Improvements in Defecating or Purifying Saccharine Liquids, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Defecating or Purifying Saccharine Liquids, and
in Apparatus therefor.
I, JOHN NORMAN SPENCER WILLIAMS, of The London Road Iron Works,
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, 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,
that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object the defecating or purifying of saccharine
liquids in an improved, economical, and advantageous manner; and it consists
essentially in subjecting sugar-cane juice or other saccharine liquid in a com-
paratively dilute condition to a high temperature and corresponding pressure, and
in utilising such high temperature so as to produce rapid evaporation without
injury, in a special manner, with the result that impurities are precipitated and
rendered easily separable by filtration.
A suitable arrangement of apparatus for practically carrying out the invention
is shown on an accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, which are hereinafter,
referred to, Figure, 1, being a general diagrammic view of the combined apparatus,
Figure, 2, an enlarged vertical section of a part having a special construction, and
Figure, 3, a plan of a valve.
In carrying out the invention the juice or saccharine liquid is filled into tanks, A,
from which it is drawn through a pipe, B, and forced by steam pumps, C, through
a pipe, D, into a heat exchanger, E, which is internally like a surface condenser,
and in which the cold juice or liquid serves to condense steam or vapor produced as
hereinafter described and to take up and utilise the heat thereof. From the heat
exchanger, E, the juice or liquid passes by a pipe, G, to a larger heat exchanger or
boiler, H, in which it is highly heated by means of steam supplied by a pipe, J.
From the boiler, H, the juice or liquid under pressure produced by the pump, C,
and with the heat imparted to it by the boiler, H, passes through a pipe, K, to a
vessel, L, which is shown enlarged and in section in Figure, 2.
In the vessel, L, the juice or liquid reaching it by the pipe, K, enters through a
conical inlet valve, M, the spindle, N, of which passes out through a stuffing box
and has applied to it a strong helical spring, P, which is adjustable by means of a
handwheel, Q, screwed on the spindle. The juice or liquid does not pass the valve
until it has attained the pressure for which the spring, P, is adjusted, and then it
issues into the vessel, L, in a conical shower which is divided into numerous streams
in consequence of the edge of the valve, M, being notched or serrated as shown in
Figure, 3. The vessel, L, communicates by a pipe, R, with the condenser, E, and
there being consequently a partial vacuum in the vessel, L, a large and rapid
evaporation takes place from the shower of juice or liquid entering by the valve, M.
Baffle plates, S, are fixed across the vessel, L, to prevent the vapor formed pro-
ceeding too directly to the pipe, R, and carrying with it liquid in suspension.
The unevaporated juice or liquid collected in the bottom of the vessel, L, passes
through a trap bend, T, and pipe to filtering apparatus, U, of a usual kind, the
filtering process being facilitated and rendered very complete in consequence of the
action of the high pressure and temperature on the juice or liquid. From
the filtering apparatus the juice or liquid passes by a pipe, V, to the usual triple-
effet or other evaporating apparatus, W.
If preferred the condenser, E, may be dispensed with, and the vapor from the
vessel, L, may be discharged into the atmosphere, or it may be led into the

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The process for defecating or purifying saccharine liquids such as sugar-cane
juice, in which the juice or liquid is first subjected to considerable pressure and heat
and is next passed in a shower or spray into a vessel in which the pressure is atmo-
spheric or lower, the juice or liquid being subsequently filtered, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. The apparatus for effecting the process forming the subject matter of the first
claim, the said apparatus being constructed and arranged or combined substantially
as and for the purposes herein before described.
Dated this Twenty fifth day of Tul. 1902
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.