SCOURING OP WOOL IN BELGIUM GP3AT BRITAIN AND GERMANY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES 8061 'IZ NW 1W ip?0 'uoppojs jgpuig Yx)f AT SCOURING OF WOOL IN BELGIUM, GERMANY, AND GREAT BRITAIN. BELGIUM. REPORT Of CONSUL ROBERTSON. Wool-washing proper is divided into three processes. First process. The wool is first put into large cone-shaped tubs (small end down) with holes in the bottom. Cold water is then poured on until the tubs are full, and allowed to filter through the wool, which is left in the tubs until the water ceases to run. This water, escaping through the holes in the bottom of the tub, carries with it most of the grease from the wool, and is collected in reservoirs, from which it is taken in reservoir wagons to an establishment, there being but one in Verviers, which collects from all the wool-washers, where it is boiled down to evaporate the water. The solid product thus obtained is in furnaces turned into potash. Illustration No. 1 shows another machine which is by some substituted for the cone-shaped tubs in this first process, and which is arranged to automatically transfer the wool to the next set of tubs for second process. Second process. The wool is next put into a tub or trough, about 5 feet wide, 10 feet long, and perhaps 1.8 inches to 2 feet deep, of hot water (about 100 Fahr.). This bath contains soda and a soap made of oleine. It is here stirred and passed along through a series of two or three of these baths (troughs) by revolving rakes with long curved iron teeth (see Illustration No. 2) into the rinsers. Third process. Consists of a rinsing bath of cold water, the purest obtainable, and is accomplished in the same manner as the second bath, in a tub or trough, stirred and thrown out automatically. (See Illustra- tion No. 3.) In these three processes the wool loses from one-third to three-quar- ters of its weight, according to kind and quality. The rinsing water, which is continually chau'ging, and issues from the tub comparatively clean, is allowed to run directly into the river; but the water from the aecond bath (second process) is taken by a collecting canal to two large reservoirs, in the first of which it remains about twenty- four hours, it is then passed to the second to remain an equal length of time. This is in accordance with police regulations. The sediment remaining in these reservoirs is taken out from time to time, and is used for agricultural purposes, making, it is said, a very rich fertilizer. The stream, the Vesdre, into which all this water eventually finds its way is nevertheless a most filthy one, and no life can exist in it, though its volume is not sufficient to materially contaminate the river Meuse, into which it empties. 3 145803 4 SCOURING OF WOOL. From the rinsing bath the wool is put into copper vessels about 2 feet in diameter, and perhaps the same depth, the sides and bottoms of which are perforated like a sieve. These vessels hold from 30 to 40 pounds of wool. They are made to revolve with great velocity (1,000 turns per minute) and the water is thrown out, escaping through the sides and bottoms, so that the wool when removed is comparatively dry; quite so to the touch. This operation requires from two to three minutes, and the drying is then completed on racks in lofts, which are heated by steam to a tem- perature of about 100 Fahr. The foreign substances contained in the wool, such as burs, &c., are combed out by machinery after the wool has been, when necessary, passed through a series of corrugated rollers to break them (i. e., the burs, &c.) up. The combings are then treated in a bath containing sulphuric acid (the water from which is also run into the settling reser- voirs), rinsed in pure cold water, and then dried in kilns at an average temperature of 245 Fahr. This removes whatever is left of the sulphur, and also burns up any foreign substances still remaining. G. D. ROBERTSON, Consul. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Liege, Belgium, November 28, 1885. GERMANY. REPORT OF CONSUL DITHMAR. \ Eemoval of all foreign substances from the wool usually precedes the scouring. This preliminary cleaning is done by hand-picking, by beat- ing, and by machinery constructed for the purpose. . The factory cleaning, to which all wools are subjected, consists of three distinct operations: (1) Removal of the grease; (2) thorough washing; and (3) drying the wool. The methods by which these objects are ac- complished differ according as the wool. is long or short staple. The long staple spinner in the scouring process seeks to soften the wool and make it pliable. It is placed in water heated to 168 Fahr., and to which 6 pounds of soap is added to every hundredweight of wool, and sometimes also a quantity of soda. Alter the wool has re- mained for some time in this soapy bath it is taken out and passed through rollers, again thoroughly washed in soapsuds, and after being a second time passed through rollers is immersed in clean water heated to 140 Fahr. The wool being thus thoroughly cleansed of all impuri- ties, is passed through rollers a third time, and is now, although not quite dry and still warm, ready for the other processes which precede the spinning. Short staple is soaked in ammonia, usually made of one part decom- posed urine to two parts water, and heated to 140 Fahr. In this bath the wool