IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA, IN THE EVAPORATION OF BRINE, AND IN THE CONCENTRATION AND MANUFACTURE OF SULPHURIC ACID
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GODFREY KNELLER, of Wimbledon, Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing dute at West-
minster, the Twenty-second day of December, in the sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and 'grant unto me, the said
William Godfrey Kneller, Her especial' licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Godfrey Kneller, my exors, admors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Godfrey Kneller, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time' agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use; exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SODA, IN THE EVAPORATION OF BRINE, AND IN THE CONCENTRATION
AND MANUFACTURE OF SULPHURIC ACID;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso that I, the said William Godfrey Kneller, shall cause à
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the 'said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto' had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Godfrey Kneller, do hereby declare that the nature of my said

page_text: Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and the following description thereof, that is to say:-
In the said Drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2, an end
elevation; and Figure 3, a plan or top view of a metal evaporating pan A, A,
but in which the heat, instead of being applied underneath it as usual, is
communicated to the fluid or brine by means of high-pressure steam admitted
into a metal steam-case B, B, which is surrounded by the said fluid, and
escapes at the opposite end under a certain degree of pressure which retains
the greater part of the steam from escaping. The steam-case B, B, has
tubes passing upright through it at regular distances apart, and as shown in
the plan Figure 3, and through which said tubes air pipes C, C, proceeding
from a larger metal pipe or tube D, D, pass below the said steam-case, and
deliver streams of compressed air into the fluid to be evaporated. The dis-
position of these said air pipes is shown.in. the end view or elevation Figure 2.
The steam-case B, B, is supported upon feet E, E, resting upon the bottom
of the evaporating pan A, A, or in any other fit and proper manner. The
effect of this contrivance is, that the rapid escape of the compressed air
.above through the short tubes causes a proportionable quick evaporation
of the fluid exposed to its action. In the case of evaporating a solution of
caustic soda, the carbonic acid contained in the compressed air, although
small in proportion, yet becomes great in the immense volumes of it con-
tinually passed through the fluid, and thus the sulphur, lime, and other
impurities which were held in solution during the caustic state of the soda,
on its change to the milder state becoming insoluble, precipitate, and are
.readily separated by means of filtration.
In the case of evaporating brine, the salt in crystallizing falls to the bottom
of the evaporating pan, and is to be raked out in the usual manner.
In manufacturing sulphuric acid, I blow in streams of compressed air,
divided by means of numerous branched earthen or other pipes capable of
withstanding the action of the heat and of the acid vapours in the furnaces
and chambers upon the mixture of sulphur and nitre whilst it is burning in
the furnaces connected with the leaden chambers used in this manufacture,
and thereby I effect the more perfect combustion of the sulphur or other
materials employed.
In concentrating sulphuric acid contained in leaden or earthen vessels, I
introduce compressed air passed through numerous descending leaden pipes
into the acid liquor, and the low temperature at which this can be effected
prevents any action taking place upon the containing vessel. I likewise