The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-31
CHEMICAL AGENTS.
How suIphuric, Nitric, and MuriatIo
Acids nFO M ads.
From The NJ y Evening Post.

actually engaged in the manufacture of "acids,n
or in the trades Immediately connected there
with, who have an adequate idea OF the immense
quantities ofpowertul chemical agents OF various
sorts which are consequently demanded by the
exigcncies of varions trades and manufactures
The number of chemical worksn and the
enormous amount of active capital invested
are almost incredible to those, even business
men, whose attention has not chanced to be
turned in that particular direction. The large
quantities OF petroleum thrown upon the mar
ket by the discoveries of the past ten years, and
the adaptation of this substa to new uses, to
which It's present cheapness and abundance
make 1T peculiarly applicable, have produced a
corresponding increase of the facilities for
manufacturing the purifying agents necessary
to fit the crude article for market.
The increased amount of capital invested also
in the several other manufactures which depend
for their prosecution upon the salts and acids of
the chemical works, has called for like in.
crease IN the producing capacity OF those works.
This has been promptly met both by the en-
largement of some of the older factories, and
by the erection of new establishments. Sui
phurie, nitric and muratic acids are IN daily
demand by the ton, and to meet this call an
amount Of money has been put into the busi-
ness during the few late years, which has in
creased by at least five times the number Of
chemical works in the country, and by at least
twenty times their producing capacity.
The three principal products of an ordinary
chemical work are sulphurc acid, nitric acid,
and muriatic acid. There are also number OF
other acids and salts Of less value, which are
chiefly extracted from the surplus of the mate
RAJ culDlONeQ III making the more important
articles, and the manufacture of which, as a
speciality, would hardly be remuneratiye.
sULPnURlo ACID.
Sulphuric acid known as oil of vitriol, has
many uses IN the ants. Besides its employment
in the refining of crude petroleum, it is eYten.
siyely used by iron founders, its special object
being TO clean from fresh castings the cnder
and scale, thus leaving the casting bright and
clean. In order to accomplish this a ''pckler
is made of sulphurc acid and water, INTO vat
OF which mixture the freshly cooled castings are
plunged: the immersion is prolonged for a
greater or lesser time, according to the condi-
tion OF the iron work as to size, ornamentation,
etc, and according, also, to the strength Of the
'pickle.'
Hatters also use considerable quantities Of
this acid. Paper mills call for large quantities
for bleaching or disChargmg the color and
grease from rags. Dyers also bleach some of
their goods with this acid, and employ it besides
in other branches OF their calling. Every brass,
copper, and iron foundry; every shop which
uses any Of the baser metals; the type-tounder,
the coppersmith-all in fact, of the metal
Workers-use this powerful agent, either as a
necessity or au adjunct to their trade. 1t is
also largely employed in the manufacture of
super-nhosphates for manures. Aside from all
these are tue chemist, the apotheCary, the bank.
note printer and many other workers who have
need Tor the oil of vitIiol. We have however,
specified the smaller channels through which
the greater streams which flow from the works
are scattered. Now, few words as to the way
II is made.
sulphurc acid, as its name implies, is made in
considerable part of this material is brought
direct from the sides OF volcanoes and the ad-
iacent plains thereabout. Mite, or saltpetre is
the other main Ingredient in the making OF this
substance. The acid Is obtained by condensing
the commingled fumes of the two before men
toEed substances which are burned or roasted
in company. A furnace holds one hun
dred pounds of birthstone. At the back
of the furnace floor is a chimney or
''siack.n up which the fumes Of the burning
about one hundred pounds--havlng been evenly
spread over the floor OF the furnace and ignited,
the nitre in the proportion OF nom seven TO ten
pounds of uitre 20 one hundred OF sulphur is
added. The ntre Is usually placedin iron pots,
Is set on fire. then passed into the furnace and the
blazing pot rested on the surface OF the burning
mass OF sulphur; by this means the fumes OF the
two substances, the sulphur and the nitre,
combine, mperiCctly and pass together up
the stack or chimney at the rear end
an upper part OF the building, where. by an
ingenious application of steam power, they are
thoroughly aud perfectly mixed and prepared
for the condensation. Sometimes, instead OF the
ntre in bulk being employed, nitric acid is lat
q later stage Of the process, however combined
with birthstone. To burn hundred pound
furnace charge" OF birthstone and ntre properly
takes about four hours time, during which it is
constantly though slowly burning, and is most
carefully watched by the attendants.
The thorough mixing of the suphuric and
nitric fumes by steam Is performed in an enor
nous upper room, which Is a curiosity in itself
II Is an apartment two hundred feet long by
twenty-five Zee, wide and twenty-three ieet high
made entirely OF heavy sheet lead, weighing five
pound. TO the square loot. This chamber ]:
divided by a leadCn partition midway. Lead Il
the only available material that wlll resist thu
intensely corrosive action OF the freshly distilled
acid.
From this receiving room the now commlnge,
fumes uIe passed into a second chamber, where
the mixing il perfected. In the French system
there are i've consecutive mixing chambers, tn
object being 10 secure a pCreCt hOmOgeuety o
yapOr. Upon the sides aud top oil THESE lead
lined chambers the acid now COudenses in heav
thick drops, which run down upon the bottom
OF foOI whence the huld Is drawn oil by means
OF sypLOus.
There IS however. q considerable portion oil
the yapCT which does not resolve Itself into
dew IN The COLucnsiug chamber, but stlll retain
its volatile form; this residue IS passed from the
leadeu room IutO o large brick tower four fee
square by twenty-five teet high; this to Wer Calet
a a''coudCusiug column has eudCu Stats inside
refractory fumes that refused 10 con
dense IN the proper chambers are re-
duCed 30 the liquid form, and are ~ thei
tuIu drawn of hence and mixed wit
the other and kud'iCr liquor Lest however
the should be sill some uuCuudcused yapO
yet reu aiming. "a second column IS provided
connected with the other one al the bottom b
tube, 50 that It's ouly outlet Is at the top, an
NO appU6Ciable quantity OF the suIphurl3 tune
ever struggles through The layers OF lead an
coke 20 escape al she tow OF tower No. 3 20 IN,
IL may br fairly -aid the product Of the tumaC
combustion Is all saved.
The acid being drawn off by syphons inf
lead.lmrd iron pans, the water Is oynpOratc
and the pure acId Is then put up Ia "cOrboys'
glass d0mioun shaped e-scis. These are car
fully enclosed, each one IN u stout casing
....l., suftI ffu ur4 Ia aaH a Az