IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING APPARATUS.
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Louis Solomon Lederer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th April 1881. A communication
from abroad by Carl Paulmann, of Hanover, in the Empire of Germany.
LOUIS SOLOMON LEDERER, of Graham Road, Dalston, in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING APPARATUS.' [A communication from
abroad by Carl Paulmann, of Hanover, in the Empire of Germany.]
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus used for the distillation of
spirit, the object being to obtain economy of fuel, water, and space, combined
with great efficiency in the working and the highest quality of spirit. By
this improved apparatus the wash or spent liquor is also obtained free from
fusel oil.
The
The apparatus consists essentially of a still cylinder fitted internally with a
series of divisions or trays and overflow guards, over which trays the mash or
alcoholic liquor (which has been previously heated to the required degree) flows in
succession, and is exposed to the boiling action of steam which passes up through
the still and carries off with it the alcoholic vapours from the liquor.
alcoholic steam next passes to a rectificatory cylinder fitted internally with a series
of sieve bottomed trays. These trays, like those above referred to, are so con-
structed and arranged as to be readily inspected and cleaned, or removed when
necessary, a series of screw capped manholes being provided for the purpose.
watery particles of the alcoholic steam are deposited to some extent within this
rectificatory cylinder, below which is fitted a chamber for the collection of the
water thus formed and which is largely impregnated with fusel oil and other
impurities. A steam pipe is arranged so that this water charged with fusel oil
may be again subjected to the action of steam, thus depriving the oil-charged
water of all trace of spirit, and the water-charged with fusel oil may be run off
continuously and without contaminating the wash or spent liquor from the still.
The
The alcoholic steam thus rectified passes next to the wine heater and condenser
wherein its watery particles are still further eliminated and are allowed to flow
back by a sack tube into the rectificatory cylinder just mentioned. The heat of
the alcoholic steam or vapour in passing through the wine heater and condenser
serves to warm the mash or alcoholic liquor which is caused to pass through the

page_text: wine heater and condenser within a coiled pipe, and the alcoholic liquor which is
continually flowing through the wine heater and condenser serves in its turn by
reason of its coolness to partially condense the alcoholic steam or vapour before
the latter passes to the refrigerator, whence the pure highly distilled spirit is
drawn.
'
Thus the wash or spent liquor free from fusel oil is drawn off from one vessel,
the water or wine of low degree impregnated with fusel oil from another, and pure
spirit of wine from a third.
The wineheater and condenser is constructed with a waterjacket and is connected
with the refrigerator by a pipe and cock by which a regulated amount of cold
water may be caused to pass through the water jacket and assist in the partial
condensing of the alcoholic steam and vapour. This water will become heated in
its passage through the said water jacket, and may be advantageously conducted
to supply the steam boiler.
The waste steam of a steam engine may be used with great economy and
advantage, enabling the use of direct steam to be dispensed with in some cases.
A little direct steam is however necessary for boiling up the wine of low degree
containing the fusel oil.
Testing vessels, safety tubes, and alcoholometers will be fitted where required.
Preferably the spirit cylinder or rectificatory cylinder will be placed upon the
top of the mash cylinder or still instead of alongside of it.
The supply of mash or alcoholic liquor to the apparatus is effected con-
tinuously by means of a steam mash pump, thus dispensing with the necessity for
a mash reservoir.
In certain cases the rectificatory portion of the apparatus may be dispensed with,
and the mash cylinder or still, the wine heater and-condenser, and the refrigerator
may alone be employed.
In cases where the spirit is to be deprived of the fusel oil a small fusel oil
cylinder may be erected near the mash cylinder or still, by which means the
construction of the apparatus will be considerably simplified.