IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING, EVAPORATING AND CONCENTRATING SACCHARINE JUICES OR OTHER LIQUIDS PROAL
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Alcide Bonnefin, of Leadenhall Street, in the
City of London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING,
EVAPORATING AND CONCENTRATING SACCHARINE JUICES OR OTHER LIQUIDS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Alcide Bonnefin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st September 1880.
"
FRANÇOIS ALCIDE BONNEFIN, of Leadenball Street, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING, EVAPORATING, AND CONCENTRATING SACCHARINE
JUICES OR OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
My Invention has reference to the preparation or treatment of saccharine juices
prior to the evaporation of the water therefrom, also to the rapid evaporation of
the water, and to the concentration of the juices or syrups so as to reduce them
to the state generally known as "masse cuite," and my Invention is chiefly based
upon the application of a determined heat in accordance with the known rules
necessary for each of the operations.
For the preparation or treatment of saccharine juices prior to the evaporation of
the water therefrom I construct an apparatus composed of a metallic vessel, the
dimensions of which will depend upon the amount of juice it may be desired to
treat. It may, for example, be 32 feet long and 18 feet broad, and for facility of
transport be made of four parts, each being 8 by 18 feet. Each of these parts is
divided transversely of the apparatus by partitions into, say, 4 chambers, of 2 feet
in width, and each of these chambers has a central incomplete partition, that is
to say, a partition which does not quite extend to one of the ends of the chamber,
or if it does extend to that end it has openings or holes near such end. That end
wall of the chamber to which the incomplete partition is connected is formed with
2 holes, viz., one on each side of the said partition. One of those holes is for the
inlet of a heating liquid and the other for the outlet of such liquid after having
travelled to the further end of the chamber, round the end of the incomplete
Price A1

page_text: On
partition and back again. This heating liquid will therefore travel 36 feet in the
chamber, that is to say, 18 feet on each side of the incomplete partition.
leaving the chamber the liquid is conducted to any suitable apparatus, in which it
can be reheated to the required temperature before returning again to the chamber
above described. Or, instead of the heating liquid passing to one end of the
chamber and returning again to the opposite end it may by a suitable arrangement
of holes and connections be made to pass only once across the apparatus or
otherwise, as may be desired.
The four outer walls of the vessel are higher than the partitions which divide it
into chambers as explained; the outer walls may, for example, be 30 inches high,
and the height of the partitions be 16 inches.
Upon the partitions and fitting within the outer walls I place a pan, preferably
of copper, or a plate formed with sides to fit into the said outer walls.
This pan
is divided transversely by partitions, say, 6 inches apart, the alternate partitions
terminating a little short of the two sides of the pan respectively, so that a
continuous zigzag channel going from side to side of the pan and about 1100 feet
long is formed. Or instead of the pan having partitions its bottom may be corru-
gated in the form of a deep serpentine channel or gutter, which is immersed in the
heating liquid circulating in the chambers below. The saccharine juice to be
prepared or treated is admitted to the pan at one end, and after circulating the
entire length of the continuous channel it issues at the other end. Along one side
of the pan I form hollows or depressions to receive or collect the heavy bodies
contained in the saccharine liquid, which bodies become naturally deposited in the
said hollows or depressions during the flow of the liquid. These collecting hollows
are connected to one common collector placed below, by preference in a hot medium
or "bain marie" formed by a current of heating liquid.
The saccharine juice introduced at its normal temperature, say 15° centigrade,
being in contact during a travel of 1100 feet with a liquid admitted to the lower
vessel at about 90°, will leave the further end of the pan at a temperature of from
80° to 90°. This juice, as already stated, will during its travel become naturally
deprived of all the heavy organic or inorganic matters in suspension, which will
lodge in the hollows or depressions before described. It will also be deprived of
all the lighter matters which by the gradual heating of the liquid charged with
lime become separated and rise to the surface while the heavy bodies are being
deposited in the collectors. The lighter bodies continue to rise without interfering
with the flow of the liquid. It is desirable to remove them as they accumulate
towards the lower part of the travel, that is to say, almost at the outlet from
the pan.
