IMPROVEMENTS IN TURBINES FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TURBINES FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR."
A communication from abroad by Frédéric Edouard Mahoudeau, of Paris,
France
Sealed the 25th November 1879, and dated the 26th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TURBINES FOR USE IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR." [A communication from abroad by Frédéric Edouard
Mahoudeau, of Paris, France.]
The said Invention relates to turbines employed for the liquoring, decoloring, or
clarification of sugar by steam, and comprises various special features of construction
whose object is to diminish the melting of the saccharine matter.
Observation has made known the fact that in operating with the closed turbines
ordinarily used for this kind of work the mass of sugar which remains in the
turbine after the operation assumes such a form that a considerable quantity of
sugar held by the centrifugal force against the basket of the turbine will be found
melted at the upper and lower parts of the apparatus; this is due to two principal
causes, namely, first, the expanded steam which enters the apparatus meets at the
commencement of the work a central mass very cold and is thereby condensed until
an equilibrium of temperature is obtained; a portion of the condensed steam enters
the sugar which agglomerates in the form of very hard balls or lumps; the other
portion falling to the bottom of the turbine is driven out by the centrifugal force, and
in its escape cuts the slab of sugar which is thus melted without any useful result.
Second, the operator seeks always to force the quantity of steam introduced; the
pressure then rises in the turbine, and the steam escapes at the parts where there is
the least resistance, that is to say, above and below the apparatus, where it melts
the sugar which obstructs its passage and carries the same with it in the form of
syrup.

page_text: Therefore to obtain the best possible results it is necessary that the following
conditions should exist, that is to say:-1, the expanded and superheated steam
should be completely free from all particles of condensed water before coming in
contact with the sugar; 2, the excess of steam in the turbine should be continually
discharged; 3, no excessive escape of steam should take place at the upper or lower
part of the turbine.
I will now describe the means to be employed for ensuring the desired result.
The turbine is provided with a calendar which is slightly conical and which
obstructs the direct impinging upon the sugar of the steam from the admission tube.
I arrange inside this calendar a series of spiral blades or wings which cause the
drippings of condensed water to flow to the bottom of the calendar where the said
wings are extended in a spiral form. The height of these wings is very slight, so
that they may not come in contact with the plate that prevents the downward
passage of the steam to the bottom of the supports of the turbine.
Below the bottom or base and between the aforesaid spiral blades or wings which
I term the main spirals, I arrange other wings having the same curvature and
dimensions, and which on the inner side of the apparatus rise vertically but only
to a height of a few centimetres. The apparatus may have twelve of these
wings.
To obstruct the escape or loss of sugar at the lower part of the turbine the
interior periphery of the bottom is raised slightly around the interior of the basket
of the turbine.
To prevent any passage of steam at the upper part of the basket of the turbine
I apply to the periphery of the hoop which closes the top of the turbine a metal or
india-rubber joint which completely prevents the escape of steam at this part of the
said apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
December 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TURBINES FOR USE IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR." A communication from abroad by Frédéric Edouard
Mahoudeau, of Paris, France.
The said Invention relates to turbines employed for the liquoring, decoloring, or
clarification of sugar by steam, and comprises various special features of construc-
tion whose object is to diminish the melting of the solid or other saccharine
matter.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,-
Figure 1 is a vertical section shewing the parts where the sugar is melted in
ordinary turbines wherein steam is employed for the clarification.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of an improved turbine provided according to this
Invention with upper and lower joints and helicoidal or spiral rotating blades and
curved blades for ensuring the discharge of the water of condensation.
Figure 2 is a section of a portion of the same drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the interior calendar of the turbine showing the
said helicoidal or spiral and curved blades.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the turbine, the interior bell or cap which
protects the mechanism being removed.
