IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DESSICATING, BOILING, DISTILLING, AND EVAPORATING.”
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolph Gontard, of Mockau, near Leipsic, Saxony,
German Empire, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
DESSICATING, BOILING, DISTILLING, AND EVAPORATING.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolph Gontard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd January 1882.
IMPROVE-
ADOLPH GONTARD of Mockau near Leipsic Saxony, German Empire.
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DESSICATING, BOILING, DISTILLING AND EVAPO-
RATING."
This Invention refers to apparatus for removing the watery or other thin liquid
parts in the form of vapor or steam from liquid or scini-liquid substances and
while applying heat or not; it also refers to apparatus for evaporating or forming
into steam, water and other liquids, also to distilling apparatus.
It is a well known fact that a liquid evaporates the more, or the more readily,
the thinner the layer is in which it is extended and the larger the surface which is
exposed to evaporation.
According to my Invention I construct apparatus in which the evaporating
surface of the liquid is greatly multiplied without increasing the bulk of the
apparatus. Furthermore I extend the liquid or semi-liquid substances into very
thin layers and I subject them to a constant change so that new parts of the
substance are constantly brought to the surface. For this purpose I place circular
or other discs flat or plain or wave shaped (concentric, spiral or radial) on a shaft
in a vertical or inclined direction thereon, or I arrange the surface in the form of a
screw; the shaft is caused to rotate, and the shaft is arranged in a closed or open
vessel containing the liquid or semi-liquid to be treated as aforesaid in such manner
that the discs dip partly or about half way therein. By the slow rotation of the
shaft the wetted parts of the discs will thus constantly be lifted out of the
substance under treatment and be exposed to the air or other atmosphere (in case
of a steam boiler be exposed to the steam). The discs are as thin as possible and
[Pins C11

page_text: of as heat-conducting a material as possible, hence by preference of metal, such as
copper or iron; in cases, however, where the substance to be treated acts
injuriously on metals or on such metals I make the discs of china, stoneware,
ebonite or sometimes of wood. Or instead of one shaft two or more such shafts
may be arranged in a vessel, the discs or screw-like surfaces of one working in the
intermediate spaces of the other or others.
These apparatus are applicable to the treatment of sewage and the distilling of
alcohol, also to brine boiling, also to steam boilers, vacuum pans and beer and other
refrigerators and to a great number of other purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Adolph Gontard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st July
1882.
ADOLPH GONTARD of Mockau near Leipsic Saxony German Empire. "IMPROVE-
EVAPO-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DESICCATING BOILING DISTILLING AND
RATING."
This Invention refers to apparatus for removing the watery or thin liquid parts
in the form of vapor or steam from liquid or semiliquid substances and while
applying heat or not; it also refers to apparatus for evaporating or forming into
steam water and other liquids, also to distilling apparatus.
It is a well known fact that a liquid evaporates the more or the more readily
the thinner the layer is in which it is extended and the larger the surface which is
exposed to evaporation.
According to iny Invention I construct apparatus in which the evaporating
surface of the liquid is greatly multiplied without increasing the bulk of the
apparatus. Furthermore I extend the liquid or semiliquid substances into very
thin layers and I subject them to a constant change so that new parts of the
substance are constantly brought to the surface. For this purpose I place circular
or other discs flat or plain or wave shaped (concentric, spiral, or radial) on a shaft
in a vertical or inclined direction thereon or I arrange the surface in the form of a
screw; the shaft is caused to rotate, and the shaft is arranged in a closed or open
vessel containing the liquid or semiliquid to be treated as aforesaid in such manner
that the discs dip partly or about halfway therein. By the slow rotation of the
shaft the wetted parts of the discs will thus constantly be lifted out of the
substance under treatment and be exposed to the air or other atinosphere (in case
of a steam boiler be exposed to the steam.) The discs are as thin as possible and of as
heat conducting a material as possible, hence by preference of metal such as copper
or iron; in cases, however where the substance to be treated acts injuriously on
metals, or on such metals I make the discs of china, stone-ware, ebonite or
sometimes of wood. Two or more such shafts may be arranged in a vessel, the