The pan mounted and arranged as before described, is heated, as will be readily
understood, like a bain marie, below 100° centigrade, and on its exit, which as well
as its inlet is continuous, the juice successively fills decanting receivers, or
preferably filtering receivers, acting by capillarity, as described in the Specification
of former Letters Patent granted to me, and dated the 8th August 1877,
No. 3019.
Instead of heating the pan by hot water like a bain marie, as before described,
it may be heated by evaporations arising from the treatment of the juice in the
concentrating process or in the vacuum pans. These vapors or evaporations would
become condensed into distilled water, which could be utilized for the steam
generators.
The decanted or filtered juice is delivered in a pure state to be concentrated in
an evaporator of single, double, or multiple effect, and afterwards reduced into the
state of "masse cuite" in a continuous vacuum pan.
I may here remark that cold cane juice charged with all its foreign matters as
it comes from the mill or other crushing apparatus of an apparent density of 10°
to 12° Beaumé should not be heated to more than 85° to 90° centigrade to avoid
complications in the solutions of certain starchy, albuminous, or other matters.

page_text: When heated in an open vessel by a bain marie or by evaporations, as before
described, a higher temperature than 80° at the surface is not obtained. But the
juice when deprived of foreign matters by the apparatus before described and by
the filters is brought to its true density of 6° to 7° Beaumé ; it contains only pure
water, pure sugar, and dissolved coloring matters. This liquid contains the crystal-
lizable sugar and the glucose, both of identical composition. By further heating
the water will be evaporated, the crystallizable sugar will be concentrated, and the
glucose will retain the foreign salts and coloring matters completely separated from
the crystallizable sugar. There is therefore no danger in applying to this liquid
at 6° to 7° Beaumé a heat as powerful as may be wished in order to obtain a
prompt evaporation. But a sufficient heat to evaporate rapidly cannot be obtained
from ordinary generators, and a much higher heat must be obtained without fear
of accident from expansion of vapour. I therefore employ oil (or other liquid
capable of storing heat) heated to 250° to 300° Centigrade without vaporization, and
consequently without expansion.
An apparatus constructed like that herein before described, but without the
hollows or depressions, will evaporate a juice which marks 6 or 7° on entering
to 25° (or more if required) on leaving. It is the vapor arising from the abundant
evaporation of the juice thus heated that can be utilized for heating the cold juice
in the apparatus herein before described. In order to favor the evaporation or
concentration of the juice I place above the partitions of the evaporating apparatus
a revolving shaft which carries a series of paddles, vanes, or scoops, arranged
preferably in helical form. These paddles or analogous devices dip into every
alternate channel of the evaporating apparatus, and as they revolve with their
shaft they push back the liquid and lift and divide it in the air, which therefore
removes a good deal of the water heated to so high a temperature.
If the air is
supplied by a fan it may with advantage be hot air taken from the furnace or
otherwise.
masse
The juice concentrated to 25° or more is ready to be reduced into the "
cuite" in the continuous vacuum pan of single, double, or multiple effect. This
apparatus I construct like the first apparatus, herein before described, with some
slight modifications, in order to maintain the heat at a fixed temperature of about
99° Centigrade. It is known that the juice concentrated more and more should
always be worked below 100°, both as regards the temperature of the vacuum pan,
which is 65°, and the temperature of the beat, which is from 99° to 105°. This is
not obtained in existing vacuum pans, where the apparent temperature of the
liquid and of the vacuum pans is 65° or 70°, while the real temperature of the heat
is about 150°, such as is furnished directly or indirectly by the generator. In
order not to have too large an apparatus two or three may be employed, which
can communicate or work separately. The vaccum pans are constructed like the
pan of the apparatus herein before described, but with channels of only two to four
inches wide. The continuous vacuum pan may be separated into several com-
partments, which together with the vessel containing the heating medium constitute
only one apparatus. I will suppose one consisting of five compartments, each of
which is completely separated by its sides and domes, but is connected by a small
pipe so that the channels may communicate. The channel is broader in the first
compartment than in the last, because of the decrease through evaporation of the
volume of the liquid. The domes are constructed to resist the atmospheric
pressure when the vacuum is produced in each chamber. The air pumps are fitted
to a main pipe from which a pipe branches to each dome. The heating medium for
the first compartment into which the juice is introduced at 25° or even 28° Beaumé
can be exhaust steam. The heating medium for the second compartment can also
be exhaust steam, together with vapor arising from the evaporation of the juice.
