An Improved Apparatus to be Used in Chemical Operations where it is Required to Drive off from Liquids Volatile Constituents thereof.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 12th Oct., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus to be Used in Chemical Operations where
it is Required to Drive off from Liquids Volatile Constituents
thereof.
I WILLIAM THOMAS WALKER of Bishopswood Road Highgate in the County of
Middlesex Esquire do hereby declare the nature of my Invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to apparatus wherein volatile products are driven off from
liquors by means of steam coming into contact with the liquors firstly alone and
afterwards in the presence of an agent such for example as Lime. An especial
application of apparatus constructed or arranged according to my Invention is to the
driving off from ammoniacal gas liquor of ammonia for the purpose of producing
sulphate of ammonia but it is not limited thereto. The objects of my invention are to
provide apparatus which is very compact and occupies comparatively but little room
to afford ready access to the parts and further to provide means for readily removing
obstructions and for effecting a thorough action of the agent (such as lime) which is
used in the process.
The apparatus consists of a first column mounted upon a second column and an
intermediate tank in which the action of the agent (such as lime) is obtained. This
tank is preferably situated at the side of the second column provided with sieves
situated at different elevations the coarsest being undermost. The lower part of this
tank is inclined or funnel shaped and has opening into it two steam injectors by one
of which the lime or other agent is injected and by the other of which the liquor
which passes by a pipe leading from the first column is injected so that the liquor and
the lime or the like are caused to be agitated together and are brought into intimate
contact. The upper part of the said tank leads by a pipe into the upper part of the
second column. The first column has an escape pipe for the steam and vapourous or
gaseous products to the saturator wherein is contained the acid or other matter for
example sulphuric acid where the object is to form sulphate of ammonia in treating
gas liquors The first and second columns are divided into chambers each provided
with central short pipes for the steam to rise through from chamber to chamber and

page_text: with overflow pipes for the liquor to flow through down from chamber to chamber-
The first named pipes for the steam to rise through are covered by hoods for causing
the steam to pass through the liquors and these hoods are all fastened to a vertical
shaft. or rod passing down through both columns and mounted in bearings so that it
with the hoods affixed to it can be lifted or so that the said rod and the said hoods
can be rotated by means of gear wheels or the like and thus any obstruction can be
cleared away or obstruction can be prevented. The tank in which the lime or other
agent acts supports a tubular heater through which the liquor passes on its way to the
first column the said heater being heated by the hot gases from the saturator-The
liquors pass through the heater and thence into the first column meeting the steam
rising therethrough and then pass into the injector therefor into the lower part of the
tank into which lime or other agent is at the same time passed by means of the other
ejector so that the liquors and the lime or the like are brought into intimate contact.
The steam and gases pass by a pipe from the top of the said tank into the second
column at the upper part and thence ascend through the first column on their way to
the outlet from the first column to the saturator. The liquors overflow from the said
tank into the second column into the lower part of which steam is admitted and this
steam with the gases separated in this second column pass up through the first
column also on their way to the outlet therefrom leading to the saturator.
In order to economize heat the several parts of the apparatus or any of them may
be surrounded or covered by a casing with felt or other nonconductor of heat
between its interior and the exterior of the parts which it surrounds. The said
outer casing may be hinged (preferably by a vertical hinge) or arranged so that it
can when necessary be readily opened out completely for access to the parts which it
encloses.
Dated this 6th love of Dasambar 100-
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents for the said Wm. Thos. Walker."

