Improvements in the Preparation of Agents to be Used in the Treatment of Sewage and other Liquid or Semi Liquid PROVISIONAL Wo
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in the Preparation of Agents to be Used in the
Treatment of Sewage and other Liquid or Semi Liquid
PROVISIONAL
Wo EDWARD JOHN LEVESON of Cluny Anerley in the County of Surrey
Gentleman and JOHN WILLIAM SLATER of N° 36 Wray Crescent Holloway in the
County of Middlesex Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF AGENTS TO BE USED IN
THE TREATMENT OF SEWAGE AND OTHER LIQUID OR SEMI LIQUID PUTRESCENT OR
PUTRESCIBLE MATTERS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUCH MATTERS
to be as follows:-
"2
We take a quantity of either Kimmeridge Blackstone Shale or of other like shale
in the raw or natural state or of Blackstone Carbon and reduce the said shalo or
carbon to powder and add to the powder a quantity of muriatic acid and allow the
mixture to stand and stir it occasionally until the escape of gases has ceased or
nearly ceased which at ordinary temperatures will be in about three or four days.
The said mixture is then fit for use and we use it for the precipitation of the
impurities from such sewage as contains little organic matter or in cases whero
great purity of the effluent water is not required. We use the said mixture in the
proportion of one part by bulk thereof to about three hundred parts by bulk of
sewage.
The shales which may be used in place of Kimmeridge Blackstone shale and
which are herein before referred to as "other like shales are those which contain
alumina in a form readily soluble in muriatic acid and which also contain a
considerable quantity of carbon and we prefer those shalos which contain phosphates
in addition to alumina and carbon but those containing no phosphates are suitable
for use according to our invention.
The Blackstone Carbon hereinbefore referred to is a residual product resulting
from the distillation of Kimmeridge Blackstone Shale and is produced in the
manufacture of the oil known in commerce as "Kimmeridge oil" and may be
obtained from the "Kimmeridge oil and Carbon Company."
The muriatic acid herein referred to is the crude acid produced in Alkali manu-
facture on the Leblanc process and is known in commerce as "Tower salts."
The proportion of acid which it is necessary to add to the shale depends on the
strength of the acid and the quality of the shale. In the case of acid of about
twenty eight degrees Twaddell and shale of average quality (i.e. containing not
less than twenty five per cent of soluble matter) equal weights of acid and shalo

page_text: may be used. Where acid of greater or less strength than about twenty twenty
eight degrees Twaddell is used with shale of average quality the proportion of
acid required will vary according to its strength the proportion required being
greater in the case of a weaker acid and less in the case of a stronger acid. Where
the shale contains more or less than the average quantity of soluble matter the
proportion of acid should be increased or decreased accordingly.
The action of the muriatic acid on the shale or carbon may be accelerated by
heating the mixture but as the only effect of heating the mixture is to accelerate
the said action it is unnecessary to apply heat except when this effect is required.
Where the sewage to be treated contains an average quantity of organic matter 1
or where the purity of the effluent is of importance we add chloride of copper to
the mixture herein before described and whero the sewage to be treated is very
strong and rich we also add carbon to the said mixture and in some cases we also
add clay. The proportions in which we use the said materials are as follows:-
Chloride of copper one part by weight to about one hundred parts by weight of
the solid matter contained in the said mixture.
:-
Carbon from one half the weight to an equal weight of the said solid matter.
Dry clay in any quantity up to about three times the weight of the said solid
matter.
We-add one or more or all of these materials to the mixture herein before
described according to the quality of the sewage to be treated and the conditions
under which it is to be treated-as-herein stated-and-we grind the whole together
and add sufficient water to bring the mixture to the consistence of a thin-paste_and_
we then add the mixture to the sewage to be purified in the proportion-of-about
one part by bulk of the said mixture to about three hundred parts by bulk of the
Bewage.
In some cases instead of mixing-and using the whole of the aforesaid materials
together we grind-the carbon and clay with water-and-add the mixture to the
-sewage and afterwards add the mixture of shale and acid and chloride of copper.-
Wo prefer this method-of-treatment in the case of very strong sewago..
