Solutions Containing Sulphurous Acid or its Salts.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Mar., 1889
Solutions Containing Sulphurous Acid or its Salts.
We, ISAAC SHIMWELL MCDOUGALL and JAMES THOMAS MCDOUGALL both of Irk
Vale Chadderton near Manchester in the County of Lancaster Manufacturing Chemists
do hereby declare the nature of our Invention to be as follows:-
Hitherto in certain processes Sulphurous Acid Gas has been passed through
Solutions or liquid contained in vessels considerable pressure being required to so pass
the said gas through the depth or head of solutions or liquid.
This invention has for its object to effect the said operation in such a manner as
to lessen the amount of pressure hitherto required for the said purpose-This is
accomplished according to the present invention by conveying the Sulphurous Acid
gas (which may have been obtained by burning sulphur or materials containing it)
through a closed & preferably oblong vessel or passage which should be of considerable
length or through a series of passages which may be fixed preferably in a horizontal
or inclined position supported in such a manner that it or they can be rotated or moved
in an equivalent manner.
The inner surface of the vessel should be of lead or other material capable of
resisting acid. Fixed or attached to or in the interior of the vessel are projections
ridges or the like which may be curved or straight and are preferably longitudinal
and may be intercepted at intervals by transverse partitions with apertures to allow
the passage of the gas and liquid through the vessel-The said ridges or the like as
they move carry with them liquid and shower it upon the gas, whilst the transverse
partitions prevent the immediate flow of the liquid to the lower end, if the vessel be
not horizontal.
The parts inside the vessel are made of a material capable of resisting acid.
At one end of the vessel is an aperture-fitted with glands and stuffing box or the
like which may contain packing-In this aperture is fitted a pipe or pipes for the inlet
of the gas and exit of the liquid and at the other end of the vessel an aperture may
be provided with a pipe or pipes for the exit of any excess and waste gases and

page_text: the inlet of the liquid, thus obtaining a flow of the liquid in a direction opposite to
that of the gas-If one such vessel be not sufficient for the complete absorption of the
Sulphurous Acid gas, a series of such vessels may be connected and worked in
conjunction to more completely saturate the liquid and absorb the gas.
The liquid may be contained in a store vessel connected to inflow and outflow pipes
provided with taps to regulate the flow of the liquid.
By the aforesaid means a continuous current of Sulphurous Acid gas is caused to
meet a continuous flow and shower of liquid-the result being to obtain a saturated
solution or liquid that can be regulated as required, whilst only a slight pressure
draught or suction is needed to cause the gas or gases to pass through the vessel or
series of vessels.
When certain alkaline solutions are employed an agitator or shaft having arms may
be used, the said shaft or agitator when operated assisting in agitating the contents of
the vessel.
When desired, the vessel may remain stationary and the shaft or agitator alone be
used to agitate the solution or liquid within the vessel or series of vessels.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents for the said Isaac Shimwell McDougall
and James Thomas McDougall.

page_text: Solutions Containing Sulphurous Acid or its Salts.
We ISAAC SHIMWELL MCDOUGALL and JAMES THOMAS MCDOUGALL both of Irk
Vale Chadderton near Manchester in the County of Lancaster Manufacturing Chemists
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:-
Hitherto in certain processes sulphurous acid gas has been passed through solutions
or liquid contained in vessels considerable pressure being required to so pass the said
gas through the depth or head of solutions or liquid.
This Invention has for its object to effect the said operation in such a manner as to
lessen the amount of pressure hitherto required for the said purpose. This is accom-
plished according to the present invention by conveying the sulphurous acid gas
(which may have been obtained by burning sulphur or materials containing it) through
a closed and preferably oblong vessel or passage which should be of considerable length
or through a series of vessels or passages which are fixed preferably in a horizontal
but may be in an inclined position supported in such a manner that it or they or some
of them can be rotated or moved in an equivalent manner.
The inner surface of the vessels should be of lead or other material capable of
resisting acid. The accompanying drawing shows in Figure 1 in longitudinal elevation
partly in section and in Figure 2 in plan an apparatus arranged according to this
invention. As here shown there are three rotary vessels A driven by worms b¹ and
worm wheels 62, and one stationary vessel A'. B is the retort in which the sulphur is
burnt and C are the cooling pipes through which it passes on its way to the said
vessels. Fixed or attached to or in the interior of the vessels A are projections, ridges
or the like which may be curved or straight and are preferably longitudinal as at a and
may be intercepted at intervals by transverse partitions a' with central apertures at a³
to allow the passage of the gas and liquid through the vessel. The said ridges or the
like as they move carry with them liquid and shower it upon the gas, whilst the
transverse partitions prevent the immediate flow of the liquid to the lower end if
the vessel be not horizontal. The level of the liquid is such as to leave a passage for
gas above the liquid. D are the pipes by which the liquid and gases pass into and
from the vessels and from vessel to vessel.
The parts inside the vessel are made of a material capable of resisting acid.
At one end of each vessel is an aperture 6 fitted with glands and stuffing box or the
like which may contain packing. In this aperture is fitted the pipe or pipes for the
inlet of the gas and exit of the liquid and at the other end of each vessel an aperture c
provided with a pipe or pipes for the exit of the gases and the inlet of the liquid. By
this means we obtain a flow of the liquid in a direction opposite to that of the flow
of the gas. We may use one or more such vessels if one be not sufficient for
the complete absorption of the sulphurous acid gas.

page_text: If preferred the sulphur may be burnt in an open vessel and also if preferable
the course of the gases may be arranged so as not to dip beneath the surface of the
fluid in the tank at the exit end of the apparatus so as to entirely obviate any pressure
in the apparatus.
The liquid may be contained in a store vessel D connected to inflow and outflow
pipes provided with taps to regulate the flow of the liquid. A ball tap is shown
for the purpose in the drawings situated in the stationary vessel A which has
partitions one d to cause a dip of the gas into the liquid and one e to prevent
escape of gas the waste gas passing out by the pipe f. The course of the gas is
shown by the dotted arrows and of the liquid by the full arrows which serve to
indicate also the pipes and passages for each.
By the aforesaid means a continuous current of sulphurous acid gas is caused to
meet a continuous flow and shower of liquid the result being to obtain a saturated
solution or liquid that can be regulated as required whilst only a slight pressure
draught or suction (caused for instance by an exhauster in connection with the
pipe f) is needed to cause the gas or gases to pass through the vessel or series of
vessels.
Cis a pipe leading from the last vessel A of the series through which pipe the
liquid flows into a tank C the open end of the pipe dipping below the surface of
the liquid in the tank so as to form a seal to prevent the escape of gas.
When certain alkaline solutions are employed an agitator or shaft having arms
may be used in either or both of the vessels A' and D the said shafts or agitators
when operated assisting in agitating the contents of the said vessels or either of
them. The drawing shows them in both of the vessels.
When desired all the vessels may remain stationary and shafts or agitators
alone be used to agitate the solution or liquid within the vessel or series of vessels.
Having now, particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In apparatus for obtaining solutions containing sulphurous acids or its salts
the arrangement of vessel or vessels-and passages for gas and liquid so arranged
that they pass in relatively reverse directions the liquid being agitated or showered
and so submitted to the gas substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th dox of Tahun 1000