The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-30

FACTS ABOUT SODA wArER.

NO SODA Is USED IN ITS Manufacture AGs
cOrding co Present Methods.
Many years ago a Frenchman con-
ceived the idea of manufacturing a car
donated water by mixing a solution of
tartaric acid with carbonate of soda
The proportions used were 80 grains of
acid and 40 grains of the soda dissolved
in a wineglass Of water. This was the
original soda water.
The public knows in a general way
that marble dust is sometimes used in
making soda water, and the question is
sometimes asked, isn't marble dust
injurious to the system?'' As q matter
Of fact, there is no marble dust, or, to use
the technical term, carbonate of lime,
in soda water. The part played by mar
BILE dust in the process of manufacturing
soda water is simply to supply the car
bonic acid gas with which the water is
charged. The same gas generated in a
different manner gives froth to beer,
hghtens bread and makes the bubbles in
buckwheat cakes. This gas can be OBJ
tanned from carbonate of soda, carbon
ate of magnesia, carbonate of lime or
from any other carbonate by treating it
with an acid. Sulphuric acid is gener-
ally used. The powdered carbonate Of
lime or marble dust, as it is popularity
called, was until quite recently used al
most exclusively for this purpose be-
cause it is very cheap.
To understand how the two chemicals
-sulphuric acid and carbonate Of lime
act when brought together the reader
may call to mind the mixing of a seid-
1itz powder. The tartaric acid in the
white paper, when in solution, unites
with the carbonate of soda in the blue
q<f faIr
carbonic acid gas being liberated and
tartrate of soda being formed. Although
nature furnishes an unlimited quantity
Of carbonates, almost any other acid,
strange to say, will drive out the car
bOnic acid and usurp its place. This is
seen in the mixing of a seidlitz powder.
Now, this is exactly what takes place
in the manufacture of soda water, ex-
cept that this gas, instead of being per-
mitted to escape, is confneed to the gen.
orator. The generator is simply an ap-
paratus in which the acid and the car
Donate can bs mixed conveniently. From
the generator the gas is conveyed to one
of the portable steel foundations, the
appearance Of which is familiar to the
public Tho fountain is about three
quarters full Of water. After quantity
Of gas has entered the fountain it is
well agitated. It is usual now to place
it on cradle or rocker, and either by
hand or steam power to rock it for some
time, generally about half an hour, in
order to mix thoroughly the gas with
the water. When this is done, the foun-
tain is again connected with the genera
tor, more acid is allowed to reach the
carbonate, more gas is formed, and the
same process is continued until the
pressure on the fountain shows $50
pounds to the square inch. The fOun
tain is then set aside, and another is
put on in its place, and the process goes on
until the supply of gas IN the carbonate
has all been extracted The refuse is
thrown away, and fresh supply of car
Donate is placed in the generator The
refuse is sulphate Of lime. The sui
phuric acid has united with the lime,
and the carbonic acid gas has been lib
Grated.
As has been said, marble dust has
been used in preference to any other
carbonate in the manufacture of soda |
water because it is the cheapest Quite !
recently at least one firm in New York |
substituted carbonate of magnesia- This /
is little more expensive. On the other /
hand, the decarbonized magnesia, in
stead of being thrown away like the /
sulphate Of lime, can be utilized. It is /
pumped or drawn up to a higher apart
ment, where it is strained and filtered /
to exclude all impurities and tested. It !
is then plaeed in large evaporating pans
and allowed to crystalline. The product
is sulphate of magnesia, better known
as EPSON salts.
The soda water business is exceeding
~ lucrative The cost of manufacture
is from to 3 cents per gallon, and the
product is sold for 10-cents- Sirups cost
from 20 to 80 cents a gallon and are
sold from 40 to 70 cents. There are
generally about Ga glasses to the gal
lon, and soda water is sold for 8 or &c
cents glass. Other artificial minera
waters are sold for about 80 cents pen
gallon. New York Sun.