Improvements in or relating to the Separation of Solids from Liquids containing them.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Separation of Solids from Liquids
containing them.
I, ARTHUR Ross, Gentleman, of St. Clements, Carshalton Road, Sutton, in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as.
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the separation of solids from liquids
containing them, its object being the construction for this purpose of cheap and
simple apparatus which will operate continuously with a minimum of attention,
and which occupies but a small space in proportion to the amount of its output;
a feature of importance in connection with the working thereof is that the
separated solid is capable of very rapid ejection without necessitating manual
labour and with a smaller percentage of contained moisture than if it were.
obtained by filtration or precipitation processes such as have hitherto been in
vogue.
According to this invention the precipitation-chamber in which the precipi-
tation of the solid occurs is provided with one or more diapliragms or baffles, and
with inlet and outlet pipes, the former extending from a point near the surface
of the main body of liquid in which the solids are suspended in the vat, boiler
or other container, up to the chamber aforesaid, and the latter extending from
that chamber back into some lower portion of the vat or boiler, and serving to
deliver thereto the comparatively clear liquid exhaust from the chamber to the
vat.
At the upper portion of the chamber there is an exhaust cock for exhausting
air from the system, to start the operation of the apparatus, which is intended to
be completely filled, when in operation, with liquid; a pump or equivalent
device applied to this exhaust cock or applied if necessary to some other point
in the system and will effect the production of the required starting vacuum
therein to the lower portion of the chamber is connected a combined receiver
and ejector forming an important feature of the apparatus and hereinafter again
referred to.
Grids or strainers to keep exceptionally large particles out of the circulating.
system may be applied where necessary and it is desirable that in the rat, boiler
or container there should be a stationary or adjustable conical or other collector
to cause the flow from the vat or the like to the chamber to take place from the
surface liquid in the former, or from any other point from which it may be
desirable to draw.
In or applied to the vat or other main vessel there may be a mechanical agi-
tator or other means which will serve to keep its contents agitated and mixed,
and which may be utilised also to propel a current of liquid towards the col-
lector aforesaid, and aid in maintaining the circulation. If the liquid treated
be hot it will ordinarily be found that the difference of temperature between

page_text: the ascending current passing into the chamber and the descending current com-
ing out of it produces a difference of density in the two fluid columns sufficient
to ensure circulation at the rate desired, but this circulation may be accelerated
by a circulating pump or a jet of steam or liquid if necessary; either or both of
the circulating pipes may be jacketed with the same object.
It is found that the operation of precipitation may be influenced materially
by a suitable regulation of the temperature of the liquid within the chamber,
which latter therefore is jacketted and provided with the necessary connections
to enable circulation of a heating or cooling medium to be effected therein.
An important feature of this invention is the employment in connection with
the precipitation chamber of a combined receiver and ejector constituted by an
extension of or connection to the precipitation chamber, and provided at its
upper end with a valve which will serve to cut it off from communication with
the rest of the chamber when necessary and with a valve in connection with a
supply pipe for compressed air, and at its lower end with an outlet valve.
Normally the valve between the receiver and the precipitation chamber is
open, the other valves remaining closed; under these conditions the solids pre-
cipitated in the precipitation chamber descend into and accumulate in the
receiver; when a sufficient accumulation has occurred, the valve for isolating
the receiver is shut and the exhaust valve opened, air being then admitted on
to the upper part of the charge so that it is forced out through the exhaust
valve into a vessel placed in readiness to receive it. By closing the connection
between that part of the precipitation chamber which contains liquid, and the
lower or receiver portion in which the accumulation of solids occurs, the latter
can be discharged by the air under pressure without any considerable percen-
tage of liquid issuing with it.
Instead of ejecting the solid residue by means of compressed air, a piston may
be fitted in the receiver and be operated manually or by power to thrust out the
solid residue therein.
The receiver and ejector may be provided with a jacket so that its temperature
may if necessary be varied in the manner previously suggested with reference
to the precipitation chamber, and it may also be provided with a wash-out con-
nection if desired, and with such inspection openings or manholes as may be
necessary.
In certain cases wherein the presence of liquid in the discharged residue is
not objectionable, steam or water may be employed as the discharging agent.
Data tot 1...
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
İmprovements in or relating to the Separation of Solids from Liquids
containing them.
