A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF APPLICATION OF BISULPHITE OF LIME AND OTHER PURE ALKALINE SULPHITES, AND BISULPHITES FOR DECOLORIZING, MANUFACTURING, AND IMPROVING SUGAR MADE FROM BEET- ROOT, CANE, SORGHUM, AND OTHER SACCHARINE MATTERS, AND FROM GLUCOSE
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Ernest de Pass at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 29th July 1879. A communication from
abroad by Antoine Labarre, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France.
ERNEST DE PASS, of the Office for Patents, 68, Fleet Street, in' the City of
London, Patent Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF APPLICATION OF
BISULPHITE OF LIME AND OTHER PURE ALKALINE SULPHITES, AND BISULPHITES
FOR DECOLORIZING, MANUFACTURING, AND IMPROVING SUGAR MADE FROM BEET-
ROOT, CANE, SORGHUM, AND OTHER SACCHARINE MATTERS, AND FROM GLUCOSE."
A communication from abroad by Antoine Labarre, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin,
Paris, France.
This Invention relates to a mode of employment of bisulphite of lime or other
alkaline sulphites, and bisulphites for decolorizing, purifying, and preserving
saccharine juices, syrups, glucose, and the like, in order to obtain a larger yield
than heretofore and much finer sugars.
The manner of operating is as follows:-
I first prepare a solution of bisulphite of lime free from hydrochloric and sul-
phuric acids and concentrated as much as possible, and I then mix this solution
with the cane, beetroot, sorghum, or the like, during the crushing or rasping
operation. The proper quantity of this solution is regulated by a cock or other
suitable contrivance, according to the greater or lesser proportion of the albuminoids,
pectic, and other vegetable organic matters, and salts which have to be eliminated,
and also according to atmospheric influence.
I employ by preference at this stage of the manufacture 1 litre (1 pint) of
bisulphite of lime to 1,000 litres (220 gallons) of juice. The mixture is effected in
the mill or in the rasp, according to the substances treated, and with the water
admitted to prevent thickening. This first addition has for object to paralyze the
oxidation of the colouring matter, then to avoid in a great measure the coloration
of the juices, and further to completely neutralize the action of the ferments pro-
duced by the albuminoid organic matters on the crystallizable sugar, which at
the moment of this operation is in a state of very diluted saccharine juice, and to
prevent its rapid conversion into-glucose or inverse sugar, likewise to retard
fermentation of the bagasse, to preserve to the pulp of the beetroot its dryness,
so that the presses may exert a more energetic action on the juices that they
contain

page_text: The bagasse after this first pressure is generally used as fuel or for distillation;
it still contains however much saccharine matters. I place it in bacs, into which
I put ordinary water, adding 1 or 2 litres (1 or 34 pints) of bisulphite of lime to
1,000 litres (220 gallons) of water; this mixture is effected in a cold state, and the
water employed must be in sufficient quantity to be able to be saturated with all
the sugar remaining in the bagasse. At this moment a jet of steam is admitted to
heat the mass and to help dissolution.
The bagasse is then again passed through the mill, and the liquid obtained is
mixed with water saturated with sugar from the bacs, and the whole is mixed
with the juices first obtained.
In order that success be complete it is indispensible that the products obtained
be immediately limed, an operation which is now almost general in the manu-
facture of cane and beetroot sugar.
This process is equally applicable to beet-root pulps; by these means they can
be reemployed and furnish a fresh proportion of crystallizable sugar; besides in
the working or treating of the pulps by the addition of the bisulphite above
mentioned, the cells which had not been destroyed by the rasp are opened by the
action of the bisulphite of lime; the juices and residue are not injured and serve
for feeding cattle.
The pulp no longer greases the bags, all appearance of viscous matters is
impossible, the bags effect their work more rapidly, more regularly, and more
economically; for the presses the advantages are also evident, the orifices being no
longer obstructed by the production of gummy matters, which cannot be formed in
presence of the bisulphite of lime, or by any other product having an alkaline base
and sulphuric acid combined.
In this first phase of the manufacture, the bisulphite of lime neutralizes besides
the gummy, pectic, organic, lactic, and azotic matters, a sufficiently large quantity
of alkaline salts, potash, and ammonia, which form combinations with the sugar
THIRD OPERATION.
The third operation which is essential and characteristic of this new or improved
process, consists in adding a certain proportion of bisulphite of lime to the con-
centrated juices by the treble effect apparatus. This proportion cannot exactly be
stated, as certain manufactories concentrate their juices between 14° and 22°
Beaumé, but taking for instance 18° B. 1 hectolitre (22 gallons) of bisulphite of
lime at 11° for 280 hectolitres (6,160 gallons) of concentrated juice at 18° B. may
be added. The concentrated juices at 18° B. are led on coming from the treble
effect apparatus into bacs, furnished with coiled pipes heated by steam. The
quantity of bisulphite indicated is then added to the concentrated juices, and the
mass is well agitated so as to bring it into a very homogenous mixture, after
which steam is gradually admitted to heat this mass up to boiling point; the
scums are then removed if any form.
The concentrated juices treated as above described are then filtered through

page_text: animal charcoal, or by any other process in use, they are then evaporated afresh in
the apparatus where the granulation is effected and then turbined.
The third operation produces remarkable results, both as regards the whiteness
and beauty of crystallization of the products obtained, and as regards the much
more considerable yield.
The first streams or jets are of extra quality, and which from their hardness,
diamond brillianey, and dryness, being completely free of molasses, can serve for
the same uses as refined sugar without the slightest difference being remarked.
The ordinary yield of sugar of the second stream or jet being 45 per cent. for
beet-root is raised to between 55 and 60 per cent. by this process.
The third streams or jets which ordinarily give 18 to 20 per cent. will give 30
to 35 per cent.
The employment of bisulphite of lime with the juices concentrated by the treble
effect apparatus is of great importance in the manufacture of sugar by diffusion, in
consequence of its decolorizing, antifermentible, and neutralizing power of the
Balts.
For the refining of sugars, bisulphite of lime is employed to whiten them and to
diminish the clarifying operation; the bisulphite added to sugars in a state of
syrup gives a result which simplifies the work while accelerating it in notable
roportions..