IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR THE DISINFECTION OR PURIFICATION OF ALCOHOL OBTAINED FROM BEET-ROOT OR MOLASSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR THE DISINFECTION OR PURIFICATION OF
ALCOHOL OBTAINED FROM BEET-ROOT OR MOLASSES." A communication
from abroad by Léopold Salzer, of Vienna, Austria, Doctor of Medicine.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
THE
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th July 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR
DISINFECTION OR PURIFICATION OF ALCOHOL OBTAINED FROM BEET-ROOT OR
MOLASSES." [A communication from abroad by Léopold Salzer, of Vienna, Austria,
Doctor of Medicine.]
My Invention relates to processes for completely disinfecting or purifying
alcohols produced from beet-root or molasses.
The following process, which I give as an example, is specially applicable to
commercial alcohols of about 90°.
It is well known that these alcohols in their commercial state are far from being
of satisfactory purity.
In practising this Invention I use tin plate vessels, or preferably vessels made of
wrought iron and enamelled.
The alcohol is put into these vessels, and for each hectolitre of alcohol of 90° I
add 70 or 80 grams caustic potash prepared with alcohol.
After the alcohol has been allowed to rest for an hour it is stirred, and this
operation is repeated twice during the first twenty hours.
°
The mass is then allowed to rest for twelve hours, and 10% of water is added to
it. The whole is then stirred, and this stirring is repeated every twelve hours
during the next thirty six hours. The alcohol is then allowed to rest during
Price A1

page_text: twenty four hours, and finally filtered through amianth into a vessel of the material
above mentioned, i.e., tin plate or wrought iron enamelled.
The vessels used for the above process and those employed for the operation
to be afterwards described may be closed during the entire duration of said
processes.
The apartment in which the operation is effected should be maintained at a
temperature of from 15° to 20° centigrade. Rods of glass or polished steel are
to be used for stirring the liquid.
Any caustic potash may be employed in my process; it is however preferable to
use the purest kind.
After the alcohol has been decanted, I proceed to neutralize the potash by means
of tartaric acid in a state of powder. For every hundred grams of potash about
295 grams of acid are added, the whole is then agitated and allowed to rest during
twelve (12) hours.
Ten litres of ordinary water are then added for each hectolitre of alcohol and the
liquid is again allowed to repose for twelve hours, after which it is filtered, and it
is then ready to be distilled.
The tartaric acid added in the proportion above indicated renders the liquid
slightly acid.
A slight excess of acid is however indispensable, especially when the distillation
is effected in the ordinary manner in copper vessels. This acidity is not communi-
cated to the distilled alcohol, experience shewing that the latter remains perfectly
neutral.
The first jet, which should not amount to more than one cent. if the operation
has been carefully effected, is put aside as being of inferior quality, and the rest of
the liquid is allowed to flow into the reservoir, my process not causing the
formation of alcohol "moyen gout or alcohol "mauvais gout," two articles of
inferior quality, the production of which is unavoidable when commercial alcohol is
subjected to double rectification by the ordinary method at present used.
"
The alcohol mauvais gout" may be converted into an alcohol of first rate
quality by means of my process.
For this purpose 100 grams of potash are used for each hectolitre in place of 70
or 80 grams, and the duration of the digestion of said potash is prolonged. In this
case the time occupied by the process is from ten to twelve days.
My process may also be used for cold rectification, that is-to-say, without
distillation, care being taken to avoid the above mentioned excess of acid. The
neutralization of the potash is then completely effected, the same being ascertained
by means of litmus paper,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th January 1882.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR THE
DISINFECTION OR PURIFICATION OF ALCOHOL OBTAINED FROM BEET-ROOT OR
MOLASSES." A communication from abroad by Léopold Salzer, of Vienna, Austria,
Doctor of Medicine.
My Invention relates to improved processes for
purifying alcohol obtained from beet root or molasses.