I, ARTHUR Ross, Gentleman, of St. Clements, Carshalton Road, Sutton, in
the County of Surrey, 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 relates to apparatus for the separation of solids from liquids
containing them, its object being the construction for this purpose of cheap and
simple apparatus which will operate continuously with a minimum of attention,
and which occupies but a small space in proportion to the amount of its output;

page_text: a feature of importance in connection with the working thereof is that the
separated solid is capable of very rapid ejection with a smaller percentage of
contained moisture than if it were obtained by filtration or precipitation prc-
cesses such as have hitherto been in vogue.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vertical central section of one construction of
apparatus according to this invention, forming a circulating separator.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of an alternative construction of a detail of
Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, of an alternative form of the com-
plete apparatus ;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a combined receiver and ejector which is
used in such apparatus as is illustrated in the preceding figures, and
Figure 5 is a view comprising a construction of combined receiver and ejector
alternative to that which is shown in the other figures.
Like reference-letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
With reference first to Figure 1, the precipitation or separation chamber A in
which the precipitation of the solid occurs, is provided with a cover A¹ from which
a baffle A3 extends downward into the chamber; there may be other baffles A²
within the chamber in positions such as are indicated in detail, Figure
cause the flow of liquid, hereinafter described, to pursue a zig-zag course in pass-
ing through the chamber.
to
To the lower portion of the chamber A is connected, by a connection or
neck A6 in which is a valve operated, by a screw A7, a combined receiver and
ejector B hereinafter again referred to. A vat C or a boiler or other container
is provided below the chamber A and is charged with the liquid to be treated,
for instance, mother-liquor containing pigment in suspension, or a dye, or solu-
tions containing fibres.
From a point in the body of liquid in the vat C a pipe D extends upward to
the upper portion of the precipitation-chamber A at one side of the latter, and
from the opposite side of the chamber a similar pipe E extends downward into
the lower portion of the vat C as shown. D) and E¹ are valves in the lower
portions of the pipes 1) and E respectively. The cover A¹ is provided with a
cock A3 and an exhaust pipe A+; it is also provided with an inlet pipe As..
When the apparatus is in operation the chamber A and the pipes D and E are
completely filled with liquid, the parts D A E being either charged from the
vat by drawing air out through the pipe A', whereupon the liquid will rise and
fill the parts D A E, or by closing the valves II and E, and charging the
parts D A E with the liquid through the inlet pipe A. If the vat C is a closed
one the parts D A and E might be charged by pumping liquid into it until it
rose into the chamber A, air being allowed to escape during this operation
through the cock A³.
When the apparatus is thus charged circulation is caused to occur in the
direction indicated by the arrows, and the solids are precipitated to the bottom
of the chamber A whence they descend into and fill the combined receiver and
ejector B.
In the vat C there is a conical funnel or collector 12 forming the mouth of
the pipe 1), and this may be provided with a float 13 which will keep it at such
a level that the flow from the vat C into the pipe D will take place from the
surface liquid in the former.
If the liquid in the vat C be heated it will ordinarily be found that the differ-
ence in temperature between the ascending current passing by way of the pipe D
into the chamber A, and the descending current coming from the chamber A
down the pipe E, produces a difference in the density of the two columns of
liquid sufficient to ensure circulation at the rate desired, but it is to be clearly
understood that this circulation may be set up or accelerated by any convenient
means; for instance, by a rotatable spindle C with blades C3 upon it serving

page_text: to keep the contents of the vat agitated and mixed, and to propel them in the
direction of the mouth of the pipe 1) or the circulation may be set up or accele-
rated by fluid pressure, or by a pump, or by an induction jet delivered into the
liquid in the apparatus.
The contents of the container C can be kept agitated by jets, say of air or
steam, delivered into them from a coil C, as in the modification illustrated in
Figure 3.
The circulation of liquid in the apparatus, and the operation of precipitation
or separation also, may be influenced materially by a suitable regulation of the
temperature of the various parts, which may be jacketted as for instance at A8,
Figure 1, which indicates a jacket upon the chamber A; other parts of Figure 1
are shown as having double walls, so that by the necessary pipe connections
(not shown in the drawings), a heating or cooling medium can be employed in
the space between them.
Grids or strainers to keep exceptionally large particles out of the circulating
system D A E may be applied where necessary.
With reference now to Figure 3, it is sometimes necessary that the liquid to be
treated should be kept cold throughout its treatment, or at a constant tem-
perature; in such a case apparatus of the kind illustrated in Figure 3 is employed.
