The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-06
Nirates From Atmosphere.

increases, the acreage devoted te
wheat growing increases, but at less
rapid rate; and, being limited by eli
matic conditions, it will, in a few
years, perhaps less than 80, be entirely
taken up. Then, as Sir William
Crookes pointed out in his presidentia,
address in 1898, there will be a wheat
famine, unless the worlds yield an
acre-at present about 12.7 bushels an
acre on the average-can be raised by
the use Of fertilizers. Of such ferti-
1izers the chief is nitrate Of soda, ex-
ported from the inter beds in Chile.
The demand for this has risen from
Il ZOO, 200 tons in 1892 TO 1,543,120
tons in 1905; and the supply will, at
the present rate, be exhausted in less
than so years. Then the only chance
sof aver ting starvation lies, as Crookes
pointed, out, through the laboratory.
..In 1881 Cavendish had observed
that nitrogen, which existed in illinit-
able quantities in the air, can be caus-
ed to enter into combination with oxy-
gen, and later he showed that nitrous
fumes could be produced by passing
electric sparks through air. Al
though this laboratory experiment had
undoubtedly pointed the way, though
the chemistry Of the arc fame had
been investigated in 1880 by Dewar,
and though Crookes and Lord Ray
leigh had both employed electric dis
charges to cause nitrogen and oxygen
to enter into combination, no CONNER
cial process had been found practs-
cal for the synthesis of nitrates from
the air until recently.
]; "After referring, in passing, to the
tentative processes Of Bradley and
Loyejoy, Of Kowalski, Of Naville, and
to the cyanamide and cyanide pro-
cesses, attention was directed to the
process Of Birkeland and Eyde of
Christiania for the fxation of atmos-
pheric nitrogen, and their synthetic
production Of nitrates, by use Of
special electric furnace. In this fur
mace an alternating electric arc was
produced at between 5000 and 1000
volts, but under special conditions
which resulted from the researches of
Prof. Birkeland; the arc being formed
between the poles Of a large electro
magnet, which forced it to take The
form of a roaring disk Of fame. Such
a disk Of fame was shown in the lee
:ture theatre by model apparatus
sent from Christiania.
..In the furnaces, as used in Norway,
the disk OF fame was four feet in
diameter, and was inclosed in metal
envelope lined with fre-brick.
Through this furnace air was blown
and emerged charged with nitric oxide
fumes. These fumes were collected,
allowed time further to oxidizs, then
absorb in water towers or in quick
lime, nitric acid and nitrate OF lime
being the products. The research
station near Arendel was described,
also the factory at Notodden, in the
Hitterdal. where electric power to the
extent of 1900 kilowatts was already
taken from the Tinnfoss waterfall for
the production of nitrate Of lime. This
product in several forms, including a
basic nitrate, was known as Norwe-
lgian saltpeter. Experiment had
shown that it was equally good as a
fertilizer with Chile saltpeter, and the
lime in it was of special advantage for
certain soils. The yield Of product in
those furnaces was most satisfactory,
and the factory at Notodden, which
had been in commercial operation
since the spring Of 1905, was about to
ibe enlarged; the neighboring water
fall Of Savelgfos, being now in course
iof utilization, would furnish $4,000
horse power. The Norwegian compa-
ny had further projects in hand for
the utilization Of three other water
halls, including the Rjukanfos, the
most considerable fall in Telemarken,
which would yield over 200 900 horse
lpower. According to the statement Of
prof. Otto Witt, the yield Of the
Birkeland-Eyd furnaces was over
500 Kilograms Of nitric acid per year
for every kilowatt Of power. The con-
ditions in Norway were exceptionally
good for the furnishing Of power at ex-
ceedingly low rates. Hence, the new
product could compete with Chile salt
peter on the market, and would be-
come every year more and more valu-
able as the demand for nitrates in
creased and the natural supplies be-
came exhausted"