IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND REFINING SUGAR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Sauvée, Civil Engineer, of 22, Parliament Street,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND REFINING SUGAR."
A communication from abroad by Emile Commerson, of Marseilles, in the
Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Sauvée at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st February 1881.
ALBERT SAUVÉE, Civil Engineer, of 22, Parliament Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR
DRYING AND REFINING SUGAR." A communication from abroad by Emile
Commerson, of Marseilles, in the Republic of France.
The drying of a large mass of boiled sugar syrup without impairing its quality
or color, is so delicate an operation that it rarely succeeds even when tried in a
laboratory on a few ounces, and the larger the quantity the more the difficulties
of drying increase.
The improvements in the process to overcome these difficulties are the object
of this Invention. They consist in an improved arrangement of the drying
apparatus, combined with various operations described further on, with a view to
obtain a light sugar of good taste and color and readily marketable.
On coming out of the boiling pan the syrup is run into large crystallizing pans
holding about 220 lbs. weight, and remains there from 24 to 36 hours till the mass
acquires greater consistency. The crystallizing pans are then overturned (lochés)
above a concave grating, nearly half cylindrical and fitted with tapering bars.
Underneath this grating revolves a shaft on which are mounted curved blades,
which pass between the bars of the grating and disaggregate the crystallized mass,
causing it to drop in a half solidified state on a large tray placed underneath. The
stuff is then carried into the drying apparatus. This consists of a double row of
shelves 25 metres long, 2.20 metres wide, and 0.20 metre high. The shelves are
made of wooden boards lined with zinc or copper. These dimensions may be
modified in various cases. The sugar is then spread 6 or 8 centimetres thick on
the shelves. These shelves are covered by waterproof cloths, measuring 4 metres
ונגDno

page_text: by 2 metres, suitably fixed. Along their length the cloths over lap each other,
and can be rolled up one after the other, so as to allow the gathering up of the
sugar. The shelves are supported at a certain height above the ground by planks,
forming a continuation of the sides of the shelves. These form underneath the
shelves a sort of long chamber, in which are laid pipes heated by steam or water.
A strong current of hot air supplied by a fan is sent underneath the waterproof
cloths, & therefore over the surface of the sugar; the current of air is continually
being displaced and mixed up by the undulations of the cloths, which swell and
puff up under its action. Care must be taken that the fan supplies air as dry as
possible; it then blows it into a chamber heated by a coil of steam pipes, and
thence into the drying apparatus. If it is necessary, substances absorbing moisture
may be put in this chamber to help to dry the air. The supply of air and heat is
so regulated that one can easily hold the hand on the bottom of the shelves in the
drying apparatus.
Every six hours a man is to lift up the cloths one after the other, thus successively
uncovering the shelves for a space of about 1.10 metres by 3.50 metres, and turn
over the sugar with a copper shovel and break up the lumps, replacing same before
uncovering the next cloth. Valves are disposed at the end of each row of shelves,
so as to maintain two distinct currents under the stretched cloths, which meet just
where the man is busy turning over the sugar.
In consequence of these improvements, consisting in a well regulated moderate
heat, continuous and powerful ventilation, and especially the facility with which
the mass may be manipulated, the drying is effected in from 36 to 48 hours, and
this is obtained without impairing the quality or color of the sugar.
When this operation is completed the sugar in the shelves is composed of dust
and pieces not above the size of a hazel nut. From one to two per cent. of water
may still be left in the mass. The sugar is easily removed from the shelves by
lowering the sides. It is then allowed to cool and carried to a hopper, which
conveys it into a disintegrator. This disintegrator, similar to one of Carr's, must
be strongly built and specially adapted for the purpose, the case opening into a
closed chamber where the crushed sugar is delivered. The speed of the disintegrator
A small jet of
is regulated so as to obtain sugar neither too fine nor too coarse.
steam keeps the air in the room sufficiently moist to give the crushed sugar that
softness to the touch similar to bastards, & to keep it from clogging together.
It is generally found advantageous to mix this sugar with some of the sugars
obtained from the turbine, which for the same color are much richer in sugar.
Carr's disintegrator has already been used in sugar refineries, for mixing up or
disintegrating sugar which has passed through the turbine, but not for the trans-
formation of a dried up sugar syrup into pulverized sugar.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Albert Sauvée in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th July
1881.
