The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-18
NORWEGIANs SOLVE
4 GREAT PROBLEM
THEY EXTRACT NITRATES FROM
THE ATMOSPHERE.
One of the Largest and Most Important
Tasks, Created by the Need of MI
trogen for Agriculture. Being Accom-
plished Near Observation-Disclosures the
Experiments Mean.

The problem Of revolutlonlzlng agr1-
culture by taking nitrogen from the
atmosphere thru chemical processes, and |
employing it as fertilizer, is undoubt-
edlv one of the largest and most i'm
portant tasks that modern chemistry
has undertaken. An American company
began operations several years ago at
Niagara Falls, claiming to have found
q successful electrical process, but its
practical results have been disappoint-
Ing. The problem, however, seems to
have found practical solution in Nor
way. According to writer In the
Cologne Gazette, plans are on foot to
utilize the vast water power OF that
country on large scale in producing
nitrogen. One establishment Of 1000
horsepower near Christiania has already
been in operation for some time, and
Norwegian farmers have begun to ferti-
lie their fields with the nitrates there
produced. Still nearer to that city a
much larger concern is building. 1t will
begin with 10000 horsepower, but will
later be increased to double that
amount.
A far more ambitious plan, even out
ranking the immense waterpower hith-
erto developed at Niagara, is taking
shape nearly 100 miles west of Chris
tiania on the Namely, where it drops
800 feet perpendicularly into chasm.
Above this fall, the Rjukanfos ('smok-
ing Materially, will be built dam
which will make a reservoir Of nearly
OO,0OO,O00 of cubic yards as a guar
antee against the fatal summer shrink
age of all Norwegian streams. It is
proposed here to develop 100000 horse
power French and Dutch capitalists
are interested in the undertaking, the
former thru the great Paris bank, the
Credit Lyonnais. 9a@,.Iasi 49,
The method for separating nitrogen
from the atmosphere used in Norway is
that Of Professor Birkeland,1 chemist
of Christiania. He uses electricity, but
only Indirectly for creating the intense.
ly high temperatures needed to force
the atmosphere to give up it's nitrogen
With a current of 500 volts, yielding
an energy of from so to 200 kilowatts
he heats a furnace to a maximum of
$500 degrees Celsius, which produces
= roaring flame four to six feet high
A current of air passed thru the fur
9 mace gives off to 8 per cent Of its
volume in a heterogeneous oxyde, which
is converted into nitric acid, by con
Quoting it thru water. For fertilizine
purposes this product is manufactured
into nitrate of lime, tho some chemist
say that nitrate Of soda would be pre-
ferable, owing to it's lower volatility.
49,. Thru Birkeland's method, ton O.
nitrate of lime can be made yearly witt
one horsepower. The establishment a
the Rjukanfos will therefore be able t
make 10000 tons annually. When i
is mentioned that Germany alone cor
sumes yearly $50, 900 tons Of CHILEAN nj
trate Of soda, it is evident that tn
new industry has a most promising Out
look for the sale Of its output. More
over, it is estimated by competent al
thorities that the supply Of nitrate q
soda in Chill and Peru will be exhauste
in fifteen or twenty years, after whic
the artificial product would be left
sole possession of the world 8 market
The recent high advance in the prit
of Gillian nitrate, too, puts premiu
81 upon the success Of Birkeland' s syste
from the start.
r. His method is also attracting consi
cradle attention outside of Norway.
is reported that a German concern h;
: i, acquired his patents for Germany; al
- experiments With German system hal
T. already been made in Bladbeck in Yves
= phalia, but great secrecy is maintain
- concerning the results reached. At lea
: two German chemists, Professor Nut
= mann of Munich and Dr. Otto Scheu
of Darmstadt, are engaged in workil
out the problem of utilizing atmosphel
: nitrogen. In Italy great establis
ment. which will apparently empl
4 Birkeland 8 method, is in course Of CO
&. struction at the falls Of the Tiber,
1 Terni, above Rome. The nitric acid
Z be produced in Germany, however, W
not be used in making fertilizers, b
explosives. In Germany and at t
Rjukanfos, power will be created
very low cost, not more than $6 to 81.
per horsepower yearly, cheapness
power being necessary to the success
Birkeland's method. Es