AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR THE ELIMINATION OF DISSOLVED MATTER FROM WATER
Year: 1884

page_text: I, PROSPER AUGUSTE MAIGNEN, of Great Tower Street, in the City of London,
Filter manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR THE ELIMINATION OF DISSOLVED MATTER FROM
WATER" to be as follows:-
"f
My invention relates to an improved compound for the elimination of dissolved
matter from water, and it is designed to afford an easy and expeditious method of
partially or wholly eliminating from water undesirable matters held in solution,
especially those that usually cause what is known as permanent hardness." It
will be applicable to drinking water, to the treatment of feed water to steam
boilers, and to the treatment of water generally and for manufacturing processes
where purity or softness is a desideratum.
The essence of my invention is the admixture in a compound of substances of
differential solubility in water, which act as chemical reagents, each designed to
throw down a precipitate of one or more of the matters to be eliminated. The
consequence of such admixture is that the more easily soluble substance precipitates
the dissolved matter it is desired to eliminate, then the next substance in degree of
solubility comes into effect, and so on seriatim. The slight overlap of action that
takes place will be practically infinitesimal, and each reagent will have full power
to execute its work without interference from the other elements of my compound.
The undesirable matters (other than organic) that are mostly to be found
in solution in water are carbonate of lime, sulphate of lime, and salts of magnesia ;
and the substances I employ as reagents to precipitate these, and which I specify in
their order of solubility, are generally hydrate of lime, sulphate of aluminium, or
alum, and carbonate of soda or soda ash. Where organic matters are present in
solution, and are to be eliminated, permanganate of potash would be a suitable
addition.
In the case of steam boilers especially, where a slight degree of hardness is
desirable, and in other cases where wished, I proportion the constituents of my
compound to the composition (previously ascertained by test) and to the quantity
of the water to be treated, to precipitate, wholly or partially, any or a certain
quantity of one or other or all of the matters to be eliminated. The proportional
•

page_text: feed of the compound to the tank or cistern may be effected by any suitable feeding
device, controlled conveniently by a ball cock, or the flow of the water directly, or
by means of a cataract valve. The precipitates are eliminated by filtration or
subsidence.
I have specified certain reagents in order that the nature of my invention may
be understood, but I would state that I may employ others than those specified, so
long as they constitute a compound with constituents of differential solubility, and
permitting comparatively independent action, and proportioning, according to the
extent to which I desire to treat the water; and reserve to myself the right
to more completely describe the exact constitution and proportions in my complete
specification.

page_text: I, PROSPER AUGUSTE MAIGNEN, of Great Tower Street, in the City of London,
Filter manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR THE ELIMINATION OF DISSOLVED MATTER FROM
WATER 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 an improved compound for the elimination of dissolved
matter from water, and it is designed to afford an easy and expeditious method of
partially or wholly eliminating from water undesirable matters held in solution,
especially those that usually cause what is known as "permanent hardness."
It will be applicable to drinking water, to the treatment of feed water to steam
boilers, and to the treatment of water generally, and for manufacturing, processes
where purity or softness is a desideratum.
The essence of my invention is the admixture in a powdered compound, of
substances of a differential order of action in water to act as chemical reagents,
each designed to throw down a precipitate of one or more of the matters to
be eliminated The consequence of such admixture is that when added as a
compound to the water the substance first reacting upon the water precipitates the
dissolved matter it is desired to eliminate, then the next substance in the order of
its reaction comes into effect and so on seriatim. The slight overlap of action that
takes place will be practically infinitesimal, and each reagent. will have full power
to execute its work without interference from the other elements of my compound.
The undesirable matters (other than organic) that are mostly to be found
in solution in water are carbonate of lime, sulphate of lime, and salts of magnesia;
and the substances I employ as reagents to precipitate these, and which I specify in
their order of action, are generally lime, alum or sulphate of aluminium, and
calcined and ground. soda, or soda ash.
Where organic matters are present in solution, and are to be eliminated,
permanganate of potash would be a suitable addition.
In the case of steam boilers especially, where a slight degree of hardness is
desirable, and in other cases where wished, I proportion the constituents of my
compound to the composition (previously ascertained by test) and to the quantity
of the water to be treated, to precipitate, wholly or partially, any, or a certain
quantity of one, or other, or all, of the matters to be eliminated.
I have specified certain reagents in order that the nature of my invention may
be understood, but I would state that I may employ others than those specified, s).
long as they constitute a compound in a powdered state of chemical equivalents
with constituents of differential order of action and permitting comparatively
independent action, and proportioning according to the extent to which I desire to
treat the water.
This powdered compound is added to the water to be treated by hand or in any
convenient manner, the precipitates being to collect and subside by sufficient lapse
of time before the clear water is drawn for use direct or passed through any.
clarifying appliance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed be it known that
what I claim is;
1st. A compound composed of powdered lime, powdered alum or sulphate of
aluminium, and calcined and ground soda or soda ash with the alternative addition

page_text: of permanganate of potash to throw down a precipitate of a part or the whole or
one or more of the matters to be eliminated from the water, substantially as
specified.
2nd An alternative compound, so long as it is composed of chemical equivalent in
a powdered state acting upon the water in the same differential order as herein-
before described.