Improvements in and relating to Continuous Working Spirit Stills
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Continuous Working Spirit Stills:
:
I, JOSEPH EDWARD DUNN, of Rendham, in the County of Suffolk, Engineer, 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 improvements in the construction, arrangement and
combination of parts of continuous working spirit stills, i.c. stills having a single
vertical column containing a series of superposed wash liquor containing and
circulating trays through which an upward current of spirit accumulating vapour
flows or circulates; and working in combination with a rectifier, wash heater and
worm or other condenser.
My improvements relate to the construction and arrangement of the wash liquor
containing and circulating trays whereby I am enabled to greatly extend the
surface of the "wash" or liquid on which the distilling action can take place and
consequently to reduce the number of trays employed.
My improvements further relate to the construction and arrangement of the
"countercurrent" rectifier interposed between the still column and the wash heater,
whereby the heavier alcoholic vapours are more effectually condensed and separated
before the vapour passes to the wash heater.
My improvements. also relate to the construction and arrangement of the wash
heater.
A still constructed in accordance with my invention, as hereinafter described,
will produce in one operation alcoholic spirit of high strength and good quality
and can be more economically constructed and caused to occupy less space in
proportion to capacity than heretofore.
And in order that my invention and the manner in which it is performed may be
clearly understood I will now describe the same with reference to the explanatory
drawings appended, in which similar letters refer to like parts in all the figures,
and wherein :-
Figure 1 shews in elevation. a continuous working spirit still with its rectifier,
wash heater and condenser, the still column with its circulating arrangements being
shewn in section..
Figure 2 is a plan.on an enlarged scale of one of the wash liquor containing and
circulating trays.,
Figure 3 is a vertical section of Figure 2, and
Figure 4 is a full size detail shewing in vertical section one of the hooded
vapour tubes with which the circulating trays are fitted.
A, is the vertical column or still preferably composed of a series of overlapping
flanged sections of circular, rectangular or other shape, and B is a steam coil or
equivalent heater by which the still A is heated at its lower end. The interior of
the still A is fitted with a series of transverse circulating trays C C¹ superposed
horizontally at short distances apart. In the drawing I have represented eleven
of these trays, the three upper trays C₁ being of less superficial area than the
eight lower trays C and being utilised for re-distilling the heavier alcoholic vapours

page_text: as hereinafter described; I do not however confine or limit myself to any precise
number of circulating trays, but may employ a greater or less number according to
requirements.
I will now describe the construction and arrangement of my improved circulating
trays which are clearly shewn in Figures 2 and 3. I prefer that the entire series of
circulating trays in the still column should be of this improved construction.
Suitably fixed to the tray C is a series of circular vertical strips or guide
plates c concentrically arranged and forming between them a series of concentric
channels or circulations for the wash liquor. Each channel or circulation is
obstructed or blocked at one point, as by a partition c¹, which may also be
utilised as a support for the strips or guide plates c as shewn. An apérture or
space is provided or formed in each strip c through which the wash passes from
one channel or circulation to another, these openings being so relatively arranged
aš to cause the wash entering any channel to circulate completely around the same
before it can escape to the next channel. It will thus be seen that in travelling
from the centre to the periphery of a tray, or vice versa, the wash is caused to
make a number of complete circulations, each successive circulation being in the
reverse direction to that preceding, as indicated by the arrows, so that the wash
on opposite sides of any strip c travels in opposite directions. Along each channel
or circulation I arrange zig zag fashion and as close together as can conveniently
be managed, a series of vapour tubes d (Figure 4) covered by deflecting hoods d¹.
The large number of circulations traversed by the "wash," and the division or
breaking up of the latter by the numerous vapour tubes and hoods placed zig zag
fashion throughout the channels, greatly extend the surface of the "wash" upon
which the distilling action can take place and permit a reduced number of trays to
be employed. prefer that the vapour tubes and hoods should be of the improved
-construction represented in the figure last mentioned, the vapour tube d passing
through the tray C and having a flange d² which bears upon the upper surface of
-the tray and to which feet d³ formed on the hood d² are rivetted, the whole being
.secured to the tray by the nut d. The strips or guide plates c should not exceed
say 1/8" in thickness, as any increase in thickness will reduce the circulating surface
and raise the working level of the "wash," which is detrimental. Each tray C is
provided with an overflow or outlet pipe e through which the wash liquor after
circulating the tray as above described passes to the tray beneath, said outlet pipes
being placed alternately at the centre and periphery of the trays so that in
descending the series the wash liquor leaving one tray by the periphery, as in Fig. 2,
circulates the next lower tray from the periphery to the centre, and leaving this
tray by the central outlet circulates the next from the centre to the periphery, and
so on throughout the series. The trays C₁ are identical in construction with the
trays C described, but being of less superficial area fewer circulations are
employed; as represented, three instead of four.
On the upper end of the still column A is disposed my improved "counter-
current" rectifier, consisting of a chamber or tank D of circular or other section
within which is arranged horizontally a series of flat hollow drums or covered trays f,
superposed and communicating with one another by passages f¹ arranged as
shewn, so that the ascending alcoholic vapour entering the lowermost drum by the
passage passes zig zag fashion up through the series of drums to the outlet
passage on its way to the wash heater E. The chamber D is periodically filled
or circulated (preferably the latter) with water, as by a pipe connection g leading
from an overhead tank, and the water descends zig zag fashion over and between
the flat hollow drums or covered trays f in the contrary direction and as a counter-
current to the alcoholic vapours ascending therethrough (as shewn by the arrows),
causing the heavier vapours to condense and return to the circulating trays to be
redistilled whilst the water leaves the bottom of chamber D by a pipe h and ascend-
ing to the working level of D is conveyed to the most convenient place and
discharged. The zig zag descent of the condensing water is effected by leaving a

