IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF COLD FOR MAKING ICE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
-
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PRODUCTION OF COLD FOR MAKING ICE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND
IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad by
Auguste J. Rossi and Leonard F. Beckwith, of the City, County, and State
of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1881.
"
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF COLD FOR MAKING ICE
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
A communication from abroad by Auguste J. Rossi and Leonard F. Beckwith,
of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of America.
Glycerine is well known as a great solvent for many of the substances, either
solid, liquid, or gaseous which water itself dissolves. Thus many gases which are
very soluble in water are found to be absorbed by glycerine in large quantities,
amongst others ammonia gas, which stands first.
This
It has been ascertained by my foreign correspondents that glycerine concentrated
even to 30° Baumé, as well as glycerine at 28° Baumé, and at lower degrees of
concentration, absorbs gaseous ammonia in large quantities, varying according to
temperature and concentration from 250 to 350 times its volume and more.
absorption takes place with a great disengagement of heat, and the liquid obtained
by saturation has little or no pressure at ordinary temperatures. On this properly
is based a new method for the artificial production of ice or cold.
In the systems of refrigeration in which this power of absorption of a gaseous
agent by an absorbent material has heretofore been made available either,-
1st. Both the absorbent liquid and the absorbed material were volatile, in which
case both were volatilized simultaneously under a vacuum produced by mechanical
action, and the binary liquid was reconstituted by mechanical compression and by
cooling of the mixed vapors, which operations liquefied the vapors of the less
volatile absorbent under very small pressure, and the absorbent thus reliquefied

page_text: absorbed the vapors of the more volatile constituent by chemical affinity, the
great compression otherwise necessary to liquefy the more volatile constituent
being thus avoided; or
2nd. The absorbent was but little volatile or not at all, and recourse was had
to heat to drive off the vapors of the absorbed material from the binary liquid,
the absorbent remaining behind, and by the pressure on itself of the gas driven off
aided by a proper cooling to bring about the liquefaction of the same, which being
now liquefied was allowed to vaporize by itself, the pressure being removed and
the binary liquid reconstituted by permitting the vapors generated to be reabsorbed,
and no recourse being had to mechanical compression or aspiration.
In the new system, which constitutes the present Invention, the particular and
distinct features are that the absorbent is non-volatile and not capable of vaporizing
under a limited vacuum produced mechanically by an aspiration and compression
pump, and the absorbed material volatilizes alone under the vacuum, producing a
lowering of temperature, and is again liquefied by being reabsorbed in the non-
volatile material, and that a special mechanical contrivance, such as a double
refrigerator, is used to effect the absorption of the vapors of the volatile absorbed
material so as to reconstitute the saturated liquid. Excessive pressure in liquefying
the gaseous agent is avoided as in the first case mentioned.
This new system is distinct from either of the two systems mentioned in allowing
as it does the use of mechanical devices with non-volatile absorbent liquids and
changing completely the mode of action.
In previous ice or refrigerating machines using anhydrous ammonia the liquefied
ammonia is volatilized by relieving the pressure by means of an aspiration and
compression pump driven by a steam engine, and recourse is had to mechanical
compression and cooling to produce again the liquefaction of the ammonia gas,
excessive pressures of 150 to 250 pounds and more being often reached.
In machines employing saturated water solutions of ammonia, such as the Carré
machine, no compression pump is used, but the liquefaction of the gas is obtained
with the aid of proper cooling by the pressure on itself of the gas when expelled
from its water solutions by heat, and such pressures are as great if not greater
than the preceding.
In this new system recourse is had to the above mentioned property of absorption
by glycerine of ammonia gas to produce the liquefaction thereof, thus substituting
for the mechanical power relied upon so far a chemical power of affinity and
absorption, and thereby to effect a saving in the power required, and consequently
in the coal consumed, to produce a certain number of negative limits of heat or cold,
and to avoid the great pressures mentioned and the difficulties of management of
machines working under such pressures.
In carrying out this Invention the glycerine saturated with ammonia gas pre-
pared by any suitable method (as, for example, by decomposing sal ammoniac with
lime under the influence of heat) is introduced into an iron vessel, which may be a
tubular boiler similar to those used for generating steam, or a system of coils, or
any other suitable mechanical contrivance. This vessel is called the refrigerator.