For the other compartments the heating medium must only be those vapors and
hot water so as to constitute a bain marie. The juice must be kept at a temperature
of 65° or 70° in every compartment and must be made to boil. The temperature of

page_text: the heating medium must in fact be lower in each successive compartment in
proportion to the more concentrated state of the juice.
With regard to the heat generated for the purposes of my Invention, I employ
a small furnace for heating the oil to the high average temperature of 250° to 280°
Centigrade. I convey this hot oil through a coil or arrangement of pipes in a
vessel containing water, and connected with the vessel which receives all the
condensation water of the factory or plant. The oil heats the water through
which it passes, and keeps it boiling so that it can be utilized. After the oil has
done its duty in the evaporating apparatus it is returned to be reheated by the
furnace.
Although I have described the Invention as for the treatment of saccharine
juices, it can also be applied to other liquids, such, for example, as saline solutions.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
"
by the said François Alcide Bonnefin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st March 1881.
FRANÇOIS ALCIDE BONNEFIN, of Leadenhall Street, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING, EVAPORATING, AND CONCENTRATING SACCHARINE
JUICES OR OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
My Invention has reference to the preparation or treatment of saccharine juices
prior to the evaporation of the water therefrom, also to the rapid evaporation of
the water and to the concentration of the juices or syrups, so as to reduce them to
the state generally known as "masse cuite," and my Invention is chiefly based
upon the application of a determined heat in accordance with the known rules
necessary for each of the operations.
For the preparation or treatment of saccharine juices prior to the evaporation of
the water therefrom I construct an apparatus composed of a metallic vessel, the
dimensions of which will depend upon the amount of juice it may be desired to
treat. It may, for example, be 32 feet long and 18 feet broad, and for facility of
transport be made of four parts, each being 8 by 18 fect. Each of these parts
is divided transversely of the apparatus by partitions into, say, 4 chambers of
2 feet in width, and each of these chambers has a central incomplete partition, that
is to say, a partition which does not quite extend to one of the ends of the chamber,
or if it does extend to that end it has openings or holes near such end. That end
wall of the chamber to which the incomplete partition is connected is formed with
two holes, viz., one on each side of the said partition. One of these holes is for the
inlet of a heating liquid or other heating medium, and the other for the outlet of
such liquid after having travelled to the further end of the chamber, round the
end of the incomplete partition, and back again. This heating liquid will therefore
travel 36 feet in the chamber, that is to say, 18 feet on each side of the incomplete
partition. On leaving the chamber the liquid is conducted to any suitable
apparatus, in which it can be reheated to the required temperature before
returning again to the chamber above described. Or instead of the heating liquid
or other heating medium passing to one end of the chamber and returning again
to the opposite end, it may by a suitable arrangement of holes and connections be
made to pass only once across the apparatus, or otherwise as may be desired.
The 4 outer walls of the vessel are higher than the partitions which divide it
into chambers, as explained; the outer walls may, for example, be 30 inches high,
and the height of the partitions be 16 inches.
Upon the partitions, and fitting within the outer walls, I place a pan, preferably
of copper, or a plate formed with sides to fit into the said outer walls. This pan is
divided transversely by partitions, say, 4 to 6 inches apart, the alternate partitions
terminating a little short of the two sides of the pan respectively, so that a
continuous zigzag channel going from side to side of the pan, and about 1100 to
1700 feet long, is formed; or instead of the pan having partitions its bottom may
be corrugated in the form of a deep serpentine or zigzag channel or gutter, which
is immersed in the heating liquid or other heating medium circulating in the
chambers below. The saccharine juice to be prepared or treated is admitted to the
pan at one end, and after circulating the entire length of the continuous channel it
issues at the other end. Along one side or other suitable part of the pan I form
hollows or depressions to receive or collect the heavy bodies contained in the
saccharine liquid, which bodies become naturally deposited in the said hollows or
depressions during the flow of the liquid. These collecting hollows are connected
to one common collector placed below by preference in a hot medium or "bain
marie" formed by a current of heating liquid or other heating medium.

