Improvements in and in the Production of Compositions adapted to be used in the Treatment of Sewage and other Foul Waters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in the Production of Compositions adapted to
be used in the Treatment of Sewage and other Foul Waters.
I, CHARLES ANTHONY BURGHARDT of 35 Fountain Street Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
[
My invention relates principally to the treatment of sewage and has for its
object to produce compositions which can be used in such treatment.
In the carrying into effect of a former invention for which I made application
for Letters Patent Number 13316 of the year 1892, I produced a cake containing
ferric chloride associated with sodium sulphate the latter protecting the ferric
chloride from the action of the atmosphere so that deliquescence was prevented or
greatly retarded which enabled the preparation to be stored or transported with
less loss and inconvenience.
1
According to my present invention I produce a preparation containing aluminium
sulphate in addition to the ferric chloride and sodium sulphate. I obtain the
combination either by re-action during the preparation or by mixing the salts but
in either case the after treatment is the same or similar to what is set forth in the
Specification of my said fórmer invention. In the one case I take "bauxite" or
burnt shale or a suitable material containing alumina and I mix such material with
finely ground ferric oxide and with common salt (sodium chloride) and I add
sulphuric acid sufficient to produce by double decomposition a mixture containing
ferric chloride aluminium sulphate and sodium sulphate. The materials are finely
ground and mixed with a little water the acid is added and the mixture is well
stirred and is heated.
In the other case' I dissolve aluminium sulphate in water and add thereto a
concentrated solution of ferric chloride and a proportion of sodium sulphate such
as Glauber salt, nitre cake or salt cake. I mix the combination thoroughly.
However prepared the resultant is concentrated by evaporation and is formed into
cakes or masses as in the case of my said former invention. I may leave out the
sodium sulphate.
Dated this 1ot day of August 1993
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.
I
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in the Production of Compositions adapted to
be used in the Treatment of Sewage and other Foul Waters:
I CHARLES ANTHONY BURGHARDT of 35 Fountain Street, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster," Analytical Chemist, 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, that is to say :-
My invention relates principally to the treatment of sewage and has for its
object to produce compositions which can be used in such treatment.

page_text: In the carrying into effect of a former invention for which I have abtained
Letters Patent Number 13316 of the year 1892, 1 produced a cake containing ferric
chloride associated with sodium sulphate, the latter protecting the ferric chloride
from the action of the atmosphere so that deliquescence was prevented or greatly
retarded which enabled the preparation to be stored or transported with less loss
and inconvenience.
According to my present invention I produce a preparation or product containing
aluminium sulphate in addition to the ferric chloride ferric sulphate and sodium
sulphate.
I obtain the combination either by (a) re-action during the preparation or (b) by
mixing the salts, but in either case the after treatment is the same or similar to
what is set forth in the Specification of my said former invention with this
exception that under my present invention I use no stoving process.
In the former case (a) I take "bauxite," or burnt shale, or a suitable material
containing alumina, and I mix such material with finely ground ferric oxide and
with some salt (sodium chloride) and I add sulphuric acid sufficient to produce, by
double decomposition a mixture containing ferric chloride, ferric sulphate, aluminium
sulphate and sodium sulphate.
The materials are finely ground and mixed with a little water. The acid is
then added and the mixture is well stirred and is heated. In the other case (b) I
dissolve aluminium sulphate in water and add thereto a concentrated solution of
ferric chloride and a proportion of sodium sulphate such as Glauber's salt, nitre
cake, or salt cake, and I mix the combination thoroughly.
However prepared, the resultant is concentrated by evaporating and is formed
into cakes or masses as in the case of' my said former invention.
I may leave out the sodium sulphate.
"
The amount of ground ferric oxide to be added to the mixture is dependent upon
the amount of iron desired to be present in the cake. An analysis is made of the
oxide, and the amount of iron in it determined, then the requisite amount of ground
oxide is added to the other materials and well mixed with them. The "bauxite
or other aluminium furnishing material is also carefully analysed for the amount of
aluminium present in it or them and the requisite amount of the bauxite or other
alumina furnishing material is then added to the mixture of other materials.
From the results of the analysis of the ferric oxide and alumina furnishing
material, a mixture is made to produce varying percentages of iron or aluminium
in the resulting preparation according to the purposes for which the cake or product
is required. In some cases the iron may predominate in others the aluminium.
For general domestic sewage a cake containing a high percentage of iron is the
best for purification purposes, with less alumina, therefore the cake should contain
about 115 per cent. of metallic iron, as ferric sulphate or ferric chloride and
2.5 per cent. of metallic aluminium as aluminium sulphate.
The mixture of ferric oxide, alumina material, salt (sodium chloride) sulphuric
acid and water is thoroughly mixed by suitable means and boiled in a suitable
vessel until the ferric oxide and alumina material are dissolved.
When ready the mixture is run out of the vessel whilst hot into moulds to set.
By heating in this way I have found, although the fact is not noted in my
Provisional Specification, that the ferric chloride formed at first can be converted
into ferric sulphate, through the hydrochloric acid being driven out of it and
replaced by the sulphuric acid, but by reducing the sulphuric acid and increasing
the amount of salt, the iron remains mostly as ferric chloride. By increasing the
sulphuric acid and reducing the amount of salt and boiling the mixture for some
hours the iron apparently becomes converted into ferric sulphate in the end, rather
than into ferric chloride. This I have ascertained by practice and analysis to be
the case since filing my Provisional Specification.
With regard to the other method. I can vary the amount of iron or aluminium
equally by increasing the ferric chloride added to the aluminium sulphate or
vice versa,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. The production of a composition for treating sewage or foul water by heating
a mixture of ferric oxide, alumina furnishing material, sulphuric acid and common
salt (sodium chloride) in the manner described.
2. The new product or composition or cake to be used for the indicated purposes.
and containing ferric sulphate, ferric chloride, aluminium sulphate and in some
cases sodium sulphate, the said constituents varying with the different modes of
production, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Dated the 1st day of May 1894.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.