Apparatus to be Emp therein.
Year: 1888

page_text: RESER
Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 1st Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 8th Jan., 1889
Apparatus to be Employed therein.
I, EDWARD BAUDOUIN ELLICE-CLARK Managing Director of Brins Oxygen Company
Limited of Connaught Mansions, Victoria Street in the City of Westminster do hereby
declare the nature of this Invention which has been communicated to me from abroad
by George Lunge, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of Chemistry residing at Zurich in
the Republic of Switzerland to be as follows:-
The
It is well known that the formation of Sulphuric anhydrides (SO3) by the direct
union of sulphur dioxides SO, and oxygen takes place most readily when the gases
are as concentrated as possible, and when neither of them is present in excess.
best known and most widely practised process for manufacturing sulphuric anhydride
consists in decomposing sulphuric acid by the action of very high temperature so that
it splits up into sulphur dioxide oxygen and water, the water is removed by passing
the gases through sulphuric acid and the residual gases consisting of dry sulphur
dioxide and oxygen in the molecular proportion SO2 + 0, are made to combine
into SO, by passing them at a suitable temperature over platinum-asbestos or some
other "catalytic" or contact substance. This process is expensive, it requires in
the first instance manufacturing sulphuric acid by the ordinary vitriol-chamber process,
concentrating it to a high degree and decomposing it again by a very high temperature,
the last mentioned process being very troublesome.
66
"
Now this Invention avoids these drawbacks and consists in combining pure oxygen
with pure sulphur dioxide in the following manner. The sulphur dioxide is produced
by burning brimstone or pyrites or other materials containing sulphur by means of
pure oxygen, preferably that obtained by the processes invented by Leon Quenten
Brin and Arthur Brin the subject of Letters Patent No. 157 of 1885. There is
employed in the process according to this Invention an excess of oxygen over and
above that required for converting S into SO, so that further on the reaction SO, +0
may take place. This last reaction is produced in the ordinary manner by passing the
mixture of SO, and O over heated platinum-asbestos or other catalytic
"contact" substances such as have been hitherto employed for this purpose.
"
or

page_text: The following is a description of a plan for carrying out this Invention on a practical
scale hut I do not confine myself to this special plan which is only given as an
example. The oxygen is collected in a gas-holder and is forced by a pump or blower or
the like into the burner where pyrites or brimstone are consumed. On its way there
the oxygen is made to pass through a tower in which it meets with moderately con-
centrated sulphuric acid in order to remove any moisture it may contain. The
sulphuric acid employed for this purpose is conveniently used at an initial strength of
about 150° Twaddell. When by absorbing moisture it has become diluted to such an
extent that it does not act sufficiently it should be concentrated by evaporation. This
point may be taken at about 140° or 135° Twaddell although the acid still absorbs
moisture at 120° Twaddell or even below that strength. The concentration may take
place by means of leaden pans heated by the hot gases as generated in the subsequent
stages of the process or in any other suitable and well known manner.
"
The pyrites brimstone or other materials to be burned, if they be damp should be
previously dried by keeping them in a moderately warm place with access of air.
They are placed in a burner or chamber which must be so arranged that the solid
residue can be removed from time to time, but that during the ordinary work there
is no excess of air, all the oxygen necessary for combustion being supplied in the
aforesaid manner by being forced in by means of a pump or blower or the like. The
fumes of sulphur dioxide mixed with an excess of oxygen and already containing some
sulphuric anhydride (especially in the case of pyrites) are made to traverse an empty
chamber where any mechanically carried away dust or subliming substances are
collected. The gases on issuing from here are passed over or through the "catalytic
or contact substances preferably platinized asbestos. This substance may for
instance be contained in a series of pipes connected with one another at alternate ends
with flanges protruding outside the heating chamber. The heating may be effected
by placing the pipes in the above mentioned dust chamber, traversed by hot gases or
by placing them over the sulphur or pyrites burners or in any other suitable manner.
Or the catalytic substance may be spread out on trays or shelves arranged in a zigzag
way the gases passing over and between such trays or shelves. The temperature in
that part of the apparatus where the combination of SO, and O takes place must
be carefully regulated and must be neither too high nor too low.