The quantity of clay required is dependent-on-the temperature of the sewage at
the time of treatment. When the temperature is very low the clay-may_be_used
in very small quantities or be entirely dispensed with and the proportion in
which it is used must be increased in proportion to the height of the temperature.
Any cheap form of carbon having considerable deodorizing and decolourizing
power may be used such for example as sea weed charcoal peat charcoal and the
burnt oil shales from Scotland. Kinimeridge Blackstone Carbon may also be used
after being freed from soluble matter by means of muriatic acid and afterwards
washed with water until free from acid.
Any kind of clay may be used which is free or nearly free from carbonate of
lime carbonate of magnesia selenite and sand.
Although we have hereinbefore stated approximately in what proportions the
several matters and mixtures may be used we do not confine ourselves to such
proportions as they are governed entirely by the quality of the sewage to be treated
and the conditions under which it is treated and the quality of the materials used
and the result required.
In order to ascertain what of the materials and mixtures hereinbefore described
are required in any particular case and in what proportions the said materials
should be used the sewage to be treated and the effluent water must be tested as
is usual.

page_text: Improvements in the Preparation of Agents to be Used in the
Treatment of Sewage and other Liquid or Semi Liquid
Putrescent or Putrescible Matters, and Improvements in
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Wo EDWARD JOHN LEVESON of Cluny Anerley in the County of Surrey
Gentleman and JOHN WILLIAM SLATER of N° 36 Wray Crescent Holloway in the
County of Middlesex Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF AGENTS TO BE USED IN
THE TREATMENT OF SEWAGE AND OTHER LIQUID OR SEMI LIQUID PUTRESCENT or
PUTRESCIBLE MATTERS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUCH MATTERS
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
"
We take a quantity of either Kimmeridge Blackstone Shale or of other like shale
in the raw or natural state or of Blackstone Carbon and reduce the said shale or
carbon to powder and add to the powder a quantity of muriatic acid and allow the
mixture to stand and stir it occasionally until the escape of gases has censed or
nearly ceased which at ordinary temperatures will be in about three or four days.
The said mixture is then fit for use and we use it for the precipitation of the
impurities from such sowage or other liquid or semi liquid putrescent or putrescible
matter as contains little organic matter or in cases where great purity of the
effluent water is not required. We use the said mixture in the proportion of one
part by bulk thereof to about three hundred parts by bulk of the matter to bo
treated.
"
The shales which may be used in place of Kimmeridge Blackstone shale and
which are herein referred to as "other like shales are those which contain
alumina in a form readily soluble in muriatic acid and which also contain a
considerable quantity (say about fifteen per cent or more) of carbon and which are
free or nearly free from carbonate of lime and carbonate of magnesia.
The Blackstone Carbon herein before referred to is a residual product resulting
from the distillation of Kimmeridge Blackstone Shale and is produced in the
manufacture of the oil known in commerce as "Kimmeridge oil" and may be
obtained from the Kimmeridge oil and Carbon Company."
The muriatic acid which we prefer to use is the crude acid produced in Alkali
manufacture on the Leblanc process and is known in commerce as "Tower salts."
The proportion of acid which it is necessary to add to the shale depends on the
strength of the acid and the quality of the shale. In the case of acid of about
twenty eight degrees Twaddell and shale of average quality (ie containing not less
than twenty five per cent of matter soluble in muriatic acid) equal weights of acid
and shale may be used. Where acid of greater or less strength than about twenty
eight degrees Twaddell is used with shale of average quality the proportion of acid
required will vary according to its strength the proportion required being greater
in the case of a weaker acid and less in the case of a stronger acid. Where the

page_text: 1083
proportion of acid should be increased or decreased accordingly.
133335
The action of the muriatic acid on the shale or carbon may be accelerated by
heating the mixture but as the only effect of heating the mixture is to accelerate
the said action it is unnecessary to apply heat except when this effect is required.
Where the sewage or other matter to be treated contains an average quantity of
organic matter (ie about thirty grains per gallon) or where the purity of the
effluent is of importance we add chloride of copper to the mixture herein before
described and where the sewage or other matter to be treated contains more than
an average quantity of organic matter we also add carbon to the said mixture and
in some cases we also add clay. The proportions in which we use the said
materials are as follows:-
Chloride of copper one part by weight to about one hundred parts by weight of
the solid matter contained in the said mixture.