is placed, loosely packed in wicker or wire baskets, and moved backward and forward for about fifteen minutes, and when it has be- come somewhat dry and cool, after being taken out, is rinsed in clear running water, and is then placed on hurdles to dry. To rid the wool of the harshness caused by the scouring it is greased with olive oil in the proportion of 1 pound of oil to 8 or 10 pounds of SCOURING OF WOOL. 5 wool. In some places goose-grease or fresh unsalted butter is used in- stead of oil. Wool that has been stored five or six months after clipping and is well dried contains less grease and cleans more readily than fresher wool. The loss of wool resulting from the scouring is estimated at 2 to 7 per cent., according to the strength of the lyes and the temperature of the water. The grease resulting from the wool washing is put to various uses, principally for making axle-grease and cheap soaps. From the liquid remaining, potash is sometimes manufactured ; sometimes it serves for irrigation. When the potash has been extracted, the remainder, like the obnoxious fluids from sugar factories, is filtered and allowed to take its course to the nearest stream. The general law against the pollution of streams by factory offal includes wool-washing as well as dyeing and sugar-making. HENRY DITHMAR, Consul. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Breslau, December 8, 1885. GREAT BRITAIN. HE PORT BY CONSUL GEINNELL. Consul William F. Grinnell, of Bradford, transmits to the Department, under date December 4, 1885, the following letters, courteously written in reply to certain inquiries addressed by him to the writers: BRADFORD, November 10, 1885. DKAR SIR : In reply to yonr favor of the 9th instant, we have much pleasure in sup- plying the information you ask for, respecting wool-washing, &c. Before being submitted to any process of manufacture, all wools are washed or scoured in a solution of soft soap and hot water, technically called " suds." When the cleansing qualities of this solution are exhausted, the waste or dirty water is con- veyed into a cistern, and, while still warm, a certain quantity of oil of vitriol (B. O. V.) is introduced, by which the solid matter and grease are precipitated. After standing for a few hours, for the separation to be completed, the clear water is run off into the public sewer. The solid matter, while still in a semi-liquid condition, is then run off into filter- ing frames lined with cocoanut matting, through which the remaining water perco- lates and runs into the public sewer. Thus there is left in the frame the dirt and fatty matter in the form of a thick paste, called " magma." The magma is next put into canvas bags or wrappers, and placed in a steam-heated hydraulic press, where it undergoes a process similar to that of ordinary seed-crush- ing. The fatty matter, both from the wool and soap used in the washing now oozes ou; in the form of a brown liquid, which is run into casks, and, when cold, forms the substance known in the trade as " brown grease." This grease is used for a variety of purposes, such as the lubricating of axles, &c.; but the bulk of it is bleached and made into what are called wax candles, vestas, &c. In this latter proess an oil is ob- tained which is largely used for lubricating shafting and the like. The solid matter remaining in the canvas wrappers in the hydraulic press after the grease has been squeezed out is used by the farmers as manure. Any further information, so far as we may be able, we shall at all times most will- ingly give you, and in the meantime we remain, Yours, very respectfully, THOS. AMBLER & SONS. WILLIAM F. GRINNKLL, Esq., United States Consul, Bradford. 6 SCOURING OF WOOL. Report from Messrs. William Ramsden $ Co., Bradford, to William F. Grinntll, United States Consul. SCOURIKG OF RAW WOOL. From the earliest times stale or putrid urine has beeu employed for scouring wool, but it has now been almost entirely supplanted by soaps, used either alone or mixed with potassium or sodium carbonate. The active ingredient in stale urine is ainmo'- nium carbonate, which is a mild alkali admirably suitable for the washing of wool; but it is too expensive for general use. Potash soap is now almost universally employed in wool-scouring. It has been fully proved that better results are obtained by th employment of soap made with potash than by one made with soda. The most suit- able fatty matters to be combined with the potash are those in which oleic acid pre- dominates. It is most important that the soap employed should be free from caustic alkalies, since these bodies act very injuriously upon woolen fiber. The temperature of the washing liquor should not exceed 100 Fahr. The usual method followed in England is to wash the wool successively in three or four tanks. One lot of wool is allowed to steep in one of the tanks while another lot is passing through the machine. The liquor which is in the first tank has already been fouled to a certain extent in the second and third tanks, and that in the second tank has been previously used in the third. The great bulk of the grease, dirt, &c., is collected in tank No. 1, and at certain intervals, varying according to the nature of th wool which is being cleansed, the liquor is run off into large vessels, where the soapy matters are decomposed and the grease recovered. Tank