, and then all the ammonia has been given off and the liquid matter
remaining has reached such a degree of concentration that it may be conveyed
actually by the pressure to which it is exposed in the last vessel directly into an
open apparatus for further drying in the usual manner.
The vessel in which the vapour is treated with sulphuric acid must of course
be provided with a discharging apparatus in order to allow the sulphate of
ammonia formed to be removed continuously or from time to time. The residual
water is so pure that it may be run off into streams or rivers without further
treatment.

page_text: accompanying the Frovisional Specification, in whicD,
Figure 1 is a section on the line xx of Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a section on the line yy of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line of Figure 2.
Figures 4 and 5i are two sections on. a larger scale, of a, boiler with, a froth
destroying apparatus..
The fæcal matter enters at a into a preliminary heater A (which is preferably
heated by the waste, vapour. from the drying apparatus), and reaches the first
evaporating apparatus B' (of which there are three or more. B1, B2, B³ each
containing a worm E'E' E') by means of the pipe b.. This apparatus B' is directly
heated by steam from a boiler which enters the worm E', and is further provided
with an agitating, or stirring apparatus for preventing the setting of the drying
substances.. In this apparatus, steam and ammoniacal vapour is freely developed
and a viscous extremely voluminous froth is formed, which soon fills the whole vessel..
This froth is. broken up. by means of any suitable rapidly revolving device placed
in the upper part or dome C¹ of the evaporating vessel, the wings of this, device
beating and thus destroying the separate bubbles of froth. For destroying the
froth there is shown in the drawing, a shaft d rapidly revolved by means of a belt
pulley (Figure 3) on which shaft wings or beaters e are attached which cover the
entire area of the dome traverse the froth, and by beating the same, destroy it.
Similar froth destroyers C1 C2 C³ are provided on each evaporator. The vapour
thus purified then passes through a pipe f' into the first sulphuric acid containing
vessel D' (of which there are three or more D', D2, D',) in which the ammonia is
retained and from which it is removed from time to time. The steam now free
from any admixture then passes into the heating apparatus E' of the evaporator B
A somewhat lower heat is thereby obtained than in the first evaporator B¹, and
therefore the pressure is less: It is consequently possible to force the concentrated
contents of the first evaporator by means of the pressure existing therein, through
the pipe gl into the second evaporator. The waste steam from the first evaporator
passes preferably to the preliminary heater A. The third evaporator B is also
operated in the same way, and is the last of the series. This evaporator discharges,
by reason of the pressure existing in it, a very concentrated liquid mass through
the pipe g³ into the drying apparatus G, where its further treatment takes place by
direct heat, currents of air, or other suitable means. The ammonia is by this
entirely removed so that open vessels may be used! An apparatus for destroying
the froth may if desired' be omitted in the last vessel. It may be preferable in
some cases to recover the animonia first from the collected sewage water.
Figures 4 and 5 show the evaporating apparatus in which the vapour developed
first passes through a beating mechanism which is provided with bars, beaters or
the like organs which occupy the whole width of the steam passage so that the
steam or vapour must necessarily pass through them. The bubbles of froth are
then broken by encountering these bars. The device is more particularly shown
in combination with an evaporating apparatus with rotary heating pipes which also
serve as stirrers or agitators:
A is a boiler in which the steam pipes a arranged in the end pieces b rotate on
the spindle C which also serve as the steam supply. The vapour rises with the
troth through the connecting piece F into the warın boiler B. A series of bars d
mounted on a shaft E to rapidly rotate is arranged in this boiler, the said bars being
held in end supports e c. The vapour or steam must pass between these bars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A continuous process for obtaining dry manure and ammonia from fæces or
fæcul matter consisting in heating the liquid mass under constant agitation in an
evaporator, carrying off the vapour arising therefrom for the purpose of heating

page_text: a second evaporator, breaking up the foam formed at the exit of the vapours
from the first evaporator and in conveying the concentrated mass from the first
evaporator into the second by means of the steam pressure substantially as
described.
2. In the process described in Claim 1, the separation of the ammonia from the
vapour between the two evaporators by means of sulphuric acid or other suitable
known means substantially as set forth.
3. In combination with the process described in Claims 1 and 2, the drying of
or pressure.
the fecal matter, reduced to the form of mud by means of air
substantially as set forth.
4. An apparatus for carrying out the process described in Claims 1, 2 and 3,
consisting of a series of steam heated boilers or evaporators provided with agitating
apparatus and containing in an upper part a froth breaker in rapid motion
substantially as described.
.
5. In an apparatus such as described in Claim 4, a froth breaker consisting of
rapidly rotating arms provided with beaters substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
6. The improved process and arrangement and combination of parts as a whole
forming an improved apparatus for obtaining dry manure and ammonia from
fæces or fæcal matter substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
e of Aos 1895
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.