IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING BROMINE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Simon, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING BROMINE." A communication from
abroad by Dr. Adolf Frank, of Charlottenburg, in the German Empire.
Sealed the 23rd August 1878, and dated the 29th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Simon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th April 1878.
HENRY SIMON, of No. 7, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, in the County of Lan;
caster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING
BROMINE." [A communication from abroad by Dr. Adolf Frank, of Charlotten-
burg, in the German Empire.]
The process for developing bromine as at present employed is an intermittent
one, the vessels being discharged after each operation, and the residue of distillation
containing still some bromine and chlorine, mixed with the substances that were
employed to develop chlorine, as manganese salt, chromium compounds, &c., &c.
According to the present Invention bromine is produced in a continuous manner by
the following process and apparatus:-The distilling vessels are arranged one above
the other in terrace form, being connected by means of pipes with cocks. Into the top
vessel is introduced the liquor for the production of bromine, namely, that containing
bromine compounds, while into the lowest vessel is introduced chlorine gas and
steam, these being first separately developed in special generators of known con-
struction, and then brought together through suitable pipes, the introduction being
effected by means of injectors, ejectors, or aspirators, which draw out and propel
the chlorine gas, this being distributed by the steam into the bromine liquor in the
lowest vessel. The temperature of the liquor is raised either by the steam alone,
or, by preference, by heating the vessels in addition from the outside. The gases
disengage the bromine from its combinations, and drive it partly as pure bromine,
partly as chloride of bromine and mixed with any free chlorine, into the next vessel
above, which contains fresher liquor. In this manner the process proceeds step by

page_text: step, the vapour being driven off from each vessel into the next above, until at last
the bromine vapour mixed with steam passes off from the top vessel into the
condenser.
In the above process the bromine compounds contained in the original bromine
liquor are separated by means of the free chlorine, and also of the chlorine in the
chloride of bromine.
The number of distilling vessels depends on the amount of bromine compounds
contained in the liquor.
When the bromine liquor in the lowest vessel is sufficiently exhausted it is run
off through pipes provided with cocks into a lower vessel to be dechlorinised. By
admitting steam into this vessel the chlorine and bromine still contained in the
dechlorinised liquor is carried back through a pipe into the lowest vessel of the
terrace, or into any other vessel of the series that may have had its contents dis-
charged in the deschlorinising vessel, and was then filled with the bromine liquor
from the vessel next above. By this means all particles of chlorine and bromine
are utilised, thus preventing all waste in the process.
The liquor from the dechlorinising vessel is practically free from chlorine, and
also froin other combinations, more particularly manganese salts. It is also free
from all those disagreable properties, which in the existing process render the
working of the residues of the bromine process difficult.
The charging and discharging of the several vessels of the terrace or series in
combination with the dechlorinising vessel can, with suitable regulation of the
supply of chlorine vapour and steam, be so arranged that the process is either con-
tinuous or intermittently continuous.
In order to obtain a proper regulation for the development of the chlorine, and
to render more effective the vessels for the development of chlorine, which are
expensive and difficult to make, a second pipe with stop-cock is made to lead from
this vessel to a series of vessels containing cold bromine liquor. These vessels are
so connected with each other that the chlorine which is not taken up by the liquor
in the first vessel passes into the next one, and so on. The number of these vessels
should be such that the entire absorption of the chlorine gas is effected therein.
The liquor being saturated with chlorine, so that bromine is liberated from its com-
binations and forms chloride of bromine, it is passed by pipes into the lowest or
other vessel of the before-described terrace, and the row of regulating vessels is
charged again with fresh bromine liquor from the liquor reservoir.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Simon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th September
1878.
"
HENRY SIMON, of No. 7, St. Peters Square, Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING
BROMINE" A communication from abroad by Dr. Adolf Frank, of Charlottenburg,
in the German Empire.
The process for developing bromine as at present employed is an intermittent
one, the vessels being discharged after each operation, and the residue of distillation
containing still some bromine and chlorine mixed with the substances that were
employed to develop chlorine, as manganese sait, chromium compounds, &c.
According to the present Invention bromine is produced in a continuous manner
by the following process and apparatus:-The distilling vessels are arranged one
above the other in terrace form, being connected by means of pipes with cocks. Into
the top vessel is introduced the liquor for the production of bromine, namely, that
containing bromine compounds, while into the lowest vessel is introduced chlorine
gas and steam, these being first separately developed in special generators of known
construction, and then brought together through suitable pipes, the mixture being
effected by means of injectors, ejectors, or aspirators, which draw out and propel
the chlorine gas. By the introduction of such mixed steam and gas the chlorine is
distributed in the bromine liquor in the lowest vessel. The temperature of the
liquor is raised by means of the steam, and by heating the vessels in addition from
the outside. The gases disengage the bromine from its combinations, and drive it
partly as pure bromine, partly as chloride of bromine, and mixed with any free
chlorine, into the next vessel above, which contains fresher liquor. In this manner
the process proceeds step by step, the vapour being driven off from each vessel into
the next above, until at last the bromine vapour mixed with steam passes off from.
the top vessel into the condenser.
In the above process the bromine compounds contained in the original bromine
liquor are separated by means of the free chlorine, and also of the chlorine in the
chloride of bromine.
The number of distilling vessels depends on the amount of bromine compounds
contained in the liquor.
When the bromine liquor in the lowest vessel is sufficiently exhausted it is run
off through pipes provided with cocks into a lower vessel to be dechlorinised. By
admitting steam into this vessel the chlorine and bromine still contained in the
dechlorinised liquor is carried back through a pipe into the lowest vessel of the
terrace, or into any other vessel of the series that may have had its contents dis-
charged into the dechlorinising vessel, and was then filled with the bromine liquor
from the vessel next above. By this means all particles of chlorine and bromine
are utilised, thus preventing all waste in the process.
The liquor from the dechlorinising vessel is practically free from chlorine, and
also from other combinations, more particularly manganese salts. It is also free
from all those disagreable properties which in the existing process render the
working of the residues of the bromine process difficult.
The charging and discharging of the several vessels of the terrace or series in
combination with the dechlorinising vessel can, with suitable regulation of the
supply of chlorine vapour and steam, be so arranged that the process is either çon-
tinuous or intermittently continuous.
.3)

