The Preparation of a New or Improved Substance to be Used in the Manufacture of Alcohol.
Year: 1884

page_text: The Preparation of a New or Improved Substance to be Used in
the Manufacture of Alcohol.
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of said invention for THE PREPARATION OF A NEW OR IMPROVED SUBSTANCE
TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOL, a communication to me from
abroad by Constant Coster, of Bruxelles, in the kingdom of Belgium, to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of alcohol by means of glucose obtained
from the Jerusalem artichoke. In carrying out this invention, liquid glucose of
artichoke, such as obtained by the process indicated in my application for letters
patent No 4387 dated 13th of September 1883, is subjected to fermentation by
inethods and apparatus similar to those generally employed.
The carefully washed tubercles may be used as such, or (which is preferable) they
may be previously cut up or scraped like turnips or potatoes. Subsequently the
juice contained in the tubercles, slices or powder is extracted and saccharified by
means of water and acid or other material applicable for this purpose, and by the
well known methods of compression or of treatment in a boiler or cylinder heated
by the direct fire, or by steam or in any other suitable manner.
The liquid glucose thus obtained is not neutralized like the commercial glucose,
nor is it concentrated, because the acid resulting from the saccharification is
required to facilitate the alcoholic fermentation.
This fermentation is produced in a vat by adding to the liquid glucose a ferment,
such as commonly employed, and maintaining the temperature of fermentation.
Owing to the richness of the liquid glucose the fermentation will be completed in
about 10 or 12 hours.
Subsequently the alcohol obtained is distilled off and rectified by the methods
and apparatus generally employed.

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN Haddan, of the firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "THE PREPARATION OF A NEW OR IMPROVED SUBSTANCE
TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOL," a communication to me from
abroad by Constant Coster, of Bruxelles, in the kingdom of Belgium, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention has for its object to produce alcohol by means of liquid glucose
obtained from the Jerusalem artichoke.
In carrying out the production of alcohol from the Jerusalem artichoke I proceed
as follows:
The tubercles of the Jerusalem artichoke are first carefully washed and then cut
up into thin slices by means of a root cutter, or rasped by means of a rasp similar
to those employed for rasping beet roots or potatoes.
The slices or the pulp are then subjected to strong pressure, so as to extract the
juice. For this purpose I use either a bydraulic press a screw press or any other
suitable press.
The juice thus obtained is then introduced into a cylinder or boiler made of
copper, together with sulphuric acid diluted with water.
Instead of the juice obtained by pressure, I may introduce the whole tubercle, or
the slices and pulp, and add diluted sulphuric acid.
The quantity of the acid I employ may vary between three to ten thousandths
of the weight of the material to be treated, according to the more or less rapid
manner in which the complete saccharification of the material is to be carried out.
After the tubercles of the Jerusalem artichoke have been introduced into the
saccharifying apparatus, either whole, or in the shape of slices or pulp, or as juice,
I introduce steam at a pressure which may vary from 1 to 3 atmospheres, according
to the quantity of acid employed, and according to the longer or shorter period in
which I intend to effect the complete saccharification of the tubercles.
Instead of sulphuric acid employed to effect the saccharification, I may use any
other acid adapted to produce the same result, or even malt may be used.
In the latter case, after boiling the materials in the cylinder under a pressure of
one to 3 atmospheres, and without the addition of acid, the mass is left to cool, and
the saccharification is then carried out by means of malt at a much lower
temperature, about 50 degrees (Centigrade).
In order to assist the boiling and saccharification during great part of the
operation, I stir the material by means of an agitator passing through nearly the
whole length of the apparatus.
After the complete saccharification is effected in the boiling and saccharifying
apparatus working under steam pressure, the apparatus is emptied, which operation
is greatly facilitated by the pressure existing in the apparatus.
I thus obtain a sweet juice which I prefer to call liquid glucose of the Jerusalem
artichoke.
If pulp or slices have been treated in the boiling apparatus, the juice leaving
the latter passes through a filter press which retains the pulp and allows only the
liquid glucose to pass
This liquid glucose is left to cool, and desacidified by means of chalk, if the
quantity of acid employed is too large for subsequently producing a good
fermentation.