page_text: The saccharine juice introduced at its normal temperature, say, 15° Centigrade,
being in contact during a travel of 1100 feet or more with a liquid or other heating
medium admitted to the lower vessel at about 99° will leave the further end
of the pan at a temperature of from 80° to 90°. This juice, as already stated,
will, during its travel become naturally deprived of all the heavy organic or
inorganic matters in suspension, which will lodge in the hollows or depressions
before described. It will also be deprived of all the lighter matters which, by
the gradual heating of the liquid charged with lime or other chemical agent,
become separated and rise to the surface while the heavy bodies are being
deposited in the collectors. The lighter bodies continue to rise without interfering
with the flow of the liquid. It is desirable to remove them as they accumulate
towards the lower part of the travel, that is to say, almost at the outlet from the
pan for being immediately utilized.
The pan mounted and arranged as before described is heated, as will be readily
understood, like a bain marie below 100° Centigrade, and the juice on its exit,
which, as well as its inlet, is continuous, successively fills decanting receivers, or
preferably filtering receivers acting by capillarity as described in the Specification
of former Letters Patent granted to me, and dated the 8th August 1877, No. 3019.
Instead of heating the pan by hot water like a bain marie, as before described,
it may be heated by evaporations arising from the treatment of the juice in the
concentrating process or in the vacuum pans. These vapors or evaporations
would become condensed into distilled water, which could be utilized for the steam
generators or otherwise.
The decanted or filtered juice is delivered in a pure state to be concentrated in
an evaporator of simple single, double, or multiple effect, and afterwards reduced
into the state of "masse cuite" in a continuous vacuum pan.
I may here remark that cold cane juice charged with all its foreign matters as it
comes from the mill or other crushing apparatus of an apparent density of 10° to
12° Beaumé should not be heated to more than 85° to 90° Centigrade to avoid
complications in the solutions of certain starchy, albuminous, and other matters.
When heated in an open vessel by a bain marie or by evaporations, as before
described, a higher temperature than 80° at the surface is not obtained. But the
juice, when deprived of foreign matters by the apparatus before described and by
the filters, is brought to its true density of 6° to 7° Beaumé; it contains only pure
water, pure sugar, pure glucose, and dissolved coloring inatters.
This liquid
contains the crystallizable sugar and the glucose, both of identical composition.
By further beating, the water will be evaporated, the crystallizable sugar will be
concentrated, and the glucose will retain the foreign salts and coloring matters
completely separated from the crystallizable sugar. There is therefore no danger
in applying to this liquid at 6° to 7° Beaumé a heat as powerful as may be wished
in order to obtain a prompt evaporation. But a sufficient heat to evaporate
rapidly cannot be obtained from ordinary generators, and a much higher heat must
be obtained without fear of accident from expansion of vapour. I therefore employ
oil (or other liquid capable of storing heat) beated to 250° to 300°, or even 400°
Centigrade without vaporization, and consequently without expansion. I can also
employ hot air or other heating medium.
An apparatus constructed like that hereinbefore described, but without the
hollows or depressions, will evaporate a juice which marks 6° or 7° on entering to
25° (or more if required) on leaving. It is the vapor arising from the abundant
evaporation of the juice thus heated that can be utilized for heating the cold juice
in the apparatus hereinbefore described. In order to favor the evaporation or
concentration of the juice I place above the partitions of the evaporating apparatus
a revolving shaft, which carries a series of paddles, vanes, or scoops arranged
preferably in helical form. These paddles or analogous devices dip into every alternate
channel of the evaporating apparatus, and as they revolve with their shaft they
push back the liquid and lift and divide it in the air, which therefore removes

page_text: " masse
a good deal of the water heated to so high a temperature. If the air is supplied
by a fan it may, with advantage, be hot air taken from the furnace or otherwise.
