Improvements in the Treatment of Towns' Refuse and other Putrescible Matters.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 21st June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Towns' Refuse and other
Putrescible Matters.
I, ALEXANDER BOBROWNICKI of 8 Camplin Street New Cross in the County of
Surrey, Physicist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the treatment of putrescible matters such as (1), Excreta
or the domestic refuse collected under the pail system as employed in Manchester,
Rochdale, and other towns; and (2), Wet sewage sediment from or in drains, sewers,
manholes, filters, and other places after the excess of liquid has been removed by
decantation, filtration, or other means.
Such noxious matters when they accumulate, form the dangerous parts of Town's
refuse and are most difficult of disposal. In some cases the domestic refuse (Excreta)
is collected and treated with alkalies, and distilled or not; or they are neutralised with
acids and artificially dried in metallic vessels heated by steam so as to be used as
manure.
But in most cases the noxious matters are allowed to pass into the sewers together
with refuse from the streets, and from other sources although they are known as a
locus of epidemic germs.
These improvements consist in the treatment by direct contact, of the putrescible
matters with the condensable and suspended matters in the gases arising from the
ordinary combustion of fuel, or from the distillation at a comparatively low tem-
perature of coal, tar, rosin, and other fuels and hydro-carbons. By this means the
gascous products resulting from the imperfect combustion or distillation are deprived
of their soot and other matters which are objectionable in the atmosphere, but which
are useful to the Agriculturist. At the same time the putrescible matters are
sufficiently dried and disinfected to be inoffensive, transportable, and more valuable
for the manufacture of artificial manures, of illuminating and heating gases, and for
other purposes.
The heat from the vapours produced in the operation and of the waste products of
combustion may be usefully employed in the preliminary drying of the putrescible
matters.
The treatment of the putrescible matters by direct contact with such gases may be
carried out by any known and convenient means which will cause the gases to
penetrate and mix with the solid matters so as to get the largest area of contact
practicable. When the matter operated upon is not contaminated with small pox,
cholera, and similar diseases, a comparatively low temperature may be employed, but
when there is reason to suspect such contamination, a higher temperature is used than
is employed at present in drying Excreta by steam in metallic vessels for agricultural
purposes. In such a case the resulting product is better adapted for the manufacture
of illuminating gas than for manure. The treatment of the putrescible matters
according to this invention is especially economical and convenient for the disinfection
of inaccessible places in sewers, house drains, and other positions as there the ordinary
"smoke" from chimneys, factory shafts, and the like sources may often be used and
purified, while the matters operated upon are disinfected and improved in value.
But if in such places contamination is suspected, the gases produced in the before
described distillation are employed by preference. These gases may he produced and
injected at the required place by any known or convenient means.
D
กา 1
CAD 1888
WM. E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Towns' Refuse and other
Putrescible Matters.
I, ALEXANDER BOBROWNICKI of 8 Camplin Street New Cross in the County of
Surrey, at present residing at 101 Everton Road Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Physicist, 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 :-
This Invention relates to the treatment of putrescible matters such as (1), Excreta,
or the domestic refuse collected under the pail system as employed in Manchester,
Rochdale, and some other towns; and (2), Wet sewage, sediment from drains, sewers,
filters, man-holes and other places after the excess of liquid has been removed by
decantation, filtration, or other means.
Such noxious matters when they accumulate, form the dangerous parts of town's
refuse and are most difficult of disposal. In some cases, the domestic refuse (excreta)
is collected and treated with alkalies, and distilled or not; or it is neutralised with
acids and artificially dried in metallic vessels heated by steam so as to be used as
manure. But in most cases the noxious matters are allowed to pass into the sewers
together with refuse from the streets and from other sources though they are well
known to be the locus of epidemic germs.
