IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER VOLATILE PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paul Claes of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium
Distiller for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION AND
PURIFICATION OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER VOLATILE PRODUCTS AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Paul Claes at the Office
"IMPROVEMENTS
of the Commissiouers of Patents on the 11th February 1882.
PAUL CLAES, of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium, Distiller
IN THE DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER VOLATILE
PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR."
This Invention relates more particularly to the distillation and purification of
alcohol but it is also applicable to the distillation and purification of other volatile
products such as petroleum oil, napiha, and benzino.
In distilling alcohol the vapors arising from the boiling mash are passed to a
distillatory column, where certain of the impurities contained in the vapors are
deposited. These impurities, however continue to hold a considerable amount of
alcohol, and it is the object of this Invention to so treat the impurities before they
pass to the distillatory column that they shall render up the alcohol they hold by
which treatinent a considerable increase in the quantity of pure alcohol is obtained
with less trouble, expense and loss of time than heretofore.
To this end the alcoholic vapours containing all the impurities as they escape
from the boiler, and before they arrive at the distillatory column pass through a
couple of condensers where the impurities are eliminated and returned to the
boiler to be again subjected to heat, whereby all the alcohol they hold in suspension
is driven off. The vapors after passing through condensers are subjected to
washing by steam previously to passing to the distillatory column. By this means
the vapours are considerably purified before the practical work of distillation in
the column commences, and this latter operation becomes rather a secondary or
completing operation, and the alcohol is obtained much purer and in greater
quantities than in any other known process.

page_text: The apparatus consists of a boiler and distillatory column of any convenient
form. In direct connection with the boiler is a pipe for carrying off the vapours
and the opposite ends of this pipe are enclosed in tubes into each of which a stream
of cold water is constantly flowing and which may be termed the purifiers. The
impurities eliminated in the first purifier return directly to the boiler, while those
from the second purifier are carried off to the boiler by a syphon pipe suitably
arranged for the purpose. A chamber for washing the vapors as they pass from
the second purifier is provided in the base of the distillatory coluinn, and this
chamber is supplied with the water which overflows from the purifiers. This
water is heated by contact with the boiler, and also by a steam cuil placed near
the bottom of the chamber. An overflow pipe is provided between the chamber
and the boiler.
The steam arising from the water boiling in the chamber completes the
purification of the alcoholic vapours.
It will be evident that in placo of forming the purifiers of a single pipe, they
may consist of two, three, or more pipes of any suitable form and enclosed in an
enveloping tube in which cold water is constantly passing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Paul Claes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th August
1882.
PAUL CLAES of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium, Distiller. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER VOLATILE
PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREFOR."
This Invention relates more particularly to the distillation and purification of
alcohol but it is also applicable to the distillation and purification of other volatile
products such as petroleum oil, naptha and benzine.
Hitherto it has been usual to employ in the process of distilling alcohol and also
in the rectification of the same a distillatory column placed above a boiler in
which the material to be treated, by being maintained at boiling point is trans-
formed into vapour. During the progress of the distilling operation these vapors
were cooled and transformed anew into liquid and those parts which were heaviest
and contained the least amount of pure alcohol were returned to the boiler by the
column while the others were passed to the tester.
By long practical experience and by study and many experiments I have
discovered a process, based on the principle of the elimination of vapours containing
the impurities by which a considerable increase in the quantity of extra fine
alcohol is obtained, and at the same time the impurities are caused to return direct
to the boiler, (without passing to the column) in which they are again subjected to
evaporation.
By this mode of treatment all the alcohol contained in the mash or other
material under treatment is withdrawn.
To obtain this result I combine the boiler containing the mash or other material
to be treated with an apparatus in which the alcoholic vapours are purified before
they pass to the distillatory column. This preliminary operation which is carried
out in this apparatus has the effect of returning to the boiler the vapours containing
the impurities and the result is that those vapours which pass to the distillatory
column are to a considerable extent purified before the practical work of distillation
in the column commences and thus the operation which takes place in the column
becomes rather a secondary or completing operation producing the alcohol much
purer and in greater quantities than in any other known process.
