The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-09
CHEMICAL ACIDS.
Manufacture Of suIphuric, Nitric, and
Muriatte Acids,

with regard TO acids memory can generally tell
ms very little indeed, and nine out OF ten of us
return from the foggy attempt to recall for
present use something OF the hardstud1ed chem
istry of the olden days of school, and birch and
terule, with only the vague impression that an
"acidn is something sour. Those OF us, perhaps,
whose literary tastes have led rs to the perusal
of the mysteries of Parls,n may recollect the
fate of that amiable assassin who washed his
face IN sulphurc acid in order to place himself
beyond recognition by the police, and may have
n tolerably distinct idea that oil OF vitriol (su-
phurc acid) is not as great beautiher for the
complexion as hly-whlte night-blooming eman'
de-sOZodont but beyond this our acidulous
chemical knowledge is among the things that
we're. The object of this article is to show that
there rs more acid manufactured than Is abso-
lutely required by those gentlemen who desire
TO burn OF their noses and eyelids that they
may not be recognized by Detective l2,972 b;
and also TO tell where and how the said acid Is
made, and for what other purposes 1t is used.
The three chemical compounds. known as
['acids," which are most extensively employed
IN the arts and manufactures, are sulphuric acld
or OIL OF vltriol, nitric acid or aquatorts, ana
muriatic acid Though Philadelphia is probably
the headquarters of the chemical MANUFACTURING
business, there are, nevertheless, Two large
establishments for that purpose IN the lmmeulate
vicinity OF New York. From the o0liglng super
intendent of one of these we have obtained the
facts hereinafter embodied. .
For the manufacture OF the ACIDS known in
commerce very extensive and costly works are
required, and the persons employed IN the
manipulation of the various ingredients must be
men of superior intelligence and some education,
as well as of a irst-Tate degree of mechanical
skill The slightest careless ness, from either
inattention or pure ignorance, might result in
the most serious consequences to the wOrkmen,
TO the nelghbOrs, and to the stock and machinery
employed. This will become apparent when a
glance ls taken at the nature of the materials
employed
Sulphuric acid, or oil of vtriol is made from
sulphur and nlJrate of soda. The former art-
Gle is one product of volcanic action, and is
always abundantly found in all countries sub.
iect to earthquake or other volcanic phenomena.
It iss also found in great quantities in lands
where such disturbing agencies completed their
allotted work ages ago. 1t is a substance too
well known to require special description.
Nitate OF soda comes from South America; that
is, the best quality Of it does. There is, how
ever, another salt $50 nearly resembling 1T that
the one NAV be substituted for the other in
manufactures and frequently is so substituted;
and that salt Is nitrate OF potash. This Is better
known to most of us Us ordinary saltpetre.
The great supply of this is drawn from the East
Indies, but OF late it has been too expensive to
be used in the making of acid, where nitrate of
soda could be procured.
The war, which affected every sort OF trade
and business indirectly laid its remorseless
hand Immediately upon this manufacture; the
reason was that the needs of The nations who
were desirOus of cutting each others throatS
and blowing each others heads Oh had to be
supplied, even If the more quiet pursuits of
peaceful men bad to suffer thereby. Gunpowder
cannot be made without a certain proportion OF
"vllanous saltpetre,' and to supply the quantity
required by the powder-mllls all other trades re-
Qulrlng for their prosecution a mOdicum OF this
same substance had to suffer, that the killing of
men might go on unchecked.
1t can be easily seen that, requiring as 1t does
the use OF large quantities OF the two active in
gradients OF gunpowder the manufacture OF
chemical acids must needs be attended with
danger and conducted with great care. Gun
powder, as is we'll known, is composed OF salt
petre, sulphur, and charcoal. AS the latter
substance Is entirely inert, it follows that the
other two are the active agents in making
powder the tremendous agent 1t has ever Geen.
Anu yet so carefully are these cOmbustlbles
used IN the chemical works, that we have yet to
hear OF the first accident involving loss OF life
that has occurred in the United States.
In making sulphurc acid, the principal appa
Tatus consists of certain furnaces steam-boIlers,
receiving vats, Condensers, and receivers.
There is first a long row of melting retorts,
under which fierce fires are burning. These
retorts are not unlike the ordinary steam-boer
in shape-betng long, iron cylinders OF perhaps
a foot and halt or TWO ieet IN diameter, by hi
teen feet in length. Into these Cylinders or
retorts the sulphur is placed, and a strong fire
built in the furnaces Immediately underneath.
When the sulphur has begun to burn, and also
to melt, which it does simultaneously, ndm-
Der of large iron pots filled with the nitrate OF
soda. are introduced into the cylindrical retortS
and deposited Immediately upon the top and in
the midst OF the burning mass OF sulphur. The
fires are kept up to their maximum tempe
rature, and shortly the soda also begins to melt,
and the fumes of the two fusing substances
unite into thru vapor, distinct from either OF
the originals, and in this form the dense, heavy
gas is led up from the back of the retorUs
through widemouthed pipes into the condens-
1ng tanks on the story above. OF these con-
densing tanks there are, at the chemical works
we saw, two-one, known as the little tank"
IS OF the dmlnutive size Of twenty-five feet long,
twenty-five teet high, and twenty-five teet wide,
thus giving perfect cube.snaped room, capable
OF containing l5,625 cubic feet of gas. Into this
ls first passed. thence 1t goes by large pipes INTO
the large tank" which is truly of most iormid-
able dimensions. 1t is one hundred and fifty
feet long, thirty-6ve feet high, and thirty-6ve
wide, thus containing l8@,750 cubic feet. In
This huge tank the gas is mixed with heated
steam, forced in through pipes, which are let in
through the side OF the room, In q few minutes
after the admission of the steam the gases begin
TO condense and 10 drop from the root and sides,
and to fall in a continuous shower upon the
floor. Here it forms pool about loot and a
half deep, and one hundred and fifty long,
aifordlng the most favorable opportunity that
could possibly be desired by any enterprising
gentleman desiring to take q bath In the real
genuine oil of vitriOl.
From this floor the acid is drawn off by
syphons and put into glass vessels known as
-'carboys," which contain ten to twelve gallons
by measure, or about one hundred and twenty
five TO one hundred and thirty-hye pounds oi
acid by weight.
ANY gas which remains uncondensed in the
large tank is passed into tall condenser shaped
like huge chimney, and which is filled with
coke. From this condenser it passes also
through another filled in like manner which
two are expected to reduce the whole OF the ga;
to liquid form. These tanks and cOndensers are
all lined with sheetlead, Weighing SIX pounds tC
the square foot. Lead is the only substance thai
will perfectly Withstand the action OF pure sui