page_text: If, however, only about three thousandth parts of acid or malt bave been used,
no saturation is necessary, and the liquid glucose cooled down to a temperature of
25 degrees (Centigrade) is subjected to fermentation in a vat, by adding a certain
quantity of leaven or any other suitable ferment.
The complete fermentation is obtained in good condition and in a very short
time (about 12 hours).
After the fermentation is terminated, I proceed to the distillation and rectification
of the alcohol by means of the apparatus and the processes generally employed in
the production of ordinary alcohols.
I particularly wish to point out the immense difference existing between my new
process (by which I produce, by means of saccharification in a closed vessel and
under steam pressure, a rich sweet juice which I call glucose of the Jerusalem
artichoke, the alcoholic fermentation of which may be completely effected in
12 hours) and the process actually employed in France under the name of "Procédé
Champonnois" for the treatment of the Jerusalem artichoke and the production of
alcohol, which process yields a poor juice, not saccharified and the fermentation of
which is very slow (about 96 hours).
This enormous difference existing between my new process and the "Procédé
Champonnois" is easily explained. I proceed with a closed vessel and under steam
pressure, whereby I obtain a complete saccharification of the tubercles of the
Jerusalem artichoke, consequently a far higher yield of alcohol and a more complete
and rapid fermentation.
In the Procédé Champonnois the tubercles of the Jerusalem artichoke are cut up
into slices and treated in open vats where only a simple maceration is effected
producing a juice of little sweetness not saccharified, of an incomplete yield of
alcohol, and of difficult and slow fermentation (96 hours).
The name "Glucose of the Jerusalem Artichoke," which the inventor has given
to the sweet syrup obtained by the saccharification of the tubercles of the Jerusalem
artichoke, will perhaps raise discussion and criticism, but it is based on the
following reasons:
The chemical composition of the glucoses of commerce is scientifically expressed
with numerous variations which bear a variety of different names.
Thus the following sugars are known as glucoses and grape sugars: The
Synanthrose, the Levulose, the Dextrose, the Chylariose, the Inuline, the Levuline,
and so on.
All these different sugars, are stated by numerous authors to take part more or
less, the one or the other, in the constitution of the glucoses and grape sugars,
either directly, or owing to chemical reaction or successive transformation. The
name of glucose proper is, scientifically considered, a regular barbarism; nevertheless
it is incontestable that this denomination is generally given and everywhere
accepted from the commercial point of view.
This is the only reason which has induced the inventor to call the sweet syrup,
obtained by saccharifying the tubercle of the Jerusalem artichoke, "Glucose of the
Jerusalem Artichoke," although it has been shown by Mr G. Ville long ago, that
(according to him) the tubercle of the Jerusalem artichoke chiefly consists of
Levuline of three different kinds, which other authors call Levulose, but which
Mr G. Ville calls Levuline.
The inventor's opinion is also entirely shared by Chas. Stammer, the celebrated
German Chemist, who says, as regards Levulose and Glucose: "Levulose possesses
the same composition and almost the same chemical properties as Glucose.
I believe that all sugars, except the crystallizable sugar, should be known by the
generic name of "Glucose."
In presence of the contradictory information existing on this subject, I repeat it
seems proper to accept the name "Glucose of the Jerusalem Artichoke" for
designating the sweet syrup obtained by saccharifying the tubercles of the Jerusalem
artichoke, whether this syrup remains unconcentrated in a liquid state, or whether
it is converted into syrup by concentration.

page_text: 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
Obtaining liquid glucose from Jerusalem artichoke, for the purpose of converting
the same into alcohol substantially as described.