Improvements in the Treatment of Molasses or Syrup for the Purpose of Improving its Flavour.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1890]
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1891--Accepted, 16th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in the Treatment of Molasses or Syrup for the
Purpose of Improving its Flavour.
1 JAMES DUNCAN of Rawcliffe Bridge Selby in the County of York Sugar
Refiner do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention has for its object the treatment of molasses syrup or liquid sugar
for the purpose of improving its flavour as hereinafter described.
Molasses or syrup more especially the molasses of beet sugar as a rule contains
carbonate of potassium carbonate of sodium chloride of potassium and sulphate of
potassium and the disagreeable flavour which molasses has, appears to arise from
the presence of carbonate of potassium and chloride of potassium or acetate of lime
and chloride of calcium.
In order to remove this disagreeable flavour the molasses or syrups may be treated
with sulphate of alumina or sulphuric acid either alone or in combination. If after
this treatment the acid sugar solutions be neutralized the disagreeable taste will be
found remaining but may be removed if the acid mixture be diluted to 10° Beaumé
more or less and then be concentrated to about 29° or 30° Beaumé either in the
open air or in vacuuo or by passing by means of a blower air compressor jet or
otherwise a current of air or of carbonic acid gas or sulphurous acid gas through
the syrup which may be heated by a steam coil, the vapour coming off it will be
found to contain acetic acid and hydrochloric acid and the principal object is to
remove in this way as much of this acetic acid and hydrochloric acid as possible.
The syrup may be acidified with from about 1% to 6% more or less of commercial
sulphuric acid (a Korlings jet or similar blower being employed) until the molasses
become diluted to 10° Beaumé. More acid may then be added if thought advisable
and the liquid may then be concentrated either in vacuuo or in the open air or
better still by the air pan.
When the syrup is concentrated to about 30° Beaumé more or less lime or
carbonate of lime is added or instead thereof caustic soda and carbonate of lime
may be added until the liquid is completely neutralized. The liquid is then passed
through a Taylor filter or through a suitable filter press and thickened in vacuuo,
in the open air, or in an air pan, to about 43° Beaumé more or less. as desired
and 10% or 20% of sugar or glucose may be added to improve the taste.
When the molasses is diluted to about 10° Beaumé it may be passed over
charcoal to improve the colour, this could also be done when at about 30° but the
thinner the liquor is, the more readily it is acted upon.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Molasses or Syrup for the .
Purpose of Improving its Flavour.
I JAMES DUNCAN of Rawcliffe Bridge Selby in the County of York Sugar
Refiner 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:—
This invention has for its object the treatment, as hereinafter described, of molasses,
syrups or dissolved sugar for the purpose of improving their flavour.

page_text: lasses, or syrups, more especially the molasses or syrups of beetroot sugar
n as a rule, alkaline salts, and other impurities which give it an objectionable
L'. Among these salts the principal are the acetates, carbonates, chlorides,
itrates of potassium' and sodium.
order to remove this disagreeable flavour I first dilute the molasses or syrups
Beaumé or thereabouts and then add a quantity of sulphuric acid sufficient to
ce either partly or entirely the volatile acids present.
s impossible to precisely indicate the quantity of sulphuric acid required to
he best results as it will vary with the nature and amount of the impurities
t. I find however that the proportion varies from one to six parts by weight
mmercial sulphuric acid to 100 parts by weight of syrups or molasses.
e principal chemical reactions which occur when the diluted syrup is acted
by sulphuric acid are as follows-
(1) 2 (C₂HKO₂) + H₂SO₁ = 2 (C₂HO₂) + к₂SO
potassium
acetate
(2) I,CO + HSO,
potassium sulphuric carbonic
carbonate
(3) KNO3 + H₂SO
potassium sulphuric
nitrate
sulphuric
acid
acetic potassium
acid sulphate
=
CO, + H,O + I,SO,
water potassium
acid
acid
sulphate
=
HNO,
KHSO
nitric
hydrogen-
acid
potassium
sulphate
KHSO
hydrogen-
acid chloric
potassium
acid
sulphate
acid
=
(4) KCL + H₂SO HCL
potassium sulphuric hydro-
chloride
ext remove the volatile impurities which have been set free by the sulphuric
by concentrating the acidified liquid to 29° or 30° Beaumé either in an open
or in vacuo, and at the same time passing (by means of a blower, air com-
or, injection-jet or otherwise) a current of warm or cold air, carbonic acid gas,
phurous acid gas, through the solution which is heated by a steam jacket coil
any other well known manner.
e vapour given off in this operation will be found to contain acetic acid and
volatile impurities. The whole of the sulphuric acid may be added to the
ed molasses or syrups prior to the process of evaporation or it may be added in
ssive instalments during the process of concentration.
hen it is found that all the volatile impurities that can be removed have passed
e syrup is neutralized with lime, carbonate of lime, caustic soda or carbonate
la and filtered through Taylor filters or filter presses or equivalent apparatus
astly evaporated in the usual way to a density of 43° Beaumé or thereabouts.
he syrup may be passed through animal charcoal to improve its colour prior to
al concentration.
ving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
is:
e treatment of molasses, or syrups by first diluting them and then treating
with sulphuric acid and boiling passing a current of steam, air, carbonic acid
or sulphurous acid gas, through the liquid during the boiling substantially as
n before described.
Dated this 21st day of March 1891.
JAMES DUNCAN.