IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE REFINING OR PURIFYING OF SUGAR, SACCHARINE MATTER, AND OILS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bernhard Heinrich Remmers and John Williamson, both
of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE REFINING OR PURIFYING OF
SUGAR, SACCHARINE MATTER, AND OILS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bernhard Heinrich Remmers
and John Williamson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on tho
14th July 1880.
BERNHARD HEINRICH REMMERS and JOHN WILLIAMSON, both of Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
THE REFINING OR PURIFYING OF SUGAR, SACCHARINE MATTER, AND OILS."
This Invention relates to certain improvements connected with the refining
of sugar, which are specially designed to facilitate filtration of sugar, liquor,
saccharine'matter, and oils, and render the process much less expensive than hitherto,
whilst effecting great saving in the amount and cost of the material employed as a
filtering medium, reducing the amount of labour, and allowing a greater quantity
than usual of crystallizable sugar to be produced from any fixed quantity and
density of sugar liquor.
In the method hitherto adopted for refining and clarifying beet sugar, cane sugar,
or mixtures of cane sugar and beet sugar, by filtration, the impure or raw sugar,
dissolved in the "blow-ups," or the sugar juice, after expression from the sugar cane
or beet, is heated to a certain temperature, and is made to descend by gravitation
through a vertically arranged series of filtering bags, which had to be frequently
washed and renewed owing to the gum or mucilage contained in the cane sugar
liquor, or in mixtures of cane sugar and beet sugar liquor, quickly closing up the
interstices of the filtering cloth; and it has heretofore been found impracticable to
utilize the expeditious mode of filtering by means of filter presses owing to the
same cause, unless in sugars filtered from succiate of lime. But by the prosent
improvements the sugar liquor is treated before undergoing filtration, to admit of
either the old process or any of the nower methods of filtering being employed
with great advantage.

page_text: The Invention consists essentially in adding to and mixing with the impure
sugar dissolved in the "blow-ups," or with the the dissolved sugar liquor after
removal to a separate vessel or tank, or with the sugar juice after expression from
the cane or beet, a small quantity of finely ground or reduced vegetable charcoal,
preferably in the form of "powder grist," varying in amount, according to the
ascertained proportion of gum or mucilage in the liquor, from about one fourth
to two and one half per centum, more or less, by weight of the sugar liquor in
the vessel. This powdered charcoal, when mixed with the sugar liquor, absorbs
a very large proportion or nearly all the gum or mucilage, as well as a portion
of the colouring matter which the liquor contains.
The sugar liquor so treated is then filtered, either in the usual way, or, as is
preferred, by being forced through a filter press of the kind commonly used for the
filtration of beet root sugars containing a large amount of lime residues, and for
other substances, the purified liquor drawn from the press being then ready for the
subsequent treatment required for decolourizing. When filtered by this rapid
means, and which can be effected at a much lower temperature and greater density
than heretofore, the formation of fructose or fruit sugar being thereby prevented
or retarded, a considerable-proportion-of-the sugar liquor which has been heretofore
converted into syrup is retained as crystallizable sugar, and a gain is effected corre-
sponding to the difference in the value of the sugar saved and of the syrup which
formerly resulted from the process.
The solid residue of the filtering process, consisting mainly of charcoal, sand,
sugar, gum, or mucilage, fibrous material, and colouring matter, is retained in the
filter press in the form of cakes, which are treated for the recovery of the vegetable
charcoal and sugar, first by washing the cakes with hot water or steam, which is
either passed through cakes in the press or used to dissolve the cakes after they are
removed therefrom; the resulting liquor of this washing process is retained for
recovery of the sugar contained in it. Tho solid residue of the cakes is then treated
with a caustic alkali, which dissolves out all the gum or mucilage and colouring
matter contained in the pores of the charcoal. After passing this residue through
a filter press, the cakes retained in the press are neutralized by washing them with
an acid, preferably sulphurous, when the vegetable charcoal is then ready for being
used again in the process, as before described; or the vegetable charcoal, after being
freed from all sugar by washing, can be re-burned or revivified in the same manner
as animal charcoal is at present done in refineries. After the vegetable charcoal
is taken from the kilus and finely pulverized it is in a fit state for being used
over again.
In the treatment of other saccharine bodies, such as glucose, previous to filtration,
we add from one fourth to two and one half per centum, more or less, of vegetable
charcoal, grist and filter, as herein-before described.
In the treatment of oils, whether of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin, the
same, or nearly the same, proportions of vegetable charcoal grist are added previous
to filtration for the purpose of removing the mucilage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuanco of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Bernhard Heinrich Remmers and John Williamson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 14th January 1881.
BERNHARD HEINRICH REMMERS and JOHN WILLIAMSON, both of Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
THE REFINING OR PURIFYING OF SUGAR, SACCHARINE MATTER, AND OILS."
Our said Invention relates to certain improvements connected with the refining
of sugar, which are specially designed to facilitato filtration of sugar liquor,
saccharine matter, and oils, and render the process much loss expensive than hitherto,
whilst effecting great saving in the amount and cost of the material employed as a
filtering medium, reducing the amount of labour, and allowing a greater quantity
than usual of crystallizable sugar to be produced from any fixed quantity and
density of sugar liquor.
