AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION FROM LIGNITE AND ANALOGOUS SUBSTANCES OF A SPECIES OF CARBON, DYES, PIGMENTS, LIQUID AND SOLID HYDRO-CARBONS, DEODORANTS AND OTHER PRODUCTS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Wright Gatehouse at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1883.
JAMES WRIGHT GATEHOUSE of the City of Bath, Analytical Chemist AN
IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION FROM LIGNITE AND ANALOGOUS
SUBSTANCES OF A SPECIES OF CARBON, DYES, PIGMENTS, LIQUID AND SOLID
HYDRO-CARBONS, DEODORANTS AND OTHER PRODUCTS."
This invention relates to the production from lignite and analogous substances
such as brown or wood coal and the like, of a species of carbon which I term carbo
silicium or carbosil, paraffin in a solid form together with pigments, dyes, deodorants'
disinfectants, sulphate of ammonia and other products.
In carrying out iny invention I place the lignite or other analogous substance in
tanks containing a solution of soluble silicate or a mixture of clay or other
siliceous earths in fine powder or as a slurry either alone or combined with from
one to twenty per cent of soda ash according to the amount of silicia naturally
present in the lignite.
The lignite is allowed to remain in these tanks till it is found to contain from 10
to 30 per cent of siliceous matter and is then submitted to distillation at a dull red
heat in a retort until gaseous products cease to be evolved.
The gaseous products pass off to a suitable receiver where they are treated as
will be hereafter described.
When the distillation is completed the residuum which will be the carbosilicium
is removed from the retort and thrown into pits tanks or other receptacles where
it is left to cool under cover.
When cool the carbosilicium is granulated or ground to powder according to the
purpose for which it is to be used. The gaseous products which consist chiefly of
hydro-carbons ammonia, acetic acid, carbolic acid and water, are passed to a suitable
receiver containing dilute sulphuric acid of a strength varying from ten to twenty
per cent. Upon contact with the sulphuric acid certain of the gaseous products
are arrested and combining therewith form sulphate of aminonia and certain
coloring matters in solution; and also cause a deposit of crude paraffin in a solid
state.

page_text: The remaining gaseous products I cause to pass through a series of tubes to a
second receiver. The tubes are surrounded by cold water which serves to partly
condense the gases as they pass through whereby a mixture of solid hydrocarbons
which I term grease is caused to deposit in the tubes and second receiver.
grease
This
I afterwards submit to fractional distillation and obtain therefrom a
combustible liquid or naphtha, oils, paraffin, and allied solid hydrocarbons.
The remaining gases are then conveyed to the furnace to be burned to economize
fuel, but on their way are caused to pass through oxide of iron or other suitable
material which will extract any sulphur they may contain.
The liquor contained in the first receiver, which will now be boiling, is run off*
before the acid is entirely saturated with ammonia and is allowed to cool when the
crude paraffin may be removed in a solid cake, or the paraffin and liquid may be
separated from each other without previous cooling whilst the paraffin is still in the
molten state.
The liquor is then just neutralized with ammonia either with or without cooling
and is impregnated with chlorine gas after which it is allowed to stand until the
coloring matter or pigment has deposited. The supernatant liquid is then run off
and evaporated or otherwise treated in any well known manner to obtain the
ammonia sulphate. During such evaporation a further deposit of pigment occurs.
By evaporating the liquid contained with the grease in the second receiver I obtain
acetic and carbolic acids in such an admixture as to form after concentration a most
powerful disinfectant. The carbo-silicium may be pulverized in any convenient
manner and used for black paint as from its density and opacity it is quite equal
to bone and ivory blacks; or it may be calcined in open kilos or furnaces, and I
thus obtain a material which is also extremely valuable as a base in making
other paint, and it will be proof against acids and the injurious influences of a town
'atmosphere.
The oxidized or calcined carbo silicium also supplies a powder. for polishing metals
to a high degree of brightness. Carbosil is of great commercial value as partaking
largely of the nature and properties of animal charcoal and can be used for all
filtering and refining purposes to which that substance is applicable.
1.
It also forms an excellent deodorizer and disinfectant.
Ground to a fine powder it could be used in place of charcoal in making moulds
for iron and brass castings and it could also be advantageously utilized in the
manufacture of glass bottles.