Improvements in the Treatment of Peat for the Production of Cellulose Sugar and Alcohol.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1891-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
COME MIE DIECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Peat for the Production of
Cellulose Sugar and Alcohol.
We CHARLES KLEYER, Patent Agent, and CARL KAPPESSER, Chemist, both
of Karlsruh, in the Empire of Germany, 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:-
For the production of cellulose, the peat in its natural state is first freed from its
earthy ingredients by being washed with cold or hot water, after which the peat
is freed from its colouring matter by treating it with acids or chemical preparations
in the same manner as is done for the production of cellulose from wood and the
peat is then ready for further bleaching. The chemicals required for this further
bleaching are nitric and muriatic acids, a caustic alkali such as a lye of soda or of
potash, and a bisulphite of an alkali or earth alkali, such as bisulphite of potassium
or of sodium.
In order not to act upon the cells of the peat to too great an extent, the above
treatment must not be allowed to be in operation too long; and in a general way
it is sufficient to boil it from three to six hours under ordinary atmospheric
pressure or from one to two hours in a closed vessel at 100 degrees Celsius or from
half an hour to two hours under pressure at a temperature of 150 degrees Celsius.
The uses of this cellulose are various according to the means brought into action
and the required length of the fibres. A short yellowish-brown wood-like material
is left which can be bleached with chloride of lime to form cellulose.
Pressed cellulose, which is a mixture of cellulose glue and sand and is used for
wood pavement, beams, planks and the like is produced by treating the turf with
dilute sulphuric acid or even by boiling in ordinary water which removes the
ingredients rendering the peat brittle and hard.
Raw material for paste-board, papier maché and the like is produced by boiling
the peat at atmospheric pressure for about twelve hours, or at higher pressures less
in proportion, in a mixture of 6 to 8 parts concentrated spirits of salt or hydrochlorio
acid and 100 parts of water. The acid dissolves the lignine parts and the cellulose
is then bleached to a yellowish white by chloride of lime.
Best cellulose is produced by means of sulphurous acid or a caustic alkali. The
sulphurous acid may be in the form of an aqueous solution or as a bisulphite of
an alkali or earth alkali. For example 5000 kilos. of peat are treated with
40,000 kilos. of water containing 5 per cent. sulphurous acid and 1.5 per cent.
of lime (CaO). The free sulphurous acid destroys the non-cellulose parts of the
peat.
For the production of sugar and alcohol, the peat is treated with an acid such as
sulphuric or muriatic acid or a mixture of both in a dilution of from two to ten
per cent. say from twelve to twenty four hours under ordinary atmospheric pressure
or from four to eight hours under a pressure of from four to eight atmospheres :
the peat is changed into sugar which by fermentation may be changed into
alcohol.
For example 100 parts of peat are treated with 30 parts concentrated sulphuric
acid (H,SO) and 1000 parts of water and boiled by means of steam for 12 hours
at ordinary pressure or about 8 hours at 125 degrees. The cellulose of the peat
absorbs a molecule of water and becomes grape sugar. About 60 per cent. of the
peat is dissolved giving say 40 per cent. of grape sugar which is converted by
fermentation into about 20 per cent. by volume of alcohol. The remaining
20 per cent. of the solution contains wood or cane sugar or hylose a variety of the
Arabinoses which cannot be fermented but can be precipitated.

page_text: An
It will thus be seen that 100 kilos. of dry peat yield 20 litres of alcohol.
addition of hydrochloric acid or spirit of salt to the peat acts upon the lignine part
of the peat like the sulphuric acid upon the cellulose and thus increases the yield
of alcohol. Before fermentation the acid is neutralised by carbonate of lime,
the sulphate of lime formed being practically insoluble is readily filtered off.
The sugar which is purified by re-crystallising is a mixture of dextrose and
hylose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The treatment of peat for the production of cellulose consisting in treating
washed peat with a lye of soda or of potash, with diluted muriatic or nitric acid,
and with sulphurous acid alkali or earth alkali substantially as described.
2. The treatment of peat for the production of sugar or alcohol, consisting in
heating the peat with sulphuric or muriatic acid substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1891.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.