IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING THE WASTE WATERS OF WOOL-WASHING ESTABLISHMENTS AND OTHER WORKS, IN RECOVERING OR OBTAINING FATTY RESIDUES THEREFROM, AND IN UTILIZING THE LATTER
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn, of 169, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING THE WASTE WATERS OF WOOL-WASHING
ESTABLISHMENTS AND OTHER WORKS, IN RECOVERING OR OBTAINING FATTY
RESIDUES THEREFROM, AND IN UTILIZING THE LATTER." A communication
from abroad by Mrs. Elise Neumann, of Rosswein, Kingdom of Saxony,
German Einnire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mewburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th January 1880.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING THE WASTE
WATERS OF WOOL WASHING ESTABLISHMENTS AND OTHER WORKS, IN RECOVERING
OR OBTAINING FATTY RESIDUES THEREFROM, AND IN UTILIZING THE LATTER'
[A communication from abroad by Mrs. Elise Neumann, of Rosswein, Kingdom of
Saxony, German Empire.]
دو
These improvements relate, firstly, to the purification of the waste waters of wool
washing establishments, fulling mills, and other works; and, secondly, to the
utilization of fatty residues obtained or recovered from the waste waters.
In order to purify the waste water of wool washing establishments and fulling
mills I proceed in the following manner :-
The waste water running from the above named works is received in basins or
tanks of proper size, and an adequate quantity of lime water is added to it.
The lime together with the fatty matters in the water will form an insoluble
lime soap, and mechanically takes the greater part of the impure matters and
deposits the same, but without effecting in this short period a perfect purification
and clarification of the water.
This is effected by adding a proper quantity of sulphate of iron or sulphate of
magnesia, or similar chemical materials, which will form an insoluble soap with the
fatty matters in the water, and which at the same time will act as a defecating
means. The fatty and impure parts will at once separate in small flocks, so that
the water is immediately purified. The chemical reaction in this case consists
mainly in the formation of lime-magnesia or iron-soap and sulphate of lime, which
salts are all insoluble in water, and which will envelop all the impure parts in the
water and take them to the bottom on account of their weight.
Water which will deliver about 4 per cent. of (dry) cake will require about one
half per cent. of quick lime and about one per cent. of sulphate of magnesia. The

page_text: addition must be varied according to the proportion of fatty matters contained in
the water.
When I have to deal with a very large volume of water I may for the sake of
economy arrange the basins or tanks in such a way that the greater part of the
water purified may be drawn off by suitably arranged outlets, while the precipitate
forming a thin paste may be pumped through filter presses in order to separate the
residue in the form of cakes from the water purified which flows off.
By using basins or tanks alternately the largest volumes of water may in this
manner be dealt with, so as to keep pace with the production of impure water
flowing from the mill.
In the same manner I may accomplish the treatment of waste water from dyeing
works, breweries, distilleries, sugar mills, or refineries, or other works.
If the water contains considerable quantities of glue or other azotic bodies, the
water after the above purification may be mixed with a weak solution of tannic
acid. After mixing the water with this solution the small precipitate formed may
be retained by filtering through gravel, slack, coal, or any other known manner, so
that the water will run off into the river in a highly clarified state.
I will now describe how I utilize the solid residues obtained or recovered, and,
firstly, the solid residues of wool washing establishments.
The fatty mud obtained in the form of cakes from the wash lye after the
separation of the water is subjected to dry distillation, by which process ammonia
water and a dark fat of the consistency of butter will be distilled off, whereas
gypsum, magnesia, and other non-organic and non-combustible matters will remain
in the distillation vessel, which matters may be made use of as an inodorous
manure.
The ammonia water may be treated in a well known manner for the production
of salts of ammonia or spirits of ammonia.
The dark fat of the consistency of butter may again be rectified by a second
process of distillation, in which process a very liquid oil of bright color is obtained
in the first place. This oil after being purified from the acids in solution and from
resinous matters may be used as a lubricating oil for small machinery.
In the continued distilling process a further product is obtained which at a low
temperature forma a crystalline paste, which filtered in slightly burnt clay cells
will separate into a wax like body and into a heavy or semifluid oil of an orange
color.
The waxlike body of white color, which may be appropriately called "wool
wax," may after being purified in the manner followed in the manufacture of
paraffine be employed for the manufacture of candles. The orange colored oil may
after the acids and resinous matters have been separated from it be employed for
lubricating heavy machinery.
In order to accelerate the separation of the wool wax crystals from the semifluid
oil the clay cells, which for safety I surround with a suitable iron shell of sugar
loaf form, may be inserted into an air tight box, from which the air is drawn off by
an air pump or by an exhauster.
For the utilization of the solid residues of fulling mills the fatty mud obtained
in the form of cakes is mixed with the alkalies or carbonate of alkalies, the quantity
of which is proportioned to the quantity of lime used in the process of purification
of the water.
This mixture I boil by means of superheated steam until the formation of soap
glue, and it is then treated with chloride of sodium or chloride of potash.
After a rest of several hours the mud has settled at the bottom, and the soap will
separate as a solid mass on the water.
By means of a valve I draw off the dirty sediment, and I then complete the
boiling of the soap with superheated steam or with direct fire, and if necessary
with a further addition of alkalies.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
July 1880.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING THE WASTE
WATERS OF WOOL WASHING ESTABLISHMENTS AND OTHER WORKS, IN RECOVERING
OR OBTAINING FATTY RESIDUES THEREFROM, AND IN UTILIZING THE LATTER.'
