Edward Charles Howard was a Brittish chemist. In 1813 he invented a method of refining sugar which involved boiling the cane juice not in an open kettle, but in a closed vessel heated by steam and held under partial vacuum. At reduced pressure, water boils at a lower temperature, and this development both saved fuel and reduced the amount of sugar lost through caramelization. Chemist Julie Perkins of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory pours from a Florence flask. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Magnified crystals of refined sugar Magnification of typical sugar In general use, non-scientists take sugar to mean sucrose, also called table sugar or saccharose, a white crystalline solid disaccharide. ... In physical chemistry, and in engineering, steam refers to vaporized water. ... Impact of a drop of water. ... Caramelization is the oxidation of sugar, a process used extensively in cooking for the resulting nutty flavor and brown color. ...