ELECTROLYSIS AND REFINING OF SUGAR.
Mr. G. Fahrig, of Eccles, Lancashire, has invented a new process of refining sugar through electrolysis. The brown sugar is decolorized by means of ozone produced by electric currents of high tension from a dynamo. The electrodes consist of metal grills covered with platinum or some other inoxidizable metal, and are placed in a vat with the intervention of perforated earthenware plates. After being ground and dried in hot air, the crude sugar is placed between the plate and the grills, and the discharges passing between the electrodes produce ozone, which separates the sugar from the coloring matter. To purify the sugar still further, Mr. Fahrig dries it and places it in another vat, with carbon or platinum conducting plates separated by a porous partition. The sugar is placed on one side of this partition, and water circulates on the other side.
The current from a dynamo of feeble tension is sent through the vat between the plates. The water carries along the impurities separated by the current, and the sugar is further whitened and refined.
The accompanying figure shows a series of four vats arranged one above another, in order to permit the water to circulate. Here i and h represent the plates connected with the poles of the dynamo through the conductors, f and g; m represents the porous partition; L, the spaces filled with sugar; and l, the compartments in which the water circulates.—La Lumiere Electrique.
[THE ELECTRICIAN.]
A CURRENT METER.
We give a description of a meter we made in June, 1883. You will find a cross section of the meter and also a printed dial we had made at the time. We called it an ampere register, but no doubt we would give it a better name to-day. The meter consisted of a glass tube, c, both ends of which were fitted into two bent pieces of piping, D and F, as shown. Through these bent tubes, D and F, passed the wires, a and b, which were connected to the binding posts, A and B. The part of the wire where it passed into the tubes was well insulated. At the ends, a' and b', was connected the coil, R, which consisted simply of a few turns of copper wire whose diameter was less than the leading wires, a and b. To the tube, D, was attached a square tube, E, which had a little opening at the top so as to permit a small undershot wheel, I, to revolve freely. This undershot wheel was well pivoted and constructed very light. To the axis of this wheel was connected another system of wheels with indicators, as shown, J. Now the tubes, E and F, were connected to a reservoir, G. This reservoir consisted of a square tank, in the inside of which were soldered in an alternating manner square sheets of copper as shown in the drawing, g g' g'' g''' ... These sheets acted as diffusers. These plates or sheets presented a very large surface. On the outside of the tank, G, were also diffusers, h h' ... arranged all round and presenting an appearance as if two books were open so as to form a square with their covers, the leaves being the diffusers. The diffusers on the outside were at right angles to those inside.