It may be put in communication by a pipe with the suction pipe of a double
acting aspiration and compression pump driven by a steam engine or any other
mechanical power.
A second refrigerator, which is or may be similar to the first
in every respect, and which also contains the liquid absorbent or nonsaturated
solution, can be put in communication with the suction pipe of the pump by another
pipe. A three way cock at the junction of the two pipes commands both
refrigerators, and can be worked either by hand or automatically by a crank lever
connected with the engine. Both refrigerators are immersed in iron tanks, in
which circulates a noncongealable liquid (solution of chloride of magnesium or
common salt in water or the like). The cans containing the water to be frozen
are placed upright in these tanks, and the brine circulates around them.
large machines an independent freezing tank can be used, and the brine can by
means of a circulating pump be returned to the refrigerator tanks.
In

page_text: In case ice is not to be made, but refrigeration by cold brine is required, the
same brine is caused to circulate through a system or coil of pipes or other appro-
priate contrivances. The discharge pipe of the pump is in communication by a
pipe with an iron vessel called the condenser, which is or may be in the form of a
tubular boiler, a coil, or the like. This condenser is immersed in a tank, through
which a stream of cooling water is caused to circulate.
Both refrigerators communicate with the condenser by small pipes. Two of
these pipes starting from the bottom of their respective refrigerators, and being
provided at their junction with a three way cock, discharge into a single acting
circulating pump driven by the steam engine. The cock is worked by hand or
automatically by the steam engine. From the pump a third pipe discharges into
the bottom of the condenser.
The condenser communicates with the refrigerators by small pipes, at the
junction of which is placed a three way cock worked by hand, or automatically by
the steam engine. One of these pipes starts from the bottom of the condenser,
and two other pipes reach to the bottom of the refrigerators. The operation is as
follows:-
The aspiration and compression pump being started, and the three way cock
first mentioned being in a suitable position, communication exists between the
pump and one refrigerator, hereinafter designated No. 1, but not between it and
the other refrigerator, hereinafter designated No. 2, and a vacuum is produced
mechanically in No. 1. Volatilization of the ammonia then takes place, producing
an intense cold, which is communicated to the brine in the tank, and by it to the
water in the cans. The glycerine in the refrigerator No. 1 remains, the degree of
its saturation being constantly diminished, and the cock is kept in the first men-
tioned position until the solution in that refrigerator is substantially deprived of
its ammonia.
The gaseous ammonia during this period enters the pump and is expelled into
the condenser, which contains a certain amount of pure glycerine supplied from the
refrigerator No. 2 by means of the circulating pump, as will be further described,
and by this glycerine it is absorbed under a very low pressure, reconstituting in
the condenser the standard glycerine solution. The heat of absorption is carried
away by the circulation of water in the condenser tank. The mechanical com-
pression of 150 to 300 pounds, otherwise necessary to bring about the liquefaction
of the ammonia gas, is thus avoided by the affinity of the latter for the glycerine.
While the saturated solution is being reconstituted in the condenser the three way
cock thirdly hereinbefore mentioned is in such a position that communication by
the pipes between both refrigerators and the condenser is cut off.
The cock retains the position above mentioned so long as the cock first men-
tioned retains its position No. 1.
During this period also the refrigerator No. 1 is cut off from its communication
with the small circulating liquid pump, the cock secondly herein before mentioned
being in position No. 1, and refrigerator No. 2 on the contrary communicates with the
circulating pump, which pumps the nonsaturated glycerine from No. 2 refrigerator
into the condenser, where the glycerine becomes saturated with the ammonia gas
from the aspiration and compression pump.
