IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING LIQUIDS AND FACILITATING THE SEPARATION OF IMPURITIES THEREFROM
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Joseph Morison, of Upper Norwood, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
EVAPORATING LIQUIDS AND FACILITATING THE SEPARATION OF IMPURITIES
THEREFROM." A communication from abroad by Francis John Morison, of
Havana.
Scaled the 21st July 1876, and dated the 17th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Joseph Morison at
the Oflice of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1876.
ALEXANDER JOSEPH MORISON, of Upper Norwood, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING LIQUIDS AND FACILITATING
THE SEPARATION OF IMPURITIES THEREFROM." A communication from abroad by
Francis John Morison, of Havana.
This Invention relates to apparatus intended more particularly to be employed for
evaporating saccharine juices, but which is also applicable for evaporating other
liquids, and consists of peculiar constructions and arrangements of apparatus for
heating the juice in shallow masses by means of short heated pipes, whereby the
evaporation or concentration of the juice is effected in a rapid manner with a
minimum amount of artificial heat, whilst increased facility is afforded for the
separation and removal of the impurities from the juice.
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention as applied to the
evaporation of saccharine juice (for example) the evaporation is effected in a series
of (say four) open pans or trays, having rims of the minimum depth practicable for
preventing the juice from overflowing when in a state of ebullition. These pans
which are arranged at different elevations in steps or tiers, in order that the juice
may flow (in the process of treatment) from the upper pan into the next lower one,
and so on in succession to the lowest or "strike" pan are each heated at the central
portion only, a border or surface being maintained cool, upon which the impurities
from the juice collect as scum during its ebullition, and from which they may be
removed by skimming or otherwise.
The heating of the central portion of the pans may be effected by means of a
naked flame, or by the heated products of combustion from a furnace, but it is'
preferred to heat them by means of steam in the manner hercin-after described.
The border or coul portion of the pan may be made level with the central heated'

page_text: portion, if desired, but it is preferred to make it slightly curved or inclined from
the outer edge or rim to the central or heated portion.
Beneath the central portion of each of the pans there is provided a chamber into
which steam under pressure is admitted, and whence it passes through a number of
short tubes or steam nozzles (carried in a plate loosely fitted in the chamber) into
blind tubes or hollow projections fitted to or formed on the bottom of the pan.
When the tubes or hollow projections are formed on the bottom of the pan they
may be produced by stamping, corrugating, or otherwise, but it is preferred to fit
them to the pan, which result may be accomplished by forming tapered or conical
holes in the bottom, and securing short tubes closed at one end therein by
expanding their lower (open) ends by means of a brace and conical bit or other
suitable tool; or the tubes may be secured therein by screwing or in any other
convenient manner.
A space is left between the under side of the bottom of the pan and the plate
carrying the steam tubes or nozzles, in which space the steam is caused to circulate,
whereby the heating and the consequent concentration of the juice contained in the
pan is effected.
The bottom of the pan is secured to the steam chamber or box by means of bolts,
which are surrounded by hollow stays in order to prevent the bottom and the tube
plate from sagging.
The water of condensation escapes from between the bottom of the pan and the
tube plate past the edges of the latter, and enters the steam chamber or box, from
which it is conducted through a pipe provided for the purpose, and which is fitted
with a steam trap in order to avoid the escape of steam with the water. The
water is prevented from entering the steam pipe by reason of the greater clevation
of the latter, which is so arranged that its upper end projects a short distance above
the bottom of the steam box.
The steam pipe is also provided with a safety valve, which is suitably weighted
according to the degree of heat required to effect the evaporation or concentration
of the juice.
In order to enable the juice to be drawn off when required a discharge pipe
furnished with a stop cock is fitted to each pan, such pipe extending along the
bottom of the pan to a point in the central or heated portion inmediately above
where the steam is admitted into the steam chamber or box, at which part the juice
is subjected to the greatest heat, and consequently the briskest ebullition, whereby
the juice may be drawn off without carrying with it the impurities, which will be
retained upon the cool border. The steam is admitted first into the chamber of the
lowest pan, from which it passes into the chambers of the outer pans in succession
through branch pipes which connect them together, the greatest pressure of the
steam being thereby received where it is most required, viz., at the lowest pan,
whilst the most impure juice, viz., that contained in the top pan is subjected to the
least pressure.
