The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-04-02
NITRATEs FROM ATMOSPHERE.
Electrical Production for Fertilizins
Purposes.

Electrical Production for Fertilizinp
Purposes.
As the demand OF tho white races
for wheat as foodstuff increases the
acreage devoted to wheat growing in
creases. but at a less rapid rate, and
being limited by climatic conditions
1t will in few years. perhaps less
than thirty. be entirely taken up.
Then as Sir William Crookes pointed
out in his presidential address in 1898
there will be a wheat famine, unless
the worlds yield an acre-at present
about 127 bushels an acre on the aver
aegean be raised by the use OF fer.
tilizers. or such fertilizers the chief
is nitrate Of soda, exported from inter
beds in Chill. The demand for this
has risen from 100000 tons in 1892.
to 1888, 120 tons in 1905, and the sup
ply will at the present rate be OK
hausted in less than fifty years Then
the only chance OF averting starvation
lies. as Crookes pointed out. through
the laboratory.
In 1881 Cavendish had observed the
nitrogen, which exists in illimitable
10 enter into combination with oxygen,
and later he showed that nitrous
fumes could be produced by passing
electric sparks through air. Although
this laboratory experiment had I'M
doubtedly pointed the way. though the
chemistry of the arc flame had been
Investigated in 1880 by Dewar, and
though Crookes and Lord Rayleigh had
both employed electric discharges to
cause nitrogen and oxygen TO enter
into combination, no commercial pro-
cess had been found practical for the
synthesis of nitrates from the air un-
til recently.
After referring in passing, to the
tentative processes Of Bradley and
LovejOy, OF Kowalslli, of Naville, and
to the cyanamide and cyanide process.
Ses attention was directed to the pro-
cess OF Birkeland and Eyde. of Chris
tiania, for the fxation of atmospheric
nitrogen, and their synthetic produc-
ton Of nitrates by use of a special cleo
trio furnace. In this furnace an al
ternating electric arc was produced
at between 5000 and 4 200 volts. but
under special conditions which result
ed from the researches of Professor
Birkeland, the arc being formed be-
tween the poles OF a large electro-mag-
net, which forced it TO take the form
OF roaring disk of flame. Such a disk
OF flame was shown in the lecture
theatre by a model apparatus sent
from Christiania.
-,
the disk OF flame was four or five feet
in diameter and was inclosed in a
metal envelope. lined with fire brick.
Through this furnace air was blown.
and emerged charged with nitric oxide
fumes. These fumes were collected
allowed time further TO oxidize, then
absorbed In water towers or in quick
lime, nitric acid and nitrate OF lime be-
ing the products. The research sta
ton near Arendel was described. also
the factory at Notodden, in the Hitter
dial, where electric power to the ex-
tent OF 1,500 kilowatts was already
taken from the Tinnfoss waterfall
for the production Of nitrate of lime.
This product in several forms. includ.
ing basic nitrate, was known al
Norwegian saltpeter. Experiment had
shown that it was equally good as
fertilizer with Chilli saltpeter and the
lime in it was OF special advantage fol-
certain soils The yield of product in
these furnaces was most satisfactory
and the factory at Notodden. which
had been in commercial operation since
the spring of 1905, was about to be
enlarged, the neighboring waterfall OF
! Svaelgfos, being now in course OF
! utilization, would furnish $4,000 horse
power. The Norwegian company had
further projects in hand for the utili-
cation OF three other waterfalls. in
Guiding the Rjukanfos. the most con-
siderable fall in Telemarken. which
would yield over 100000 horsepower.
According to the statement Of Profes-
sor Otto Witt, the WELD of the Birke.
land-Eyde furnaces was over 500 kiIo.
grammes of nitric acid a year for cvSsv
kilowatt Of power. The condition in
Norway were exceptionally good for
the furnishing of power at exceedingly
low rates. Hence the new product
could compete with Chill saltpeter on
the market, and would become every
year more valuable as the demand for
nitrates increased, and the natural sup
plies became exhausted Professor s
p. Thompson, in The Scientific Amerf-
can.