No. 1 is now filled with the liquor from tank No. 2, and the latter is then iu a similar manner charged with the liquor from tank No. 3. Fresh soap solution i& placed in the last tank only. If the wool is very greasy it is usual to add an alkaline carbonate, preferably potas- sium carbonate (pearlashes), to the liquor in the first tank, but the other tanks (es- pecially the last bath) should contain only a solution of neutral potash soap. The wool is worked up with iron forks; and is gradually carried forward by means of an endless band ; after leaving each tank it passes through a pair of rollers, which squeeze out the excess of soapy liquor. The wool is finally thrown off by a fan in a loose, open condition. In France the wool, before scouring, is systematically treated with tepid water, in order to remove a peculiar fatty body termed " suint," from which a very pure potas- sium carbonate is obtained. When the liquor baa become of a certain degree of strength it is evaporated to dryness and the residue ignited. The organic fatty mat- ter burns away and potassium carbonate remains in the form of a dirty gray mass. Potassium carbonate is very soluble in water, and may easily be separated from cer- tain impurities associated with it in the ignited residue. Carbon disulphide has been used for the cleansing of wool, but although even on a large scale a certain degree of success has been attained, the method does not appear to have been adopted to any great extent. It is said that wool cleansed in this way is stronger, and that it will spin to finer counts of yarn than the same quality of wool which has been scoured and washed in the ordinary way. RECOVERY OF THE GREASE. The waste liquors from the scouring tanks contain in solution the soap and alkalies- which have been employed together with the "sniut" and oily matters derived from the wool. By the addition of an acid to soap the latter is decomposed with the form- ation of a free fatty acid and an alkaline salt. Thus when sulphuric acid (oil of vit- riol) is added to a solution of ordinary soft soap, oleic acid rises to the surface and potassium sulphate remains iu solution. The wash soap liquors are run into large tanks or pits, and a slight excess of sul- phuric (common chamber acid) is added. The liquid has a broken, curdy appearance, and after thorough agitation it is allowed to stand until the crude fatty matters have risen to the surface. The under liquor, containing in solution sulphates of the alka- lies (together with any glycerine present in the soap used), is allowed to run away. The "magma," or fatty matter, is collected, and drained in filters made of coarse cocoanut matting. The separation of the fatty matters is accelerated by heating the mixture of soap liquor and sulphuric acid in large wooden cisterns by means of steam. The "magma," containing grease, but associated with much refuse, is placed in bags and introduced into a steam press. Steam is admitted and a gradually increasing pressure applied. The fat melts and runs out along with water into a tank, from which it is afterwards pumped into a purifying vessel. The fat or grease is boiled for some time in this vessel with a small quantity of diluted sulphuric acid, which. SCOURING OF WOOL. 7 destroys certain impurities. After running off the aqueous acid solution the grease is transferred into casks. On cooling it solidifies into a soft yellowish-brown mass, possessing a somewhat disagreeable odor. The recovered grease is largely used for smearing the coats of sheep before the win- ter. It is used for lubricating railway axles and heavy parts of machinery. It is also used to some extent, mixed with other fatty matters, in the manufacture of inferior qualities of soap. It is, however, ill adapted for this purpose, since it contains sub- stances which are not saponified by caustic alkalies. The soap also possesses the dis- agreeable odor peculiar to recovered grease. There are no special regulations in this country governing the removal or the dis- posal of the waste liquors from wool scouring, but any nuisance arising therefrom would be treated under the ordinary rivers-pollution act, 1876 (39 and 40 Vic.,c. 75). REPORT OF CONSUL UNDERWOOD. In scouring wool the patent alkali of Messrs. Brunner, Moud & Co., of Northwick, Cheshire, is universally employed.* In the woolen mills and dye-houses wooden tanks are set, into which the scourings are run. By adding sulphuric acid the grease is raised to the surface, after which it is skimmed off with ladles and put into drainers or filter-beds, in order to free it as far as possible from water. The substance that remains alter the water is drained off is called "magma." The process thus far is performed at the mill or dye-house, and the magma is put into casks and removed to the oil works for treatment. As to quantity, it may be observed that a tank of tLe soap water or scourings containing 300 or 500 gallons will yield from 25 to 100 pounds of magma. At the oil works the magma is boiled and treated again with sulphu- ric acid, after which it is put in bags and submitted to hydraulic pres- sure, when it comes out as a black oil. This black oil is purified as carefully as possible, so that no water or impurities may remain, and is distilled by superheated steam. After coming from the retorts and in a hot state it is put in