The central portion of the pan and the border may be constructed separate the
one from the other, and connected together in any suitable manner, with the
interposition of a layer or packing of wood or other non heat conducting material.
According to another mode of carrying out this Invention the saccharine juice is
evaporated or concentrated in a closed vessel divided into three or more channels,
into which the juice under treatment is caused to enter in succession by means of a
vacuum or partial vacuum produced in such chambers either by incans of an
ordinary air pump or by any other suitable means.
The chambers are arranged one above another, and the bottoms of the several
chambers are heated by means of steam passing through short tubes or nozzles in a
similar manner to the central portion of the pans in the arrangement first herein-
before described, whilst the heating of the upper chambers is assisted by the vapour
arising from the juice in the chamber below.
The juice to be concentrated is first introduced and boiled in an open pan or tray
arranged on the top of the apparatus, and the impurities arising from the juice

page_text: pass in the condition of scum into an annular trough formed around the pan, from
which they are removed by hand or otherwise. The juice having been freed from
its impurities is conducted from the upper pan through a pipe provided with a
regulating cock into the lowest chamber or compartment of the closed vessel, in
which chamber it is again subjected to heat, the bottom of the chamber being
provided with blind tubes or hollow projections in which the steam is caused to
circulate in the manner herein-before described. When the juice has been suffi-
ciently treated in the lower chamber communication is opened with the chamber
immediately above, from which the air has been previously exhausted, whereby the
juice is caused to pass into such upper chamber, the bottom of which is constructed
in a similar manner to the bottom chamber, the heat being further increased by
the vapor arising from the juice contained in the chamber below, the supply in
which is replenished from the open pan immediately after the first supply has been
conducted to the upper chamber. The juice contained in the second chamber is
then conducted in a similar manner to the next chamber above, whilst that contained
in the lower chamber is caused to enter the second chamber, and so on to any
desired number of chambers, the process being continuous.
The top chamber of the series may be arranged so as to constitute the "striko".
chamber if desired, or the juice may be conducted therefrom into another vessel
forming the "strike" vessel.
The quantity of juice introduced into the chambers at one time should be only
just sufficient to cover the short tubes projecting from the bottom, the principle of
the Invention consisting in treating the juice in shallow masses, whereby the heat
is economized, and the evaporation or concentration is more rapidly effected.
The whole of the chambers inay, if desired, be mado of a uniform size, but it is
preferred to construct them of gradually increasing size from the bottom to
the top.
In lieu of conducting the juice direct from the top open pan into the lower
chamber, and direct from one chamber to another in the manner herein-before
described, it is sometimes caused to pass through suitable filters interposed in its
course from one chamber to another for the purpose of decolourizing the juice.
The steam employed for heating the chambers, which may be either live or
exhaust steam, is conducted by means of a pipe having branches fitted with
regulating cocks into any one or more of the chambers as required; or
if desired both live and exhaust steam may be employed in combination by
providing an extra pipe and regulating valve in the bottom chamber. This steam
enters the space between the plate carrying the short tubes or steam nozzles and
another plate forming the bottom of the steam box, and which in the case of the
upper chambers also forms the roof or crown of the chamber immediately below.
This plate is by preference arranged in a slightly inclined direction towards one
side in order to facilitate the discharge of the water of condensation which flows
therefrom through a pipe provided with a steam trap for the purpose of preventing
the escape of steam with the water.
According to another mode of carrying out this Invention the saccharine juice is
evaporated or concentrated in a closed vessel having chambers arranged one above
another in a similar manner to the apparatus lastly herein-before described, but so
constructed as that the heating of the upper chambers is either wholly or mainly
effected by the utilization of the vapour arising from the boiling juice in the chamber
immediately below, in which case the liquid of condensation from the vapour is
carried away instead of being allowed to return to the juice.
