Year: 1896

page_text: A communication from Messrs. SOLVAY & Co., of 25 Rue du Prince Albert, Brussels,
Belgium, Manufacturers.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of London,
Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a construction of continuous decanting apparatus in
which the principle of decanting in a fixed condition, and the principle of decanting
under inclined plates are carried out simultaneously.
This apparatus comprises a box or casing containing a series of parallel plates
inclined to the horizontal and arranged to divide the interior of the box into a large
number of equally spaced and inclined compartments. Each of the plates is provided
on its underside with secondary partitions or vanes fixed approximately at right angles
to the plane of the primary plate or partition, and slightly inclined from the horizontal.
The length of these secondary partitions is such as to leave a certain distance between
their lower edges and the upper side of the next following primary plate or partition.
The decanting apparatus is thus constituted by a very large number of sinall decanting
chambers, each acting as an almost horizontal or slightly inclined tube of rectangular
form in cross section. The deposit is received on the free upper side of the primary
partitions, and slides down towards the bottom of the apparatus, whilst the clear liquid
collects in the upper corner or angle of each chamber, and flows, following the
inclination of the secondary partitions, towards the top of the apparatus whence it is
discharged through an overflow orifice, whilst the mud collects at the bottom of the
apparatus whence it can be removed at will.
The clouded liquid is admitted at the top of the apparatus into a compartment which
extends the whole length of the apparatus and almost down to the bottom thereof, a
solid wall preventing the muddy liquid from rising directly into the upper chambers.
The apparatus is characterized by the fact that all the velocities are reduced to a
minimum, and that all coming together or contact between the decanted parts and the
liquid, whether the latter be clear or clouded, is prevented.
11
101 1
11000
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Decanting Apparatus.
A communication from Messrs. SOLVAY & Co., of 25 Rue du Prince Albert, Brussels,
Belgium, Manufacturers.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of London,
Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The principles which should govern the operation of apparatus designed for
separating a liquid from the solid particles or matter which it holds in suspension, by
the operation of decanting, are very simple. The liquid to be treated should circulate
at a low velocity so as to promote deposition, which would be a maximum for a
stationary liquid, that is to say, in an apparatus in which the liquid does not flow in a
continuous stream. Also, as soon as solid matter has been deposited, it should not
again come in contact with any liquid current capable of causing it to become again
held in suspension in the liquid.
Existing decanting apparatus fulfil these conditions only in a very inadequate
degree. The most improved forms contain inclined blades or plates which promote
the production of a current of clear liquid above and the gliding or flowing of solid
matter underneath in the contrary direction, but even in these cases the velocities of
the currents are still too great to obtain a satisfactory result, the current of clear
liquid tending to carry along with it the light particles and particularly the portions
which are being deposited and are passing through the liquid current.
The decanting apparatus which forms the subject of this invention enables the
principle of decanting in the stationary condition with the principle of decanting
under inclined blades or plates to be carried out in an advantageous manner.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 are cross sections of the apparatus taken in planes at right angles to
one another.
Fig. 3 is a detail view drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2.
The apparatus comprises a box or casing A B C containing a series of parallel
plates I. L (Fig. 1) which are inclined to the horizontal and arranged to divide the
interior of the box between the plates into a large number of compartments which
are of equal width and inclination as seen in end view (Fig. 1). Each of the
plates L which may be termed primary plates or partitions, carries below it i.e.,
on its lower side, a number of secondary partitions or wings a, a, a, fixed at right
angles or thereabout to the plane of the primary plate or partition and having in
the direction of their length a slight inclination to the horizontal as shown in
Fig. 2. The width of these secondary partitions or wings is such as to leave a
certain distance, (say about of the distance between two of the primary plates L)
between each of their lower free edges and the upper surface of the next following
primary plate or partition L. As will be seen, the arrangement is such that the
decanting apparatus comprises a very large number of small decanting chambers
or passages a bed (Fig. 3), each of which acts as an approximately horizontal or
slightly inclined tube of rectangular section. The deposit is received on the free
upper surfaces c d of the primary plates or partitions and slides down these surfaces
towards the bottom of the apparatus, whilst the clear liquid collects in the upper
corner or angle 6 of each chamber and flows upwards, following the inclination of
the secondary partitions or wings, towards the top of the apparatus whence it is
discharged through an overflow orifice S.

page_text: The introduction of the turbid liquid to be treated takes place at I, at one side or
end of the primary plates or partitions, and flows through the apparatus with a very
low velocity because the cross section thereof is comparatively very large and is limited
only by the length and height of the apparatus.
A full or non-perforated plate or partition K arranged to form with the upper part
of the box or casing a compartment extending the whole length of the apparatus,
prevents the muddy liquid entering at I from rising directly through the inclined
chambers between the upper portions of the primary plates or partitions L. The mud
collects at B and can be removed at will by opening a cock D.
The characteristic features of this apparatus hereinbefore described are that by
means of it the velocity of the liquid to be treated, when passing through the
apparatus, can be reduced to a minimum and all disturbing contact between the
decanted matter and the liquid, whether the latter be clear or turbid, is avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A decanting apparatus comprising inclined plates carrying on their lower
surfaces secondary partitions or wings arranged lengthwise at a slight inclination to
the horizontal, the arrangement being such as to constitute a number of decanting
chambers or tubes operating simultaneously without liability of deposited solid matter
being disturbed by contact with the clear or the turbid liquid flowing through the
apparatus substantially as described.
2. The improved decanting apparatus shown in and described with reference to the
drawings annexed for the purpose specified.
Dated this 11th dow of M... 1907
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.