"
"
The sulphuric anhydrides thus formed by the combination of SO, and O remains
at first in the state of vapour and is generally mixed with a certain excess of oxygen
and even with a little uncombined sulphur dioxide. This gaseous mixture is now
subjected to condensation for instance in a tubular cast iron apparatus cooled by a
stream of water playing on its outside. Here most of the SO3 will be condensed but
some of it will escape with the oxygen and sulphur dioxide present in the uncombined
state. The uncondensed gases are therefore passed through strong sulphuric acid (the
stronger the better) where the remaining SO, is retained. It is in this instance
preferable that the gases should have to overcome a certain pressure of acid, such
pressure being extremely conducive to the previous union of SO, and O in the
catalytic apparatus. The sulphur dioxide which had been still present will be partly
absorbed by the sulphuric-acid, the remainder will pass along with the excess of
oxygen (which ought to be small) both of them being conveyed back into the gas-
holder or preferably into the pipe conveying the dry oxygen to the gas-pump or
blower.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Sulphuric Anhydride and
Apparatus to be Employed therein.
I, EDWARD BAUDOUIN ELLIOE-CLARK, Managing Director of Brin's Oxygen
Compy. Ld. of Connaught Mansions Victoria Street in the City of Westminster
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention which has been communicated to me
from abroad by George Lunge Doctor of Philosophy and Professor of Chemistry,
residing at Zurich in the Republic of Switzerland and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
It is well known that the formation of sulphuric anhydride (SO3) by the direct
union of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxygen (0) takes place most readily when the
gases are as concentrated as possible and when neither of them is present in excess.
Of the hitherto known and practiced processes for manufacturing sulphuric anhydride
that best known and most frequently used consists in decomposing sulphuric acid by
the action of a very high temperature so that it splits up into sulphur dioxide, oxygen
and water; the water is removed by passing the gases through sulphuric acid and
the residual gases consisting of dry sulphur dioxide and oxygen in the molecular
proportion: SO, +0 are made to combine into sulphuric anhydride (SO) by passing
the said gases at a suitable temporature over a "catalytic" or contact" substance
such for instance as platinized-asbestos. This process is expensive; it requires in the
first instance sulphuric acid to be manufactured by the ordinary vitriol-chamber process
to be concentrated to a high degree and decomposed again by a very high temperature
-the last mentioned process being very troublesome.
*
Now this Invention avoids these drawbacks and consists in combining pure oxygen
with pure sulphur dioxide in the following manner :-The sulphur dioxide may be
produced by burning brimstone or pyrites or other materials containing sulphur by
means of pure oxygen preferably that obtained by the processes invented by Leon
Quenten Brin and Arthur Brin the subject of Letters Patent No. 157 of 1888-or
sulphur dioxide otherwise prepared may be employed for instance sulphur dioxide
condensed from flue gases.
There is employed in the process according to this Invention an excess of oxygen
over and above that required for combining with the sulphur to form sulphur dioxide
so that the reaction SO, + 0 = SO, may subsequently take place. This last reaction
is produced in the ordinary manner by passing the mixture of sulphur dioxide and
oxygen (SO, and O) over heated platinized asbestos or other of the "catalytic" or
"contact" substances such as have been hitherto employed for this purpose.
The following is a description of a plan for carrying out this Invention on a
practical scale but I do not confine myself to this special plan, which is only given as
an example of the best way with which I am acquainted for carrying the Invention
into effect. The oxygen is collected in a gas holder and is forced by a pump or blower
or the like into the burner where pyrites or brimstone is burnt. On its way to this

page_text: The
burner the oxygen is made to pass through a tower where it meets with moderately
concentrated sulphuric acid which removes any moisture it may contain.
sulphuric acid employed for this purpose conveniently used at an initial strength
of about 150° Twaddle. When by absorbing moisture it has become diluted to such
an extent that it does not act sufficiently it should be concentrated by evaporation.