These Improvements consist in the treatment of the putrescible matters by direct
contact with the condensible and suspended matters in the gases arising from the
ordinary combustion of fuel or from the distillation at a comparatively low temperature
of coal, tar, rosin, and other fuels and hydrocarbons. By this means, the gaseous
products arising and resulting from the imperfect combustion and distillation are
deprived of their soot, and of their nitrogenous, antiseptic and other soluble and
solid constituents which are objectionable in the atmosphere but which are of
considerable value to the agriculturist. The matters which are thus absorbed by or
added to the liquid or solid putrescible matters, arrest and prevent fermentation
therein, and the putrescible matter is sufficiently dried, and is rendered inoffensive,
transportable, and more valuable as a manure or a basis of a manure, or for the
manufacture of illuminating and heating gases and for other purposes.
The heat of the vapours produced during the operation and of the unabsorbed
products of combustion and distillation may be usefully employed in the preliminary
heating of the putrescible matters which are to be subsequently operated upon.
The treatment of the. putrescible matters by direct contact with the products
resulting from the imperfect combustion and from the distillation of fuels at a low
temperature, may be carried out by any known and convenient means which will cause
the products of the combustion or distillation to penetrate and mix with the solid and
liquid matters, or come into contact with them over as large an area as practicable. One
well-known, simple, and suitable manner of conducting the operation is to cause the
products of combustion or of distillation to pass slowly over the putrescible matters
contained in a shallow trough or other suitable shallow vessel. Several of these
vessels may be arranged in such a manner that the products of combustion may be
led over the vessels successively or alternately. Thus, the producis of combustion
or of distillation may be admitted to a range of such vessels at one end, and the
putrescible matters at the other end. The putrescible matters pass by gravity or with
mechanical assistance, to the end at which the products are admitted. During this
passage, the putrescible matters are gradually heated and are thoroughly exposed to
the gases, and absorb or remove therefrom their sooty and condensible constituents.
An Archimedian or endless screw may be employed in a sufficiently long vessel, to
convey the putrescible matters from the gas outlet end, to the gas inlet end, whence
they are removed. By the action of the screw the putrescible matters and the gases
are brought into contact and the operation is conducted continuously and gradually.
When the products of combustion or distillation are passed over the vessels alternately,

page_text: one or more of the vessels may be in use whilst one or more of them are being filled
with new matter or being emptied of the matter already treated.
When the putrescible matter is not contaminated with cholera, small-pox, and
similar diseases, the materials may be operated upon at as high a rate of speed as is
consistent with effective treatment, but when the matters are contaminated with
diseases, a lower speed of treatment must be employed so as to secure a higher degree
of dessication. The product of this higher dessication (or a material which may
contain but a small quantity of nitrogen) is better adapted for the manufacture of
illuminating gas than for manure.
"
29
The treatment of putrescible matters according to this Invention is especially
economical and adapted for inacessible positions such as drains, sewers, and the like,
as in such places the condensible and suspended matters in ordinary smoke
obtained from domestic fires, mill furnaces, and from similar sources or from special
fires may often be used, thus purifying the "smoke" and rendering the putrescible
matter inoffensive and stable. But if contamination is suspected in such places,
the products of the distillation of tar and of similar materials at a temperature of
from 200 to 300 degrees Centigrade are preferred to be employed. The gaseous
products may be produced and injected at the required place by known and
convenient means, the injection being easily and conveniently effected by means of a
fan or blower worked by hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) In the treatment of town's refuse and other putrescible matters, the combination
therewith of the nitrogenous and antiseptic substances contained in the products of
imperfect combustion of fuel or of the distillation of fuel at a low temperature;
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
(2) The treatment of town's refuse and other putrescible matters by direct contact
or intermixture with the products of the ordinary combustion of fuel or the distillation
of fuels and hydrocarbons at a comparatively low temperature, in such a manner that
the condensible and suspended constituents of the products of the combustion or
distillation are absorbed by or added to the putrescible matters which are thereby
dried and rendered inoffensive and stable whilst the products of combustion or
distillation are purified from their objectionable constituents, substantially as
described.
(3) The treatment of putrescible matters in drains and other like inacessible places
by injecting therein the products of the ordinary combustion or the distillation of fuel
at a comparatively low temperature; substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 19th day of June A D 1889
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.