In the method hitherto adopted for refining and clarifying beet sugar, cane sugar,
or mixtures of cane sugar and beet sugar, by filtration, the impure or raw sugar
dissolved in the "blow-ups," or the sugar juice after expression from the sugar cane
or beet, is heated to a certain temperature, and is made to descend by gravitation
through a vertically arranged series of filtering bags, which have to be frequently
washed and renewed, owing to the gum or mucilage contained in the cane sugar
liquor, or in mixtures of cano sugar and bect sugar liquor, quickly closing up the
interstices of the filtering cloth; and it has heretofore been found impracticable to
utilize the expeditious mode of filtering by means of filterpresses owing to the same
cause, unless in sugars filtered from succrate of lime. But by the present improve-
ments the sugar liquor is treated before undergoing filtration, so as to admit of
either the old process or any of the newer methods of filtering being employed with
great advantage.
The Invention consists essentially in adding to and mixing with the impure
sugar dissolved in the blow ups, or to and with the dissolved sugar after removal
to a separate vessel or tank, or to and with the sugar juice after expression from
the cano or beet, a quantity of finely ground or pulverized vegetable charcoal,
preferably in the form of "powder grist," varying in amount according to the
ascertained proportion of guin or mucilage in the liquor, from about one fourth to
two and one half per centum, more or less, by weight of the sugar liquor in the
vessel. But we do not limit ourselves to any particular proportion of charcoal to
liquor, or the ascertained mucilage therein, nor do we confine ourselves to any
precise size of grain in the charcoal used. Very coarsely grained charcoal and, on
the other hand, charcoal pulverized like dust or flour, will not as a rule bo so
effective as charcoal in the form of "powder grist." This powdered charcoal, when
mixed with the sugar liquor, absorbs a very large proportion or nearly all the gum
or mucilage, as well as a portion of the colouring matter which the liquor contains.
The sugar liquor so treated is then filtered either in the usual way, or (as is
preferred) by being forced through a filterpress of the kind commonly used for the
filtration of beetroot sugars containing a large amount of lime residues, and for
the filtration of other like substances. The purified liquor drawn from the filter-
bags or press, is then ready for the subsequent treatment required for decolourizing,
which may consist of passing the filtered sugar liquor through a stratum of animal
charcoal. In consequence of the removal of the mucilage and the partial decolouri-
zation effected by the previous use of the vegetable charcoal, a larger quantity of
sugar liquor will be completely decolourized by an equal amount of animal charcoal
in an equal period of time. Besides this advantage there is the advantage in our
Invention that the sugar liquors, after being mixed with the vegetable charcoal,
require much less filtercloth (whether in bags or presses) for their filtration than
they requiro when filtered without being so previously treated with vegetable
charcoal. When filtered by this rapid method (according to which filtration can be
effected at a much lower temperature and greater density than heretofore) the

page_text: formation of fructose or fruit sugar is also prevented or retarded, and a considerable
proportion of the sugar liquor which has been heretoforo converted into syrup is
retained as crystallizable sugar, and a gain is effected corresponding to the difference
in the value of the sugar saved and of the syrup which formerly resulted from the
process.
The solid residue of the filtering process consisting mainly of charcoal, sand, sugar,
gum, or mucilage, fibrous material, and colouring matter is retained in the filterbags
or the filterpress (as the case may be) in the form of solid lumps or cakes, which
may be treated for the recovery of the vegetable charcoal and sugar, first by
washing the lumps or cakes with hot water or steam, which is either passed through
the lumps or cakes in the filterbags or filterpress or used to dissolve the lumps or
cakes after they are removed therefrom. The resulting liquor of this washing
process is retained for recovery of the sugar contained in it. The solid residue of
-the-lumps.or_cakes is then treated with a caustic alkali which dissolves out all the
gum or mucilage and colouring matter contained in the pores of the charcoal. After
passing this residue through a filterpress the cakes retained in the press -are-
neutralized by washing them with an acid, preferably sulphurous. The vegetable
charcoal is then ready for being used again in the process, as before described. Or,
again, the vegetablo charcoal, after being freed from all sugar by washing, can be
reburned or revivified in the same manner as animal charcoal is at present revivified
in refineries. After the vegetable charcoal is taken from the kilns and finely
pulverized, it is in a fit state for being used over again.
In the treatment of other saccharine bodies, such as glucose, previous to filtration
we add from one fourth to two and one half per centum (more or less) of vegetable
charcoal grist, and filter as herein before described.
---In the treatment of oils, whether of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin, sub-
stantially the same process may be applied: The-charcoal is mixed with tho oil,
with or without heating, according to the kind of oil to be treated. The
experienced oil refiner will know whether heat is requisite or not, and what degree
of heat is required. After thorough intermixture of the charcoal with the oil it is
filtered either through bags or through a filterpress, and then the process is finished,
unless in cases where it may be thought advisable to pass the oil subsequently
through animal charcoal, or other subsequent treatment for decolourization.
The proportion of vegetable charcoal grist which requires to be added previous
to the filtration, for the purpose of removing the mucilage, will vary with the kind
and quality of the oil, but can easily be determined by previous experiment on a
small quantity of the oil to be treated.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the mode in which the
same is to be carried into effect, we declare that what we claim as our Invention
is, the treatment, in the manner and for the purposes before described, of sugar
liquors and oils with pulverized vegetable charcoal.
In witness whereof, we, the said Bernhard Heinrich Remmers and John
Williamson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eleventh day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty
Witness,
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E.,
Of W. R. M. Thomson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Glasgow.
B. H. REMMERS. (L.S.)
JOHN WILLIAMSON. (LS.)