IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING CERTAIN SALINE COMPOUNDS FROM SOLUTIONS CONTAINING SUCH COMPOUNDS
Year: 1853

page_text: Sealed the 9th August 1853, and dated the 15th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Gossage
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th June 1853.
I, WILLIAM GOSSAGE, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING CERTAIN SALINE COMPOUNDS
FROM SOLUTIONS CONTAINING SUCH COMPOUNDS" to be as follows:-
My improvements in obtaining certain saline compounds from solu-
tions containing such compounds consist of certain improved methods
of obtaining saline compounds from solutions containing carbonate of
soda, and other compounds of soda, such as are present in soda liquors
obtained by the lixiviation of rough soda (commonly called "black

page_text: ash), with water; also obtaining saline compounds from solutions con-
taining sulphate of soda and common salt.
In the manufacture of alkali from common salt (as this in manufac-
ture is usually conducted) the soda liquors obtained by the lixiviation
of black asli are concentrated by evaporation in iron pans, so as to
cause salts to be deposited from such liquors, and the salts so deposited,
also the mother liquors remaining with such salts, are removed from the
evaporating pans at intervals. The requisite heat is applied to the
liquors in the pans employed, either by conducting flame and heated
air over the surface of the liquor, or under the bottoms of the pans.
When the last-named method is adopted the salts deposited accumu-
late on the bottoms of the pans, and occasion these to be injured by
the heat applied thereto. My improvements comprise certain arrange-
ments of pans and methods of working with the same, by means of
which I provide for the deposit of salts being effected in pans to which
no heat is applied, in place of such deposit being allowed to occur in
the pans in which the requisite evaporation is effected.
To effect my improvements I provide a series of pans connected
together in such manner that the solution from which I wish to obtain
salts can be caused to flow through the whole series of pans, and (when
required) the remaining portion of such solution can be transferred from
the last pan to the first pan of such series, and thus be caused to
circulate again through the whole series of pans.
I apply heat for the purpose of effecting evaporation to each alternate
pan of the series; thus, if I have a series of six pans in operation, I
apply heat to the first pan (this being first supplied with solution from
which I wish to obtain salts), and I cause such a further supply of
solution (relatively to the rate of evaporation produced by the heat
applied to be introduced into the first pan at the part where heat is
applied, that the solution when it arrives at the end of the pan furthest
from the fire has become so concentrated that it contains more salts in
solution than it can can retain dissolved where the temperature of such
solution is much reduced. I connect the first pan at the end most
distant from the fire with the second pan by means of an open channel
of communication, and the concentrated solution flows through this

page_text: channel into the second pan (to which no heat is applied), wherein it
becomes cooled by contact with atmospherical air, and deposits salts in
such second pan.
I connect the second pan (at the end most distant from its connec-
tion with the first pan) with the third pan of the series by means of
an open channel of communication through which the cooled solution
(after having deposited salts) flows into the third pan, and I apply
heat to such third pan so as to cause the solution contained in such
pan to become concentrated by evaporation to such an extent that it
will contain more salts in solution than it can retain dissolved where
the temperature of such solution is much reduced. I connect such
third pan at the end most distant from its fire with the fourth pan by
means of an open channel of communication, through which the con-
centrated solution flows into such fourth pan, wherein the solution
becomes cooled and deposits salts. In the like manner I connect the
fourth pan with the fifth pan, to which I apply heat, and cause the
solution to flow through the same into the sixth pan, wherein the solu-
tion becomes cooled and deposits a further quantity of salts.
I sometimes accelerate the cooling of the concentrated solutions
contained in the pans, to which no heat is applied, and at the same
time cause a further evaporation of water to be effected therefrom by
injecting streams of air into such solutions.
In addition to the important advantages which are realized by the
use of my improvements, consequent upon the salts obtained being
deposited in pans or vessels to which no heat is applied, my improve-
ments also provide for the separation of different saline compounds
contained in the same solution, such separation being effected by the
difference in solubility of the saline compounds contained in such
solutions under the different circumstances to which these may be
subjected. Thus, when operating with "black ash liquors" which
contain caustic soda and carbonate of soda in solution, the greater part
of the carbonate of soda becomes deposited in the pans to which no
heat is applied, whilst nearly all the caustic soda remains dissolved in
the mother liquors flowing from the last pan of the series; also, when
operating with solutions containing sulphate of soda and common salt