The cock secondly hereinbefore referred to remains in position No. 1 so long as
the first mentioned cock remains in position No. 1. At the end of the period
when No. 1 refrigerator is sufficiently exhausted of ammonia and contains only
glycerine, the condenser being full of reconstituted saturated solution, and No. 1
refrigerator being empty, the contents of the condenser are allowed to flow by their
own pressure into refrigerator No. 2 by turning the cock thirdly herein before
referred to into a suitable position. The cock secondly hereinbefore referred to at
the same time being put into a corresponding position the circulating pump is
ready to pass some of the exhausted glycerine from refrigerator No. 1 into the
condenser. The cock first mentioned is placed in such a position that the aspiration.
and compression pump is then ready to draw the ammonia gas from the saturated

page_text: solution in No. 2 refrigerator.
In short in both refrigerators the solution is
exhausted of its ammonia alternately, thus producing cold, and the glycerine
is sent into the condenser to be reconstituted into the glycero-ammoniacal liquid.
In the above description the intention has been to show in a general manner
the mode of operation in the different stages.
Suitable regulating cocks and valves can be applied, and the details of the
apparatus may be modified to adapt it to the requirements of the process.
It may be remarked in conclusion that the Invention is not necessarily limited
to the particular construction of apparatus described for carrying out the process,
as it is evident that the apparatus may be modified in its details.
The same apparatus may, it is obvious, be used for producing refrigeration in a
similar manner by the use of a binary compound of some other non volatile
absorbent liquid and some other volatile refrigerant, and it is also obvious that the
same mode of operation or process of producing cold described for ammonia and
glycerine may be employed with such other binary liquid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th July 1881.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF COLD FOR MAKING ICE
FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
A communication from abroad by Auguste J. Rossi and Leonard F. Beck with,
of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of America.
AND
The said Invention relates to improvements in the production of cold for making
ice and for other purposes, and in the apparatus employed in carrying out the
process.
It is well known that glycerine is a great solvent for many of the substances either
solid, liquid, or gaseous, which water itself dissolves. Thus many gases which are
very soluble in water are found to be absorbed by glycerine in large quantities,
amongst others ammonia gas which stands first.
It has been ascertained by my foreign correspondents that glycerine concentrated
even to 30° Beaumé, as well as glycerine at 28° Beaumé, and at lower degrees of
concentration, absorbs gaseous ammonia in large quantities, varying according to
temperatures and concentration from 250 to 350 times its volume and more.. This
absorption takes place with a great disengagement of heat, and the liquid obtained
by saturation has little or no pressure at ordinary temperature. On this properly
is based a new method for the artificial production of ice or cold.
In the systems of refrigeration in which this power of absorption of a gaseous
agent by an absorbent material has heretofore been made available either,-
First. Both the absorbent liquid and the absorbed material were volatile, in
which case both were volatilized simultaneously under a vacuum produced by
mechanical action, and the binary liquid was reconstituted by mechanical
compression and by cooling of the mixed vapors, which operations liquefied the
vapors of the less volatile absorbent under very small pressure, and the absorbent
thus reliquefied absorbed the vapors of the more volatile constituent by chemical
affinity, the great compression otherwise necessary to liquefy the more volatile
constituent being thus avoided; or
Second. The absorbent was but little volatile or not at all, and recourse was had
to heat to drive off the vapors of the absorbed material from the binary liquid.
The absorbent remaining behind and by the pressure on itself of the gas driven off,
aided by a proper cooling to bring about the liquefaction of the same, which being
now liquefied was allowed to vaporize by itself, the pressure being removed and
the binary liquid reconstituted by permitting the vapors generated to be reabsorbed,
and and no recourse being had to mechanical compression or aspiration.
In the new system which constitutes the present Invention the particular and
distinct features are that the absorbent is non-volatile and not capable of vaporizing
under a limited vacuum produced mechanically by an aspiration and compression
pump, and the absorbed material volatilizes alone under the vacuum producing a
lowering of temperature, and is again liquefied by being reabsorbed in the nonvolatile
material, and that a special mechanical contrivance, such as a double refrigerator, is
used to effect the absorption of the vapors of the volatile -absorbed material so as
to reconstitute the saturated liquid. Excessive pressure in liquefying the gaseous
agent is avoided as in the first case mentioned.
This new system is distinct from either of the two systems mentioned, in
allowing as it does the use of mechanical devices with non-volatile absorbent
liquids, and changing completely the mode of action.

