IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REFINING OR SEPARATION OF GLYCERINE FROM FATS AND OILS
Year: 1885

page_text: Fats and Oils.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of the firm of Wm Brookes & Son of 55 & 56
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REFINING OR SEPARATION OF
GLYCERINE FROM FATS AND OILS communicated to me from abroad by Rudolph
Giebermann of 56 Menomonee Street Chicago, County of Cook and State of
Illinois one of the United States of America, Manufacturing Chemist to be as
follows:-
In efforts to separate glycerine from fats and oils employed in the manufacture
of soap stock, a preliminary decomposition has heretofore been effected by sub.
jecting the fat in an admixture of water to the direct action of steam under a
pressure of about 150 pounds to the square inch, and then forcing the admixture
thus heated through a confined volume of steam under pressure, after which the
glycerine water settling in the digestor is blown off.
But this method is objectionable, owing to the length of time necessarily con-
sumed in separating the glycerine from the neutral fats, the liability of the super-
heated steam to scorch or otherwise cause a discoloration of the soap stock, the
danger attending the employment of steam under excessive pressure, and the
necessity of great strength in and corresponding cost of the apparatus it requires.
In some instances alkalies alone, in others oxide of zinc in combination with
metallic chlorides, and in others zine alone partially oxidised, and finally zinc and
oxide of tin in connection witli lime, have heretofore been mixed in with the
emulsion of fat and water, and then subjected to the action of super-heated steam
or else steam under excessive pressure; but in every such instance more or less.
discoloration of the soap stock is the result, and besides any effort to decompose fat
by means of metallic zinc or any of the metallic oxides in connection with super-
heated steam or steam under excessive pressure results in the evolution of hydrogen
gas, which is highly dangerous and otherwise objectionable.
The prime object of this invention is to effect a more complete separation of
glycerine from fats than has heretofore been attained, without any liability to
discolor or otherwise injure the soap stock, or render the glycerine impure, or subject
the operator to the dangers involved by the employment of super-heated steam,
steam under excessive pressure, or the evolution of hydrogen gas.

page_text: Further objects are to utilize alkalies and metallic oxides in the separation of
glycerine from fats without any liability of discoloring the product.
And, finally, to materially reduce the time heretofore required to separate
glycerine from fatty acids.
To these ends, this invention consists in the employment of any carbonate soluble
in alkali and capable of producing an insoluble soap without discoloration either
alone or in connection with any of the metallic oxides or an alkali and steam as a
means for extracting the glycerine from fatty matters admixed with water to form
an emulsion contained in a closed retort or digestor; but my correspondent the
inventor prefers to use carbonate of zinc or carbonate of tin or both, because they
produce these results to a higher and more satisfactory degree than any of the
other carbonates. Carbonate of tin may be prepared for this purpose by pre-
cipitating chloride of tin with carbonate of potash or carbonate of soda.
In carrying out this invention, any suitable known construction of digestor or
autoclave is employed to contain the fatty substance to be treated.
An emulsion of fat in sufficient water is first made, and to this is added either
the carbonate of tin or carbonate of zinc or both in about the proportion of one-
half to one pound, or more, to one thousand pounds of fatty matter.
The whole is then subjected for a time to the direct action of steam at a pressure
of not more and may be less than one hundred twenty-five pounds, until the fats
are effectively decomposed and the glycerine separated therefrom, after which the
glycerine and fatty acids can be drawn or blown off in any known or approved
way.
Instead of employing solely a carbonate, in connection therewith in the emulsion
one or more of the metallic oxides may be used, as for instance the oxide of sodium,
potassium, barium, magnesium, aluminium or silicium; or, aluminate of soda, in
the proportion of one-half pound of the carbonate or carbonates to the same weight
of the oxide or oxides.
In the same proportion also may be used a carbonate in connection with an
alkali, or in connection with an alkali mixed with any of the materials set forth in
the preceding paragraph, and produce the desired result, namely, an insoluble soap
without discoloration; for my correspondent has found by satisfactory tests that,
by the combining of a carbonate having the characteristics described with any of
these materials, discoloration is effectually prevented and the resultant soap is
substantially insoluble.
Among the advantages resulting from the employment of carbonates is that an
excessive pressure of steam and its attendant dangers to life and discoloration of
the soap stock is entirely avoided, or at least reduced in proportion to the differences
in effect of steam when at a pressure of 150 pounds and a pressure of 125 pounds,
or less, to the square inch.
Besides the inventor also has demonstrated by practice that, instead of requiring
the usual time of about twelve hours, one is enabled by the employment of car-
bonates such as have been herein before described to effect decomposition of the fat
in about four hours' time, and at the same time effect a more perfect separation of
the glycerine from the fats than has heretofore been attained.
It may also be stated that the emulsion containing one or more carbonates may
be heated in any way without any essential departure from this invention, although
the method described is preferred.