•
The juice to be concentrated is first introduced and heated in an open pan or tray
arranged on the top of the apparatus, and the impurities are removed therefrom as
in the apparatus lastly herein-before described, after which the juice so freed from
its impurities is conducted into the lowest chamber of the apparatus, the bottom of
which is fitted or formed with short blind tubes or hollow projections surrounding
other short tubes or steam nozzles, which are carried by an inclined plate fitted at
a short distance below the bottom of the chamber. This chamber, in which a

page_text: vacuum has been formed by the ordinary or other suitable means, is heated by
means of either live or exhaust steam introduced through a pipe in the bottom of
the apparatus, which steam passes through the short tubes or nozzles into the blind
tubes, and circulates in the space between the tube plate and the bottom of the
chamber, the water of condensation escaping through a pipe fitted to the bottom of
the apparatus.
The crown or roof of the chamber is fitted with similar short tubes or nozzles,
through which the vapour rising from the boiling juice passes into blind tubes or
hollow projections fitted to or formed in the bottom of the chamber immediately
above, between which bottom and the crown of the lower chamber a space is left
in which the vapour from the boiling juice circulates, the heat of the same being
transmitted through the bottom and its blind tubes to the juice contained in the
said upper chamber. The vapour arising from the juice in the bottom chamber is
thus utilized in heating the chamber immediately above, and the vapour arising from
the juice in that chamber is utilized in heating the next chamber above, and so on
in succession throughout the entire series of chambers, the liquid of condensation
being drawn off by the air pump or other apparatus employed for creating the
vacuum.
In order to increase the heat steam is admitted as required into spaces between
the several chambers, the water of condensation being carried off with the liquid of
condensation from the vapour by the exhaust or vaccuum pipe.
The several chambers communicate with each other by tubes provided with stop-
cocks, through which when open the juice is caused to pass from the lower to the
next upper chamber by the vacuum which is made of gradually increasing power,
or to approach more nearly to a perfect vacuum in each successive chamber from
the bottom to the top, the air from the chambers being exhausted through the
nozzles in the crown.
The blind tubes in the several apparatus herein-before described are made of the
minimum length practicable, the object being to heat the juice in shallow divided
masses in lieu of in a mass of a considerable depth, as heretofore.
The bulk of the juice being gradually reduced in its passage from the first pan
or chamber to the "strike" pan or chamber the blind tubes in the several pans or
chambers are by preference made of varying length, those in the first pan or
chamber being, say for example, about 5 inches in length, and those in the suc-
cessive pans or chambers being gradually reduced to the last or
"strike" pan or
chamber, in which they need not exceed, say, two inches in length.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Joseph Morison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
November 1876.
ALEXANDER JOSEPH MORISON, of Upper Norwood, in the County of Surrrey,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING LIQUIDS AND FACILITATING THE
SEPARATION OF IMPURITIES THEREFROM." A communication from abroad by Francis
John Morison, of Havannah.
The said Invention relates to apparatus intended more particularly to be employed
for evaporating saccharine juices, but which is also applicable for evaporating other
liquids, and cousists of peculiar constructions and arrangements of apparatus for
heating the juice in shallow masses by means of short heated pipes, whereby the
evaporation or concentration of the juice is effected in a rapid manner with a
minimum amount of artificial heat, whilst increased facility is afforded for the
separation and removal of the impurities from the juice.
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention, as applied to the
evaporation of saccharine juice for example, the evaporation is effected in a series of

page_text: say four open pans or trays, having rims of the minimum depth practicable for
preventing the juice from overflowing, when in a state of ebullition. The pans,
which are arranged at different elevations in steps or tiers, in order that the juice
may flow in the process of treatment from the upper pan into the next lower one,
and so on in succession to the lowest or strike pan are each heated at the central
portion only, a border or surface being maintained cool, upon which the impurities
from the juice collect as scum during its ebullition, and from which they may be
removed by skimming or otherwise.
The heating of the central portion of the pans may be effected by means of a
naked flame, or by the heated products of combustion from a furnace, but it is
preferred to heat them by means of steam, in the manner hercin-after described.
The border or cool portion of the pan may be made level with the central heated
portion if desired, but it is preferred to make it slightly curved or inclined from
the outer edge or rim to the central or heated portion.
