An Improved Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture and Transport of Liquid Chlorine.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture and
Transport of Liquid Chlorine.
I, JAMES BALLANTYNE HANNAY of Cove Castle Loch Long in the County of
Dumbarton Chemical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be
as follows:-
.
In certain metallurgical operations, such for instance as extracting gold from ores
containing it, chlorine is employed with advantage, but it is generally difficult to
produce chlorine on the spot where it may be most conveniently employed or to
transport gaseous chlorine thither. Chlorine when in a liquefied condition occupies
moderate volume, and therefore if it can be produced and transported in this form, it
can be rendered available in many places, such as mines, where it cannot now be
conveniently obtained. My Invention relates to means of producing liquid chlorine
and storing it in vessels in which it can be conveniently transported and from which
it can be drawn for use when required. I produce gaseous chlorine in any known
manner under a little pressure sufficient to cause it to bubble through water contained
and agitated in a series of vessels which are kept cooled to about freezing point. In
each of those vessels through which the chlorine passes successively, a portion of the
chlorine forms a combination with water producing a crystalline deposit. As this
deposit is formed most rapidly in the first vessel and more slowly in those succeeding
it, I arrange the connecting pipes so that the vessels can be worked in rotation.
When the first has a sufficient amount of deposit, it is cut off from the chlorine supply
and the deposit is removed from it, the second vessel in the meantime operating as
the first, and so on successively. The deposit removed from the vessel, being squeezed
to press out free water, is charged into a strong vessel having a funnel shaped bottom
with a small outlet. The vessel being charged is closed and then a little heat is
applied externally. This heating effects separation of the chlorine from the water
with which it was combined, the chlorine subsiding in liquid condition towards the
bottom of the vessel while the water floats above it. To the bottom of the separating
vessel (preferably with an intermediate vessel which may be charged with sulphuric
acid to trap any water accompanying the chlorine) is connected one of the holders or
vessels in which the liquid chlorine is charged for transport. This vessel is a thin but
strong steel tube closed at both ends, with a small internally screwed hole in a boss
projecting at its end. This hole is fitted with a screw plug contained in a tube
attached. to the boss, this tube being connected to the separating vessel by a lateral
branch provided with a valve. The connection being made to the holder, the valve
is opened and the liquid chlorine, which is under considerable pressure in the
separating vessel, passes into the holder, whereupon the screw plug is scrowed home
until a collar on it presses hard upon a packing washer abutting against a shoulder
in the bore of the boss. The valve in the branch being then closed the holder is
detached and the end of the screw plug and the hole in which it presents itself are
burred over and sealed by brazing or soldering. In order to provide for expansion of
the liquid chlorine in the holder due to increase of temperature, I flatten the holder a
little before it is charged, at one place or at several places, to allow for its bulging
afterwards when the liquid expands. When it is desired to use part of the chlorine
contained in the holder, a T union is fixed with a packing washer on to the side of
the holder by a screw clamp embracing the holder and then a hole can be made in the
side of the holder by a punch or drill accommodated in the two cross limbs of the T
allowing the chlorine to pass out by the other limb. The vessels in which the chlorine
deposit is formed are made of glass or other material not acted on by chlorine,
or lead may be employed, and the vessel in which the separation of the liquid

page_text: chlorine from the water takes place is lined with lead, which is not materially acted
on by chlorine. The liquid chlorine separated from the water is chemically dry,
that is to say it contains no water. I have found that in this condition it does not
attack iron or steel, consequently the holders require no special lining. Chlorine,
as is well known, can be liquefied by pressure or great cold or by both these
influences combined; holders such as I have described may be used for containing
liquid chlorine produced in this way; as well as by the deposit and separation process
above set forth.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process and, Apparatus for the Manufacture and 7'
Transport of Liquid Chlorine..
2
I, JAMES BALLANTYNE HANNAY of Cove Castle, Loch Long, in the County of
Dumbarton, Chemical Engineer, 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 :-
In certain metallurgical operations, such for instance as extracting gold from ores
containing it, chlorine is employed with advantage, but it is generally difficult to
produce chlorine, on the spot where it may be most conveniently employed or to
transport gaseous chlorine thither. Chlorine when in a liquefied condition occupies
moderate volume, and therefore if it can be produced and transported in this form, it
can be rendered available in many places, such as mines, where it cannot now be
conveniently obtained.*
My invention relates to means of producing liquid chlorine and storing it in vessels
in which it can be conveniently transported and, from which it can be drawn for use
when required. I produce gaseous chlorine in any known manner under a little
pressure sufficient to cause it to bubble through, water contained and agitated in a
series of vessels which are kept 'cooled to about freezing point. In each of those
vessels, through which the chlorine passes successively, a portion of the chlorine forms
a combination with water producing a crystalline deposit. As this deposit is formed
most rapidly in the first vessel and more slowly in those succeeding it, I arrange
the connecting pipes' so that the vessels can be worked in rotation. When the first
has a sufficient aimount of deposit it is cut off from the chlorine supply, and the
deposit is removed from it, the second vessel in the meantime operating as the first
and so on successively. The deposit removed from the vessel being squeezed to
press out free water, is charged into a strong vessel having a funnel shaped bottom
with a small outlet. The vessel being charged is closed and then a little heat is
applied externally. This heating effects separation of the chlorine from the water
with which it was combined, the chlorine subsiding in liquid condition towards the
bottom of the vessel while the water floats above it. To the bottom of the separating
vessel (preferably with an intermediate vessel which may be charged with sulphuric
acid to trap any water accompanying the chlorine) is connected one of the holders of
vessels in which the liquid chlorine is charged for transport. This vessel is a thin but
strong steel tube closed at both ends with a small internally screwed hole in a bors
projecting at its end. This hole is fitted with a screw plug contained in a tub
attached to the boss this tube being connected to the separating vessel by a later.il
branch provided with a valve. The connection being made to the holder, the valve is
opened and the liquid chlorine which is under considerable pressure in the separating
vessel passes into the holder, whereupon the screw plug is screwed' home until a
collar on it presses hard upon a packing washer abutting against a 'shoulder in the
bore of the boss. The valve.in the branch being then closed the holder is detached
and the end of the screw plug and the hole in which it presents itself are burred over
and sealed by brazing or soldering: In order to provide for expansion of the liquid