page_text: discs or screw like surfaces of one working in the intermediate spaces of the other
or others.
These apparatus are applicable to the treatment of sewage and the distilling of
alcohol also to brine boiling, also to steam to boilers, vacuum pans and beer and
other refrigerators and to a great number of other purposes.
And in order that this my Invention may be readily carried into effect I
will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
The discs may as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9 be at right angles to the shaft ou
which they are fixed or they inay as shown in Figures 1. 8. 10 and 11 be in a
slanting position to the shaft. They may also be smooth on their surfaces or they
may have extended surfaces for increasing the evaporative effect; in Figures 2
and 5 I have thus shown discs with concentric or spirally formed corrugations or
waves and in Figure 3 with radial corrugations or waves. Figure 4 represents a
disc having a radial cut at a for the purpose of bending it into a screw form whereby
the discs when rotating push the liquid constantly towards one end of the
apparatus while the corners b Figure 1 or parts of the vessel not touched by the
discs allow the back flow or return of the liquid.
By the slanting position of the discs shown in Figure 1 the liquid is constantly
being pushed backwards and forwards. If the dises are placed in a liquid holder
as there shown in Figure 1 and supposing the holder is say 10 square feet in cross
section or area of evaporation, and supposing there are ten discs on the shaft
and cach containing say 8 square feet of evaporating surface (both sides being
reckoned) then the original surface of evaporation (10 square feet) has been
increased by 8 x 10 = 80 square fect or nine times. The effect of the apparatus
is hence enormous.
Figure 6 shows a small apparatus for kitchen use suitable for boiling down or
thickening fruit juice if this is done in the usual manner the juice is often burnt
because the vapours cannot easily escape through the thick mass; but by means of
my improved appliance the operation is performed in about one sixth of the
hitherto required time and without fear of burning.
Figure 7 represents an evaporating apparatus for liquid sewage or foecal matters
and in which the discs so to say work into one another. The shafts of the discs are
geared by tooth wheels indicated by dotted circles; the whole apparatus is quite
covered in. As ammonia is evaporated together with water a shaft with discs S
may be arranged at the rear of the discs which dip in the liquid; these discs S
rotate in a separate vessel B containing sulphuric acid which serves to bind the
ammonia; it will however also absorb part of the watery vapours, the liquid may
therefore from time to time be drawn off into a vessel B¹ in which a disc
apparatus S also rotates. The gases of combustion passing through at this place
evaporate the superfluous water and sulphate of ammonia is thus obtained. As
this process forins no part of my present Invention I need not enter into the details
of construction of this apparatus.
Figure 8 show an apparatus for distilling off alcohol from the wash; the
apparatus consists of a horizontal cylinder provided with a steam jacket and fitted
with my disc apparatus. The discs may be inclined as shown, or at right angles
to the shaft, but the former is preferred because the slanting discs at the same time
stir the wash.
Figure 10 represent a similar apparatus having an inlet pipe R for the liquid to
be boiled down; a jet of steam is let in by the pipe s into the outlet pipe A for
creating a strong draught of air which enters at K. The liquid entering at R will
thereby even before it has filled the vessel G to the normal level be freed of its
water to a great extent by the rotation of the discs.
In Figure 9 is shown a salt evaporating pan with discs geared by tooth
wheels and driven by the strap pulley p.
?"
In such pans there has
hitherto been a difficulty to contend with in that the bottom of the pan burns away,
but this evil is quite done away with by my disc apparatus, and a much poorer

page_text: brine may thereby be boiled down in a much shorter time and by expenditure of
much less fuel.
Figure 11 shows my Invention applied to a steam boiler. The already produced
steam will evaporate the water which momentarily is carried up by the discs, and
thus a large evaporation is effected in a small space. The steam globules formed
in the lower part of the boiler do not any more need to wait till they are gathered
in masses before they are able to break through the muddy water in the
boiler, because the discs carry them up into the steam space; the walls of the
boiler in contact with the fire are thus also less liable to be burnt away.
Many more applications of iny Invention might be adduced, amongst which
that of vacuum pans for sugar boiling, and the refrigerators for breweries, but as
these application depend upon the requirements of each case I have confined
myself to a few examples and declare that I claim
First: The herein described devices for evaporating liquids, which consist of a
series of corrugated discs, D, mounted spirally upon a shaft, S, in combination with
'n suitable vessel for containing the liquid to be evaporated, in the contents of which
said discs are partially immersed and caused to revolve, whereby the liquid is not
only more rapidly evaporated, but kept continuously moving from one end of the
vessel to the other, as set forth.
Second: The combination, with a supporting shaft, of a series of discs, D,
provided, with a central aperture and a radial slot gradually increasing in diameter
from the central aperture to the periphery of the disc, whereby said dises may be
mounted upon the shaft in the form of a spiral or Archimedeau screw, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof I the said Adolph Gontard have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twentyeighth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
ADOLPH GONTARD. (L.S.)