refrigerators and then in tubs. It is now known as " fatty acid." The distillation is then repeated. There remains in the stills a black substance which has to be blown out by steam, and which is called "pitch," or "hot neck grease," and is used as a lubricator for journals in rolling mills. The fatty acid is allowed to remain in the tubs until it hardens into a solid, when it is broken, placed in bags, and again submitted to pres- sure. The fluid oil is then considered finished, and is called " cloth oil," or "wool oil," used by wool-spinners. The residue in the bags is also a finished article, called " stearinej" and is used for making candles, tapers, and matches. It is said that unless the wool contains a great deal of grease the process above described scarcely pays expenses. * Analysis of Bruuner, Moud & Co.'s pure alkali : Carbonate of soda 98. 90 Chloride of sodium 50 Sulphate of soda 18 Carbonate of lime 23 Carbonate of magnesia 14 Alumina 01 Peroxide of iron 003 Silica 01 Carbon 001 99. 974 8 SCOURING OF WOOL. POLLUTION OF STREAMS. The regulations to prevent the pollution of rivers are contained in the act of 39 and 40 Viet., ch. 75, passed August 15, 1876, of which the title is " The rivers pollution prevention act." This act prohibits putting solid matters into streams and the drainage of sewers into streams, also drainage from manufactories and mines. It recognizes the authority of local government boards, and prescribes the maunerof making complaints and of hearing both parties interested. Offenses may be restrained by summary order of county courts. An appeal lies to the high court of justice. The opinion of the court is based upon the certificate granted by an inspector of proper qualifica- tions, appointed for the purpose of the act by the local government board. The certificate states that the means used for rendering harm- less any sewage matter, or any poisonous or polluting solid or liquid matters, are the best or only practicable means available in the par- ticular case. FEANCIS H. UNDERWOOD, Consul. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Glasgow, December 7, 1885. The following extracts are taken from a report of Dr. Alexander Crum Brown, professor of chemistry in the University of Edinburgh, made in a case arising under the rivers-pollution act: The waste produced in the mills, &c., which by its escape into the Gala may cause pollution of that stream and of the river Tweed, may be conveniently classified thus: (A) solid refuse; (1) the so-called "willie dust," which consists of dry dust sepa- rated from the wool in the first process of cleaning ; (2) the chips or powder of dye- woods from which the dye has been extracted by boiling in bags. (B) liquid refuse; (1) soapy liquids from the scouring of wool, yarn, or cloth; (2) spent dye-liquor, con- taining in suspension powder of dye-woods, when the dye-wood has not been inclosed in bags, and in solution unexhausted dye. * * * The solid refuse (A) is not now allowed to enter the Gala. In most of the works it is mixed with ashes and with soil from the privies, and disposed of as manure, or otherwise removed. The liquid refuse (B) is, at most of the mills, subjected to a certain amount of puri- fication before being discharged. We shall describe these processes of purification as they are carried out at those mills where the arrangements are most suitable for the purpose. * * * Soapy liquids. These may be conveniently divided into (a) liquid resulting from scouring yarn and cloth with soap and soda. As the yarn and cloth are compara- tively clean to begin with, this liquid is essentially a solution of soap. (6) Liquidre- aulting from scouring wool with soap and soda. As the wool is by no means clean to begin with, this liquid contains, besides a solution of soap, impurities, soluble and insoluble, derived from the wool. In some of the works the wool is scoured with the soapy liquid a derived from the yarn and cloth scouring, and thus the total quan- tity of soapy liquid is diminished. The soapy liquid a is subjected at once, and the liquid b after allowing the suspended impurities to settle, to a process called the "magma" process. This consists in treating it with sulphuric acid, which decom- poses the soap, forming sulphate of soda, and setting free the fatty acids. These being insoluble in water, form a scum on the surface of the liquid and can thus be sepa- rated. This scum or magma is collected and sold. This process is a profitable one in the case of the purer soapy liquid a. In the case of the liquid from the wool scouring the magma is of less value, and its separation from the watery liquid is less perfect. The watery liquid from which the magma has been removed is in no case perfectly clear, and is slightly acid from excess of sulphuric acid. This process eftects a very decided improvement, but leaves the liquid stfll impure and unfit to be run into the river. * * * Successive addition of alumina (or of red oxide of iron) and iron removes, as in- soluble lime and alumina compounds, by far the greater part of the impurities dis- solved in the effluent from the magma process. I s I 2 ~ 145803 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below Form L-9-35m-8,'2* ;iTYoi CALIFORNIA AT TS 1630 U.S. Bureau U58s of foreign TS 636 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILIT A 000 503 276