IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF FOECAL MATTERS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MANURE THEREFROM
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, of the Firin of J. Brandt
and G. W. von Nawrocki, Civil Engineers and Patent Agents, of No. 2, Koch
Strasse, Berlin, in the German Empire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE TREATMENT OF FOECAL MATTERS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MANURE
THEREFROM. A communication by Friedrich Thon, of Cassel, in the German
Empire.
"
Sealed the 29th December 1877, and dated the 17th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von
Nawrocki at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July
1877.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, of the Firm of J. Brandt and G. W. von
Nawrocki, Civil Engineers and Patent Agents, of No. 2, Koch Strasse, Berlin, in
the German Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF FOECAL MATTERS
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MANURE THEREFROM." [A communication by Friedrich
Thon, of Cassel, in the German Empire.]
This Invention relates to that process of treating foecal matters for producing
inanure therefrom, wherein such matters are reduced to a solid state by the evapora-
tion of the watery particles therefrom.
The present Invention consists in mixing with such foecal matters, before or
during evaporation, soluble phosphate of lime in the condition in which it is delivered
from manure works, where it results from the treatment of the raw materials with
sulphuric acid, nitric acid, or sulphurous acid, and contains the phosphoric acid
soluble in water or in diluted acids.
The quantity of phosphoric acid to be added by this means to the foccal matters
should be at least equal in weight to the total quantity of nitrogen contained therein,
and it is advisable to add a greater proportion.
After admixture the evaporating process is carried out or completed with repeated
stirring. The soluble phosphoric acid may or may not be previously separated from
the phosphates, and added to the foecal matters separately therefrom.

page_text: By the above means the fixing of the nitrogen of the foecal matters by the phos-
phoric acid is effected without causing any outlay, as the latter substance is itself a
manure more largely used even than nitrogen, and consequently its cost is returned
by the sale of the manure produced; also the fixing of the nitrogen is most completely
effected by the above means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th January 1878.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, of the Firm of J. Brandt and G. W. von
Nawrocki, Civil Engineers and Patent Agents, of No. 2, Koch Strasse, Berlin, in
the German Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF FOECAL MATTERS
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MANURE THEREFROM." A communication by Friedrich
Thon, of Cassel, in the German Empire.
This Invention relates to that process of treating foecal matters for producing
manure therefrom, wherein such matters are reduced to a solid state by the evapora-
tion of the watery particles therefrom.
The present Invention consists in mixing with such foecal matters, before or
during evaporation, soluble phosphate of lime in the condition in which it is delivered
from manure works, where it results from the treatment of the raw materials with
sulphuric acid, nitric acid, or sulphurous acid, and contains the phosphoric acid
soluble in water or in diluted acids.
The quantity of phosphoric acid to be added by this means to the foecal matters
should be at least equal in weight to the total quantity of nitrogen contained therein,
and it is advisable to add a greater proportion.
After admixture the evaporating process is carried out or completed with repeated
stirring. The soluble phosphoric acid may or may not be previously separated from
the phosphates, and added to the foecal matters separately therefrom.
By the above means the fixing of the nitrogen of the foecal matters by the phos-
phoric acid is effected without causing any outlay, as the latter substance is itself a
manure more largely used even than nitrogen, and consequently its cost is returned
by the sale of the manure produced; also the fixing of the nitrogen is most completely
effected by the above means.
It is immaterial what apparatus be used for the purposes of this Invention, the
essence of which consists in the admixture of the phosphates either before or during
the evaporating process, whether they be rendered soluble by means of sulphuric,
sulphurous, or nitric acids, and whether the soluble phosphoric acid be separated
and applied to the foccal matter by itself, or retained in the phosphates and added,
together with them, to the foecal matter.
"
The per-centage of phosphoric acid and nitrogen contained in the manure or
'poudrette," prepared according to the present Invention, varies according as to
whether the whole of the nitrogen has been retained in the foecal matter or not,
and still more so according to whether the superphosphate added has a large or
small per-centage of phosphoric acid. In practice this is equalised by mixing different
qualities, as is effected with other descriptions of artificial manures.

page_text: In numerous experiments made with a view to ascertain the best practical method
of evaporating the human excreta for the manufacture of "poudrette," according to
the old process, it was found with surprise that the sulphuric acid was unable to
bind the nitrogen entirely; there was always a difference of from 25 to 33 per cent.
between the quantity of nitrogen contained in the raw material and that contained
in the finished product; only in those cases was the whole of the nitrogen bound by
the sulphuric acid when the evaporation was effected in a water bath, therefore at
a temperature below 100° C. It could not be ascertained in what form the nitrogen
that is not bound escapes.
As an example of the saving effected by the present Invention it may be stated
that in the manufacture carried on at Stuttgart for the production of "poudrette'
by means of sulphuric acid, the loss of nitrogen is about 25 per cent., giving a
pecuniary loss of 0.12 shillings per cwt., to which has to be added the cost of the
sulphuric acid, equal to 0.17 shillings per cwt., giving a total amount of 0.29 shillings,
which represents about 47 per cent. of the total value of the manure, and which is
entirely saved by the treatment with phosphates according to the present Invention. A
sample of "poudrette" inanufactured according to the present Invention contained :
Total of nitrogen, 5.167 per cent.; total of phosphoric acid (of which 8 per cent.
were insoluble in water), 14.44 per cent.; and potass, 2·11 per cent.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed as communicated to inc by my correspondent, I claim, the improved
manufacture of manure from foccal matters by evaporation of the watery particles,
wherein phosphates of lime, rendered wholly or partially soluble by any known
means, are added to the foecal matters either before or during the process of evapor-
tion, the soluble phosphoric acid being either previously extracted from the phosphat
and added separately, or left in the phosphates, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.