Carbon from one half the weight to an equal weight of the said solid matter.
Dry clay in any quantity up to about three times the weight of the said solid
matter.
We add one or more or all of these materials to the mixture hereinbefore
described according to the quantity of organic matter contained in the sewage or
other-matter to be treated and the conditions under which it is to be treated as
herein stated-and we grind the whole together and add sufficiont water to bring
the mixture to the consistence-of-a-thin_paste and-we-then add the mixture to
the sewage or other matter to be treated in the proportion-of about ono part-by
bulk of the said mixture to about three hundred parts by bulk of the sewage or
other matter.
In some cases-instead of mixing and using the whole of the aforesaid materials
together we grind the carbon and clay-with water and add the mixture to the
sewage and afterwards add-the mixture of shale and acid-and-chloride of copper.
We-prefer this method of treatment in the case of very strong sewage.
The quantity of clay required is dependent on the temperature of the sewage. or
other matter at the time of treatment. When-the-temperature is very low (say
below fifty degrees Fahrenheit) clay is not required. Above this temperature-the.
use of clay is advantageous and the proportion in which it is used should be
increased according to the height of the temperature.
Any cheap form of carbon having considerable deodorizing and decolourizing
power may be used such for example as sea-weed-charcoal peat-charcoal and the
burnt oil shales from Scotland. Kimmeridge Blackstone Carbon may also be used
after being freed from soluble matter by means of muriatic acid and afterwards
washed with water until free from acid.
Any kind of clay may be used which is free or nearly free from carbonate of
lime and carbonate of magnesia and selenite and sand.
Although we have hereinbefore stated approximately in what proportions the
several matters and mixtures may be used we do not confine ourselves to such
proportions as they are governed entirely by the quality of the sewage or other
matter to be treated and the conditions under which it is treated and the quality
of the materials used and the result required. In order to ascertain what of the
materials and mixtures hereinbefore described are required in any particular case
and in what proportions the said materials should be used the sewage or other
matter to be treated and the effluent water must be tested as is usual.
In treating sewage and other liquid or semi liquid putrescent or putrescible matter
according to our Invention we run the matter to be treated into tanks and
ascertain if it be acid and if acid we neutralize it by the addition of an alkali and
then add to it the mixtures and matters herein before described or such of them as
may be required and allow it to rest until precipitation has taken place and wo
then run off the supernatant, water and dispose of the precipitate in any way that
may be desired.
.

page_text: Lime being the cheapest form of alkali we prefer to use lime water or milk of
lime for neutralizing the matter to be treated when acid. In thus using lime care
should be taken to avoid adding more than is necessary to correct the acidity of
the matter to be treated.
Although the matters which we prefer to use in admixture or in conjunction
with the acid,mixture are those hereinbefore stated namely Chloride of copper and
carbon and clay, we do not confine ourselves to the use of the said matters as whero
desirable other matters not having an alkaline reaction may be used in conjunction
or admixture with the acid mixture either in place of the matters hereinbefore
referred to or any one or more of them or in addition to the said matters.
The putrescent or putrescible matters other than sewage to the treatment of
which our invention is applicable are the waste liquors from dye works and
tanneries and such other putrescent or putrescible waste liquors and liquid or semi
liquid matters as are capable of purification by precipitation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention of "Improvements in the preparation of agents to be used in the
treatment of sewage and other liquid or semi liquid putrescent or putresciblo
matters and improvements in the treatment of such matters" and in what manner
the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is
First. The preparation of an agent for use in the purification of sewage and
other liquid or semi liquid putrescent or putrescible matters by treating Kimmeridge
Blackstone Shale or other like shale or Blackstone Carbon with muriatic acid
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Secondly. The treatment of sewage and other liquid or semi liquid putrescent
or putrescible matters by the addition thereto of a mixture prepared by treating
Kimmeridge Blackstone Shale or other like shale or Blackstone carbon with
muriatic acid whether the said mixture be used alone or in conjunction or
admixture with chloride of copper or in conjunction or admixture with other
matters.
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