Beneath the central portion of each of the pans there is provided a chamber, into
which steam under pressure is admitted, and whence it passes through a number of
short tubes or steam nozzles carried in a plate loosely fitted in the chamber into
blind tubes or hollow projections fitted to or formned on the bottom of the pan.
When the tubes or hollow projections are formed on the bottom of the pan they
may be produced by stamping, corrugating, or otherwise, but it is preferred to fit
them to the pan, which result may be accomplished by forming tapered or conical
holes in the bottom and securing short tubes closed at one end therein, by expanding
their lower open ends by means of a brace and conical bit or other suitable tool,
or the tubes may be secured therein by screwing, or in any other convenient
manner.
A space is left between the under side of the bottom of the pan and the plate
carrying the steam tubes or nozzles, in which space the steam is caused to circulate,
whereby the heating, and the consequent concentration of the juice contained in
the pan is effected.
The bottom of the pan is secured to the steam chamber or box by means of bolts,
which are surrounded by hollow stays, in order to prevent the bottom and the tube
plate from sagging.
The water of condensation escapes from between the bottom of the pan and the
tube plate, past the edges of the latter, and enters the steam chamber or box, from
which it is conducted through a pipe provided for the purpose, and which is fitted
with a steam trap, in order to avoid the escape of steam with the water. This pipe
may, if desired, be arranged so as to project above the bottom of the box, for the
purpose of retaining a layer or film of water in the bottom of the box, to prevent
it from becoming excessively heated, whilst the water is prevented from entering
the steam pipe by reason of the greater elevation of the latter, which is so arranged
that its upper end projects from the bottom of the steam box a short distance above
the outlet pipe.
The steam pipe is also provided with a safety valve, which is suitably weighted,
according to the degree of heat required to effect the evaporation or concentration
of the juice.
In order to enable the juice to be drawn off when required a discharge pipe
furnished with a stop cock is fitted to each pan, such pipe extending along the
bottom of the pan to a point in the central or heated portion immediately above
where the steam is admitted into the steam chamber or box, at which part the juice
is subjected to the greatest heat, and consequently the briskest ebullition, whereby
the juice may be drawn off without carrying with it the impurities, which will be
retained upon the cool border.
The central portion of the pan and the border may be constructed separate the
one from the other, and connected together in any suitable manner with an inter-
posed layer or packing of wood or other non heat conducting material.
According to another mode of carrying out this Invention the saccharine juice is
evaporated or concentrated in a closed vessel having chambers arranged one above

page_text: another, into which the juice under treatment is caused to enter in succession by
means of a vacuum or partial vacuum produced in such chambers by an ordinary
air pump, or by any other suitable means.
The lowest chamber of the series is heated by steam, whilst the upper chambers
are heated by means of the vapour arising from the boiling juice in the chamber
immediately below which vapour is caused to circulate in blind tubes and between
plates, in a similar manner to that of the steam in the open-pan arrangement
herein-before described, the liquid of condensation from the vapour being carried
away instead of being allowed to return to the juice.
This
The juice to be concentrated is first introduced, and heated in an open pan or tray
arranged on the top of the apparatus, and the impurities arising from the juice pass
in the condition of scum into an annular trough formed round the pan, from which
they are removed by hand, or otherwise. The juice so freed from its impurities is
then conducted through a pipe provided with a regulating cock into the lowest chamber
of the apparatus, the bottom of which is fitted or formed with short blind tubes or
hollow projections surrounding other short tubes or steam nozzles, which are carried
by a plate fitted at a short distance below the bottom of the chamber.
chamber, in which a vacuum has been formed by the ordinary or other suitablo
means, is heated by means of either live or exhaust steam introduced through a
pipe in the bottom of the apparatus, which steam passes through the short tubes or
nozzles into the blind tubes, and circulates in the space between the tube plate and
the bottom of the chamber, the water of condensation escaping through a pipe
fitted to the bottom of the apparatus. When the juico has been sufficiently treated
in the lower chamber communication is opened with the chamber above, from which
the air has been previously exhausted, whereby the juice is caused to pass from the
bottom chamber into such upper chamber and the botton chamber is then
replenished from the open pan. In like manner when the juice has been sufficiently
treated in the second chamber it is caused to enter the next one above, and so on
in succession throughout the whole series.
