IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR DESICCATING AND SATURATING SEWAGE AND OTHER MATTERS, FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF AMMONIA, AND FOR TREATING LIQUID AND OTHER MATTERS GENERALLY WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF DIS- TILLATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR DESICCATING AND SATURATING SEWAGE AND OTHER MATTERS,
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF AMMONIA, AND FOR TREATING
LIQUID AND OTHER MATTERS GENERALLY WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF DIS-
TILLATION." A communication from abroad by Louis Pommeraye, of Paris,
France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR DESICCATING AND
SATURATING SEWAGE AND OTHER MATTERS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
SULPHATES OF AMMONIA, AND FOR TREATING LIQUID AND OTHER MATTERS
GENERALLY WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF DISTILLATION." [A communication from
abroad by Louis Pommeraye, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for effecting the dessication and
saturation of sewage and other matters, as well as for the manufacture of sulphates
of ammonia, and also applicable for distilling liquid and other matters generally,
such as the waste liquors of sugar refineries.
The Invention is based on the injection of hot or cold air for dessicating sewage
and other matters, the air, by permeating the matters to be dried, abstracting all
the moisture in the form of vapors.
The air in passing through the matters may or may not, according to the con-
ditions under which it is injected, be made also to effect the crystallisation of a
portion of the salts contained in the said matters. When this crystallisation takes
place the dried matters remaining in the apparatus will be richor than when the
crystallisation does not take place. In both cases however the air abstracts
from the matters vapors which are more or less rich, and which it is of advantage
to recover. For this purpose a distilling column is added to the dessicating
apparatus for condensing and collecting the vapors which would otherwise be
lost.

page_text: In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I have illustrated it by
way of example in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a
vertical section of the dessicating apparatus, consisting of a boiler a made of cast
or sheet iron, or copper, according to the size of the apparatus and the particular
use for which it is intended. A mixer revolves within the boiler, constructed of a
vertical tubular shaft b, with two horizontal tubular arms, to each of which are
fixed a row of vertical tubular stirrers e, made of lozenge section (see Figure 1º), in
order that the least amount of resistance may be opposed to the rotation of the
The tubular
mixer, especially towards the end of the dessicating operation.
stirrers e extend down close to the bottom of the boiler; they are not placed sym-
metrically upon the opposite arms or branches of the hollow shaft b, so that those
of the one branch do not revolve in the same circular paths as those of the other in
order to ensure the whole mass being thoroughly stirred and mixed, and so prevent
any portion escaping the action of the apparatus. The mixer is rotated by the
hevil wheel j, keyed on the upper end of the tubular shaft b, and gearing with a
pinion i, to which motion is imparted by a belt on pulloy p. The shaft b is
supported on a colid spindle c, received in a socket c', and turning in a footstep c².
To the upper end of shaft b is connected a stationary pipe d, which enters the end
of the rotary shaft b, a-tight joint being made by a stuffing box d¹. The pipe d
cominunicates with a reservoir r for the air to be injected by the mixing apparatus,
said reservoir, as well as the bearings h of the driving shaft, being mounted upon
the cover of the boiler. The boiler a is hermetically closed to prevent any smell
escaping, and it is also provided with a pipe s, Figure 3, for the escape of steam,
which is given off in large quantities. The apparatus may be charged by means of
a pump or monte-jus, in both cases through the pipe n. The contents are discharged
at the door o, which may be at any suitable point in the bottom of the boiler, the
dried matters being removed with the aid of a rake; g is a door in the side of the
boiler for giving access to the interior for cleaning, &c.; k, supporting frame. The
apparatus may be provided with a false bottom t, secured by stay bolts u, and be
heated by steam supplied by pipes l.
The action of the apparatus will be readily understood. The cold or heated air
or gas forced or blown in by a blowing engine enters through the pipe d, the tubular
shaft b, and its horizontal arms, to the tubular stirrers or rakes e, which are open at
their lower ends, where the air or gas escapes close to the bottom of the boiler, and
rises through the mass rapidly to the surface, becoming intimately mixed with the
liquid and solid matters in its passage through them.
The results are, 1st, the solid and liquid portions of the mass become saturated
with the whole of the gases contained in the air passing through the tubes of the
mixer, which revolves in the midst of the mass; 2nd, the air in traversing these
solid and liquid matters produces a considerable mechanical effect, at same time that
it becomes saturated with aqueous vapor which it carries off. The air aids most
energetically in disengaging the aqueous vapors contained in the matters to be dried
and saturated, at same time that it preserves and solidifies the whole of the salts
and gases contained.
