New or Improved Process and Apparatus for Concreting Sugar or Crystallising Saline or other Solutions.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Process and Apparatus for Concreting Sugar or
Crystallising Saline or other Solutions.
A communication by JAMES AUGUSTINE MORRELL, Physician, of 610, Magazine
Street, and WILLIAM RITTENHOUSE STRINGFELLOW, Attorney and
Counsellor-at-Law, of 26, St. Charles Street, both in the City of New
Orleans and State of Louisiana, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM Phillips ThomPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool & 6 Bank Street
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster & 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 a process of, and apparatus for concreting sugar, or
crystallizing saline or other solutions, and the object in view is to economically
and quickly convert saccharine or saline solutions into a solid crystalline mass without
boiling.
With these and other ends in view, the first part of the invention consists broadly
in a process of crystallizing saccharine or saline solutions, consisting in subjecting
the mass to the action of a heated compressed current of air, which is forced
through and into intimate contact with said mass.
The invention further consists in a method of crystallizing saccharine or saline
solutions which comprises, first: mechanically agitating the solution to disintegrate
the watery matters from the residue; and secondly, subjecting the mass while in
such agitated condition to the action of a heated compressed current of air which
is forced through and in intimate contact with the mass.
The invention further consists in an apparatus for carrying the foregoing process
into effect, comprising a vertical tube or column at its lower end to receive the
heated compressed current of air, and open at its upper expanded end to permit
of the free egress of the air after the same passes through the solution contained
within said tube or column, a suitable supply tank, an inclosing steam jacket for
the tube or column, an agitator shaft extending longitudinally through the column,
and having bludes arranged to separate the watery particles from the mass by
centrifugal action, an air supply pipe, and a heating mechanism to raise the
temperature of the air to a degree below the boiling point of the solution in the
column or stand.
The invention further consists in the novel combination of devices, and con-
struction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.
The apparatus is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part
cf this Specification, and in which :—
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the upright column or
tube and the parts associated therewith.
Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged detail views of one of the agitator blades, in plan and
and side elevation, respectively, also showing a part of the agitator shaft and
the tube.
Fig. 4 is a cross section through the lower part of the concretor above legs or
standards thereof, and :-
Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the air heater.
Referring by letter to said drawings
A indicates a vertical-column or stand-pipe, which is preferably made of copper,
and around this column is arranged a concentric steam jacket B, which is closed at
its unner and lower ends and which tightly encircles the column or stand-pipe.

page_text: The jacket and column form part of the convertor, which is supported or mounted
upon a suitable base or the legs a, a, and between the legs is the conveyer or dis-
charge pipe C, which is arranged in axial alignment with the upright column or
pipe A, and which communicates with the lowest part of the same so as to receive
the crystallized substance from the same. The communication between the dis-
charge pipe, C, and the upright column is controlled by a gate or cut-off c, which
operates across an outlet opening c¹, in the lower part of the column A; and above
this outer opening is a spider-shaped bearing d, in which is stepped the lower end
of the vertical agitator shaft D, that extends longitudinally through the entire
length of the upright column.
The upper part, A', of this column or stand-pipe, is made separate from the
major portion of the column, and the two parts are joined together by the flange-
bolted joint a¹, at a point above the upper end of the steam jacket B. The
stand-pipe proper is preferably of uniform diameter, through its length, but the
upper section, A¹, is flared and enlarged from its lower end to its upper extremity
as shown. The upper flaring end of this tapered section, A', of the stand-pipe, is
covered by a foraminated top a', which permits of the free egress of the air from
the stand-pipe and also serves to practically prevent the liquid in the stand-pipe
from escaping therefrom along with the air. In the upper part of the section A¹
of the column is a bearing d³, for the upper end of the longitudinal shaft, and this
shaft is adapted to be rapidly rotated, say at a speed of one hundred (100) revolu-
tions per minute, by a suitable driving shaft E, which is preferably geared to the
agitator shaft.
Within the upright column or stand-pipe, the agitator shaft is provided with a
series of collars f, which are suitably spaced apart and rigidly fastened on the
shaft; and each collar has an outwardly extending blade F, adapted to act on the
liquid mass in the column, and to throw the watery particles of matter outwardy
from the centre of the column and thereby disintegrate the mass so that the
heated and compressed current of air will more readily carry off the watery
matter and facilitate the evaporation and crystallization of the residue retained
within the column or stand-pipe.
The current of compressed air heated to a temperature below the boiling point
of the saccharine or saline solution in the stand-pipe, is conveyed to the latter
by means of an air supply pipe G, which discharges below the spider
bearing d, in the lower end of the upright column, so that the air can pass
through the spider and into direct intimate contact with the liquid mass within
the column.
The air from a suitable compressor (not shown), is conducted by a pipe g, to
an air reservoir H, which has a pressure regulated valve h, and in this reservoir
the air is compressed to the desired pressure, say from ten to twenty-five pounds
per square inch.
From this air reservoir leads an air pipe which is bent or doubled to form
the heating coil G', which is housed or inclosed within the shell i, of the
vertical heater I, and from the heating coil G¹, from the bottom of the heater.I,
leads the pipe G, by which the compressed heated air is conducted to the interior
upright column or stand-pipe A; said pipe G, having a suitable regulating valve:
or stop cock g':
Steam is supplied to the shell of the vertical heater 1, by means of a steam
pipe j, which takes the steam from the exhaust of the engine provided for
running the air compressor, and the steam circulates around the air heating
coil G, and within the shell i, to heat the air in said coil G¹, to the proper tem-
perature. The waste steam from the air heater I, is conducted away by means of
a pipe J, having a valve j³, and from the exhaust pipe J, leads a valved pipe K,
which conducts the steam from the air heater to the steam jacket B, around the
upright column A. A discharge pipe k, leads from the bottom of the steam
jacket B, to convey off the water of condensation from the jacket, and permit the:
remaining steam to escape.

