Improvements in the Treatment of Phosphoric Acid for Facilitating its Storage and Transport.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd June, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Phosphoric Acid for Facilitating
its Storage and Transport.
I, BENJAMIN EDWARD REINA NEWLANDS of 27 Mincing Lane in the City of
London, Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Phosphoric acid in a more or less pure condition is now largely employed in the
manufacture and refining of sugar.
The acid used for this purpose is generally merely a solution from superphos-
phate of lime or is contained in a dry superphosphate having a high percentage of
soluble phosphoric acid present with a solution great difficulty is experienced in
providing suitable tight containers and a heavy freight is incurred on account of
the danger of the containers leaking.
With dry superphosphate of lime about half its contents consist of sulphate of
lime which dissolves in the solutions of sugar and interferes with its crystallization
and further the worms of the evaporating apparatus become coated and their
evaporating efficiency is impaired.
The object of my invention is to provide a form of phosphoric acid which shall
be free from these defects.
According to my invention I take kieselguhr or infusorial earth and cause it to
absorb concentrated phosphoric acid and as kieselguhr is almost pure silica it is
not acted upon by the acid and consequently its association with the acid is not
objectionable to it for manufacturing purposes.
In carrying out my invention I take a solution of phosphoric acid prepared by
digesting superphosphate of lime with water or in any other well known way and I
run the solution onto a quantity of kieselguhr which is then dried and has again
another quantity of the solution added to it and so on until after several such
treatments it will no longer absorb the acid and yet be dry to the touch.
Finally it may be passed through a sieve to free it from damp or clotted masses
and is ready for use and may be packed into iron drums or wooden casks or other
suitable containers for shipment.
The addition of the acid and the drying may be carried on simultaneously in a
revolving cylinder through which a current of warm air is drawn or forced or in
any other well known drying apparatus. The addition of the phosphoric acid
solution should be regulated in such a manner that the kieselguhr at no time
becomes wet enough to stick to the apparatus.
The kieselguhr being a light insoluble substance does not dissolve in the sugar
syrup but precipitates with the phosphate of lime formed in the process of adding
the mixture to sugar syrups containing free or combined lime thus increasing its
defecating effect and facilitating the removal of the impurities by filtration.
Whilst the purpose of this invention is primarily to provide a phosphoric acid in
a portable form for sugar refining yet the said invention is applicable for storing
the acid for any other purpose such as for the production of a concentrated
manure.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Phosphoric Acid for Facilitating
its Storage and Transport.
1 BENJAMIN EDWARD REINA NEWLANDS of 27 Mincing Lane in the City of
London, Analytical 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 :—
Phosphoric acid, in a more or less pure condition, is now largely employed in the
manufacture and refining of sugar.
The acid used for this purpose is generally merely a solution of superphosphate
of lime, or is contained in a dry superphosphate, having a high per centage of
soluble phosphoric acid present. With a solution great difficulty is experienced in
providing suitable tight containers, and a heavy freight is incurred on account of
the danger of the containers leaking.
With dry superphosphate of lime about half its contents consist of sulphate of
line, which dissolves in the solutions of sugar and interferes with its crystallization
and further the worms and internal surfaces of the evaporating apparatus, become
coated, and their evaporating efficiency impaired.
The object of my invention is to provide a preparation of phosphoric acid which
shall be free from these defects, or drawbacks.
According to my invention I take kieselguhr (infusorial earth) and cause it to
ah-orb concentrated phosphoric acid. As kieselguhr is almost pure silica it is not
acted upon by the acid and its association with the acid is not objectionable for
manufacturing purposes.
In carrying out my invention I take a solution of phosphoric acid prepared by
digesting superphosphate of lime with water or in any other well known way and
preferably of a specific gravity of about 1700 and 1 run the solution on to a
quantity of kieselguhr which is then dried and then another quantity of the
solution is added to it and so on until after several such treatments it will not
absorb more acid and yet will be dry to the toneh.
Or the process may be effected at one operation by first thoroughly drying the
kieselguhr for instance by raising it to 'n high temperature in any suitable
furnace and then after it has cooled down, adding to it the solution of phosphoric
acid.
I find that 30 parts by weight of the kieselguhr will absorb about 70 parts by
weight of the solution of specific gravity of 1750. The product may be passed
through a sieve to free it from damp, or clotted masses and is then ready for use
and may be packed into iron drums or wooden casks or other suitable containers
for shipment transport or storage.
The addition of the acid and the drying may be carried on simultaneously in a
revolving cylinder through which a current of warm air is drawn or forced or in
any other well known drying apparatus.
The addition of the phosphoric acid solution should be regulated in such a
manner that the kieselguhr at no time becomes wet enough to stick to the
apparatus in which the operation is carried out.
The kieselguhr being an insoluble substance does not dissolve in the sugar
solution but precipitates with the phosphate of lime formed in the process of adding
the mixture to sugar solutions containing free, or combined lime thus increasing its
defecating effect and facilitating the removal of the impurities by filtration.
Whilst the purpose of this invention is primarily to provide a phosphoric acid in
a portable form for sugar manufacturing or refining, yet the same invention is
applicable for storing the acid for any other purpose, such as for the production of
a concentrated manure.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The preparation and production of phosphoric acid in a portable form as herein-
before described.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.