page_text: (when the latter is present in moderate proportion), the deposition of
the greater part of the sulphate of soda can be effected in the cooling
pans, whilst the common salt is retained in the mother liquors which
flow from the last pan of the series.
When I am operating upon solutions containing only one kind of
salt, or containing such salts as I do not wish to separate from each
other, I prefer to use only one pair of pans, one of these being heated
so as to cause concentration of the solution, and the other being used
for cooling the same, and I cause the cooled solution to be transferred,
by means of a pump or other means, from the second pan to the first
pan, at the part nearest the fire wherein it again becomes concentrated
by evaporation, and circulates into the second pan to deposit salts by
cooling. A proper supply of fresh solution being continually introduced
into the first pan.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Gossage in the Great Seal Patent
Office, ou the 15th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM GOSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Manu-
facturing Chymist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Gossage, Her special license that
I, the said William Gossage, my executors, administrators, and as-
signs, or such others as I, the said William Gossage, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the terin
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN OBTAINING CERTAIN SALINE COMPOUNDS FROM SOLUTIONS CONTAINING SUCH

page_text: COMPOUNDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Gossage, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said William Gossage, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thercon (that is
to say):
My Invention of "Improvements in Obtaining certain Saline Com-
pounds from Solutions containing such Compounds" consists of certain
improved means which I use for obtaining saline compounds from solu-
tions containing carbonate of soda and other compounds of soda, such as
are present in soda liquors obtained by the lixiviation of soda ash or of
rough soda (commonly called "black ash") with water. Also for obtain-
ing a saline compound or saline compounds from solutions containing
sulphate of soda, either alone or in mixture with common salt.
In the manufacture of alkali produced from common salt (as this
manufacture is usually conducted) soda liquors obtained by the lixivia-
tion of soda ash," or of "black ash," are concentrated by evaporation
in iron pans, so as to cause salts to be deposited from such liquors, and
the salts so deposited with the mother liquors remaining are removed at
intervals from the evaporating pans. The requisite heat is commu-
nicated to the liquors in the pans, either by conducting flame and heated
air over the surface of the liquors, or under the bottoms of the pans.
When heat is applied to the bottoms of the pans these are exposed to
injury in consequence of salts (accumulated thereon) preventing the
transmission of heat to the liquors. My improvements consist of certain
arrangements of pans and apparatus, and methods of working with the
same, by means of which I provide for the deposition of salts from the
liquors herein-before mentioned being effected in pans to which no heat

page_text: is applied, in place of such deposition being allowed to occur in the
pans to which the requisite heat is applied.
My improvements also comprize the use of streams of air passing
through such solutions. Sheet 1. of the Drawings hereunto annexed
exhibits two iron pans suitably arranged for my improved method of
working. Fig. I. is a vertical section of the arrangement; Fig. II. a
plan view of the same; and Fig. III. a separate view of one portion of
the apparatus. In these several figures the same letters of reference
are used to indicate the same parts. A, is a pan containing liquor from
which saline compounds are to be obtained. Heat is applied to the
bottom of this pan, cither by special fires adapted thereto, or by waste
heat conducted from furnaces. B, is a pan to which no fire heat is
applied. This pan also contains liquor of the same kind as contained in
the pan A. C, is a channel of communication from A, to B. D, is a
channel of communication from B, to A. E, is a paddle wheel which
being caused to revolve by suitable mechanical means occasions the
liquor contained in the two pans A, & B, to circulate in the direction
shewn by arrows. F, is a vessel by means of which streams or bubbles
of air are caused to ascend through the liquor contained in the pan B.
This vessel is supported about three inches above the bottom of the
pan B. It has a series of notches G, G, cut in its lower edge on each
side of the vessel (as shewn in Fig. III.), through which streams of air
pass into the liquor. A supply of atmospherical air is obtained by means
of a forcing pump (driven by suitable means) which is connected with
the vessel F, by the pipe H. I, is a cock communicating from a
reservoir (containing suitable liquor) for supplying the same to the
pan A.
In commencing to work with this apparatus I apply heat to the
pan A, until the liquor contained therein has acquired such degrees of
concentration and of temperature that it will deposit salts upon its tem-
perature becoming reduced only a few degrees. I then cause the
paddle wheel E, to revolve in the proper direction, which occasions
liquor to be withdrawn from the pan B, to A, and at the same time a
corresponding volume of hot concentrated liquor is caused to flow from
A, to B. This hot concentrated liquor becoming cooled in the pan B,
deposits a portion of the salts it previously held in solution, and the