page_text: The saccharine or saline solution is stored in an elevated tank L, and from this
tank leads a valved liquid supply pipe 2, which discharges into the upper part of
the column or stand-pipe, this being the construction of the apparatus.
The operation is as follows:-
The air compressor is started to charge the air reservoir H, the agitator shaft
is rotated by the shaft E, and the waste steam from the engine exhaust is con-
ducted to the air heater I, and the steam jacket B, to heat the said parts to the
proper temperature. The molasses or other saccharine or saline solution is run from
the tank L, into the column or stand-pipe until a proper supply is obtained therein,
and the heated compressed air is admitted to the column or stand-pipe at the bottom
thereof.
As the shaft D, rotates very rapidly in the liquid mass, the latter is subjected to
the centrifugal action of. the beaters or agitators thereon, and the heated com-
pressed current of air passes upwardly through the agitated mass and in direct
intimate contact with the same.
A test as to the consistency of the material can be made through the inlet
opening, which is controlled by the gate or cut-off, or a test cock may be attached
to the concretor if desired.
One of the most important advantages of the invention is that my correspondents
are enabled to evaporate and crystallize the mass at a low heat, below the boiling
temperature, and without caramelizing or inverting the substance, whereby my
correspondents are enabled in treating saccharine matter to convert all the output
from the sugar cane into sugar.
By forcing the compressed heated air blast into direct and intimate contact
with the agitated mass, the latter is kept very much lighter than when it is
heated by the vacuum process, and furthermore, disintegration of the particles of
moisture from the solid residue is secured, thus producing evaporation and
crystallization without boiling or inversion. Again saccharine matter treated by
this process has a tendency to bleach the solid crystals of sugar, and the
saccharine matter can be brought to any desired density from string proof to
solid concrete.
The rapid action of the blades or beaters F, on the saccharine matter serves to
drive out therefrom all the watery particles, and a light dry sugar is obtained,
which in fact is dryer than can be purged by the well known centrifugal machine;
and as the watery particles are all eliminated from the saccharine solution, no
molasses is left and a product is secured which will not deliquesce.
The invention also enables my correspondents to economically convert liquids or
solutions into a solid mass, and they have found that the lowest grade of molasses,
which is unmerchantable, and which averages about 50 galls. to the barrel, can be
converted into a solidified or concrete state, leaving no residue, and enables a
sugar planter to convert all of his crop into sugar.
They are aware that changes in the construction of the apparatus herein shown
and described, as one embodiment of this invention, can be made without departing
from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of their invention, and they therefore
reserve the right to make such alterations and modifications as fairly fall within
the scope of their invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process of evaporating and crystallizing saccharine liquids, which consists
in maintaining-in a state of violent agitation a vertical column of such liquid, and
then forcing through such agitated column of liquid a current of compressed air
which has been previously heated to a temperature below the boiling point of the
liquid so treated, and keeping up such action until the liquid has been reduced to
a solid, as and for the purpose described.

page_text: 2. In an apparatus for crystallizing saccharine and saline solutions, the combina-
tion of a stand pipe, adapted to be heated upon its exterior surface, a supply pipe,
connected with the upper portion of said stand pipe, an agitator passing through
said pipe, and an air supply pipe entering the lower end of the stand pipe, and
adapted to discharge air up through the mass therein, substantially as specified.
3. In an apparatus for crystallizing saccharine and saline solutions, the com-
bination of a stand pipe, a liquid supply tank therefor, a longitudinal agitator
shaft extending through the stand pipe, an air reservoir, an air pipe leading
from the air reservoir to the stand pipe, a steam heater enclosing the air pipe,
and a steam jacket surrounding the stand pipe, and connected to the steam heater,
-substantially as described.
Did this 22nd day of June 1802
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.