page_text: passage way f* between one side of each drum fand the tank D the said passage
ways being arranged alternately at opposite sides of the tank.
The lighter alcoholic or spirit vapour leaves the uppermost drum by the
passage and passes therethrough to the improved wash heater E which is divided
by horizontal tube plates i into three chambers or compartments k, k¹, k². A
series of vertical tubes i¹ connecting the tube plates i are disposed within the
middle compartment into the lower end of which the passage f³ from the
rectifier opens. In the upper compartment k are disposed a series of flat hollow
drums or covered trays f* (constructed and arranged in a precisely similar manner
to those f before described) a passage leading from the lowermost drum f* into
the chamber kl. The wash liquor enters the heater E by pipe / from an overhead
cistern, descends zig zag fashion over and between the hollow drums f*, and passes
through the tubes i to the lowermost chamber k²; from thence it passes through
pipe m to the top tray C in the still column, circulates the latter and descends and
circulates in succession the trays beneath, in the manner before explained, at the
same time charging the ascending vapour with alcoholic spirit. The ascending
alcoholic vapour passing from the rectifier by the pipe f³ to the lower part of the
middle compartment of the wash heater ascends such compartment between the
vertical tubes and passes through the series of hollow drums or trays f*, raising
the temperature of the descending wash liquor in its passage, at the same time the
cooler descending wash liquor condenses the heavier alcoholic vapours which fall
to the bottom of compartment k¹ and are led from thence by the branch pipe n
to the topmost circulating tray C¹ to be again distilled. The light and matured
spirit vapours are led from the topmost of the series of hollow drums or trays f*
by the pipe to the worm or other condenser F to be condensed in the ordinary
manner. In the compartment of the wash heater E as in the rectifier D the
descending wash liquor and the ascending spirit vapours zig zag in reverse
directions forming countercurrents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that I neither claim broadly constructing the circulating trays so as
to cause the "wash" to follow a circuitous route in travelling from the point of
entrance to the outlet, nor the fitting of such trays with hooded vapour apertures
or tubes, but I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In continuous working spirit stills, the employment of wash liquor containing
and circulating trays so constructed and arranged that the "wash" in travelling
from the point of entry to the overflow feed pipe is caused to make a series of
circulations, each successive circulation being in the reverse direction to that pre-
ceding, substantially as described.
2. A wash liquor containing and circulating tray for continuous working spirit
stills, having a series of channels surrounding and opening into one another formned
by strips or guide plates so arranged that the wash is caused to completely circulate
each channel before passing to the next and to travel in reverse directions in
adjacent channels; and having also a series of vapour tubes with deflecting hoods
arranged zig zag fashion throughout each channel, substantially as described and
illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.
3. In continuous working spirit stills, the employment of rectifying apparatus
consisting of a series of hollow flat drums or covered trays superposed horizontally
within a chamber or tank and so constructed and arranged that the alcholic vapour
is caused to ascend zig zag fashion through such drums or trays whilst the
condensing water descends in like fashion over and between them, the vapour and
water travelling in opposite directions as countercurrents throughout their passage,
substantially as described and illustrated.
4. In continuous working spirit stills, the employment and use of a wash heater
comprising three superposed compartments or chambers the upper and lower
compartment communicating by a series of vertical tubes and the upper compartment

page_text: '
containing a series of flat hollow drums or covered trays superposed horizontally and
communicating with each other and with the middle compartment; the whole
being so constructed and arranged that 'the spirit vapour enters the lower end of the
middle compartiment passes up between the vertical tubes therein and ascends zig zag
fashion through the series of drums or trays, whilst the wash liquor enters the top.
compartment zig zags over and between the drums or trays in the reverse direction
and as a countercurrent to the vapour and then passes down through the vertical
tubes to the lower compartment from which it is led to the still column, substantially
as described.
5. The general construction or arrangement and combination of parts constituting
improvements in continuous working spirit stills with wash heaters and rectifiers,
substantially as described with reference to and illustrated in the annexed.
drawings
:
Dated this 5th day of February 1898.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
i