Improved Treatment of Sugar Crystals or Grains for Facilitating the Purifying or Washing thereof.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by the firm of PFEIFER AND LANGEN, of Cologne, in
the German Empire, Sugar Manufacturers.]
Improved Treatment of Sugar Crystals or Grains for Facilitating
the Purifying or Washing thereof.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the
County of London, Consulting Engineer and 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 :--
. Every process for the purification of sugar from the syrup adhering thereto, for
example, in the washing of dried and reduced filling mass (masse cuite), of raw sugar,
or after products, by means of saturated sugar solutions, the duration of the process
depends upon the closeness of the grouping of the separate sugar crystals. This
grouping is governed by the size of the individual grains or crystals; the larger
these are, the greater are the insterstices between them, and the greater these
interstices remain when the mass shrinks closer together on the penetration of the
washing liquor. Consequently a fine grained mass as also a mixture of coarse and
fine grains or crystals offers to the penetration of the washing liquor a greater
resistance than is the case with a coarse grained mass and, consequently the purification
of fine grained material or of such consisting or a mixture of fine and coarse grains
was heretofore rendered practically impossible.
By the process which forms the subject of the present invention, the washing of
such beforementioned materials that could not be treated heretofore is facilitated and
rendered possible, and this is effected by converting the whole contents of the
washing vessel, before the introduction of the washing liquor into a cohering, almost
rigid but porous mass, and thus preventing the sinking together thereof on treatment
with the washing liquor.
I. The sugar is heated before introducing the same into the washing vessel,
preferably without changing the air, is filled warm into the vessel, and then allowed
to cool down, or is subjected to cooling till it has the temperature suitable for the
washing process.
By the heating, the dissolving capacity of the moist layer of syrup covering the
crystals is increased; it consequently dissolves a small quantity of sugar from
the crystals, which on subsequently cooling, crystallizes again, the small crystals
thus formed becoming fixed between the original crystals of the mass, and thus
producing an almost rigid connection of these.
II. The sugar is heated in the washing vessels without materially depriving the
same of water, and is then cooled again to the temperature of the washing liquor;
a formation and fixing together of crystals is, thus effected similar to that described
under I.
III. After introducing the sugar into the washing vessels, it is subjected to a
drying process. By this means a portion of the water of the layer of syrup covering
the crystals is evaporated and the syrup becoming thereby super-saturated, some of
the sugar must crystallize out and operate in the same manner as described above
in binding the mass together.

page_text: B. TREATMENT OF FILLING MASS (masse cuite).
If the process is to be applied to filling mass (masse cuite) which is subjected to
the washing process, the filling mass (masse cuite) is placed in moulds, and, after
solidifying, it is cut up into lumps slabs or sticks (in a similar manner to beet cutting)
and is then treated according to any one of the methods previously described
under III and III, so as to convert it into a solid mass.
In all the above mentioned cases, there will be caused between the larger grains
or crystals of the filling of the washing vessel, a small separation of sugar; the
small crystals of which constitute a connecting medium or support for the grains of
the mass which were previously loose, and thus unite the whole contents of the vessel
to a porous mass.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The method of facilitating or rendering the washing of sugar, or of sugar filling
mass (masse cuite) in the form of crystals, lumps or pieces in vessels, by uniting the
mass into a more or less rigid porous whole by the formation, before the introduction
of the washing liquor, of crystals between the grains lumps or pieces, without the
addition of foreign matter.
2. Effecting the operation set forth in the preceding claim:
a. By heating the mass to be washed before introducing it into the washing
vessels, filling it into the latter while hot, and then allowing it to cool down
to the temperature of the washing liquor; or by heating the mass in the
vessels without materially depriving it of water and then allowing it to
cool, or
b. By subjecting the mass to be washed, while in the vessels, to a drying
process.
Dated this 24th day of January 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.