page_text: Improvements in the Refining or Separation of Glycerine from
Fats and Oils.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of the firm of Wm Brookes & Son of 55 & 56
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REFINING OR SEPARATION OF
GLYCERINE FROM FATS AND OILS and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In efforts to separate glycerine from fats and oils employed in the manufacture
of soap stock, a preliminary decomposition has heretofore been effected by sub-
jecting the fat in an admixture of water to the direct action of steam under a
pressure of about 150 pounds to the square inch, and then forcing the admixture
thus heated through a confined volume of steam under pressure, after which the
glycerine water settling in the digestor is blown off. But this method is objection-
able, owing to the length of time necessarily consumed in separating the glycerine
from the neutral fats, the liability of the super-heated steam to scorch or otherwise
cause a discoloration of the soap stock, the danger attending the employment of
steam under excessive pressure, and the necessity of great strength in and corre-
sponding cost of the apparatus it requires.
In some instances alkalies alone, in others oxide of zinc in combination with
inetallic chlorides, and in others zinc alone partially oxidized, and finally zinc and
oxide of tin in connection with lime, have heretofore been mixed in with the
emulsion of fat and water, and then subjected to the action of super-heated steam
or else steam under excessive pressure; but in every such instance more or less
discoloration of the soap stock is the result, and besides any effort to decompose fat
by means of metallic zine or any of the metallic oxides in connection with super-
heated steam or steam under excessive pressure results in the evolution of hydrogen
gas, which is highly dangerous and otherwise objectionable.
The prime object of this invention is to effect a more complete separation of
glycerine from fats than has heretofore been attained, without any liability to
discolor or otherwise injure the soap stock, or render the glycerine impure, or subject
the operator to the dangers involved by the employment of super-heated steam,
steam under excessive pressure, or the evolution of hydrogen gas.
Further objects are to utilize alkalies and metallic oxides in the separation of
glycerine from fats without any liability of discoloring the product.
And, finally, to materially reduce the time heretofore required to separate
glycerine from fatty acids.
To these ends, this invention consists in the employment of any carbonate soluble
in alkali and capable of producing an insoluble soap without discoloration either
alone or in connection with any of the metallic oxides or an alkali and steam as a
means for extracting the glycerine from fatty matters admixed with water to form
an emulsion contained in a closed retort or digestor; but my correspondent the
inventor prefers to use carbonate of zine or carbonate of tin or both because they
produce these results to a higher and inore satisfactory degree than any of the other
carbonates. Carbonate of tin may be prepared for this purpose by precipitating
chloride of tin with carbonate of potash or carbonate of soda.
In carrying out this invention, any suitable known construction of digestor or
autoclave is employed to contain the fatty substance to be treated.

page_text: An emulsion of fat in sufficient water is first made, and to this is added either
the carbonate of tin or carbonate of zinc or both in about the proportion of one-
half to one pound, or more, to one thousand pounds of fatty matter.
The whole is then subjected for a time to the direct action of steam at a pressure
of not more and may be less than one hundred twenty five pounds, until the fats
are effectively decomposed and the glycerine separated therefrom, after which the
glycerine and fatty acids can be drawn or blown off in any known or approved
way.
Instead of employing solely a carbonate, in connection therewith in the emulsion
one or more of the metallic oxides may be used, as for instance the Oxide of Sodium,
Potassium, Barium, Magnesium, Aluminium, or Silicium; or, Aluminate of Soda, in
the proportion of one half pound of the carbonate or carbonates to the same weight
of the oxide or oxides.
In the same proportion also may be used a carbonate in connection with an
alkali, or in connection with an alkali mixed with any of the materials set forth in
the preceding paragraph, and produce the desired result, namely, an insoluble soap
without discoloration; for my correspondent has found by satisfactory tests that,
by the combining of a carbonate having the characteristics described with any of
these materials, discoloration is effectually prevented and the resultant soap is
substantially insoluble.
Among the advantages resulting from the employment of carbonates is that an
excessive pressure of steam and its attendant dangers to life and discoloration of
the soap stock is entirely avoided, or at least reduced in proportion to the differences
in effect of steam when at a pressure of 150 pounds and a pressure of 125 pounds,
or less, to the square inch. Besides, the inventor also has demonstrated by practice
that, instead of requiring the usual time of about twelve hours, one is enabled by
the employment of carbonates such as have been hereinbefore described to effect
decomposition of the fat in about four hours time, and at the same time effect a
more perfect separation of the glycerine from the fats than has heretofore been
attained. It may also be stated that the emulsion containing one or more carbo-
nates may be heated in any way without any essential departure from this
invention, although the method described is preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The herein described method of separating glycerine from fats, the same
consisting in subjecting an emulsion of fat and water admixed with a carbonate to
the action of steam, substantially as described.
2. The herein described method of separating glycerine from fals, the same
consisting in subjecting an emulsion of fat and water and a carbonate of tin or zinc
or both to the action of steam, substantially as described.
3. The herein described method of separating glycerine from fats, the same
consisting in subjecting an emulsion of fat containing an alkali and a carbonate to
the action of steam, substantially as described.
4. The herein described method of separating glycerine from fats, the same
consisting in subjecting an emulsion of fat containing an alkali and carbonate and
one or more metallic oxides to the action of steam in a closed vessel, substantially
as described.
1000