page_text: cooled liquor flows from B, into A, wherein it becomes again heated
and concentrated by evaporation, and again flows into B, to deposit a
further portion of salts. This circulation being kept up by the re-
volution of the paddle wheel, I accelerate the cooling of the liquor in
the pan B, and at the same time occasion a further evaporation of water
therefrom by injecting streams of air through the liquor in the pan B,
by means of the air pump connected with the vessel F. I regulate the
speed of the paddle wheel E, and the supply of fresh liquor through the
cock I, in such manner that the hot concentrated liquor flowing from
the
pan A, shall not be sufficiently strong to deposit salts at the tem-
perature of the liquor in such pan, but shall be in a condition to deposit
salts on being slightly cooled. I remove the salts deposited in the
pan B, at intervals.
Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed exhibits a plan view
of a series of iron pans and apparatus arranged suitably for working
according to my improvements. These pans are all placed on the
same level. A, A, are two pans to which heat is applied by special fires
or by waste heat from furnaces. These pans communicate with cach
other by a channel a, and are connected with a cooling pan B', by
means of a channel C. The pan B', is connected with a heating pan E,
through the channel D, and the pan E, is connected with the cooling
pan B, by the channel e. The cooling pan B, is connected through
the channel G, with the heating pan J, and this is connected through
the channel h, with the cooling pan B, which is connected through the
channel K, with the heating pan L. This pan L, communicates
through the channel i, with the cooling pan B, and this cooling pan
communicates through the channel M, with the heating pan N, which
communicates through the channel n, with the cooling pan B, from
which liquors are allowed to flow through a channel P. Each of the
cooling pans B', B, &c., is provided with a vessel F, F, &c., for distri-
buting streams or bubbles of air through the liquor contained therein.
These vessels F, F, &c., are of the same construction and have the
same adaptation as the air-distributing vessel shewn on Sheet I. of
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and which has been herein-before
lescribed. They are connected with an air pump by means of the pipes

page_text: H', H2, &c. I, I, &c., are cocks communicating with a reservoir con-
taining suitable liquor, through which a supply of liquor can be conveyed
to the heating pans. Heat is applied to each of the heating pans by
means of special fires adapted thereto, or by means of waste heat con-
ducted from furnaces. In commencing to work with this set of
apparatus (all the pans having been supplied with liquors from which
I wish to obtain saline compounds) I apply heat to each of the heating
pans; and when I find that the liquor contained in the pans A, A, has
acquired such degrees of concentration and of temperature that it will
deposit salts when its temperature is reduced only a few degrees, I
cause a further supply of liquor to be introduced into the pans A, A,
through the cocks I, I, which introduction occasions a flow of hot
concentrated liquor through the channel C, into the cooling pan B';
at the same time I cause streams or bubbles of air to be impelled
through the liquor in the pan B', so as to accelerate the cooling of the
Salts become
liquor and promote evaporation of water therefrom.
deposited from the liquor in the pan B', and cooled liquor flows there-
from through the channel D, to the heating pan E, and, becoming
heated and concentrated therein, it flows into the cooling pan B,
wherein it is subjected to streams or bubbles of air passing from the
vessel F The liquor in its passage through the pan B, having
become cooled and deposited salts, flows through the channel G, into
the heating pan J, and, becoming heated and concentrated therein,
it flows from such pan into the cooling pan B", wherein it is subjected
to streams or bubbles of air passing from the vessel F, and, having
deposited salts, it flows through the channel K, into the heating pan L,
and, becoming heated and concentrated therein, it flows from such pan
into the cooling pan B, wherein it is subjected to streams or bubbles
of air passing from the vessel F, and, having deposited salts therein,
it flows through the channel M, into the heating pan N, and, becoming
heated and concentrated therein, it flows from such pan into the cooling
pan B³, wherein it is subjected to streams or bubbles of air passing
from the vessel F³, and, having deposited salts therein, the remaining
liquor flows through the channel P, into some convenient receptacle.
By means of the cocks I', I, &c., 1 introduce such a supply of fresh