The following process, which is given as an example,
the treatment of commercial alcohols of about 90°
these alcohols when in their commercial state are far
purity.
completely disinfecting or
is especially applicable in
It is well known that all
from being of satisfactory
In practising this Invention. I employ vessels or receptacles of galvanized iron; or
preferably vessels of enamelled wrought iron, into which the alcohol is poured;
I then add for each hectolitre of alcohol of 90°, 60 to 70 grammes of caustic potash
prepared with alcohol. After this mixture has been allowed to rest for one hour
it is stirred, and this operation is repeated every six hours during the first 24 hours.
The mass or mixture is then allowed to rest for six hours, and is then stirred
every six hours during the following thirty six hours. The alcohol is then allowed
to rest for six hours, and is then filtered through amianthus or asbestos in a vessel
or receptacle, of either of the materials above described, that is to say, of galvanized
iron or enamelled wrought iron.
If the alcohol under treatment does not represent more than 90°, no water need'
be added after the addition of the potash but if the alcohol represents, say, 93°
to 96° or more, it will be advantageous immediately after the potash has been
added, to add from one to two litres of water for each hectolitre of alcohol.
The water to be added should be distilled, especially when it is intended to effect
cold rectification and to dispense with the final distillation.
The vessels or receptacles employed in the process above described as well as
those used for a purpose hereinafter described, may be kept covered or closed
during the entire duration of the process.
Care should be taken that the apartment in which the process is carried into
practice is of a temperature of from 15° to 20° centigrade. For the stirring of the
liquid, well polished iron rods or glass rods are preferably used.
Although any caustic potash may be employed in carrying out my process, it is
preferable to use some of the purest quality if a satisfactory result is to be
obtained.
After the alcohol has been decanted into a second vessel or receptacle, I proceed
to neutralize the potash by means of tartaric acid in the state of powder, that is to
say, for every 100 grammes of potash I add about 210 grammes of acid; the mass
is then stirred and allowed to rest for 12 hours. I then add ten litres of ordinary
water to every hectolitre of alcohol and leave the mass to rest for another 12 hours,
after which it is filtered and is then ready for distillation.
The tartaric acid added in the proportions above stated renders the liquid
slightly acid.
A slight excess of acid is however indispensable when the distillation which
follows is effected in the ordinary manner in apparatus formed of copper. This
acidity moreover is not communicated to the distilled alcohol, experience shewing
that the latter remains perfectly neutral.

page_text: It is impossible to give the exact proportions of acid required; litmus paper
will serve as a guide in each particular case. This paper when dipped in the
alcohol ready for distiliation should not turn red immediately, as this would
indicate a too great excess of acid; it should however turn red in from 4
to 5 minutes after having been dipped. If such paper takes a greater amount of
time to turn red it will-prove that the excess of acid is insufficient.
The first jet, which if the whole of the operation is carefully effected should not
amount to more than one per cent., is laid aside as being of inferior quality; the
whole of the remaining liquid is then allowed to flow into the reservoir, as my
process does not cause the formation of alcohol "moyen gout" or alcohol "mauvais
gout," two articles of inferior quality, the production of which cannot be avoided
when commercial alcohol is subjected to a double rectification by the ordinary
method heretofore employed. This alcohol "mauvais gout" may by my process
be converted into first class alcohol. To obtain this result the said "mauvais gout '
alcohol of inferior quality must be made up to 90°, then 100 grammes of caustic
potash per hectolitre are added instead of 60 to 70 grammes of the same, and a
greater amount of time is allowed for the digestion of the potash; in this case the
time occupied by the process will be about 5 days.
"
My process may also be used for cold rectification, that is to say, without any
distillation, care being taken that the excess of acid above mentioned is avoided.
The complete neutralization of the potash is then effected, this being ascertained
by means of litmus or other similar paper.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I do not limit myself to the above described proportions of the substances
employed, nor to the time employed in carrying the process into effect, nor to the
order of the operation set forth which are given only as an example, as it will be
readily understood that the proportions of the material used will be governed by
the quality of the alcohols to be treated, and I claim,―
The processes above described for effecting the disinfection or purification of
alcohol obtained from beet-roots or molasses.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.