Improvements in the Treatment of Sewage, Focal Matter, Foul Waters, or the like, for the Purification or Deodorizing thereof and the Obtainment of Products therefrom.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 17th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Sewage, Focal Matter, Foul
Waters, or the like, for the Purification or Deodorizing thereof
and the Obtainment of Products therefrom.
We, BENJAMIN NICHOLSON, of The Torrs, South Norwood, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, and THOMAS PALMER, B. Sc., of 85 Wool Exchange, in the
City of London, Analytical and Consulting Chemist, do hereby declare the nature
of this Invention to be as follows :—
This Invention has for its object to provide an economical and efficient process and
means or apparatus for treating sewage fecal matter foul waters or the like so as to
render them innocuous inodorous and incapable of undergoing secondary fermentation.
According to this Invention an absorbent material is taken such as slaked calcium
oxide (the slaking being preferably effected with just sufficient water to make a
tolerably stiff paste) and there is mixed therewith a material which acts as a carrier or
precipitant such for example as calcium sulphate, clay, sulphate of alumina or the like
to which is added some material or materials which will enable the proper incineration
of the precipitate or sludge to be effected, at the same time acting on the putrescible
bodies held in solution and causing them to be removed by absorption. For this
purpose such substances as powdered coke and sulphur are employed to which may
be added hydrated oxide of iron spongy iron or ordinary cast iron borings or turnings
mixed with a certain proportion of newly burnt wood ash peat or the like and
sulphur.
The slaked calcium oxide should be made and used immediately so that it is not
The mixture of these
allowed to become carbonated by absorbing carbonic acid.
several ingredients is added to the sewage which is then allowed to stand until
The effluent may then
coagulation takes place and a precipitate begins to form.
The sludge or
be separated by decantation filtration or in other suitable manner.
precipitated matter may be collected mixed with a further quantity of calcium oxide
slaked as before described and used over again as a precipitant-but in this case
it may be found necessary to add thereto certain proportions of the other materials.
The precipitate or sludge is then incinerated which may be effected by passing
it through a heating chamber or furnace the sludge mixed with the precipitating
media being fed on to a travelling carrier preferably made of metallic gauze. The
feeding can be effected by means of a feed box and spreader the metal gauze
carrier from thence passing through a suitably arranged furnace or heated chamber
which may fulfil the double office of a ventilator to the sewers and the incinerator
of the sludge. The fumes or gases evolved during the operation of incineration
can be made to pass over an extended surface such as coke for instance preferably
contained in a tower and having water trickling over it; the fumes or gases being
thereby condensed and the liquid can be collected for the recovery of the products.
The sludge may be incinerated by being fed or blown into a previously heated
chamber or it may be roasted in a revolving cylinder-or it may be spread along
or upon a suitably arranged fire clay bottom or series of shelves made of some other
good conductor of heat. We do not limit ourselves to any one particular way of
effecting the incineration.
The sludge mixed with the precipitating media may be heated in a closed chamber
and the constituents of such sludge be converted into sulphites-and they may
if desired be subsequently converted into sulphates by the addition of sulphuric
acid. Or the ash from the ordinary roasting process may be converted into sulphates,
the loss due to the lime (having become converted from the oxide into the
carbonate) being made up by the addition of fresh lime.

page_text: In this manner the incinerated ash from one operation may be used over and
over again the losses occasioned being made up by fresh additions of calcium oxide
some fresh coke and also sulphur to replace that volatilized and recovered in the
tower.
The lime in the ash being converted into sulphates gives too large a proportion of
calcium sulphate it is therefore not necessary to use the whole of the incinerated ash.
The coke in the tower (if such be used) may require renewal from time to time.
The removed coke may be used in the precipitation media for use as hereinbefore
described.
The effluent after separation as herein before described may be rendered thoroughly
innocuous if deemed desirable by adding thereto sulphur water from the tower with
or without the addition of mercuric bi-iodide brought into solution by any suitable
solvent thereof such as the iodide of potash or soda in this manner the prevention
of the formation of injurious germs and of secondary fermentation is ensured. Or
the effluent may be run through or down the towers. Or the gases formed from the
respective processes of burning the focal matter as well as their conversion into
sulphates may be passed into the effluent.
The SO, and SO, water may be concentrated oxidized and converted into sulphuric
acid.
The burnt residue after having served in the treatment may be mixed with salts
of iron copper chromium or other metallic salts or may be stirred merely with a
steel or metal rod without the addition of other salts and fused by which means a
coloured pigment varying in shade and colour at the desire of the operator may
be obtained such pigment being suitable for mixing with paints or it may be used
by itself.
The sludge when in a moist or wet condition may be rendered perfectly innocuous
by adding thereto dry newly burnt earth-or an antiseptic such as carbolic acid
sanitas or the like or bi-iodide of mercury.
Dated this 13th day of June 1889.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C. Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Sewage, Focal Matter, Foul
Waters, or the like' for the Purification or Deodorizing thereof
and the Obtainment of Products therefrom.