In this, the pipe E, which withdraws the clearer solution from the chamber A
after precipitation has occurred in the latter, delivers into a vessel F distinct
from the vat C from which the pipe D draws. A syphon G having a valve G¹
is fitted to the vessel F so as to withdraw the contents of the latter at the rate
desired.
To produce a flow of liquid in the system D A E of Figure 3, the working
level in the vessel F is kept lower than that in the vat C by the withdrawal of
liquid from the vessel F through the syphon G, whereupon the system C D A EF
is also caused to act as a syphon, liquid flowing through it into the vessel Fat
a rate proportionate to the outflow through the syphon G.
The construction illustrated by Figure 3 is advantageous for the treatment
by washing or bleaching of material charged into the vat C, for the washing
liquid may be delivered into the vat C through a pipe C, agitated in the vat C,
and drawn off through the system D A E G, depositing on its way the solids in
the combined receiver and ejector B.
:
An important feature of this invention is the employment in connection with
the precipitation chambers A of the combined receivers and ejectors B, each of
which constitutes an extension of the precipitation chamber; the valve in the
connection A at the upper end of the receiver and ejector B serves to cut it off
from communication with the chamber A above it, when necessary.
Several constructions of the combined receiver and ejector B are shown in
the drawings; most of them are so made as to be readily removable from the
chamber A, for it is desirable that a series of them should be appropriated to
each of the chambers, individual members of the series being in succession filled
with solid precipitate, disconnected from the chambers A and taken away for
discharge, or for the further treatment of their contents, or to allow those con-
tents to dry before they are discharged.
The construction of combined receiver and ejector B illustrated in Figure 1,
is provided with a heating or cooling jacket 131, and with a valve or slide or cap
at 12 which is used to open and to close its lower end. At its upper end it has
studs or projections 133 arranged to enter bayonet-joint slots A formed in an
extension A10 of the connection A, which latter is secured as aforesaid to the
lower part of the chamber A; these studs 13 and slots A, or other convenient
devices, are employed to enable the combined receiver and ejector B to be
readily removed when full from the chamber A, and to enable a like receiver and
ejector to be rapidly substituted therefor, the valve operated by the screw A'
being closed for the short period required for the change. The full receiver
and ejector B can be coupled, with the aid of the studs B³ to an air or other

page_text: main from which air or liquid can be delivered to it to expel the contents past
the valve or slide at B2, or to wash or otherwise treat them. Or supply and
exhaust connections B B for liquid can be provided on each receiver.
The combined receiver and ejector B, shown in Figure 3 and to a larger scale
in Figure 4, is in two parts B6 B7 hinged together to form, when closed, a tubular
vessel capable of being opened, in the manner indicated by Figure 4, to expose
its contents to the air or to enable them to be readily removed. The flanges 138
are slotted at B to receive bolts by which the halves of the device (which can be
packed with rubber or other packing-strips) are kept close together.
The combined receiver and ejector, shown in Figure 5-is inclined, secured
to the chamber A, and provided at its upper end with a piston B10 which can be
used to eject, manually or by power, from the receiver, the material deposited
therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a circulating separator the combination with a precipitation chamber
of a fixed or removable extension thereof, and a valve between the chamber and
that extension for the purpose described.
2. In a circulating separator the combination with a precipitation chamber
of two or more removable extensions thereof and a valve at the junction of the
chamber and extension for the purpose described.
3. In a circulating separator the combination with a precipitation chamber of
a fixed or removable extension thereof a valve between the chamber and that
extension and means whereby a heating or cooling medium is applicable to the
whole or parts of the system for the purpose described.
4. In a circulating separator the combination with a precipitation chamber
of a fixed or removable extension thereof a valve between the chamber and that
extension and means for forcing or drawing through the system the liquid
treated.
5. In a circulating separator the employment of a syphon such as G in com-
bination with a circulation system such as CDA E F which also acts as a
syphon.
6. A combined receiver and ejector adapted for connection to a circulating
separator and provided with means whereby fluid or liquid under pressure may
be delivered to it for the purposes described.
7. A combined receiver which is adapted for connection to a circulating sepa-
rator and ejector which which can be opened to expose its contents for the pur-
poses described.
8. In a circulating separator a combined receiver and ejector provided with
a plunger or piston for the purpose described.
9. The complete circulating separator substantially as described and illus-
trated in Figure or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
10. In a circulating separator a receiver and ejector substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of December, 1899.
BOULT, WADE, & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.