This point may be taken at about 140° or 135° Twaddle although the acid still
absorbs moisture at 120° Twaddle or even below that strength. The concentration
may take place by means of leaden pans heated by the hot gases, generated in the
subsequent stages of the process or in any other suitable and well known manner.
<<
The pyrites brimstone or other material to be burned, if it be damp should be
previously dried by placing it in a moderately warm place with access of air. The
burner should be so arranged that the solid residue can be readily removed from time
to time but that during the ordinary work there is no access of air, all the oxygen
necessary for combustion being supplied in the aforesaid manner by being forced in
by means of a pump or blower or the like. The fumes of sulphur dioxide mixed with
an excess of oxygen, and already containing some sulphuric anhydride (especially in
the case of burning pyrites) are made to traverse a chamber where any dust or sub-
liming substances mechanically carried over are collected. The gases on issuing from
this chamber are passed over or through the "catalytic" or contact "substance
preferably platinized-asbestos. This substance may for instance be contained in a
series of pipes connected with one another at alternate ends with flanges protruding
outside the heating chamber. The heating may be effected by placing the pipes in the
above mentioned dust chamber traversed by the hot gases or by placing thein over the
sulphur or pyrites burners or in any other suitable manner. Or the catalytic " or
contact" substance may be spread out on trays or shelves, arranged in a zig-zag way
the gases passing over and between such trays or shelves. The temperature in that
part of the apparatus where the combination of sulphur dioxide and oxygen takes place
inust be carefully regulated and must be neither too high nor too low (preferably at
or below a dull red heat).
The sulphuric anhydride thus formed by the combination of sulphur dioxide and
oxygen remains at first in the state of vapour and is generally mixed with an excess
of oxygen and even with a little uncombined sulphur dioxide. This gaseous mixture
is now subjected to condensation which may be effected for instance in a tubular cast
iron apparatus cooled by a stream of water playing on its outside. Here most of the
sulphuric anhydride will be condensed but some of it will escape with the oxygen and
sulphur dioxide present in the uncombined state. The uncondensed gases are therefore
passed through strong sulphuric acid (the stronger the better) where the remaining
sulphuric anhydride is retained. It is in this instance preferable that the should
have to overcome a certain pressure of acid such pressure being extremely conducive
to the previous union of sulphur dioxide and oxygen in the catalytic or contact
apparatus. Sulphur dioxide which may be present in the aforesaid uncondensed gases
will be partly absorbed by the sulphuric acid; the remainder will pass along with the
excess of oxygen (which ought to be small) both of them being conveyed back into
the
gas holder or preferably into the pipe conveying the dry oxygen to the gas pump
or blower.
gases
gas-
The accompanying diagram shews an apparatas arranged for the purposes of this
Invention but it is to be understood that the Invention is not limited to the use of this
particular arrangement of apparatus. a is the tube conveying oxygen from the
holder. A is a leaden tower filled with coke or it may be a Lunge-Rohrmann plate
column or other analogous apparatus whereby the oxygen is deprived of moisture by
sulphuric acid. The dried oxygen is conveyed by the pipe & into the pump B which
forces it through the pipe into the pyrites-burner provided with a charging
hopper d and shewn as being surmounted by concentrating pans e. The mixture of
sulphur dioxide and oxygen passes through the opening in the crown of the furnace
and by the pipe f into the dust chamber D which at the same time serves as a
heating chamber for the series of pipes containing the catalytic or contact substance
into the open end of which pipes at the back end of the chamber D the gas enters and

page_text: after having traversed the series the vapours now consisting of sulphuric anhydride
with a little sulphur dioxide and oxygen pass out at h into the condenser E. The
uncondensed portion passes on through the pipe i into the vessel F which is filled
with the strongest sulphuric acid where all the remaining sulphuric anhydride is
retained. The oxygen and sulphur dioxide (if any) are conveyed back through the
pipe into the gas pump B to be repassed through the apparatus.
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 manufacture of sulphuric anhydride by the combination of pure oxygen and
pure sulphur dioxide as hereinbefore set forth.
2. An apparatus arranged substantially as and for the
described and shewn on the accompanying diagram.
Dated this 30th day of November 1888.
purpose
hereinbefore