The agitation of the matters as described considerably increases the evaporation,
and the mixing and saturating are thus effected in the most perfect manner
possible.
With regard to the manufacture of sulphates of ammonia and the distillation of
certain liquids and matters, the Invention consists in the addition to the boiler a of
a tubular distilling column a', Figure 4, for condensing those vapors which are
insufficiently volatile to pass into the condenser e', also shown in plan in Figure 5.
The more volatile vapors, on the other hand, which disengage from boiler a
traverse the tubes of the distilling column, and thence pass through the pipe
into the worm s¹ of condenser e¹. The gases become liquefied in worm s¹, which is
surrounded with cold water, and are discharged into a safe f' whence they are
conducted to a receiver or furnace by the pipes g¹ or h²; h, h, are U pipes for
returning the waters which are not rich enough, either to the boiler by opening

page_text: cocks r,, or to pipe t when they are exhausted and the cocks r, r, are closed. The
water of condensation from column a¹ is received in a trough i, which is capable of
being raised or lowered to discharge its contents into a small catch basin j com-
municating with pipe t. Testers k¹, k¹, are also placed on the worm at different
levels outside the condenser in order that only the richer vapors shall be allowed
to pass.
A hopper g, Figure 6, is provided in the top of the boiler a for the
introduction of the denser matters; 82, 83, are the inlet and overflow pipes
respectively for the cooling water of the column a¹; and r³, the cock for regulating
the escape of steam from the jacket.
It will thus be seen from the foregoing that the vapors become condensed in the
distilling column, and the air passes on to a special arrangement of furnace where
it is consumed. The boiler a may also be constructed without a double bottom, in
which case it would be heated by the escaping vapors, or by steam, or a naked
fire.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th August 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. 'IMPROVED APPARATUS
SATURATING SEWAGE
AND OTHER MATTERS, FOR
FOR
THE
DESICCATING AND
MANUFACTURE OF
OTHER MATTERS
A communication from
SULPHATES OF AMMONIA, AND FOR TREATING LIQUID AND
GENERALLY WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF DISTILLATION."
abroad by Louis Pommeraye, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for effecting the desiccation and
saturation of sewage and other matters, as well as for the manufacture of sulphates
of ammonia, and also applicable for distilling liquid and other matters generally,
*such as the waste liquors of sugar refineries.
The Invention is based on the injection of hot or cold air for desiccating sowage
and other matters, the air, by permeating the matters to be dried, abstracting all the
moisture in the form of vapors.
The air in passing through the matters may or may not, according to the condi-
tions under which it is injected, be made also to produce the crystallisation of a
portion of the salts contained in the said matters.
When this crystallisation takes place the desiccated matters remaining in the
apparatus will be richer than when crystallisation does not take place. In both
cases however the air abstracts from the matters vapors which are more or less rich,
and which it is of advantage to recover. For this purpose a distilling column is
added to the desiccating apparatus for condensing and collecting the vapors which
would otherwise be lost.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I have illustrated it
by way of example in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a
vertical section of the desiccating apparatus, consisting of a boiler a made of cast
or sheet iron or copper, according to the size of the apparatus and the particular use
for which it is intended. A mixer revolves within the boiler constructed of a
vertical tubular shaft b with two horizontal tubular arms, to each of which are fixed
a row of vertical tubular stirrers e made of lozenge section (see Figure 1), in order
that the least amount of resistance may be opposed to the rotation of the mixer,
more especially towards the end of the desiccating operation. The tubular stirrers c
extend down nearly to the bottom of the boiler; they are not placed symmetrically
upon the opposite arms or branches of the hollow shaft b, so that those of the one
branch do not revolve in the same circular paths as those of the other, in order to
ensure the whole mass being thoroughly stirred and mixed, and so prevent any
portion escaping the action of the apparatus. The mixer is rotated by the bevel
wheel keyed on the upper end of the tubular shaft band gearing with a pinion i,
to which motion is imparted by a belt on pulley p. The shaft bis supported on a
solid spindle c received in a socket c¹ and turning in a footstep c². To the upper
end of shaft bis connected a stationary pipe d which enters the end of the rotary
shaft b, a tight joint being made by a stuffing box d. The pipe d communicates
with a reservoir 7 for the air to be injected by the mixing apparatus, said reservoir,
as well as the bearings of the driving shaft, being mounted upon the cover of the
boiler. The boiler a is hermetically closed to prevent any smell escaping, and it is
also provided with a pipe 8, Figure 3, for the escape of steam, which is given off in
large quantities. The apparatus may be charged by means of a pump or monte-jus,
in both cases through the pipe n. The contents are discharged at the door o, which
may be at any suitable point in the bottom of the boiler, the dried matters being
removed with the aid of a rake. is a door in the side of the boiler for giving
access to the interior for cleaning, &c. ; h, supporting frame. The apparatus may

page_text: be provided with a false bottom & secured by stay bolts u, and be heated by steam
supplied by pipes l.