(A communication from abroad by Mrs. Elise Neumann, of Rosswein, Kingdom of
Saxony, German Empire.)
"
These improvements relate, firstly, to the purification of the waste waters of wool
washing establishments, fulling mills, and other works, and, secondly, to the
utilization of fatty residues obtained or recovered from the waste waters.
In order to purify the waste water of wool wasbing establishments and fulling
mills I proceed in the following manner:-'
-The waste water from the above named
works is received in basins or tanks of proper size, and an adequate quantity of
lime water is added to it.
The line together with the fatty matters in the water forms an insoluble lime
soap, and mechanically takes the greater part of the impure matters and deposits
the same, but without effecting in this short period a perfect purification and
clarification of the water.
This is effected by then adding a proper quantity of sulphate of iron, or sulphate
of magnesia, or similar chemical materials, which will form an insoluble soap with
the fatty matters in the water, and which at the same time will act as a defecating
means. The fatty and impure parts will at once separate in small flocks so that
the water is immediately purified. The chemical reaction in this case consists
mainly in the formation of lime-magnesia or iron soap and sulphate of lime, which
salts are all insoluble in water, and which will envelop all the impure parts in the
water and take them to the bottom on account of their weight.
Water which will deliver about 4 per cent. of (dry) cake will require about
one half per cent. of quick or caustic lime and about one per cent. of sulphate of
magnesia. The amount must be varied according to the proportion of fatty
matters contained in the water.
When I have to deal with a very large volume of water I may for the sake of
economy arrange the basins or tanks in such a way that the greater part of the
water purified may be drawn off by suitably arranged outlets, while the precipitate,
forming a thin paste, may be pumped through filter presses in order to separate the
residue in the form of cakes from the water purified, which flows off.
By using basins or tanks alternately the largest volumes of water may in this
manner be dealt with, so as to keep pace with the flow of impure water from the
mill.
In the same manner I may accomplish the treatment of waste water from dyeing
works, breweries, distilleries, sugar mills, or refineries, or other works.
If the water contains considerable quantities of glue or other azotic bodies the
water, after the above purification, may be mixed with a weak solution of tannic
acid. After mixing the water with this solution the small precipitate formed may
be retained by filtering through gravel, slack, coal, or any other known manner, so
that the water will run off into the river in a highly clarified state.
I will now describe how I utilize the solid residues obtained or recovered, and,
firstly, the solid residues of wool washing establishments.
The fatty mud obtained in the form of cakes from the wash lye after the
separation of the water is subjected to dry distillation, by which process ammonia
water and a dark fat of the consistency of butter will be distilled off, whereas
gypsum, magnesia, and other non-organic and non-combustible matters will remain
in the distillation vessel, which matters may be utilized as an inodorous manure.

page_text: The ammonia may be treated in a well known manner for the production of salts
of ammonia or spirits of ammonia.
The dark fat of the consistency of butter may again be rectified by a second
process of distillation, in which process a very liquid oil of bright color is obtained
in the first place. This oil, after being purified from the acids in solution and from
resinous matters, may be used as a lubricating oil for small machinery.
In the continued distilling process a further product is obtained which, at a low
temperature, forms a crystalline paste, which filtered in slightly burnt clay cells
will separate into a wax like body and into a heavy or semi-fluid oil of an orange
color.
The wax like body of white color, which may be appropriately called "wool
wax," may after being purified in the manner followed in the manufacture of
paraffine be employed for the manufacture of candles. The orange colored oil,
which may be called "wool oil," may, after the acids and resinous matters have
been separated from it, be employed for lubricating heavy machinery.
In order to accelerate the separation of the wool wax crystals from the semi-fluid
oil the clay cells, which for safety I surround with a suitable iron shell of sugar
loaf form, may be inserted into an air tight box, from which the air is drawn off by
an air pump or by an exhauster.
For the utilization of the solid residues of fulling mills the fatty mud obtained
in the form of cakes is mixed with alkalies or carbonate of alkalies, the quantity of
which is proportioned to the quantity of lime used in the process of purification of
the water.
This mixture I boil by means of superheated steam until the formation of a soap
glue, and it is then treated with chloride of sodium or chloride of potash.
After a rest of several hours the mud will have settled at the bottom, and the
soap will separate as a solid mass on the water.
By means of a valve I draw off the dirty sediment, and I then complete the
boiling of the soap with superheated steam or with direct fire, and if necessary
with a further addition of alkalies.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The purification, substantially as herein before described, of fresh waste
waters of wool washing establishments and other works by the addition thereto in
immediate succession of caustic lime and sulphate of magnesia, sulphate of iron, or
similar salts, which will form with the fatty matters in water an insoluble soap.
Second. The manufacture of fluid oily matters and of a solid wax-like body,
substantially as herein before described, by the distillation of the fatty mud obtained
from the wash lyes of wool washing establishments in the form of cakes, as
herein before explained.
Third. The manufacture or obtaining of soluble potash or soda soaps, substantially
as herein before described, direct from the lime-magnesia or iron-soaps which are
contained in the fatty mud obtained from the waste water of fulling mills, as
hereinbefore explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Clayton Mewburn, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and eighte
J. C. MEWBURN. (L.S.)