Improvements in the Manufacture of Acetio Aoid.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Acetio Aoid.
I, ERNEST GEORGE SCOTT, of 67, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
My invention relates to the manufacture of acetic acid and consists in treating
the pyroligneous salts with mineral acid such as hydrochloric acid or sulphuric
acid in a vacuum.
The vacuum pan which I use for carrying out my invention is provided with
a stirrer to cause the thorough incorporation of the substances. When the treat-
ment with the mineral acid is complete heat is applied whilst the vacuum is
still maintained to distil the acetic acid, the whole operation being thus performed
in one vessel without exposure to the atmosphere, whereby the loss of acetic
acid (which takes place when treating with mineral acid in an ordinary vessel)
is avoided.
Dated tha Ath daw of Tanun- 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London.
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Acetic Acid.
I, ERNEST GEORGE SCOTT, of 67, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemical 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:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of acetic acid from pyroligneous salts
and mineral acid such as hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid in a vacuum.
The vacuum pan which forms the subject of my invention is provided with
a stirrer to cause the thorough incorporation of the substances. When the treat-
ment with the mineral acid is complete, heat is applied whilst the vacuum is
still maintained, to distil the acetic acid, the whole operation being thus performed
in one vessel without exposure to the atmosphere, whereby the loss of acetic
acid (which takes place when treating with mineral acid in an ordinary vessel)}
is avoided.
To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference

page_text: to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional elevation of vacuum apparatus
for the manufacture of acetic acid according to the invention.
a is the vacuum pan, the said pan being provided with a steam jacket 6 whereby
it can be heated and with an inlet e for the pyroligneous salt or acetate and an
inlet d for the mineral acid.
e is the stirrer or agitator with which the interior of the vacuum pan a is
provided, the said stirrer being mounted upon a shaft f driven through bevel
gearing from a shaft g provided with fast and loose pulleys h, i.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The valve c', with which the
acetate funnel is furnished is opened and a quantity of acetate is introduced
into the pan a which is then exhausted by means of a vacuum pump, after which
the mineral acid is run in through the inlet d. The stirrer or agitator e is then
put to work and the whole mass in the pan is thoroughly incorporated. By this
means no acetic acid is formed until the whole apparatus is closed and devoid of
air. Heat is now applied by means of the jacket 6 and distillation is effected. The
acetic acid evolved is condensed and collected in the usual manner.
During the mixing of the acetate and the mineral acid great heat is developed
so that a considerable quantity of acetic acid, which would ordinarily be lost,
is saved by employing my vacuum apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I wish it to
be understood that I make no claim to the process described for the manufacture
of acetic acid in a vacuum, but what I claim is:-
:―
A jacketted vacuum pan for the manufacture of acetic acid provided with a
stirrer or agitator, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.