ALBERT SAUVÉE, Civil Engineer, of 22, Parliament Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR
DRYING AND REFINING SUGAR." A communication from abroad by Emile
Commerson, of Marseilles, in the Republic of France.
The drying of a large mass of boiled sugar syrup without imparing its quality
or colour is so delicate an operation that it rarely succeeds even when tried in a
laboratory on a few ounces, and the larger the quantity the more the difficulties
of drying increase.
The improvements in the process to overcome these difficulties are the object of
this Invention. They consist in an improved arrangement of the drying apparatus,
combined with various operations described further on, with a view to obtain a
light sugar of good taste and colour and readily marketable.
On coming out of the boiling pan the syrup is run into large crystallizing pans
holding about 220 lbs. weight, and remains there from 24 to 36 hours till the mass
acquires greater consistency. The crystallizing pans are then overturned (lochés)
above a concave grating, nearly half cylindrical and fitted with tapering bars.
Underneath this grating revolves a shaft, on which are mounted curved blades,
which pass between the bars of the grating and disaggregate the crystallised mass,
causing it to drop in a half solidified state on a large tray placed underneath; the
stuff is then carried into the drying apparatus. This consists of a double row of
shelves 25 metres long, 2.20 metres wide, and 0.20 metre high. The shelves are
made of wooden boards lined with zinc or copper. These dimensions may be
modified in various cases. The sugar is then spread 6 or 8 centimetres thick on
the shelves. These shelves are covered by waterproof cloths measuring 4 metres
by 2 metres suitably fixed. Along their length the cloths overlap each other,
and can be rolled up one after the other, so as to allow the gathering up of the'
sugar. The shelves are supported at a certain height above the ground by planks
forming a continuation of the sides of the shelves. These form underneath the
shelves a sort of long chamber, in which are laid pipes heated by steam or
water.
A strong current of hot air supplied by a fan is sent underneath the waterproof
cloths and therefore over the surface of the sugar. The current of air is continually
being displaced and mixed up by the undulations of the cloths, which swell and
puff up under its action.
Care must be taken that the fan supplies air as dry as possible; it then blows
it into a chamber heated by a coil of steam pipes, and thence into the drying
apparatus.
If it is necessary substances absorbing moisture may be put in this chamber
to help to dry the air. The supply of air and heat is so regulated that one
can easily hold the hand on the bottom of the shelves in the drying apparatus.
Every six hours a man is to lift up the cloths one after the other, thus
successively uncovering the shelves for a space of about 1.10 metres by 3.50 metres,
and turn over the sugar with a copper shovel and break up the lumps, replacing
each cloth before lifting up the next.
Valves are disposed at the end of each row of shelves so as to maintain two
distinct currents under the stretched cloths, which meet just where the man is
busy turning over the sugar.
In consequence of these improvements, consisting in a well regulated moderate

page_text: heat, continuous and powerful ventilation, and especially the facility with which
the mass may be manipulated, the drying is effected in from 36 to 48 hours, and
this is obtained without impairing the quality or colour of the sugar.
When this operation is completed the sugar in the shelves is composed of dust
and pieces not above the size of a hazel nut. From one to two per cent. of water
may still be left in the mass. The sugar is easily removed from the shelves by
lowering the sides. It is then allowed to cool and carried to a hopper, which
conveys it into a disintegrator.
This disintegrator, similar to one of Carr's, must be strongly built and specially
adapted for the purpose, the case opening into a closed chamber where the crushed
sugar is delivered. The speed of the disintegrator is regulated so as to obtain
sugar neither too fine nor too coarse. A small jet of steam keeps the air in the
room sufficiently moist to give the crushed sugar that softness to the touch similar
to bastards, and to keep it from clogging together.
It is generally found advantageous to mix this sugar with some of the sugars
obtained from the turbine, which for the same colour are much richer in sugar.
Carr's disintegrator has already been used in sugar refineries for mixing up or
disintegrating sugar which has passed through the turbine, but not for the
transformation of a dried up sugar syrup into pulverised sugar.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Sauvée, have hereunto set my hand a
and seal, this Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
A. SAUVEE. (L.S.)