IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHURIC ACID
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM SPENCE of 8 Quality Court, Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHURIC ACID
(a communication to me from abroad by Jean Jacques Thyss of Bakou Caucasus
in the Empire of Russia, Manufacturing Chemist) to be as follows:-
The apparatus under this invention is intended to increase the production of
sulphuric acid in chambers of lead of any kind and consists in the adaptation
and application to such chambers of one or more column or columns of lead of the
kind described combined with the other parts of apparatus hereinafter described.
The invention is hereinafter .described only by way of illustration as adapted
and applied to apparatus of given dimensions suitable for a given amount of
production but the invention is not limited to such dimensions or amount of
production.
In the base of the column of lead are fitted fifteen posts of wood lined or covered
with lead. These posts are firmly fixed at the bottom so as to secure them from
moving. A frame of lead 22 millimètres in thickness and 45 millimètres in height
is placed in position. On this frame is placed a sheet of lead of the width and
length of the frame. This sheet is 2 millimètres in thickness and perforated with
1750 holes 1 centimètre in diameter with 1 centimètre of metal between each hole.
The second frame is made to rest on the first by placing three rows of small
supports of wood lined or covered with lead at equal distances apart between or
amongst the plates in order to sustain the weight of the sheet of perforated lead.
This successive overlaying is continued until there are 24 frames and 2+ sheets of
lead. The sulphurous acid and hypoazotic gases and steam pass through the holes
of the plates and impinge on the parts not perforated whereby they are forced to
Beck other outlets and it is by this multiplied contact that the oxidation is effected
and that the sulphurous acid is converted into sulphuric acid by introducing, it is
to be observed, a jet of steam into each column.

page_text: The gases with the steam pass from top to bottom through the perforated plates
drawing the small drops of sulphuric acid which are collected at the bottom of the
column.
The column is put in communication with the last compartment of the chamber
by means of a leaden pipe of 50 centimètres square in section into which is intro-
duced a jet of steam in order to quicken the formation of the sulphuric acid and
protect the lead from azotic acid. The gases and steam enter by an opening at the
bottom part of the column (without frames) and pass into a second column furnished
with 24 frames and perforated plates. In this column the uncondensed gases meet
a jet of steam. The distribution is thus continued onwards to the last column.
The uncondensable gases are conducted in a leaden pipo of 35 centimètres in
diameter in which a strong draught is produced by a jet of steam in order to draw
the gases into the air and produce the required draught in the sulphur furnace.
Each column furnishes in 24 hours 736 kilogrammes of sulphuric acid reckoned at
66 Beaumé (specific gravity 1-842).
The number of columns can be increased at will, according to the scale of
operations in the manufacture of sulphuric acid.

page_text: "
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM SPENCE of 8 Quality Court Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHURIC ACID
(a communication to me from abroad by Jean Jacques Thyas of Bakou Caucasus
in the Empire of Russia Manufacturing Chemist) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
The apparatus undor this Invention is intended to increase the production of
sulphuric acid in chambers of lead of any kind, and consists in the adaptation and
application to such chambers of one or more column or columns of lead of the kind
described combined with the other parts of apparatus hereinafter described.
"
The invention is hereinafter described, only by way of illustration, as adapted
and applied to apparatus of given dimensions suitable for a given amount of
production, but the Invention is not limited to such dimensions or amount of
production.
In the base of the column of lead are fitted fifteen posts of wood lined or covered
with load. The posts are firmly fixed at the bottom so as to secure them from
moving. A frame of lead 22 millimètres in thickness and 45 millimètres in height
is placed in position. On this frame is placed a sheet of lead of the width and length
of the frame. This sheet is 2 millimètres in thickness and perforated with 1750 holes
1 centimètre in diameter with 1 centimetre of metal between each hole. The second
frame is made to rest on the first by placing three rows of small supports of wood
lined or covered with lead at equal distances apart between or amongst the plates in
order to sustain the weight of the sheet of perforated lead. This successive over-
laying is continued until there are 24 frames and 24 sheets of lead. The sulphurous
acid and hypoazotic gases and steam pass through the holes of the plate and impinge
on the parts not perforated, whereby they are forced to seek other outlets; and it is
by this multiplied contact that the oxidation is effected and that the sulphurous
acid is converted into sulphuric acid by introducing, it is to be observed, a jet of
steam into each column.
The gases with the steam pass from top to bottom through the perforated plates,
drawing the small drops of sulphuric acid which are collected at the bottom of the
column.
The column is put in communication with the last compartment of the chamber
by means of a leaden pipe of 50 centimètres square in section into which is intro-
duced a jet of steam in order to quicken the formation of the sulphuric acid and
protect the lead from azotic acid. The gases and steam enter by an opening at the
bottom part of the column (without frames) and pass into a second column furnished
with 24 frames and perforated plates. In this column the uncondensed gases
become intimately mixed with a jet of steam. The distribution is thus continued
onwards to the last column.
The uncondensable gases are conducted in a leaden pipe of 35 centimètres in
diameter in which a strong draught is produced by a jet of steam in order to draw

page_text: the gases into the air and produce the required draught in the sulphur furnace.
Each column furnishes in 24 hours 736 kilogrammes of sulphuric acid, reckoning
at 66° Beaumé (specific gravity) 1-842.
The number of columns can be increased at will according to the scale of
operations in the manufacture of sulphuric acid.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig: 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus and Fig: 2 is a plan or horizontal
view of the same.
A is a leaden pipe or channel which conducts from the drum of lead the
sulphurous gases hypoazotic gas and other vapours into the column, B is the
steam pipe furnished with cocks, C is the column of lead, and D the wooden
supports lined with lead, the leaden frames, and sheets of lead pierced with holes,
E represents 24 leaden frames with 24 sheets of lead perforated placed one over
the other. e. e. c are the wooden supports lined with lead which support the
sheets of perforated lead, F is the opening through which pass the sulphurous
gases and hypoazotic gas into the empty column or space, and G is the opening
through which pass the uncondensed gases into a column in which are arranged
the same number of frames as in the first column, and so on in succession even
to the leaden pipe H which conducts the uncondensable gases out of the building.
In this pipe there is a steam pipe for regulating the draught of the furnace for
generating sulphuric acid as well as the renewing of atmospheric air to the chambers
and columns.
The gases and vapours are conducted from the top to the bottom through the
perforated plates of the columns in order to facilitate the escape of the sulphuric
acid that is formed.
The apparatus as represented in the drawings and described above will serve to
illustrate the said Invention by reference to a specific example.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. (communicated to
me from abroad as aforesaid) I declare that what I claim is
In chambers of lead intended for the manufacture of sulphuric acid, the adapta-
tion to the said Chambers of one or more column or columns of lead C in which are
laid frames of lead E one over another with their sheets of lead pierced with holos,
in combination with the conducting pipe for the gases and vapours coming from
the last drum of the chamber and with the mode of internal circulation indicated
by the arrows, all substantially as represented and described.