IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE JUICES OR LIQUIDS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE JUICES OR LIQUIDS." A communication
from abroad by Clare Bernard and Léon Ehrmann, of Paris, in the Republic
of France.
Sealed the 22nd June 1877, and dated the 15th January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th January 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE JUICES OR
LIQUIDS." A communication from abroad by Clare Bernard and Léon Ehrmann, of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention consists in treating saccharine juices or liquids with magnesia or
oxide of magnesium, either in an anhydrous condition (calcined inagnesia) or in the
condition of hydrate of magnesia.
The magnesia may be employed either hot or cold by adding it to the saccharine
juices extracted either from the cane or from beetroot, or from any other saccharine
plant.
The object of this Invention is to obtain the purification of and defecation of
these saccharine juices, whatever may be the mode of defecation adopted or the
ulterior operations employed.
This process is based upon the utilization of the properties possessed by magnesia,
either anhydrous or hydrated, of coagulating the mucilagenous and albuminous
substances which are found in saccharine juices when employed in conjunction with
heat, while the magnesia itself remains insoluble in the said juices. A great advan-
tage results from this property of magnesia, namely, that the juices treated by this
agent may be immediately concentrated without having recourse to any carbonating
process, whatever may be the quantity of magnesia employed. As however the
juices thus treated are found to be slightly alkaline it is of advantage to neutralize
them after a suitable filtration, or after they have been allowed to settle and have
been poured off by means of an acid, such for example as sulphurous acid or phos-
phate acid of lime.

page_text: For cane juices treated by magnesia and filtered it is sufficient in order to
neutralize the alkalinity to employ, say for example, about one part of sulphuric
acid to 4000 parts of the juice.
The employment of magnesia presents the great advantage of not necessitating
any special mode of operating; also, with regard to the quantity employed, it may
be varied for cane juice, say, from about one 1000th to 25,000ths of the juice operated
upon. Care should however be taken, 1st, not to concentrate the alkaline juices,
while they are exposed to the action of the atmosphere, as this will have the effect
of coloring them; 2nd, not to add any acid to the alkaline juices until after the
coagulum held in suspension has been separated by filtration or by being allowed to
settle; otherwise there would be a danger of dissolving a portion of the magnesia,
which it is desirable to avoid.
The employment of magnesia for the treatment of saccharine juices further
presents this advantage, that the filtration of the said juices is effected with great
facility, the scum resulting from this treatment being wholly free from the vicidity
of the scums produced. by lime.
The action of the magnesia may be facilitated by the preliminary employment of
a small proportion of lime for the purpose of neutralizing the natural acidity of the
saccharine juices.
Care should be taken when operating on cane juices not to carry the employment
'of lime so far as to impart an alkaline reaction to the juices, which by preference
should remain neutral.
In order to carry out the Invention under the most favorable conditions the
magnesia may be revivified by calcination, mixing it with the scums resulting from
the working of the juices, as herein-before explained; the same magnesia may thus
be re-utilized for succeeding operations.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
July 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SACCHARINE JUICES OR
LIQUIDS." A communication from abroad by Clare Bernard and Léon Ehrmann, of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
The said Invention consists in treating saccharine juices or liquids with magnesia
or oxide of magnesium, either in an anhydrous condition (calcined magnesia) or in
the condition of hydrate of magnesia.
The magnesia may be employed either hot or cold by adding it to the saccharine
juices which are extracted by any suitable process from the cane, beetroot, or other
saccharine plant.
The said Invention has for its object obtaining the purification and defecation of
such saccharine juices, whatever may be the mode of defecation adapted or the
subsequent operations to which they are subjected, and it is based upon the utiliza-
tion of the properties possessed by magnesia, either anhydrous or hydrated, of
coagulating with the aid of heat the mucilagenous and albuminous substances which
are found in saccharine juices, while the magnesia itself remains insoluble in the
said juices. From this property of magnesia there results a great advantage, namely,
that the juices treated by this agent may be immediately concentrated without
having recourse to any carbonating process, whatever may be the quantity of
magnesia employed. As however the juices thus treated are found to be slightly
alkaline it is of advantage to neutralize them after suitable filtration or decantation
by means of an acid, such for example as sulphurous acid, which is particularly
suitable for the purpose, or acid phosphate of lime may be employed in substitution
therefor for the same purpose.

page_text: For cane juices treated by magnesia and filtered it is sufficient in order to neutralize
the alkalinity to employ, say for example, about one part of sulphuric acid to about
4000 parts of the juice.
The employment of magnesia presents the great advantage of not necessitating
any special mode of operating; the quantity employed may also be varied as required.
When treating cane juice the proportion of magnesia may vary from, say, about one
thousandth to about 25 thousandths of the juice operated upon. Care should however
be taken, 1st, not to concentrate the alkaline juices while they are exposed to the
action of the atmosphere, as this would have the effect of colouring them; 2nd,
not to add any acid to the alkaline juices until after the coagulum held in suspension
has been separated by filtration or by being allowed to settle; otherwise there
would be a danger of dissolving a portion of the magnesia, which it is desirable to
avoid.
The employment of magnesia for the treatment of saccharine juices further
presents this advantage, that the filtration of the said juices is effected with great
facility, the scum resulting from this treatment being wholly free from the vicidity
of the scums produced by lime
The presence in magnesia of a proportion more or less considerable of carbonate of
lime exercises no influence on the results of the operation.
The action of the magnesia may be facilitated by the preliminary employment of
a small proportion of lime for the purpose of neutralizing the natural acidity of the
saccharine juices.
Care should however be taken when operating on cane juices not to carry the
employment of lime so far as to impart an alkaline reaction to the juices, which by
preference should remain neutral.
In order to carry out the Invention under the most favourable conditions the
magnesia contained in the scum or residues may be regained and revivified by
calcining scums resulting from the operations herein-before described; the magnesia
may thus be re-utilized for succeeding operations.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First. The application and use to and in the treatment of saccharine juices or
liquids of anhydrous or hydrated magnesia, substantially as and for the purposes
herein-before described.
Second. Obtaining the magnesia existing in the scums or residues resulting as
herein mentioned, so as to render it capable of being employed for subsequent
operations, in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jolin Henry Johnson, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal this Tenth day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)