Improvements in the Manufacture of Sugar.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Sugar.
I ALBERT VERLEY of 7 Quai de Seine Courbevoie near Paris in the Republic
of France Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to the application of ozone to the juice obtained from
Cane or Beet in the manufacture of sugar, and it has for its object to increase the
yield of sugar as well as to improve its colour.
Many attempts have been made to use Ozone for the purpose of bleaching the
juice from which sugar is obtained. It is well known that ozone possesses the
property of bleaching such juice, but all attempts commercially to use this
principle have failed because the juice in the subsequent processes regains its
colour and the bleaching is not permanent. I have discovered that the action
may be rendered permanent by adding a suitable alkali to the juice so that it
gives a slightly alkaline reaction before the Ozone is applied to it, and by continu-
ing the action of Ozone until such alkaline reaction is almost, or wholly, removed.
It is necessary to take great care that the action of Ozone is not continued beyond
the point of neutrality. The alkali that I prefer to use is ordinary lime.
When this process is used the sugar is rendered more easily crystallisable, the
yield is greater, and the bleacking is permanent.
Toted this 18th day of January 1897.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Sugar.
1, ALBERT VERLEY of 7 Quai de Seine Courbevoie near Paris in the Republic
of France, Electrician, 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 the application of Ozone to the juice obtained from cane
or beet in the manufacture of sugar and it has for its object to increase the yield
of sugar as well as to improve its colour.
Many attempts have been made to use Ozone for the purpose of bleaching the
juice from which sugar is obtained. It is well known that Ozone possesses the
property of bleaching such juice, but all attempts to commercially use this prin-
ciple have failed because the juice in the subsequent processes regains its colour
and the bleaching is not permanent.

page_text: I have discovered that the bleaching effect of the ozone may be rendered per-
manent by adding a suitable alkali (or alkaline earth) to the juice so that it gives
a slightly alkaline reaction before the Ozone is applied to it, and by continuing
the action of Ozone until such alkaline reaction is almost, or wholly, removed. It
is necessary to take great care that the action of Ozone is not continued beyond the
point of neutrality.
By way of Example I will describe a practical application of the Invention, to
the treatment of the juice in the manufacture of beetroot sugar.
To the juice extracted by any usual or suitable method I add lime in the pro-
portion of 4 parts by weight of lime to 96 parts by weight of the juice and then I
treat this with carbonic acid so as to leave an alkalinity corresponding to about
1 gramme, 5 of lime per litre.
The juice is then passed through a filter press in order to separate it from the
carbonate of lime and then is subjected to the action of a current of ozone or
ozonized air and by this the ammoniacal matters are oxidized, the albuminoids are
precipitated, and the colouring matter destroyed.
Afterwards a
current of sulphurous, acid is passed through the mass to
completely neutralize the alkali and then the mass is filtered.
Other alkali or alkaline earth can be employed in place of lime and carbonic
acid or other acid may be used instead of sulphurous acid but I prefer sulphurous
acid because it acts as a reducing agent and destroys certain organic peroxides
which are sometimes formed by the action of the ozone or ozonized air which
would, if not so destroyed, interfere with the success of the process.
The juice is afterwards treated by the usual or any suitable method and the
sugar is crystallised out very readily. The sugar crystals are obtained in larger
quantities and the formation of molasses is greatly reduced whilst the bleaching
effect is permanent.
The process may be simplified especially in the case of treating cane juices by
dispensing with the treatment with carbonic acid to form a carbonate it being
then sufficient to add to the juice a small quantity of alkali or alkaline earth such
as lime, baryta, or strontium treat with ozone or ozonized air and afterwards
neutralize with sulphurous or any other acid.
The same process may be applied to the purification or decolourization of
saccharine juices or syrups generally.
If desired the action of the ozone may be prolonged so as to entirely get rid of
this alkalinity but I prefer to proceed as herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In the manufacture of sugar the purification or decolourization of the
saccharine juices or syrups by first adding thereto an alkali or alkaline earth and
then subjecting them to the action of ozone or ozonized air.
2. In the manufacture of sugar the purification or decolourization of the
saccharine juices or syrups in the manner herein before described under the
example and the modifications thereof hereinbefore stated.
Dated this 14th day of October 1897.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.