IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SEWAGE AND CESSPOOL WATER
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. William White, of 30, Thurlow Road, Hampstead,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
m
Sealed the 11th November 1873, and dated the 24th July 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William White at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th July 1873.
I, WILLIAM WHITE, of 30, Thurlow Road, Hampstead, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SEWAGE AND CESSPOOL WATER," to be as
follows:
-
Chloride of calcium is a waste product in several large manufactures,
and is generally thrown away as of no value, but it is exceedingly
soluble, and in presence of sulphates precipitates sulphate of lime; and
' in presence of alkaline carbonates and phosphates precipitates car-
bonate and phoshphate of lime, I have found it well adapted for the
treatment of ordinary sewage and cesspool water.

page_text: The sewage or cesspool water, or water from urinals being conveyed
into suitable settling tanks, I thoroughly mix with the same a sufficiency
of chloride of calcium (preferably in spray over the surface) to precipitate
the sulphates, carbonates, and phosphates therein, the precipitate thus
formed dragging down a large proportion of the albuminous and other
organic and nitrogenous matter in suspension and solution, and forming
a valuable manure.
In order to produce a larger body of precipitate and thus carry down
a still greater proportion of albuminous and other matter, I introduce an
excess of chloride of calcium, and subsequently add to such mixture of
sewage or cesspool water, or water from urinals and chloride of calcium
sulphate of iron, either in solution or otherwise, by which means the
excess of chloride of calcium may be converted into sulphate, setting
chloride of iron free, which chloride is well known for its astringent
action on organic or albuminous matter. The chloride of iron also by
oxidation and combination with such organic matter becomes to a great
extent gradually converted into an insoluble precipitate.
In order however to remove more rapidly any excess of chloride of
iron I precipitate the iron as oxide by the addition of a sufficient
quantity of lime; I thus secure a series of three distinct precipitations,
cach capable of carrying down organic matter; the first being effected
with chloride of calcium, the second with sulphate of iron, and the third
with lime, leaving a small residue of chloride of calcium in solution.
In some cases, especially when it is desirable to fortify the manure
obtained with additional phosphate, I produce a very copious precipitate
by dissolving bones, bone ash, horny substances or minerals containing
a considerable per centage of phosphate of calcium in hydrochloric acid,
and use the mixed solution of phosphate and chloride of calcium for
precipitation, introducing to the tank sufficient milk of lime to neutralize
any excess of acid, and to ensure the precipitation of the whole of the
calcic phosphate. The supernatant water may then after sufficient
repose be drawn off, and if still greater purity be required be made to
pass through any suitable filtering material; the precipitate consisting
largely of sulphate, carbonate, and phosphate of calcium, and organic
matter rich in nitrogen, being drained as dry as possible to prepare it
for handling for use as manure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William White in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
3 WHITE, of 30, Thurlow Road, Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William White, Her special license that I, the
the said William White, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William White, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with 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 Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an- Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT Of
SEWAGE AND CESSPOOL WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William White, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and.
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, 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 I, the said William White, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
".
Chloride of calcium is a waste product in several large manufactures,
and is generally thrown away as of no value, but it is exceedingly
soluble, and in presence of sulphates precipitates sulphate of lime; and
in presence of alkaline carbonates and phosphates precipitates carbonate.
and phosphate of lime, I have found it well.adapted for the treatment of..
ordinary sewage and cesspool water.

page_text: The sewage or cesspool water, or water from urinals being conveyed
into suitable settling tanks, I ascertain the quantity of sulphates, car-
bonates, and phosphates present, and whether there be any free acid; if
so I neutralize with milk of lime. I then thoroughly mix with the same
a sufficiency of chloride of calcium to precipitate the sulphates, car-
bonates, and phosphates therein; the precipitate thus formed dragging
down a large proportion of the albuminous and other organic and
nitrogenous matter in suspension and solution, and forming a valuable
manure. The solution of chloride of calcium is, by preference, thrown
over the surface of the sewage by a pump forcing the solution through a
rose.
In order to produce a larger body of precipitate and thus carry down
a still greater proportion of albuminous and other matter, I introduce an
excess of chloride of calcium, and subsequently add to such mixture of
sewage or cesspool water, or water from urinals, and chloride of calcium,
sulphate of iron, either in solution or otherwise, by which means the
excess of chloride of calcium may be converted into sulphate, setting
chloride of iron free, which chloride is well known for its astringent.
action on organic or albuminous matter. The chloride of iron also by
oxidation and combination with such organic matter becomes to a great
extent gradually converted into an insoluble precipitate.
In order however to remove more rapidly any excess of chloride of
iron I precipitate the iron as oxide by the addition of a sufficient
quantity of lime; I thus secure a series of three distinct precipitations,
each capable of carrying down organic matter; the first being effected
with chloride of calcium, the second with sulphate of iron, and the third
with lime, leaving a small residue of chloride of calcium in solution.
It is preferred that the quantity of chloride of calcium employed should
be such that these precipitates should amount at least to 15 grammes
per gallon. In some cases, especially when it is desirable to fortify the
manure obtained with additional phosphate, I produce a very copious
precipitate by dissolving bones, bone ash, horny substances, or minerals
containing a considerable per centage of phosphate of calcium in hydro-
chloric acid, and use the mixed solution of phosphate and chloride of
calcium for precipitation, introducing to the tank sufficient milk of lime
to neutralize any excess of acid, and to ensure the precipitation of the
whole of the calcic phosphate. The supernatant water may then after
sufficient repose be drawn off, and if still greater purity be required be

page_text: made to pass through any suitable filtering material; the precipitate con-
sisting largely of sulphate, carbonate, and phosphate of calcium and organic
matter, rich in nitrogen, being drained as dry as possible to prepare it
for handling for use as manure.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
claim, the treatment of sewage and cesspool waters with chloride of
calcium to produce a precipitate of the sulphates, carbonates, and
phosphates of the sewage or cesspool water, which precipitate drags
down with it a large proportion of the albuminous and other organic
and nitrogenous matter in suspension and solution, and forms a valuable
manure, substantially as described.
I also claim the production in sewage and cesspool waters of successive
precipitates by the use of an excess of chloride of calcium followed by
sulphate of iron, or by sulphate of iron and then lime, substantially as
described.
I also claim the precipitation of sewage and cesspool waters by means
of a solution in hydrochloric acid, of bones, bone ash, horny substances,
or minerals containing phosphate of calcium; such solution being used
together with lime, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William White, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
.