page_text: In previous ice or refrigerating machines using anhydrous ammonia, the liquefied
ammonia is volatilized be relieving the pressure by means of an aspiration and
compression pump driven by a steam engine, and recourse is had to mechanical
compression and cooling to produce again the liquefaction of the ammonia gas,
excessive pressures of 150 to 250 pounds and more being often reached.
In machines employing saturated water solutions of ammonia, such for example
as the Carré machine, no compression pump is used, but the liquefaction of the gas
is obtained with the aid of proper cooling by the pressure on itself of the gas when
expelled from its water solutions by heat, and such pressures are as great if not
greater than the preceding.
In this new system recourse is had to the above mentioned property of
absorption by glycerine of ammonia gas to produce the liquefaction thereof, thus
substituting for the mechanical power relied upon so far, a chemical power of
affinity and absorption, and thereby to effect a saving in the power required, and
consequently in the coal consumed, to produce a certain number of negative limits
of heat or cold, and to avoid the great pressures mentioned and the difficulties of
management of machines working under such pressures.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
-
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional elevation of an
apparatus which constitutes a part of this Invention, and which is or may be used
for carrying on the improved process. Figures 2, 3, and 4 illustrate different
positions of the cocks hereinafter referred to in the said apparatus. The glycerine
saturated with ammonia gas prepared by any suitable method (as, for example, by
decomposing sal ammonaic with lime under the influence of heat) is introduced
into an iron vessel A, which may be a tubular boiler similar to those used for
generating steam, or a system of coils or any other suitable mechanical contrivance;
this vessel is called the refrigerator. It may be put in communication by a pipe B
with the suction pipe of a double acting aspiration and compression pump P
driven by a steam engine or any other mechanical power. A second refrigerator A¹,
which is or may be similar to the first in every respect, and which also contains the
liquid absorbent or non-saturated solution, can be put in communication with the
suction pipe of the pump by a pipe B'. A three way cock D at the junction of
the pipes B, B¹, commands both the refrigerators, and can be worked either by
hand or automatically by a crank lever connected with the engine. Both refrige-
rators are immersed in iron tanks T, T', in which circulates a non-congealable liquid
(solution of chloride of magnesium or common salt in water, or the like). The
cans F containing the water to be frozen are placed upright in these tanks, and
the brine circulates around them. In large machines an independent freezing tank
can be used, and the brine can by means of a circulating pump be returned to the
refrigerator tanks T, T.
In case ice is not to be made, but refrigeration by cold brine is required, the same
brine is caused to circulate through a system or coil of pipes or other appropriate
contrivances. The discharge pipe of the pump P is in communication by a pipe E
with an iron vessel C called the condenser, which is or may be in the form of a
tubular boiler, a coil, or the like. This condenser is immersed in a tank T² through
which a stream of cooling water is caused to circulate.
Both refrigerators A, A', communicate with the condenser C by small pipes
G, G, G*. The pipes G, G³, starting from the bottom of their respective refrige-
rators, and being provided at their junction with a three way cock H, discharge
into a single acting circulating pump I driven by the steam engine. The cock H
is worked by hand or automatically by the steam engine. From the pump the
pipe G* discharged into the bottom of the condenser C.
The condenser C communicates with the refrigerators A, A¹, by small pipes
K, K', K*, at the junction of which is placed a three way cock L, worked by hand

page_text: or automatically by the steam engine. The pipe K* starts from the bottom of the
condenser C, and the pipes K, K₁, reach to the bottom of the refrigerators A, A¹.
