IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE SOLUTIONS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Duncan, of Mincing Lane, in the City of
London, Sugar Refiner, Jolin Alexander Reina Newlands, of Knoll
Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Analytical Chemist, and
Benjamin Edward Reina Newlands, of Charlton, in the County of
Kent, Analytical Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE SOLUTIONS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR."
ealed the 6th February 1872, and dated the 8th August 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Duncan, John
Alexander Reina Newlands, and Benjamin Edward Reina Newlands
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 8th August 1871.
We, JAMES DUNCAN, of Mincing Lane, in the City of London, Sugar
Refiner, JOHN ALEXANDER REINA NEWLANDS, of Knoll Road, Brixton,
in the County of Surrey, Analytical Chemist, and Benjamin EDWARD
REINA NEWLANDS, of Charlton, in the County of Kent, Analytical

page_text: Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE SOLUTIONS IN THE MANUfacture
OF SUGAR," to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of sugar from certain sources, such as beetroot,
syrups are formed containing, among other impurities, large quantities
of potash salts. It is well known that the presence of these salts
prevents the separation of a considerable portion of the sugar by the
usual process of crystallization.
This Invention has for its object the removal of these potash salts,
and also of any ammonia salts that may be present. For this purpose
we add to the saccharine solution sulphate of alumina in proportion,
by preference, sufficient to form an alum with the whole of the potash
or ammonia present. The solution is well mixed, artificially cooled if
necessary, and the alum allowed to crystallize out.
Should the original
syrup not contain sufficient sulphuric acid to combine with the whole
of the potash and ammonia present we add sufficient sulphate of
alumina, sulphate of magnesia, or sulphuric acid to convert any potash
or ammonia which may not exist as sulphates into those salts. Unless
the production of molasses be desired we avoid the use of sulphuric acid,
from its known tendency to convert the sugar into the uncrystallizable
condition.
Instead of using sulphate of alumina as above described we sometimes
prefer to employ a solution containing sulphate of alumina and phos-
phoric acid, resulting from the treatment of any phosphate of alumina,
either native or artificial, with sulphuric acid. The amount of alumina
in such solution having been first ascertained, sufficient of the solution
is added to form an alum with the potash and ammonia present in the
saccharine solution. In any of the above processes after the removal
of the alum, where a saccharine solution remains containing alumina or
phosphoric acid or both, we usually add lime in sufficient quantity to
precipitate these substances. Any excess of lime which may have
been added in this last operation may be removed in the usual way by
carbonic acid. In any of the above operations where a precipitate
results such precipitate may be separated by filtration or decantation.
In the second part of this Invention instead of proceeding as above
described we add to the saccharine solution containing potash or am-
monia tartaric acid or acid tartrate of soda in proportion, by preference,
sufficient to form acid tartrate of potash or ammonia. The solution

page_text: is then well agitated, artificially cooled if necessary, and the precipitate
which consists of the acid tartrates of potash or ammonia with
occasionally tartrate of lime allowed to subside. We prefer to use
tartaric acid instead of acid tartrate of soda as this latter salt introduces
soda in the place of the potash removed. The saccharine solution from
which the potash, ammonia, and lime have been thus removed either
wholly or in part may be submitted to the process of dialysis, or sufficient
lime may be added to render the solution neutral, the precipitate, if
any, allowed to settle, and the resulting syrup treated as in the ordinary
process of manufacturing sugar. Any excess of lime which may have
been added in this last operation may be removed in the usual way
by carbonic acid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Duncan, John Alexander Reina Newlands,
and Benjamin Edward Reina Newlands in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
DUNCAN, of Mincing Lane, in the City of London, Sugar Refiner, JOHN
ALEXANDER REINA NEWLANDS, of Knowle Road, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, Analytical Chemist, and BENJAMIN EDWARD REINA
NEWLANDS, of Charlton, in the County of Kent, Analytical Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
35th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said James Duncan, John Alexander Reina
Newlands, and Benjamin Edward Reina Newlands, Her special license
that we, the said James Duncan, John Alexander Reina Newlands,
and Benjamin Edward Reina Newlands, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Duncan, John Alex-
ander Reina Newlands, and Benjamin Edward Reina Newlands, our
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,