page_text: chlorine in the:holder due to increase of temperature, I flatten the holder a Inttlepata
before it is charged, at one place or at several places to allow for its bulging after ec
wards when the liquid expands. When it is desired to use part of the chlorine con-
tained in the holder a branched tube similar to that employed for charging the holder o
ay be connected to the boss and the plug can.be.unscrewed.
A: 722
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus for separating the liquid chlorine.from
its compound with water and charging holders therewith. Fig. 2 is a section to an
enlarged scale, shewing the connection to the holder, and Fig. 3 is an elevation partly
in section shewing the arrangement for charging the holders with chlorine liquefied
by pressure or otherwise:
Kis the funnel shaped vessel which is charged with the crystalline compound of
chlorine and water formed by blowing gaseous chlorine through water kept at at
temperature about freezing point. To the bottom of the vessel K which has a small
outlet is attached a trap vessel L containing strong sulphuric acid, and to this is
attached the branched pipe M shewn to an enlarged scale in Fig. 2 for charging one
of the storing vessels N. This vessel is a thin but strong steel tube closed at both
ends, the one end having a projecting boss n with a screwed hole and shoulder to receive
a screw plug R.
It is preferred to make a boss n at the other end of the tube N for convenience of
lifting. The branched pipe M is provided with a spindle m which passes through
a stuffing box and is screwed through an external yoke m³, the thread being equal
in pitch to that of the plug R, the head of which is made as a socket to receive
the squared end of the spindle m. A packing washer r being placed in the hole
of the boss and the plug R having been inserted within M and engaged on the
end of the spindle m the branched pipe M is connected as shewn to the holder N and
to the trap L, the jointings being tightened thoroughly against leakage. Moderate
beat heing now applied to the vessel K, the crystalline compound of chlorine and
water becomes decomposed producing considerable pressure, the liquid chlorine
subsiding in the lower part of K and the water floating above it. The cocks k and
being now opened, the liquid chlorine passes first through the sulphuric acid in L. by
which any water that may accompany it is absorbed, and the pure liquid chlorine then
flows by the branch pipe M into the holder N. When this is thus charged, the
cocks and are closed, the spindle mis turned screwing the plug R into the
boss n, and when the plug is screwed home so as to compress the washer
the holder N can be detached. The head of the plug R or the metal of the boss
surrounding it can be burred over and the joint can be made good by soldering.
The vessel K should be of considerable strength to resist the internal pressure, and
should be lined with lead which is not materially acted on by the chlorine. The
liquefied chlorine, when freed from water, is what may be termed chemically dry, and
in this condition it does not attack iron or steel; consequently the branch pipe M
and the holders N can be made of these metals without requiring any protective
lining. I prefer to provide two tubes the one from the top and the other k² from
the bottom of the vessel K in order to run off the gas and the more or less chlorinated
water for subsequent treatment, after the liquid chlorine is mostly transferred to
holders. Although I have described the branched pipe M as being applied to the
vessel K, it may obviously be connected to any other receptacle of chlorine liquefied
by cold or pressure or both. Thus as shewn in Fig. 3 chlorine liquefied by cold or
pressure may be transferred from a vessel O in which it is generated or stored to the
holders N passing on its way through sulphuric acid in L. A measuring vessel !'
may be interposed to determine the charge of the holder N so as to leave in each holder
a little space for expansion of the liquid contents. The vessel P may be a strong
glass tube graduated, so that the amount of charge may be visible.
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. For storage and transport of liquefied chlorine the use of a holder made of bare

page_text: steel tube closed at the ends with an end boss provided with a screw plug substantially
as described.
2. For producing liquefied chlorine and charging holders therewith, the combination
of the funnel shaped vessel K the water trap L and the branched pipe M fitted with
screwed spindle substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of December 1889
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.