Improvements in or relating to the Purifying of Spirituous Liquor and other Liquids, applicable also to the Separation of Cream from Milk.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application. 2nd Aug., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
CUMI LEIE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Purifying of Spirituous Liquor
and other Liquids, applicable also to the Separation of Cream
from Milk.
A communication from FRANK L. HUME, of 209, South Second Street, Hamilton,
in the State of Ohio, United States of America, Journalist.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 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 the process of purifying spirituous or alcoholic liquor or
other liquids by the use of electrolysis as a catalytic agent.
Heretofore the application of electrolysis has been confined to liquor of either a
normal or high degree of temperature to precipitate the impurities as sediment.
The object of the invention is to increase the catalytic action of electrolysis by
refrigerating the liquor and keeping it frigid during its application to effect a
separation of the impurities from the liquor and cause them to rise to the surface.
And to this end the liquor is placed in an appropriate vessel where its temperature
is reduced to a sufficient degree by appropriate means and there retained while a
current of electricity is introduced therein sufficient to cause the impurities to
accumulate and remain on the surface during the continuance of the process or
until removed therefrom when the purified liquor remaining may be emptied from
the vessel and the process repeated.
A siniple apparatus by which the process may be accomplished is illustrated in
the accompanying drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a galvanic battery consisting of two cells connected
together.
Figure 2 a vertical section of a refrigerating apparatus.
In the drawing A represents the cells of the battery that are connected together
by a wire, B insulated wires extending respectively from the opposite poles of said
battery, Celectrodes attached to the extremity of wires B, a shows a break in one
of said wires, adapted to open and close the circuit from the battery through
electrodes C, D represents a vessel filled with liquor to a point & near its top, and
is suspended or placed within larger vessel and surrounded by a frigorific
mixture F, contained in vessel E, to a point as at c. G is a tub or large vessel in
which vessel E is placed and surrounded with a mixture of ice and salt H, to a
point as at d. I blocks to support vessels D and E in proper relation to each
other and to vessel G, said vessels may be covered by an appropriate lid or lids,
and they may be composed of any appropriate material, vessel D however is
preferably made of glass or some non-conductor of electricity, if composed of copper
or other conducting material the process will be equally effective but will necessitate
the use of a stronger electrical current. The electrodes C should consist of carbon
or other appropriate material that will resist the action of the liquor, they should
be entirely immersed that the electrical current may pass between them through
the liquor instead of on its surface, and the wires B should be insulated from
contact with the liquor, to cause the current to reach the electrodes.
To carry this invention into effect the electrodes C are placed in vessel D near
its bottom and some distauce apart, the circuit is opened at a. The liquor is then
filled in vessel D and its temperature reduced to a desired degree by means of the
frigorific mixtures F and H, when the circuit is closed at a, and a current of
electricity is established between the electrodes through the liquor, effecting almost
instant separation, of the impurities from the liquor and causing them to seek the
CD

page_text: surface, where they will remain during the continuance of the process or until
removed by skimming or otherwise, when the purified liquor may be removed from
vessel D and the process repeated indefinitely. Should the liquor be permitted to
resume its normal temperature or should the current of electricity be discontinued
before the impurities are removed from the surface they will descend again in
solution with the liquor or settle to the bottom thereof.
The frigorific mixture F may consist of phosphate of soda, nitrate of ammonia
and dilute nitric acid in proper proportions or of any other ingredients capable of
sufficiently decreasing the temperature of the liquor in vessel D, or any appro-
priate refrigerating device or apparatus may be employed instead of the frigorific
mixture. The object being to reduce the temperature of the liquor to a degree
near its freezing point which will vary according to the specific gravity of different
liquors used..
For alcohol containing 52 per cent. water which freezes at a temperature of
about 26 deg. Fahr. the temperature should be about 20 deg. Fahr. For alcohol
containing 40 per cent. water known as extra strong whiskey and rum which freezes
at a temperature of about-62 deg. Fahr., the temperature should be about
50 deg. Fahr., for alcohol containing 20 per cent. water which freezes at about―
103 deg. Fahr., the temperature should be reduced to about-85 deg. Fahr., and
for liquor or liquid having different freezing points, the temperature desired should
approach the freezing point in nearness proportioned to the degree of temperature
required for its freezing, the less frigidity required the nearer the temperature
should be reduced to the point of freezing.
The galvanic battery may consist of any number of cells required to produce
or generate the necessary current, or it may be supplanted by a dynamo electrical
machine or any apparatus capable of generating a sufficient electrical current for
the purpose, the amount of current required will vary with the bulk or quantity of
liquor to be acted upou or with its more or less complete insulation from the
surroundings.
In addition to spirituous or alcoholic liquor this process is applicable to other
liquids especially those of an oily nature to effect a separation of the oily con-
stituents therefrom, and when applied to milk the cream is separated from the
water or thinner portions as effectively as can be done by centrifugal or other well
known cream extractors.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process of purifying spirituous liquor or other liquid by means of the
application thereto of electrolysis while said liquor or liquid is kept in a state of
frigidity approximating its freezing point.
2. The process of purifying spirituous liquor or other liquid consisting in first
reducing the temperature thereof to near its freezing point and then submitting it
to the action of electricity.
Dated this and dow of Aust 1902.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.