The crown or roof of each of the chambers is fitted with similar short tubes or
nozzles, through which the vapour rising from the boiling juice passes into blind
tubes or hollow projections fitted to or formed in the bottom of the chamber im-
mediately above, between which bottom and the crown of the lower chamber a
space is left in which the vapour from the boiling juice circulates, the heat of the
same being transmitted through the bottom and its blind tubes to the juice
contained in the said upper chamber. The vapour arising from the juice in the
bottom chamber is thus utilized in heating the chamber immediately above, and the
vapour arising from the juice in that chamber is utilized in heating the next
chamber above, and so on in succession throughout the entire series of chambers,
the process being continuous whilst the liquid of condensation is drawn off by the
air pump or other apparatus employed for creating the vacuum.
The top chamber of the series may be arranged so as to constitute the strike
chamber if desired, or the juice may be conducted therefrom into another vessel
forming a "strike" vessel, steam may if desired be admitted into the spaces between
the several chambers in order to increase the heat, the water of condensation being
carried off with the liquid of condensation from the vapour by the exhaust or
vacuum pipe. In starting the apparatus the open pan is heated solely by means of
steam admitted to the space between its bottom and the crown of the chamber im-
mediately below.
The several chambers communicate with each other by tubes provided with stop-
cocks, through which when open the juice is caused to pass from the lower to the
next upper chamber by the vacuum as herein-before described which is made of
gradually increasing power, or to approach more nearly to a perfect vacuum in each
successive chamber from the bottom to the top, the air froin the chambers being
exhausted through the nozzles in the crown.
The blind tubes herein-before described are made of the minumum length
。 practicable, and the quantity of juice introduced into the chambers at one time

page_text: should be only just sufficient to cover them, the object and principle of the
Invention being to heat the juice in shallow divided masses, whereby the heat is
economised and the evaporation more rapidly effected than when the juice is heated
in a mass of a considerable depth as heretofore.
The whole of the chambers may if desired be made of a uniform size, but it is
preferred to construct them of gradually increasing size from the bottom to the
top.
In lieu of conducting the juico direct from the top open pan into the lower
chamber and direct from one chamber to another in the manner herein-before
described, it is sometimes caused to pass through suitable filters interposed in
its course from one chamber to another for the purpose of decolorizing the
juice.
"
As the bulk of the juice is gradually reduced in its passage from the first pan or
chamber to the "strike' pan or chamber, the blind tubes in the several pans or
chambers are by preference made of varying lengths, those in the first pan or
chamber being, say for example, about five inches in length, and those in the
successive pans or chambers being gradually reduced to the last or "strike" pan or
chamber in which they need not exceed, say, two inches in length.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawing, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 represents in transverse vertical section an open pan evaporating
apparatus constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of one half of the evaporating pans. Figure 3 is a
plan of the same, and Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the general arrangement of
the series of pans, and Figure 5 is a detail of a portion of a pan; Figure 6 is a
vertical section of a vacuum apparatus constructed according to this Invention.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, A, B, C, and D represent four evaporating pans
arranged in steps one above another, as shewn clearly in Figure 4, each pan
consisting of a shallow tray having a rim a around the edge and a depression in
the centre, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, so as to form chambers A', B, C, and D!,
into which steam from a pipe E enters through branches e for the purpose of
heating the same.
The surface of the tray upon which the juice is treated is formed partly, by the
border or portion, which is by preference made to incline towards the centre and
partly by a false bottom F which extends over the sunken portion of the tray.
This falso bottom which constitutes the heating surface of the tray consists of two
plates and h, the former g, together with the sunken portion of the tray, being
bolted to the border f, with the interposition of a layer of non heat conducting
material, as clearly shewn in Figure 5. The plate h, which is arranged a sufficient
distance from below the plate g to form a space between the two for the circulation
of the steam admitted to the chamber below, is loosely fitted at the edges,
and may be serrated or notched in order to facilitate the escape of water of
condensation.
