The Wahpeton times., 1906-03-01
In Far Northland
7id-Bits of Neus for Scandinauians.
SOLVE A GREAT PROBLEM.
Norweslans Extract Nitrates From
the Atmosphere.

Norweslans Extract Nitrates From
the Atmosphere.
The problem of revolutionizing
agriculture by taking nitrogen from
the atmosphere through chemical
processes. and employing it as a fer
tilizer, is undoubtedly one of the larg-
est and most important tasks that
modern chemistry has undertaken.
An American company began opera
tions several years ago at Niagara
Falls, claiming to have found a sue
cessful electrical process, but its prac.
tical results have been disappointing.
The problem. however, seems to have
found a practical solution in Norway.
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 1,OOO.horse pow.
er near Christiania has already been
In operation for some time, and Nor.
wegian farmers have begun to fertilize
sheir fields with the nitrates there
produced. Still nearer to that city a
much larger concern is building. 1t
will begin with 10,O0O-horse power,
but will later be increased to double
that amount.
A far more ambitious plan. even out
ranking the immense waterpower
hitherto developed at Niagara, is talk.
Ing shape nearly 100 miles west OF
Christianla on the Namely. where it
drops 800 feet perpendicularly into a
chasm. Above this fall, the Rjukanfos
(smoking materially, will be built a
dam which will make a reservoir of
nearly SOO,00O,OOO cubic yards as a
guarantee against the fatal summer
shrinkage Of all Norwegian streams
1t is proposed here to develop 2oO, ,OOO-
horse power. French and Dutch cap
italists are interested in the under
taking, the former through the grea.
Paris bank, the Credit I.yonnais.
The method for separating nitrogen
from the atmosphere used In Norway
is that of Prof. Birkeland, chemist
OF Christiania. He uses electricity,
but only Indirectly. for creating the
intensely high temperatures needed to
force the atmosphere to give up it's
nitrogen. With Il current of 500 volts.
yielding an energy of from so to 900
kiloNatts, he heats furnace to a
maximum Of $500 degrees Celsius.
Which produces roaring fame four
to six feet high A current OF air
passed through the furnace gives off
to Z per cent of It's volume in nj
trogenous oxyde. which is converted
into nitric acid by passing 1t through
water. For fertilizing purposes this
product Is manufactured into nitrate
OF lime, though some chemists say
that nitrate of soda would be prefer
able. owing to its lower volatility.
Through Birkeland's method a ton
OF nitrate Of lime can be made yearly
with one horse power. The establish
ment at the Rjukanfos will therefore
be able to make 100000 tons annually.
When it Is mentioned that Germany
alone consumes yearly $4,000 tons of
Chilean nitrate of soda. it is evident
that the new industry has most
promising outlook for the sale of it's
output Moreover. 1t is estimated by
competent authorities that the supply
OF nitrate of soda in Chile and Peru
will be exhausted in fifteen or twenty
years, after which the artificial Drotl
uct would be left in sole possession o:
the worlds markets. The recent high
advance in the price OF Chilean nj
trate. too. puts premium upon the
success of Birkeland's system from
The start
His method is also attracting con.
siderable attention outside of Norway.
1t is reported that a German concern
has acquired his patents for Germany,
and experiments with a German svs-
tenn lave already been made in Blad
beck in Westphalia. but great secrecy
is maintained concerning the results
reached. AT least two German chem.
fists. Prof. Muthmann of Munich and
DR.. Otto Scheuer of Darmstadt, are
engaged in working out the problem of
utilizing atmospheric nitrogen. In
Italy a great establishment which will
apparently employ Birkeland's meth
od, is in course of construction at the
falls of the Tiber. at Terni. above
Rome. The nitric acid to be produced
In Germany. however. will not be used
in making fertilizers. but explosives.
In Germany and at Rjukanfos, power
Will be created at very low cost, not
more than Sc to $3.50 per horsepower
yearly. cheapness of power being nee.
essary to the success of Birkeland's
method.
Royal Ski Runners.