The juice concentrated to 25° or more is ready to be reduced into the
cuite" in the continuous vacuum pan of single, double, or multiple effect. This
apparatus I construct like the first apparatus herein before described, with some
slight modifications, in order to maintain the heat at a fixed temperature of about
99° Centigrade, the heat being regulated in proportion to the juice being more and
more concentrated. It is known that the juice concentrated more and more should
always be worked below 100°, both as regards the temperature of the vacuum pan,
which is 65°, and the temperature of the heat, which is from 99° to 105°. This is
not obtained in existing vacuum pans, where the apparent temperature of the
liquid and of the vacuum pans is 65° or 70°, while the real temperature of the heat
is about 150°, such as is furnished directly or indirectly by the generator. In
order not to have too large an apparatus two or three may be employed, which can
communicate or work separately. The vacuum pans are constructed like the pan
of the apparatus herein before described, but with channels of only 2 to 4 inches
wide, and of a sufficient length. The continuous vacuum pan may be separated into
several compartments, which, together with the vessel containing the heating
medium, constitute only one apparatus. I will suppose one consisting of 5 com-
partments, each of which is completely separated by its sides and domes, but is
The channel
connected by a small pipe, so that the channels may communicate.
is broader in the first compartment than in the last, because of the decrease
through evaporation of the volume of the liquid. The domes are constructed to
resist the atmospheric pressure when the vacuum is produced in each chamber.
The air pumps are fitted to a main pipe, from which a pipe branches to each dome.
The heating medium for the first compartment, into which the juice is introduced
at 25° or even 28° Beaumé, can be exhaust steam. The heating medium for the
second compartment can also be exhaust steam, together with vapor arising from
the evaporation of the juice. For the other compartments the heating medium
must only be those vapors and hot water, so as to constitute a bain marie. The
juice must be kept at a temperature of 65° or 70° in every compartment, and must
be made to boil. The temperature of the heating medium must in fact be lower
in each successive compartment in proportion to the more concentrated state of the
juice.
With regard to the heat generated for the purposes of my Invention I employ a
sinall furnace for heating the oil (when oil is used as the heating medium) to the
high average temperature of 250° to 280° Centigrade. I convey this hot oil through
a coil or arrangement of pipes in a vessel containing water, and connected with
the vessel which receives all the condensation water of the factory or plant. The
oil heats the water through which it passes, and keeps it boiling, so that it can be
utilized. After the oil has done its duty in the evaporating apparatus it is returned
to be reheated by the furnace; or the oil may be heated in a closed vessel, and
heat the water, which is made to circulate through a jacket or pipes of the said
vessel. I can also work by hot air heated by the radiation of heat from hot oil.
Although I have described the Invention as for the treatment of saccharine
juices it can also be applied to other liquids, such, for example, as saline solutions.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
Preparing, evaporating, and concentrating saccharine juices or other liquids by
first submitting the juice or liquid to the action of a moderate heat (say, 80° to
99° Centigrade) in an apparatus in which the heavy bodies or foreign matters held
in suspension become removed, then (after filtering or decanting, if necessary)
submitting the liquid to evaporation and concentration by means of a powerful
heat (say, 200° to 300°, or even 400°, Centigrade, which is rendered possible without
injuriously affecting the liquid by the previous removal of the heavy bodies or
foreign matters), and then when required further concentrating the liquid at a
comparatively low temperature, all substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: I also claim constructing apparatus for preparing, evaporating, and concentrating
saccharine juices or other liquids, substantially as herein before described; and I
claim as a novel feature in the preparing part of the apparatus, that is to say, in
the apparatus for treating the liquid prior to evaporation, the hollows or depressions
for receiving or collecting the heavy bodies contained in the liquid, as hereinbefore
explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Alcide Bonnefin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
F. A. BONNEFIN. (L.S.)