The upper plate g is perforated for the reception of the lower ends of a number
of dome-shaped shells or blind tubes i, into the interior of each of which projects
a short tube or steam nozzle j secured at its lower end to the plate, and which
serves to establish communication between the interior of the blind tube and the
steam chamber below the tray. The nozzles jare made of such a diameter that a
free passage is left around the same from the interior of the blind tube i to the
space between the two plates g and h, as shewn in Figures 1 and 5.
The steam admitted to the chamber A', B', C', or D', as the case may be, below
the trays, passes up through the nozzles j into the interior of the blind tubes i,
which are made of thin metal, and become very highly heated.
The water of condensation trickles or passes down through the space around the
nozzles at the lower end of the blind tubes i, and enters the space between the

page_text: plates gandh, from which it escapes around the edges of the plate and enters
the steam chamber below, being drained off from the latter at intervals by the
steam traps G with which the said chambers are provided. The mouth of each
steam pipe e, where it enters the chamber, is made to project a short distance above
the bottom, as shewn at k, for the purpose of preventing the water of condensation
from entering the steam pipe. The steam trap pipe G may also be made to project
above the bottom of the chamber, but to a less extent than the steam pipe, as
shewn by dotted lines at ', in Figure 2, so that a layer of water may be always
maintained over the bottom of the steam chamber and the excessive heating of
the same be thereby prevented, whilst at the same time, owing to the difference in
the height of the pipes, the water is prevented from gaining access to the steam
pipe.
The pipe for discharging the juice from one pan to another below is arranged in
a central position traversely, and extends longitudinally over the tray, as shewn
in respect of the pan C at H, Figures 2 and 3, so that its end is immediately over
the point at which the steam enters the chamber below the tray.
Between the pans A and B, and between the pans B and C, filters I, I',
respectively may be arranged for discolorizing the juice in its passage from one pan
to the other. The filter I receives the juice from the pipe H of the pan A and
discharges it through the cock K into the pan B, and the pipe H of the pan
discharges the juice into the filter I, from which it passes through the cock K'
into the pan C, the latter discharging directly into the "strike
pan D, from
which the juice is discharged through a cock similar to the one shewn at L in
Figure 2 into any suitable receptacle.
"
In operating with the improved open pan evaporator the juice is first fed into
the top pan or defecator A, and steam is admitted to the chamber A¹ beneath the
same.
As the blind tubes i become heated the juice boils and is projected outwards
toward the edges of the pan, carrying with it a portion of the impurities which it
contains. Upon reaching the border or surface at the edge of the pan the
ebullition of the juice ceases, owing to the fact that this portion of the pan is
comparatively cool, not being heated from beneath. A constant current is thus
maintained from the centre to the edges of the pan, whereby the impurities
contained in the juice are ejected from the centre of the pan and deposited as
scum on the surface or border to be removed by an attendant at intervals, the
continued surging action of the boiling juice having the effect of preventing the
return into the centre of the pan of the scum which has been ejected. In
commencing the operation the top pan A is first heated by direct steam, and the
pans B, C, and D below are successively heated, but when the apparatus has beer.
started and is in full work steam is first admitted into the chamber D' of the lowest
pan D, from which it passes into the chamber C, B1, A', of the other pans
C, B, A, in succession through branch pipes which connect them together, the
greatest pressure of steam being thereby received where it is most required, videlicet,
at the lowest pan, whilst the most impure juice, videlicet, that contained in the top
pan, is subjected to the least pressure.