The working of the purifier combined with the boiler and the ordinary distillatory
column will be perfectly understood on reference to the accompanying Drawing
which represents an elevation partly in section of the complete apparatus.
A is the boiler in which the mash or other material to be treated is subjected to
heat and B is the distillatory column.
The alcoholic vapours pass from the boiler A into the first part of the purifier
which consists of a tube A¹ enclosed in another tube D. Into the lower end of
this tube D a stream of cold water enters from a pipe F which is provided with a
cock to regulate the flow. The vapours pass from A¹ by the tube C into the
second part of the purifier consisting of a tube B¹ also enclosed in an envelope E
which is connected with a pipe H, and is also provided with a regulating cock by
which pipe H water is introduced into the tube F.
The tube A¹ is in direct communication with the boiler and the alcoholic vapours
pass from it through the tubes C. B. and L into a steam chamber M where they are
washed by steam.
The tube B is secured to the boiler for convenience but has no direct connection
therewith. The vapours which are condensed in the tube A¹ return direct to the
boiler and those condensed in the tube B' return by a syphon pipe P in connection
with the tube L and placed outside the boiler. The vapours which are condensed

page_text: in the distillatory column B descend into the boiler by the pipe N the lower end of
which extends nearly to the bottom of the boiler as shewn in the Drawing.
The chamber M is formed at the bottom of the distillatory column and com-
municates with the boiler only by the return or overflow pipe O. This pipe servos
to carry off the liquid when it rises to a height above ten or twelve centimetres in
the chamber and conveys it into a plate Q. placed across the upper part of the
boiler from which the liquid passes to the boiler by a second overflow pipe R.
Water is conducted to the chamber M by the pipes I K and it is made to boil
partly by contact with the boiler and partly by means of a coil T placed in the
bottom of the chamber and by which steam is also introduced into the chamber
through a cock S. The steam given off by the boiling water, and the steam
introduced through the coil serve to wash the alcoholic vapors.
The steam mixes with the alcoholic vapours entering the chamber M from the
tubes A. C. B' and L, and completes the purification of the alcoholic vapours which
then rise to the upper part of the distillatory column. The steam chainber M can
be provided with a water gauge if desired.
The water intended for the purification of the alcoholic vapours is drawn from a
suitable reservoir by the pipes H and F into the enveloping tubes D and E in
quantities sufficient to maintain therein the desired temperature which can be
determined by a thermometer fixed at about half their height upon each of the
tubes D and E. The water thus heated in the envelopes froin contact with the
pipes A B is drawn off by the pipes I and K and conveyed to the steam
chamber M.
It will be evident that instead of the single tubes A' and B' groups of two three.
or more tubes of condensation of any suitable form may be used.
These tubes may be arranged to receive the cooling medium the alcoholic
vapours passing round and in contact with them and they are provided with
means whereby the tubes may be gradually opened to the cooling medium so as to
-obtain successive-reductions-in-the-temperature-of the-alcoholic-vapours.
These reductions of temperature will have the effect of condensing the foreign
matters accompanying the alcohol in their proper order.
The reduction of temperature may be effected by other means than water namely
by the aid of air ether ammonia or other suitable substance capable of producing
cold either by the simple passing of the alcoholic vapours over the pipes, or by the
compression and subsequent expansion of the cooling medium.
In the latter case the cooling agents are collected on leaving the apparatus to be
used again.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention for "Improvements in
the Distillation and Purification of Alcohol and other Volatile Products and in
Apparatus to be Used therefor" and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect I wish it to be understood that I claim ;-
First: The process substantially as herein described for distilling and purifying
alcohol and other volatile products.
Second: The apparatus substantially as herein described, to be used in the
distillation and purification of alcohol and other volatile products as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Paul Claes have hereunto set my hand and
seal the Twenty fourth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand
and nighty time