Improvements in Distilling Apparatus suitable for the Treatment of Ammoniacal Liquors.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1892-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Distilling Apparatus suitable for the Treatment of
Ammoniacal Liquors.
I, Dr. ALFRED FELDMANN, Manufacturer, of 1, Dechanatstrasse Bremen,
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its principal object the complete utilization of ammoniacal
liquors, by insuring a prolonged contact between the steam and the ammoniacal
liquor on a large surface.
The apparatus is built in the shape of a single closed receptacle, preferably as an
upright cylinder, but it may have any suitable cross section.
The base of the receptacle is formed by a shallow compartment containing lime
and occupying the whole width of the receptacle. The rest of the receptacle is
divided into two concentric parts, by means of a vertical partition of cylindrical or
other suitable shape. The inner part communicating at the bottom with the base
of the bottom compartment, mentioned above and being partially filled with lime
water.
The annular outer part which surrounds the inner or lime space is divided into a
vertical series of cells by means of horizontal partitions, the lowest cell being higher
than the others and serving as collecting chamber for the spent ammoniacal liquor.
Each of the other cells is preferably provided with an annular hood, through which
the steam has to pass while ascending through the said cell.
The ammoniacal liquor enters the apparatus at the top, that is to say, it flows
into the uppermost cell and accumulates in the same, until it has reached the mouth
of an overflow tube leading to the next lower cell. From the second cell an over-
flow tube leads the liquid into the third cell, and so on until the liquid has arrived
in the lowest or outlet chamber. In each cell the liquid is thus obliged to travel
along the whole or a part of the circumference of the receptacle, during which time
it comes into close contact with the steam which ascends from the next lower cell
through a circumferential series of vertical tubes placed in the interior of the said
annular hoods which are preferably composed of segments, so that three segments
form nearly a complete círcle or ring. The steam escaping from the mouth of each
tube is thus obliged to descend along the inside of the hood, the edges of which dip
into the liquid and then to ascend through the liquid into the upper part of the
chamber.
After the liquid has descended through several cells, it flows into the lime space
or inner chamber of the apparatus, through a pipe which terminates in the lower
part or wide base of the lime chamber.
In the lime chamber, the necessary mixture is made, and the resulting liquid
ascends in the inner lime space, whence it enters the cell situated immediately below
that of which the contents had been discharged into the lower part of the lime space.
Subsequently, the liquid descends through several cells, where it comes into contact
with the ascending steam, in the manner described above, and finally it arrives in
the collecting chamber, from which the spent liquid can be drawn off by a cock.
The vapours given off by the ammoniacal liquid escape from the uppermost cell
through a pipe.
In some cases the cells situated above the level of the lime water in the lime
space may be omitted, the fresh ammoniacal liquor being admitted from the feed
pipe directly into the lower or wide part of the lime space, which serves as a
mixing chamber.

page_text: Each of the cells has a vertical partition and is accessible from the side
through man holes.
Dated this 3rd dox of Navambo 1901
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Distilling Apparatus suitable for the Treatment of
Ammoniacal Liquors.
I, Dr. ALFRED FELDMANN, Manufacturer, of Dechanatstrasse 1B, Bremen,
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to distilling apparatus and has for its principal object, to
utilize ammoniacal liquors as completely as possible, by combining the following
features, viz.
That the ammoniacal liquor is brought into contact with a large surface of steam and
compelled to make its way through a long series of passages, and that the lime
chamber occupies a central position.
These conditions are fulfilled by the apparatus illustrated by the accompanying
drawings, of which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section.
Fig. 2 shows the circulation.
Fig. 3 is a cross section.
Fig. 4, 5, and 6 are diagrams representing various alternative forms of the still in
horizontal section.
The apparatus comprises a single vessel A, of circular or any other convenient
section, and relatively small height.
In the centre of this vessel is arranged a lime chamber, which, in its lower part,
may take up the whole width of the first named vessel.
In the annular portion formed by the cells or compartments B enclosing the lime
chamber, is situated at the lowest part-a receiver or collecting receptacle C for
the residue of the ammoniacal liquor, and above it, are arranged the evaporating
cells or compartments B. These cells are of annular form and, as a rule, provided
with bells or hoods a, through which passes the steam. The ammoniacal liquor to
be treated takes the following course :-
The entrance occurs at i, and the bottom of the first cell is covered with the
liquor to such a depth, that overflow takes place through the tube h, from the first
to the second cell B underneath it (Fig. 2). In a similar way the liquid passes
from the second to the following cells. Consequently, the liquor must in each
separate cell run through the whole or part of the circumference of the vessel, and
is then brought into intimate contact with the steam issuing through the tubes f
and the bells, which may have any suitable shape. This contact is further made
very effective by the fact, that the distance from the edges of the bells to the
vertical walls of the cells is very small, and further, that the liquor underneath the
bells is acted on by the steam in its upward passage. The narrow annular cells,
taken in conjunction with the steam controlling bells or hoods are of great impor-
tance in effecting a complete evaporation. The liquor, which has to pass through
a number of cells for driving off the volatile ammonia compounds, is discharged
at k and conducted into the lime chamber D near the bottom of the latter. This
takes place by means of the tube k. In the lime chamber a process of mixing takes
place, and the resulting liquor rises through the tube l into the cell B', which is
situated below the one, whose contents have been led by the tube k into the lime
chamber. The liquor coming from the lime chamber again passes through a number

page_text: of cells, is exposed to the action of the steam, and finally enters the collecting
space C, from which the accumulated residues are drawn off by a cock o.
The gaseous ammonia passes off through a tube n, connected with the upper
portion of the main vessel or reservoir, and is drawn off for further treatment.
When an ammoniacal liquor contains only non-volatile ammonia compounds, or
when the whole of the ammonia is to be treated with lime, the cells B situated
above the milk of lime may be omitted. In this case, the liquor to be distilled
passes through the aperture /-the tube k being omitted into the first distilling
cell or compartment, after having been introduced into the lime vessel at k¹, Figs. 7
and 8, or elsewhere.
The whole apparatus may be easily cleaned. The lime vessel is protected from
cooling by its position inside the principal vessel, the cells are easily accessible ;
and above all, the whole apparatus requires very little space to set it up.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. An ammonia distilling apparatus having a lime chamber or decomposing
chamber A surrounded with distilling cells, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. An ainmonia distilling apparatus having a liming or decomposing chamber A
provided with a lime space D, and above the latter, narrow annular cells B, with or
without hoods or bells a adapted to guide the steam, the said cells B communicating
with the decomposing chamber through an inlet 1, or through inlet and outlet pipes k
and I, and terminating in the residue collecting chamber C, substantially as described
and illustrated.
3. The modified distilling apparatus represented by Figs. 7 and 8, in which the
system of cells communicating with the pipe k are omitted, and only the system fed
by the tube is employed, and to which the ammoniacal liquid is supplied at the
bottom through a pipe k', substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1892.
A. FELDMANN,
By Fairfax & Wetter,
433, Strand, London, Agents.