The juice is fed constantly into one end of the pan A, but is being constantly
drawn off from the opposite end through its discharge pipe H and cock L, and as
it is a well known fact that the clearest juice is always found at the point where
the ebullition is greatest it naturally follows that as the end of the discharge pipe H
is directly over the steam entrance and consequently over the point of greatest heat
and ebullition the clearest juice in the pan enters the pipe. The juice is conducted
from the pan A in succession into the pans B, C, as before mentioned; by the time
it reaches the pan C the greater part of the impurities have been reinoved, but any
which may still remain are here extracted, after which the juice passes into the
lowest or strike pan D. This pan has a larger area of heating surface than the
other pans, it being intended to thicken the juice and reduce it to the condition of
a syrup, in which condition it passes from its discharge L into any suitable

page_text: receptacle. The entire operation is thus continuous, the raw and impure juice
being fed constantly into one end of the top pan or defecator A, and withdrawn in
a purified and thickened state from the strike pan D at the opposite end of the
apparatus, the only attendance required being that necessary for the removal from
the border or surface of the pans of the impurities which collect therein. The
detail view, Figure 5, illustrates, in addition to the mode of connecting the border
of the pan to the central portion, an arrangement of stays or supports for preventing
the false bottom from sagging. This arrangement consists of bolts 1, which pass
through the plates g, h, and the bottom of the chamber, where they are secured by
nuts, and which are surrounded by split tubes or stays 2, 3, arranged respectively
between the plates and h, and between the plate and the bottom of the
chamber.
The improved apparatus for evaporating or concentrating in vacuo saccharino
juice, for example, is illustrated in Figure 6.
A is a casing constructed in the form of an inverted frustumn of a cone, the
bottom of which is closed by a concavo convex plate B, whilst the space within the
casing is divided by five partitions a, b, c, d, and c, into five chambers a, b, c, d,
and e, the space above the top partition a forming an open shallow pan Cas
before-mentioned.
In the example shewn in the Drawing the casing A is made in sections, and the
edges of the partition are bolted between flanges on the various sections, but any
other suitable modes of securing the partitions may be adopted. The partitions are
composed of two plates i and slightly separated so as to form a space between
them. To the upper plate i of each partition are secured the lower ends of a
number of blind tubes or dome-like shells made of thin metal, the space within
the shell communicating with the space between the plates i and i, and also com-
municating with the chamber below that in which it is situate through a tube or
nozzle g secured at its lower end to the plate i¹.
The spaces enclosed by the partitions a, b, c, and d, communicate at one side with
the interior of the pockets formed along one side of the casing, and communicat-
ing through pipes a, b, c, and d², with a condenser (not shewn in the Drawings),
which may be of any suitable construction. The plate i¹ is by preference made to
incline towards the pockets h in order to facilitate the discharge of the liquid of
condensation. The pipes a, b, c, and d², vary in diameter, the former a being
the largest, and the latter the smallest, for a purpose herein-after explained. The
chambers a, b, c', and ', communicate with each other through pipes j, k, and l,
the pipes and being arranged by preference on one side of the casing A, and the
pipe on the opposite side. The chamber also communicates through a pipe m
with the open pan C at the top of the apparatus, and the chamber a¹ is provided
with a discharge pipe n for discharging the concentrated juice therefrom into any
suitable receptacle.
In starting the apparatus a quantity of juice is first introduced into the open
pan C, and steam is admitted by means of a pipe, not shewn in the Drawing,
between the plates i and i of the partition a until the juice has been sufficiently
heated. The juice so heated is then conducted into the lowest chamber of the series,
and a fresh quantity is supplied to the open pan, which is similarly treated, and the
operation is repeated until the whole of the chambers are supplied with juice con-
ducted from the open pan to the lowest chamber, and further operated upon therein
and upwards to the several upper chambers in succession, as indicated by the
arrows.
When on the other hand the apparatus is in full work the operation of heating is
conducted in the following manner, the course of the juice however being thesame:-
A supply of juice having been operated upon in the open pan C, and conducted
therefroin into the lowest chamber d', steam is admitted into the chamber e¹ through
The latter soon
the pipe D, and rises into the blind tube f of the partition a
became highly heated, and causes the juice to boil as it flows over the surface of
the plate i, the vapor of the boiling juice ascending into the blind tubes f of the

page_text: partition d, and after heating the surface passing into the space between the plates i
and of the partition, and thence through the pocket h and pipe d² to the condenser.
A vacuum having been produced in the chamber c' the juice then ascends through
the pipe into the said chamber c', across the bottom of which it flows in contact
with the heated blind tubes f of the partition d, which again raises its temperature
to the boiling point, the vapor rising into the blind tubes of the partition c, and
passing to the condenser as before described. The juice next passes up through the
pipe into the chamber b', in which a vacuum has been produced, and where it is
again heated, giving off vapor which heats the blind tubes f of the chamber a¹
above, and is condensed, as before, the juice passing up through into the
chimber a', where a vacuum has also been produced, and flowing over the bottom
of the same, and being discharged in the desired condition through the pipe n.