page_text: In order to obtain a proper regulation for the development of the chlorine, and
to render more effective the vessels for the development of bromine, which are
expensive and difficult to make, a second pipe with stop-cock is made to lead from
the vessel for developing the chlorine to a series of vessels containing cold bromine
liquid. These vessels are so connected with each other that the chlorine which is
not taken up by the liquor in the first vessel passes into the next one, and so on.
The number of these vessels should be such that the entire absorption of the
chlorine gas is effected therein. The liquor being saturated with chlorine, so that
the bromine is liberated from its combinations and forms chloride of bromine, it is
passed by pipes into the lowest or other vessel of the before-described terrace, and
the row of regulating vessels is charged again with fresh bromine liquor from the
liquor reservoir.
The accompanying Drawing shews an elevation of an arrangement of apparatus
suitable for carrying on the before-described process.
A, A1, A2, A3, &c., are the bromine distilling vessels arranged in terrace form, into
the uppermost one A¹ of which the bromine liquor is introduced through the pipe B.
C, C, are the pipes for conveying the gases evolved from the vessel below to that
above, such gases being led through the pipe C¹ from the uppermost vessel into a
condensing coil. D, D, are pipes for allowing the contents of each vessel to descend
into that below. E is the vessel for generating chlorine gas, which is conveyed
through the pipe F, together with steam into the vessel A. G is the steam pipe,
with branches G1, G2G. H is the dechlorinising vessel, into which the spent
charge is run from A through the pipe I, and from which the residue of chlorine
and bromine vapour evolved is again passed back into A through the pipe K.
L', L, L³, &c., are the vessels charged with cold bromine liquor through the pipe M,
through which vessels a portion of the chlorine vapour from E is conducted
by the pipes N, O, O, and the contents of which are run into A through the
pipe P.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim,-
.
First. The process for developing bromine in a continuous manner, wherein the
bromine liquor is introduced into the topmost of a series of vessels arranged in
terrace form, while into the charge contained in the lowest of such vessels is intro-
duced combined steam and chlorine gas for liberating the bromine, the liberated gas
being caused to pass upwards consecutively through the several vessels of the terrace,
while the charges are such vessels are made to descend step by step, that of the lowest
vessel when exhausted of bromine being discharged into the dechlorinising vessel,
substantially as herein described.
Second. In combination with the process set forth in the first claim, treating the
charge run off from the lowest vessel of the terrace with steam, in order to remove
practically all bromine and chlorine therefrom, these substances being conveyed back
into the terrace while the remaining liquor is rendered innocuous and available for
further treatment, substantially as herein set forth.
Third. The use for the continuous development of bromine of a series of vessels
arranged in terrace form, such vessels being charged with bromine liquor, and
operating in combination with a dechlorinising vessel, a vessel for generating
chlorine, and a steam supply, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. The use, in combination with the apparatus set forth in the third claim,
of a series of vessels charged with bromine liquor, into which a portion of the

page_text: chlorine from the chlorine generating vessel is passed in order to combine with the
bromine liquor, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Simon, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HENRY SIMON. (L.S.)