page_text: and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ircland, the Channel Islands, 'and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE SOLUTIONS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF SUGAR," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James
Duncan, John Alexander Reina Newlands, and Benjamin Edward Reina
Newlands, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Duncan, John Alexander
Reina Newlands, and Benjamin Edward Reina Newlands, do hereby
declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say :—
In the manufacture of sugar from certain sources, such for example,
as beetroot, syrups are formed containing, amongst other impurities,
large quantities of salts or compounds of potash, together with small
quantities of salts or compounds of ammonia. It is well known that
the presence of these salts or compounds prevents the separation of a
considerable portion of the crystallizable sugar by the usual process of
crystallization.
Now this Invention has for its object the removal of the potash con-
tained in these potash salts or compounds, and also of the ammonia
contained in the ammoniacal salts or compounds which may be present
in the saccharine solutions. For this purpose we add to the saccharine
solutions tartaric acid or a solution of an acid tartrate, by preference
acid tartrate of soda, in such proportions as shall be sufficient to convert
the potash into acid tartrate of potash, and the ammonia into acid
tartrate of ammonia. The solution is then well agitated, artificially
cooled if necessary, and the precipitate, which consists of the acid tar-
trate of potash or of the acid tartrate of ammonia, with occasionally
tartrate of lime, is allowed to subside. We prefer to use tartaric acid
instead of acid tartrate of soda, as this latter salt would introduce soda in

page_text: the place of the potash removed. The saccharine solutions from which
the potash, ammonia, and lime have been thus removed, either wholly
or in part, may be submitted to the process of dialysis, as is well under-
stood, or sufficient lime may be added so as to render the saccharine
solution neutral, the precipitate, if any, be then allowed to settle, and
the resulting syrup be treated as in the ordinary process of manufac-
turing sugar. Any excess of lime which may have been added in this
last operation may be removed in the usual way by means of carbonio
acid.
In any of the above operations where a precipitate results such
precipitate may be separated by filtration, decantation, or otherwise.
The second part of this Invention has for its object the removal of
the potash and ammonia contained in the salts or compounds of potash
and of ammonia before referred to which may be present in saccharine
solutions in the following manner:-For this purpose we add to the
saccharine solutions sulphate of alumina in proportion, by preference,
sufficient to form an alum with the whole of the potash or ammonia
present. The solution is then well mixed, artificially cooled if necessary,
and the alum allowed to crystallize out. Should the original syrup not
contain sufficient sulphuric acid to combine with the whole of the potash
and ammonia present we add sufficient sulphate of alumina, sulphate
of magnesia, or sulphuric acid so as to convert any potash or ammonia
which may exist in other forms into sulphates. Unless the production
of molasses be desired we avoid the use of sulphuric acid from its
known tendency to convert the crystallizable sugar into uncrystallizable.
Instead of employing sulphate of alumina as before described we
sometimes prefer to employ a solution containing sulphate of alumina
and phosphoric acid, resulting from the treatment of any phosphate of
alumina, either native or artificial, with sulphuric acid. The amount
of alumina in such solution having been first ascertained, sufficient
of the solution is added so as to form an alum with the potash and
ammonia present in the saccharine solution.
In any of the above processes after the removal of the alum, where
a saccharine solution remains containing alumina or phosphoric acid,
or both, we prefer to add lime in sufficient quantity, so as to precipitate
these substances. Any excess of lime which may have been added in
this last operation may be removed in the usual manner by means of
carbonic acid.

page_text: In any of the above operations where a precipitate results, such pre-
cipitate may be separated by filtration, decantation, or otherwise.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we con-
sider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. Effecting the separation of the potash and ammonia existing
as salts or compounds in saccharine solutions by the employment of
tartaric acid or of acid tartrates such, for example, as the acid tartrate
of soda.
Second. Effecting the separation of the potash and ammonia existing
as salts or compounds in saccharine solutions by the employment of
sulphate of alumina or of a solution of phosphate of alumina in
sulphuric acid.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Duncan, John Alexander
Reina Newlands, and Benjamin Edward Reina Newlands, have
to this our Specification set our hands and seals, this Eighth day
of February, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
JAMES DUNCAN.
JOHN ALEXANDER REINA NEWLANDS,
(L.S.)
(L.S.)
BENJAMIN EDWARD REINA NEWLANDS. (L.S.)