Improvements in the Production of a Ferric Chloride Preparation for the Treatment of Sewage or other Foul Water.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1593-Accepted, 24th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of a Ferric Chloride Preparation
for the Treatment of Sewage or other Foul Water.
1 CHARLES ANTHONY BURGHARDT of 35 Fountain Street in the City of
Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Analytical Chemist do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the production of ferric chloride in a portable form by
first taking a certain weight of solid sodium chloride and mixing intimately with it
such an amount of finely powdered ferric oxide as will furnish sufficient metallic
iron to combine with the chlorine of the sodium chloride & produce from such
combination ferric chloride. To the intimate mixture of sodium chloride & ferric
oxide now add sufficient water to render the whole a thin paste stirring the
mixture constantly. To this thin paste I now add gradually with constant stirring
or agitation such an amount of strong sulphuric acid as will combine with the
sodium of the sodium chloride and produce sodium sulphate (Na,SO₁). Constant
stirring of the mixture is necessary during the addition of the sulphuric acid in
order to avoid premature solidification of the mixture. I now gently heat the
mixture by any suitable means until the mixture becomes of the consistency of
mortar when this stage is arrived at I remove the mixture to a suitable mould
press the mass well in and heat again to about 160° centigrade until it sets hard.
This second heating appears to convert the hydrogen sodium sulphate (NaHSO)
at first formed into sodium sulphate (Na,SO). The sodium sulphate occludes or
shuts up in itself the ferric chloride making a mass which does not deliquesce on
exposure to moisture the result being a most safe and convenient preparation for
the transport of ferric chloride. The ferric oxide mentioned above can be either
ordinary hematite iron-ore, limonite or brown iron-ore calcined and thoroughly
oxydised spathic iron-ore or carbonate of iron roasted iron-pyrites (burnt pyrites)
or other source of ferric oxide. By proceeding in the above mentioned manner I
obtain anhydrous ferric chloride in a portable solid form which is far more con-
venient to handle than the solution of ferric chloride usually manufactured for
sewage treatment. For the purification of water or sewage slabs or blocks of it
are placed in the sewage or foul water conduit or delivery shoot and the flowing
sewage dissolves the slab gradually, liberating the ferric chloride which is then
available for the purification of the sewage or foul water.
Dated this Twentieth day of July 1892.
CHARLES ANTHONY BURGHARDT.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of a Ferric Chloride Preparation
for the Treatment of Sewage or other Foul Water.
1 CHARLES ANTHONY BURCHARDT of 35 Fountain Street, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Analytical 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 that is to say:-
-
My invention relates to the production of ferric chloride in a portable form
suitable for use in the treatment of sewage and other impure water.
In the carrying into effect of my invention I take sodium chloride and mix it
intimately with such a relative proportion of finely powdered ferric oxide as will
furnish sufficient metallic iron to combine with the whole of the chlorine of the
sodium chloride and to produce from such combination ferric chloride.

page_text: I
I use common salt which I prefer to stove until quite dry. I also dry the
ferric oxide from whatever source obtained and grind or disintegrate each
separately to a very fine state of sub-division and mix the two together by
suitable mixing and sieving machinery in the proportion of 250 parts of sodium
chloride (common salt) to 100 parts of ferric oxide (Fe2O3) or to such weight of
the material furnishing the ferric oxide as will correspond to 100 parts of ferric
oxide. When the ingredients are thoroughly mixed I add water in quantity
sufficient to reduce the mixture to the consistency of a thin paste. From a
suitable delivery apparatus I now allow a thin stream of sulphuric acid to flow
upon the pasty mass which is kept in constant agitation until the required amount
of acid has been added. For the above named proportions of salt and ferric
oxide I use 225 parts of sulphuric acid (H₂SO). The acid combines with the
sodium chloride and forms sodium sulphate (Na₂SO). It is advisable to stir the
mixture during the addition of the acid in order to prevent the premature
solidification of the mixture. When the required amount of acid has been added
the mixture is put into moulds of wood iron or other suitable material and the
moulds are placed in a stove heated to 100° centigrade or thereabouts until the
mixture has solidified.
When this stage is reached the temperature is increased to from 150° centigrade
to 180° centigrade and maintained until the masses in the moulds have become
yellow such colour being due to the production of ferric chloride.
is now ready for the market.
The material
The second heating appears to convert the first formed hydrogen sodium sulphate
(NaHSO) into sodium sulphate (Na₂SO). The sodium sulphate occludes or
shuts up in itself the ferric chloride and forms a mass which does not deliquesce
on exposure to moisture the result being a most safe and convenient preparation
for the transport of ferric chloride.
The ferric oxide used may be either ordinary hematite iron ore, limonite or
brown-iron ore, calcined and thoroughly oxydised spathic iron ore or carbonate of
iron, roasted or burnt iron pyrites, or other suitable source of ferric oxide.
I do not confine myself to any exact proportion of the ingredients in the com-
bination or mixture as such proportions may be varied to some extent without
greatly affecting the practical efficiency of the product.
By way of example I give below a second formula which I have found to
furnish good results-that is to say I have used the proportions as follows
namely.

page_text: 2) The preparation containing ferric chloride in company with sodium sulphate
obtained from the materials and in the manner of proceeding substantially as herein
set forth.
3) The blocks slabs or masses containing ferric chloride produced by treating
a mixture of common salt and a suitable ferric oxide material with sulphuric
acid during stirring and by subsequently stoving the mixture in suitable
moulds or receptacles at a temperature which will complete the formation
of the ferric chloride and will drive off the excess of moisture so as to
produce dry masses which can be conveniently transported and used substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of May 1002
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.