page_text: liquor into each of the heating pans (when required) that the hot
concentrated liquor flowing from such pans shall not be sufficiently
strong to deposit salts at the temperature of the liquor in such pans,
but shall be in a condition to deposit salts on being slightly cooled. In
the Specification of my Invention of "Improvements in the Manufac-
ture of Alkali from Common Salt," for which I obtained Letters
Patent, bearing date on or about the Eighteenth day of May, in the
present year, I have described certain processes or operations in which
different saline compounds of soda contained in black ash liquors "
became separated from each other. The arrangement of a series of
pans and apparatus I have herein-before described (and which is
exhibited on Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed) is suited for
effecting the separation of different saline compounds of soda contained
in such liquors. In employing such a series of pans and apparatus for
obtaining different saline compounds of soda from black ash liquors "
(previously deprived of sulphuret of iron) containing carbonate of soda,
caustic soda, and ferro-cyanide of sodium, I find that the salts deposited
in the cooling pan B', consist almost entirely of carbonate of soda, and
such salts, after being drained and subjected to a slight filtration of
water or of solution of carbonate of soda through the same, will yield
soda ash of good quality. I find also that salts deposited in the cooling
pan B, although consisting, for the most part, of carbonate of soda,
contain a notable proportion of caustic soda and of ferro-cyanide of
sodium. I transfer these salts to the cooling pan B', wherein the
salts become deprived of nearly all the caustic soda and ferro-cyanide
of sodium previously mixed therewith. I find also that the salts
produced in each succeeding cooling pan become more and more
impregnated with caustic soda and ferro-cyanide of sodium, and I
transfer the salts produced in the pan B, to the pan B, and from the
pan B', to the pan B³, and so on.
The salts are thus transferred through the different cooling pans in
succession till they arrive at the cooling pan B', from whence they are
transferred with the salts produced in such pan, and by slight washing
are rendered suitable for the production of good good soda ash. Caustic
soda and ferro-cyanide of sodium (previously contained in the liquor

page_text: employed) become thus concentrated in the liquors flowing from the
cooling pan B; and these liquors are subjected to the processes or
operations for separating such compounds therefrom which are de-
scribed in the Specification of my said Patent. When I employ my
improvements for obtaining sulphate of soda and common salt sepa-
rately from solutions containing such saline compounds of soda I find
that the deposition of each salt separately is affected by the relative
proportion of the salts present in solution, also by the temperature of
the solution at which the deposition of salt takes place. Thus, when
I am operating on solution containing three parts of sulphate of soda
for each one part of common salt I find that the salts deposited in the
cooling pan consist almost entirely of sulphate of soda; but when the
solution contains nearly equal proportions of sulphate of soda and
common salt, and the temperature of the solution in the cooling pan is
reduced by streams of air or otherwise to about 92° of Fahrenheit's
thermometer, the greater part of the salts deposited consists of common
salt, and the solution or mother liquors remaining after such deposition
being concentrated by passing through a heating pan, and its tem-
perature subsequently reduced, by streams of air or otherwise, to about
80° of Fahrenheit's thermometer, the greater part of the salts deposited
consists of sulphate of soda. By this mode of working, sulphate of soda
can be obtained from solutions (containing also common salt) of suffi-
cient purity to be suitable for the manufacture of alkali.
I have herein-before described and fully explained certain means by
which I prefer to carry into effect my Invention of "Improvements in
Obtaining certain Saline Compounds from Solutions containing such
Compounds," but I do not confine myself to the employment of the
exact means herein described, as these may be varied to some extent
without deviating from the nature of my Invention.
I claim as my
Invention an arrangement of apparatus for obtaining saline compounds
of soda from solutions produced by the lixiviation of "soda ash" or
"black ash;" also, sulphate of soda from solutions containing such
compound of soda; which arrangement of apparatus provides for such
compounds being deposited from hot saturated solutions containing the
same by cooling such solutions in a pan or vessel, which pan or vessel

page_text: is so connected with the pan or pans employed for heating and con-
centrating such solutions that a continuous flow of such solutions can
be maintained through the same.
I further claim the passing of streams of air through such hot solu-
tions contained in such cooling pans or vessels for the purpose of
cooling the same, and causing evaporation of water therefrom.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Gossage, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
0
WILLIAM GOSSAGE. (L.S.)
Witness,
JOHN MOORE.