The vapor from the chamber a before condensation heats the blind tubes fof the
top partition, thus serving to wholly or partially hent the juice in the shallow
pan C, which feeds the apparatus, a great portion of its heat which would otherwise
pass to the condenser being thus utilized in heating the juice contained in the
pan C.
It will be evident that as each set of blind tubes is heated merely by the vapor
from the chamber beneath the heat of the blind tubes at the top of the apparatus is
less than that of those at the bottom; in other words, the heat of the blind tubes
gradually decreases from the bottom upwards. In order therefore to compensate
for this the heating surfaces at the top of the apparatus are, owing to the form of
the casing of much larger area than those at the bottom, whilst by reason of the
difference in the area of the pipes which form communication between the chambers
a, b, c, and d', and the condenser the vacuum is greatest in the top and least in
the bottom chamber, or in other words decreases froin the top downwards. At a
suitable distance apart within the chambers of the apparatus there are arranged a
series of split tubes 8, which extend from the top to bottom of the chambers,
whilst between the plates i and of each partition are arranged similar but shorter
tubes 81, the position of the tubes within each of the chambers and within each of
the spaces between the plates of the partitions being exactly alike, so that a number
of stays extending from the bottom plate of the lower partition c to the top plate
of the top partition a are produced, these stays owing to their columnar form being
best calculated to resist the crushing strain to which they are subjected.
Owing to the close proximity of the blind tubes within the chambers it becomes
necessary to allow the tubes 8 to surround a number of them, and in order to allow
the free access of the syrup to these tubes and the free exit of tho vapor therefrom
into the spaces in the partitions the splitting of the tubes is resorted to.
The water of condensation from the steam which heats the blind tubes of the
partition e passes round the loosely fitting edges of the bottom plate i¹ of the same
into the chamber e', from which it is carried off through a pipe t.
Filtering vessels may if desired be combined with the connecting pipes j, k, and I,
in order to filter the juice as it passes from one chamber to another.
It will be evident without further description that with the above described
apparatus the continuous evaporation of the juice can be effected within a single
casing much more readily and cheaply than with a series of vacuum pans as usually
adopted, whilst the first cost of the apparatus is comparatively slight.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. Constructing evaporating pans with a central portion or heating surface
and a surrounding or partially surrounding border or cooling surface arranged and
combined together in such a manner that the impurities contained in the liquid
under treatment shall be ejected from the central portion and deposited as scum
upon the border, and retained thereon for removal at will, so as to prevent the inass

page_text: of the liquid from being again contaminated with the impurities, substantially as
herein-before described.
.
Secondly. The mode or method of evaporating liquids in shallow masses by the
employment of pans of a minimum depth, and having a border or cooling surface
enclosing a central heated portion provided with a series of blind tubes or hollow
projections of the minimum height practicable, substantially as herein-before
described.
Thirdly. Arranging the pipe for the discharge of the liquid from the pan with its
inlet at or near the point of greatest ebullition, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
Fourthly. The combination in an apparatus for ovaporating in vacuo of a series.
of superposed pans or chambers arranged and combined together in such a manner
that the liquid shall be operated upon in the whole of the pans or chambers in.
succession before it is discharged from the apparatus, and so that each upper pan
or chamber shall be wholly or partially heated by the vapor from the liquid
contained in the pan or chamber immediately below, substantially as herein-before
described.
Fifthly. In an apparatus for evaporating in vacuo, consisting of a series of super-
posed pans or chambers, as herein set forth, constructing the partitions which,
separate the several pans or chambers double, and with a series of concentric or
double pipes or conduits arranged in such a manner as not only to conduct the vapor
to the bottoms of the pans or chambers, but also to facilitate the separation and
withdrawal of the liquid of condensation so as to prevent its return into the pans or
chambers, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Joseph Morison, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of November One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.