Improvements in the Treatment and Purification of Sewage and Impure Water.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment and Purification of Sewage and
Impure Water.
We JOHN WILLIAM SLATER of No. 36 Wray Crescent Tollington Park in the
County of Middlesex, Analytical and Consulting Chemist Fellow of the Chemical
Society Fellow of the Entomological Society and THE NATIVE GUANO COMPANY
(LIMITED) of No. 29 New Bridge Street Blackfriars in the City of London
Sewage Contractors do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the treatment and purification of sewage and of effluent
water resulting from the treatment of sewage by precipitation or by filtration
and consists in the addition thereto of benzoic acid or benzoate of alumina or
manganese or iron or soda or other combination of benzoic acid with a base the
object being to prevent secondary fermentation of the effluent water.
In the treatment of sewage according to this invention a mixture is prepared
consisting of clay and carbon or carbonaceous matter or charcoal in the proportions
of about ten parts by weight of clay and one part by weight of carbon or
carbonaceous matter or charcoal and the said mixture is added to the sewage in
the proportion of about five hundred and thirty-three grains per gallon of sewage
and with the said mixture is added benzoic acid or, benzoate of alumina or a
combination of benzoic acid with any other suitable base in the proportion of from
about five grains to about twenty grains per gallon of the sewage and after
thorough incorporation cake alum is added in the proportion of about five grains
per gallon of sewage or an equivalent proportion of hydrated aluminium chloride
(commonly called muriate of alumina) is added to the sewage.
Peat and semi-peat are forms of carbonaceous matter suitable for use as herein-
before described and sea-weed charcoal or peat charcoal or charcoal of other kind
including waste charcoal or carbon are suitable for such use.
In the treatment according to this invention of the effluent resulting from the
treatment of sewage by the processes described in the Specifications of Letters
Patent No. 3703 of 1875. No. 3095 of 1876 No. 3307 of 1876 No. 1144 of 1883
No. 11641 of 1884 No. 12830 of 1884 No. 15810 of 1884 No. 4532 of 1885
No. 13750 of 1885 and No. 3973 of 1886 or by other precipitation processes or by
filtration processes benzoic acid or benzoate of alumina or benzoic acid in
combination with other base is added to the clear liquid in the proportion of from
about five to twenty grains per gallon of the effluent.
The benzoic acid is used where the sewage or effluent water to be treated
has a perceptibly alkaline reaction with litmus paper. In other cases benzoate
of alumina or a combination of benzoic acid with any other suitable base is
used.
It must be understood that the proportions herein before stated are only
approximate and admit of considerable variation and that the invention is not
restricted to the use in any particular proportions of the matters and mixtures
bereinbefore referred to and described as variation of such proportions is necessary
according to the quality of the sewage or water to be treated. For instance
where the sewage to be treated is of more than average fouluess the carbon or

page_text: carbonaceous matter should be used in larger proportions than those herein before
stated.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of September 1895.
Improvements in the Treatment and Purification of Sewage and
Impure Water.
We JOHN WILLIAM SLATER of No. 36 Wray Crescent Tollington Park in the
County of Middlesex Analytical and Consulting Chemist. Fellow of the Chemical
Society Fellow of the Entomological Society and THE NATIVE GUANO COMPANY
(LIMITED) of No. 29 New Bridge Street Blackfriars in the City of London
Sewage Contractors 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 :-
This invention relates to the treatment and purification of sewage and of effluent
water resulting from the treatment of sewage by precipitation or by filtration and
consists in the addition thereto of benzoic acid or benzoate of alumina or manganese
or iron or soda or other soluble combination of benzoic acid with a base the object
being to prevent secondary fermentation of the effluent water.
In the treatment of sewage according to this invention a mixture is prepared
consisting of clay and carbon or carbonaceous matter or charcoal in the proportions
of about equal parts by weight of clay and of carbon or carbonaceous matter or
charcoal and the said mixture is added to the sewage in the proportion of about
fifty grains per gallon of sewage and with the said mixture is added benzoic acid
or benzoate of alumina or a combination of benzoic acid with any other suitable
base in the proportion of from about five grains to about twenty grains per gallon
of the sewage and after thorough incorporation cake alum is added in the
proportion of about five grains per gallon of sewage or an equivalent proportion
of hydrated aluminium chloride (commonly called muriate of alumina) is added to
the sewage.
Peat and semi-peat are forms of carbonaceous matter suitable for use as herein-
before described and seaweed charcoal or peat charcoal or charcoal of other kinds
including waste charcoal or carbon are suitable for such use.
In the treatment according to this invention of the effluent resulting from the
treatment of sewage by the processes described in the Specifications of Letters
Patent No. 3703 of 1875, No. 3095 of 1876, No. 3307 of 1876, No. 1144 of 1883,
No. 11641 of 1884, No. 12830 of 1884, No. 15810 of 1884, No. 4532 of 1885,
No. 13750 of 1885 and No. 3973 of 1886 or by other precipitation processes or by
filtration processes benzoic acid or benzoate of alumina or benzoic acid in
combination with other base is added to the clear liquid in the proportion of from
about five to twenty grains per gallon of the effluent.
The benzoic acid is used where the sewage or effluent water to be treated
bas a perceptibly alkaline reaction with litmus paper. In other cases benzoate
cf alumina or a combination of benzoic acid with any other suitable base is
used.
Benzoate of alumina may be obtained by dissolving separately benzoate of
soda and cake alum and mixing the solutions when double decomposition will
ensue.
It must be understood that the proportions hereinbefore stated are only
approximate and admit of considerable variation and that the invention is not
restricted to the use in any particular proportions of the matters and mixtures

page_text: herein before referred to and described as variation of such proportions is necessary
according to the quality of the sewage or water to be treated. For instance
where the sewage to be treated is of more than average foulness the carbon or
carbonaceous matter should be used in larger proportions than those hereinbefore
stated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we
claim :-
First. The use of benzoic acid and soluble benzoates substantially as herein-
before described in the treatment of sewage and water containing putrescent or
putrescible matters or which has been contaminated with such matters.
Secondly. The use in the purification of sewage of benzoic acid or soluble
benzoates in conjunction with carbon and clay substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Thirdly. The prevention of secondary fermentation in sewage effluent by adding.
thereto benzoic acid or soluble benzoates.
Dated the Twenty-third day of June 1896.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.