Improved method of Concentrating wiycerine.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 18th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 18th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
Improved method of Concentrating wiycerine.
I, EMILE ALPHONSE RUCH, of 29 Rue de Sévigné, Paris, France, Chemist,
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:
As is well known the concentration of glycerine liquors in vessels open to the
air, has a tendency to colour the glycerine and moreover does not allow the
concentration to be carried beyond 28° Bé. without decomposition.
It has however been found that if glycerine be concentrated in vacuo it possesses
superior qualities; it being possible by this means to produce refined glycerine
having a specific gravity represented by 30° Bé.
The use of a vacuum is nevertheless attended with disadvantages being expensive
and irregular; and because the raw glycerine or raw glycerine liquor always
contains soapy matters which cause frothing tending to make the liquid rise, often
occasioning considerable loss if the progress of the operation, is not carefully
watched.
Now my invention is designed to obviate the above difficulties and disadvantages
attaching to the processes heretofore practised from which it differs essentially in
that the glycerine is concentrated under pressure in a closed vessel, whereby, as in
the case of a vacuum, the operation may be conducted out of contact with the air
and at a temperature sufficiently high to enable the concentration to be carried to
30° Beaumé.
In carrying out my invention, I use a digester made of copper of any suitable
shape, and provided internally with a heating coil. This digester may be fed with
the fluids for concentration in the same way as water is fed to an ordinary steam
boiler.
The glycerine liquors, clarified and filtered as usual, having been introduced into
the digester are heated by a current of steam circulating in the coil, and are
quickly raised to boiling point at the desired pressure which should not be less
than 6 kilogs. above the pressure of the atmosphere.
The steam resulting from the evaporation of the glycerine liquor may be
utilised for various manufacturing purposes, such as heating, producing motive
power, etc.
The hot water accruing from the condensation of the steam is or may be utilised
for feeding the boiler thus obviating loss of heat.
The invention is attended inter alia with the following advantages.
1. Considerable economy in concentration.
2. Obviating the loss of glycerine which so frequently occurs when working with

page_text: 3. Heat is not wasted as is the case in the vacuum process which requires a large
quantity of water to condense the vapour, or necessitates the use of a very costly
apparatus for cooling the vapour, when a large quantity of water is not available.
4. Glycerine obtained by my process having been concentrated out of contact
with air, it is subsequently very readily deprived of the colour it possesses. The
small amount of colour and the quality are however such as to allow of
the glycerine being used directly in the various branches of industry in which the
substance is employed; thereby very much enhancing its value.
5. For corresponding output or yield of glycerine my process effects in addition
a very much greater saving as regards the cost of the apparatus, as compared with
that of the vacuum process.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The process of concentrating glycerine under pressure, substantially as herein-
ted this 18th day of January 1897.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Ficlds, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.