Observation has made known the fact that in operating with the closed turbines
ordinarily used for this kind of work the mass of sugar which remains in the
turbine after the operation assumes the form represented in Figure 1 of the Drawing,
which shows that a considerable quantity of sugar held by the centrifugal force
against the basket A, B, of the turbine will be found melted at the upper part C
and the lower part D of the apparatus. This result is due to two principal causes,
namely, 1st, the expanded steam which enters the apparatus meets at the commence-
ment of the work a central mass very cold, and is thereby condensed until an equi-
librium of temperature is obtained; a portion of the condensed steam is thrown into
the sugar which it agglomerates in the form of very hard balls or lumps; the other
portion falling to the bottom of the turbine is driven out by the centrifugal force,
and in its escape cuts the slab of sugar which is thus melted without any useful
result; 2nd, the operator seeks always to force the quantity of steam introduced,
the pressure then rises in the turbine and the steam escapes at the parts where
there is the least resistance, that is to say, above and below the apparatus, where it
melts at C and D the sugar which obstructs its passage, and carries the same with
it in the form of syrup.
Therefore to obtain the best possible results it has been necessary that the
following conditions should exist, that is to say :-
1. The expanded and superheated steam should be completely free from all
particles of condensed water before coming in contact with the sugar; 2, the excess
of steam in the turbine should be continually discharged; 3, no excessive escape of
steam should take place at the upper or lower part of the turbine.
I will now describe the means to be employed in practising this Invention for
ensuring the desired result.
As shewn in the Drawing, the turbine is provided with a calender x, y, which is
slightly conical and which obstructs the direct impingement upon the sugar of the
steam from the tube A. I arrange inside this calendar a series of spiral blades or
wings M, as shewn in Figure 2, which cause the drippings of condensed water to
flow to the bottom y, z, of the calendar where the said wings are extended in
a spiral form. The depth of these wings is such that they will not come in

page_text: contact with the bell or cap B that prevents the downward passage of the steam by
the bottom of the supports of the turbine.
Below the bottom or base and between the aforesaid spiral blades or wings which
I term the main spirals I arrange other blades P having the same curvature and
dimensions, and which on the inner side of the apparatus rise vertically, but only
to about the height of one inch more or less. The apparatus shewn in the Drawing
has twelve of these wings.
To obstruct or retard the loss or escape of sugar at the lower part of the turbine
the exterior periphery of the bottom y, z, is raised slightly around the interior
of the basket of the turbine.
To prevent any passage of steam at the upper part of the basket of the turbine, I
apply to the periphery of the circular plate R which closes the top of the turbine
a metal or india rubber joint at T which completely prevents the escape of steam
at this part of the said apparatus.
The working of the above described apparatus is extremely simple. The steam
enters by the tube A, the condensed portion or water thereof falls on the part B and
is thrown by the centrifugal force along the surface of the calendar x, y. The
vertical spiral blades M then cause the descent of this water to the horizontal wings
or blades P, which throw it sharply outward. Moreover the sugar by reason of the
centrifugal force to which it is subjected presses the rim or flange of the bottom
upon which it rests against the cloth which lines the interior of the basket and
forms a kind of joint that obstructs the passage of water, whereby the saccharine
matter might be melted. Finally, the wings by reason of their velocity produce a
very quick draught which draws the excess of steam introduced into the turbine,
always taking the most dense, that is to say the wettest, steam. In this condition
immediately the pressure is augmented in the interior of the turbine, the quantity
forced out by the wings is increased, and there will only pass through the mass of
saccharine matter the quantity of dry steam necessary for the working of the said
apparatus.
The form of the said wings, their number, and their dimensions may be varied
as required. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the form and arrangement of the said
apparatus which have been found to afford the best results.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim, the above described improvements in turbines employed in the
liquoring, decoloring, or clarification of sugar with steam which comprise essentially
the following novel features, that is to say,-
First. The addition to the interior of the calendar (which in turbines of this class
obstructs or prevents the direct access of the steam to the mass of sugar) of spiral
wings or blades which extend below the bottom or base of the turbine and which
direct the drippings of the liquid of condensation out of the apparatus.
Second. The provision of a joint by means of caoutchouc or by other suitable
means to the upper part and the lower part of the basket of the turbine to resist or
obstruct the passage or escape of the steam or liquid at these parts of the said
apparatus.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)