The action of the apparatus will be readily understood. The cold or heated air
or gas forced or blown in by a blowing engine enters through the pipe d, the tubular
shaft b, and its horizontal arms, and so into the tubular stirrers or rakes e, which
are open at their lower ends, where the air or gras escapes close to the bottom of the
boiler aud rises through the mass rapidly to the surface, becoming intimately mixed
with the liquid and solid matters in its passage through them. The results are―
(1) the solid and liquid portions of the mass become saturated with the whole of the
gases contained in the air passing through the tubes of the mixer, which revolves in
the midst of the mass; (2) the air in traversing these solid and liquid matters
produces a considerable mechanical effect, at same time that it becomes saturated
with aqueous vapor, which it carries off.
The air aids most energetically in disengaging the aqueous vapors contained in
the matters to be dried and saturated, at same time that it preserves and solidifies
the whole of the salts and gases contained. The agitation of the matters as described
considerably increases the evaporation, and the mixing and saturating are thus
effected in the most perfect manner possible.
With regard to the manufacture of sulphates of ammonia and the distillation of
certain liquids and matters, the Invention consists in the addition to the boiler a
of a tubular distilling column a', Figure 4, for condensing those vapors which are
insufficiently volatile to pass into the condenser e', also shown in plan in Figure 5.
The more volatile vapors, on the other hand, which disengage from boiler a traverse
the tubes of the distilling column, and thence pase through the pipe d' into the
worm s¹ of condenser e. The gases liquefied in the worm s', which is enclosed in
cold water, pass, together with a mixture of air and mephitic gases, into a safe ƒ'
divided into two compartments. The liquefied gases are received in the first
compartment communicating with a pipe h, of sinall diameter, which becomes
filled by said gases consisting chiefly of carbonate of ammonia. The mixture of air
and mephitic gases escapes through a pipe g' by which it is conducted to a furnace
and there consumed. The carbonate of ammonia is conducted by the pipe /* into
a reservoir R (see detached view, Figure 4º), containing sulphuric acid, and becomes
transformed into sulphate of ammonia. The liquid from reservoir R is conducted
by a pipe /* to an evaporating boiler, not shown. h, h', are U pipes for returning
the waters which are not rich enough, either to the boiler by opening cocks r, ₁₁
or to pipet when they are exhausted and the cocks r, ¹, are closed. The water of
condensation from column a¹ is received in a trough i which is capable of being
raised or lowered to discharge its contents into a small catch basin j communicating
with pipe t. Testers k, k, are also placed on the worm at different levels outside
the condenser in order that only the richer vapors shall be allowed to pass.
hopper q, Figure 6, is provided in the top of the boiler a for the introduction of the
denser matters. 82, 83, are the inlet and overflow pipes respectively for the cooling
water of the column a', and the cock for regulating the admission of waste steam
to the false bottom t from the engine employed to drive the apparatus.
A
The
It will thus be seen from the foregoing that the vapors become condensed in the
distilling column, and the air passes to a furnace where it is consumed.
boiler a may also be constructed without a double bottom, in which case it would
be heated by the escaping steam, or by a separate steam supply, or a naked fire.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. Injecting hot or cold air into the midst of sewage and other matters by
means of a hollow mixer, as herein before shown and described, for the purpose
specified.
2nd. The particular form of the tubular stirrers e, and also the manner of
arranging the same upon the arms of the mixer, as described.

page_text: 3rd. The employment of a tubular distilling column a¹ mounted upon boiler a for
condensing the less volatile vapors, as described.
4th. The movable trough i for conducting the water of condensation into catch
basin j, as described.
5th. The employment of testers k, l, placed at different levels on the worm 8' so
as to allow only the richer vapors to pass, as described.
6th. The employment of U tubes h, h¹, for returning the waters which are not
rich enough to the boiler, as described.
7th. The employment of the same tubes h, h³, for returning the exhausted water
of condensation to the pipe t, as described.
8th. The combination of the desiccating apparatus composed of a boiler with or
without a false bottom, and heated either by the waste steam of the engine, or
directly by steam, or a naked fire, with the two distilling columns a¹, c¹, substan-
tially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have horeunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty seventh day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
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