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus to be Used in Chemical Operations where
it is Required to Drive off from Liquids Volatile Constituents
thereof.
1 WILLIAM THOMAS WALKER of Bishopswood Road Highgate in the County of
Middlesex Esquire do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My Invention relates to apparatus wherein volatile products are driven off from
liquors by means of steam coming into contact with the liquors firstly alone and
afterwards in the presence of an agent such for example as line. An especial applica-
tion of apparatus constructed or arranged according to my Invention is to the driving
off from ammoniacal gas liquor of ammonia for the purpose of producing sulphate of
ammonia but it is not limited thereto. The objects of my Invention are to provide
apparatus which is very compact and occupies comparatively but little room to afford
ready access to the parts and further to provide means for readily removing obstruc-
tions and for effecting a thorough action of the agent (such as lime) which is used in
the process.
I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying
drawing representing a vertical section of an apparatus constructed according to my
Invention.
The apparatus consists of a first column A mounted upon and communicating with a
second column B and an intermediate tank C in which the action of the agent (such as
lime) is obtained. This tank Cis preferably situated at the side of the second column and
is provided with sieves c' e² c³ situated at different elevations the coarsest being undermost
and the finest uppermost for the purpose of preventing the frothing up of the liquor. The
lower part of this tank is inclined or funnel shaped and has opening into it, two
steam injectors d and d by one of which (that at d) the lime or other agent from the
mixer Ris injected and by the other of which (that at d) the liquor which passes by a
passage or pipe e leading from the first column A is injected so that the liquor and
the lime or the like are caused to be agitated together and are brought into intimate
contact. The upper part of the said tank (leads by a passage or pipe into the upper
part of the second column B. The first column A has an escape passage or pipe g for
the steam and vapourous or gaseous products to the saturator wherein is contained the
acid or other matter; for example, sulphuric acid where the object is to form sulphate
of ammonia in treating gas liquors. The first and second columns A and B are divided
into chambers by the plates a and beach provided with central short pipes a² and 2 for
the steam to rise through from chamber to chamber and serving also as overflow pipes for
the liquor to flow through down from chamber to chamber. The said short pipes a² 62 are
covered by hoods for causing the steam to pass through the liquors and these hoods
are all fastened to a vertical shaft or rod h² passing down through both columns and
mounted in bearings ³ so that it with the hoods affixed to it can be lifted or lowered
in order to vary the openings which the hoods present for the passage of the steam and
gases or so that the said rod and the said hoods can be rotated by means of gear
wheels as at or the like and thus any obstruction can be cleared away or obstruction
can be prevented. The tank in which the lime or other agent acts supports a tubular
heater through which the liquor passes by the pipe from a reservoir or other source
or supply on its way to the first column A into which it enters by passing through the
tubes of the heater and by the pipe or passage k the said heater I being heated by the

page_text: hot gases from the saturator entering by the pipe or passage and leaving it at l
The liquors thus passed into the first column A meet the steam rising direct through
and then pass by the pipe e and are forced by the injector d² into the lower part of the
tank into which lime or other agent is at the same time forced from the line mixer R
by means of the other ejector d so that the liquors and the lime or the like are brought
into intimate contact. The steam and gases pass by the passage or pipe f from the
top of the said tank C into the upper part of the second column B and thence ascend
through the first column A on their way to the outlet from the first column to the
saturator. The liquors overflow from the said tank and pass by the pipe p into the
second column B into the lower part of which steam is admitted by the pipe q and
this steam with the gases separated in this second column pass up through the first
column also on their way to the outlet therefrom leading to the saturator. The
liquors from which the volatile products have been expelled pass off by the outlet s.
In order to economise heat the columns A and B or either of them may be surrounded
or covered by a casing with felt or other non-conductor of heat between its interior and
the exterior of the parts which it surrounds. The said outer casing may be hinged
(preferably by a vertical hinge) or arranged so that it can when necessary be readily
opened out completely for access to the parts which it encloses.
The hoods are provided with serrated edges or openings near the edges thereof for
the passage of the vapors and gases the hoods of the first column A being preferably
provided with small perforations and the hoods of the second column B with coarse
serrations.
For
I do not limit myself to the precise relative positions of the vessels as shewn.
example the vessel and heater I and the line mixer if desired may be placed on
the top of the columns A and B to economise ground space or the vessel C may be
placed between the columns A and B in which case the vessel C may be without its
coned lower part and communication between the columns A and B be established
by a central pipe passing through the vessel C the pipes or passages being in any case
arranged to fulfil their functions as hereinbefore described.
I am aware that the use of two-column stills in combination with a vessel for lime
for the purpose of distilling ammonia, the lime being agitated by a steam recoil wheel,
is not new and I make no claim for such combination.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is
1. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus for use in
driving off volatile constituents from liquids substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for the purposes named the employment of hoods carried by a
rod or vertical shaft which can be operated substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In combination with apparatus for the purposes named a vessel for lime (or other
agent) provided with injectors for operating substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described.
4. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described and claimed a casing for the
columns A and B or either of them containing a non-conducting material and capable
of being opened out substantially as hereinbefore described.
DL: L
1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.