The operation is as follows:-
The pump P being started and the three way cock D being in the position shewn
in Figure 1, communication exists between the pump and the refrigerator A, but
not between it and the refrigerator A¹, and a vacuum is produced mechanically in
the refrigerator A. Volatilization of the ammonia then takes place, producing an
intense cold, which is communicated to the brine in the tank T, and by it to the
water in the cans F. The glycerine in the refrigerator A remains, the degree of its
saturation being constantly diminished, and the cock D is kept in the first
mentioned position, until the solution in that refrigerator is substantially deprived
of its ammonia. The gaseous ammonia during this period enters the pump, and is,
expelled into the condenser C, which contains a certain amount of pure glycerine
supplied from the refrigerator A¹ by means of the pump I, as will be more fully
hereinafter described, and by this glycerine it is absorbed under a very low pressure,
reconstituting in the condenser the standard glycerine solution. The heat of
absorption is carried away by the circulation of water in the tank T2. The
mechanical compression of 150 to 300 pounds otherwise necessary to bring about
the liquefaction of the ammonia gas is thus avoided by the affinity of the latter for
the glycerine. While the saturated solution is being reconstituted in the con-
denser C, the three way cock L is in the position shown in Figure 1, and communi-
cation by the pipes K, K¹, K*, between both refrigerators A, A¹, and the condenser
is cut off. The cock L retains the position above mentioned, so long as the cock D
retains the position No. 1.
During this period also the refrigerator A is cut off from its communication with
the small circulating liquid pump I, cock H being in position No. 1, and the
refrigerator A¹ on the contrary communicates with the pump I, which pumps the
non-saturated glycerine from the refrigerator A' into the condenser C, where the
glycerine becomes saturated with the ammonia gas from the pump P. The cock H
remains in position No. 1 so long as the cock D remains in position No. 1. At
the end of the period when the refrigerator A is sufficiently exhausted of ammonia
and contains only glycerine, the condenser C being full of reconstituted saturated
solution, and the refrigerator A being empty, the contents of the condenser Care
allowed to flow by their own pressure into the refrigerator A', by turning the
cock L into the position shown in Figure 2, the cock H at the same time being
put into the position shown in Figure 3, the pump I is ready to pass some of the
exhausted glycerine from the refrigerator A into the condenser C. The cock D is
placed in the position shown in Figure 4, and the pump P is then ready to draw
the ammonia gas from the saturated solution in the refrigerator A'. In short, in
both the refrigerators A and A¹ the solution is exhausted of its ammonia alternately,
thus producing cold, and the glycerine is sent into the condenser C to be reconsti-
tuted into the glycero-ammoniacal liquid.
In the above description the intention has been to show in a general manner the
mode of operation in the different stages.
Suitable regulating cocks and valves can be applied, and the details of the
apparatus may be modified to adapt it to the requirements of the process.
It may be remarked in conclusion that the Invention is not necessarily limited to
the particular apparatus described for carrying out the process, but the same being
well adapted to the purpose has been selected for illustration. The same apparatus
may, it is obvious, be used for producing refrigeration in a similar manner by the
use of a binary compound of some other non-volatile absorbent liquid and some
other volatile refrigerent, and it is also obvious that the same mode of operation or
process of producing cold described for ammonia and glycerine may be employed
with such other binary liquid.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the mauner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,

page_text: and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,
First. The method of producing cold by means of a binary liquid composed of a
non-volatile absorbent and a volatile absorbed material, by producing the volatili-
zation of such absorbed, material from the absorbent by means of a reduction of
pressure, and afterwards reconstituting the binary liquid by a restoration of pressure
in a cold vessel, substantially as herein before described.
Second. The application of a solution of ammonia in glycerine to produce cold by
reducing the pressure, and thereby causing the volatilization of the solution from
the glycerine, and then reconstituting the solution by passing the exhausted
glycerine and the volatilized ammonia by separate channels into a cooled vessel in
which the pressure is restored, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Third. The combination in a cold producing apparatus or ice machine of two
refrigerators, a condenser, an-air pump having its suction pipe connected with each
of the said refrigerators and its discharge pipe connected with the condenser, a
liquid circulating pump, pipes for connecting each refrigerator with the condenser,
and cocks for opening and closing the communication of the several pipes, substan-
tially as hereinbefore described.
Fourth. As a refrigerating agent or means for producing cold, as set forth, a
binary compound, such as a solution of ammonia in glycerine, comprising a non-
volatile absorbent material, and. a volatile or gaseous material having affinity for
said non volatilo material, so as to be retained therein at ordinary temperatures
under atmospheric pressure, or pressure in excess thereof, but capable of being
volatilized and drawn off by a reduction of pressure even at a low temperature,
substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)