We BENJAMIN NICHOLSON of The Torrs South Norwood in the County of Surrey
Gentleman and THOMAS PALMER B. Sc. of 85 Wool Exchange in the City of London
Analytical and Consulting Chemist 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 to provide an economical and efficient process or
means for treating sewage fecal matter, foul waters or the like so as to render
them inocuous, inodorous and incapable of undergoing secondary fermentation.
According to this Invention an absorbent material is taken such as slaked calcium
oxide (the slaking being preferably effected with just sufficient water to make a
tolerably stiff paste) and there is mixed therewith a material which acts as a carrier
or precipitant, such for example as calcium sulphate, clay, sulphate of alumina, or
the like, to which is. added some material or materials which will enable the
proper incineration of the precipitate or sludge to be subsequently effected, at the
same time acting on the putrescible bodies held in solution and causing them to be
removed by absorption. For this purpose such substances as powdered coke and
sulphur are employed, (to which may be.added hydrated oxide of iron, spongy iron
or ordinary cast iron borings or turnings, mixed with a certain proportion of newly
burnt wood ash peat or the like and sulphur) preferably in a quantity of about

page_text: one sixth part the weight of the combined weights of the calcium oxide (before slaking)
and the calcium sulphate or the like.
The slaked calcium oxide should be made and used immediately so that it is not
allowed to become carbonated by absorbing carbonic acid from the atmosphere. The
mixture of these several ingredients is added to the sewage which is then allowed to
stand until coagulation takes place and a precipitate begins to form which usually.
takes place in about two or three minutes. The effluent may then be separated. by
decantation, filtration or in other suitable manner.
The sludge or precipitated matter may be collected, mixed with a further quantity
of calcium oxide slaked as before described and used over again as a precipitant-
but in this case it may be found necessary to add thereto certain proportions of the
other materials herein before named.
The precipitate or sludge is then incinerated or burnt in a furnace which may
fulfil the double office of a ventilator to the sewers and the incinerator or burner of
the sludge. The fumes or gases evolved during the operation of incineration or
burning can be made to pass over an extended surface such as coke for instance
preferably contained in a tower and having water trickling down over it the fumes
or gases being thereby condensed and the liquid can be collected for the recovery of
the products.
The sludge may be incinerated by being fed or blown into a chamber previously
heated to such a degree as to effect the incineration or it may be roasted in a
revolving cylinder, or it may be spread along or upon a suitably arranged fire clay
bottom or series of shelves made of some other good conductor of heat. We do
not limit ourselves to any one particular way of effecting the incineration.
The sludge mixed with the precipitating media may be heated in a closed chamber
and the constituents of such sludge be converted into sulphites, and they may if
desired be subsequently converted into sulphates by the addition of sulphuric acid.
Or the ash from the ordinary roasting process may be converted into sulphates, the
loss due to the lime (having become converted from the oxide into the carbonate)
being made up by the addition of fresh lime.
In this manner the incinerated ash from one operation may be used over and over
again the losses occasioned being made up by fresh additions of calcium oxide, some
fresh coke and also sulphur to replace that volatilized and recovered in the tower.
The lime in the ash being converted into sulphates gives too large a proportion
of calcium sulphate it is therefore not necessary to use the whole of the incinerated
ash.
The coke in the tower (if such be used) may require renewal from time to time.
The removed coke may be used as the precipitation media as herein before described.
The effluent after separation as hereinbefore described may be rendered thoroughly
inocuous if deemed desirable by adding thereto sulphur water from the tower with
or without the addition of mercuric bi-iodide brought into solution by any suitable
solvent thereof such as the iodide of potash or soda in this manner the prevention of
the formation of injurious germs, and of secondary fermentation is ensured. Or
the effluent may be run through or down the towers. Or the gases formed from the
respective processes of incinerating or burning the focal matter as well as their
conversion into sulphates may be passed into the effluent.
The SO, and SO, water may be concentrated oxidized and converted into
sulphuric acid.
The burnt residue after having served in the treatment may be mixed with salts
of iron copper chromium or other metallic salts or may be stirred merely with a
steel or metal rod without the addition of other salts and fused by which means a
coloured pigment varying in shade and colour at the desire of the operator may be
obtained such pigment being suitable for mixing with paints or it may be used by
itself.
The sludge when in a moist or wet condition may be rendered perfectly inocuous
by adding thereto dry newly burnt earth or an antiseptic such as carbolic acid sanitas
or the like or bi-iodide of mercury.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the Dure of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The treatment of sewage fecal matter foul waters or the like in the manner
and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
.
2. The treatment of sewage foecal matter foul waters or the like by adding thereto
a carrier or precipitant and an incinerating material and then subjecting the
mixture to an incinerating or burning process substantially as herein before
described.
3. The obtainment of a material suitable for use in making paints or the like by
treating sewage foocal matter foul waters or the like as described and employing
the residue as hereinbefore described.
4. Treating sewage focal matter foul waters or the like as described and then
subjecting the effluent to a process to render it innocuous as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 19th dor of Anal 1800
B. NICHOLSON.
THOS. PALMER, B. Sc.