New-York tribune., 1916-05-04
Nephew of Richard Ben
nett, the Actor, Makes No
Secret of His Formula.
WATER, AMMONIA AND
SODIUM HIS SCHEME
New Process Given Out Same
Day Enricht's Liquid Fuel
Boosts Maxim Munitions.

win the announcement yesterday
rat the Maxim Munitions Corporation
had closed a contract with Louis n.
Enricht, Of Farmingdale, Long Island,
for the gasolens substitute which so
interested Henry Ford that he made
two visits to the chemists home. cams
the description OF another fuel formu-
lated by Lewis Morrison. I'd, grandson
or Lewis Morrison, who was the most
famous Faust" of his day.
For the Enrieht formula the Maxim
corporation is said 70 have paid The
inventor large amount, part in cash
and part in stock in the concern. The
announcement Of the deal caused
Maxim Munitions 20 rise on the curb
TO l01z. double its price a week ago.
In contrast, the Morrison formula is
given out quite free
A laboratory and chemical plant for
perfecting and commercializing Pro-
fessor Enricht's liquid fuel will soon
be erected at Farmingdale by the
Maxim company. Henry Ford has COM
pletely dropped out Of the negotiations
Gets Power from Sodium.
Like the Enricht plan, Mr.. Morrison's
scheme /, one 70 operate the motor
with hydrogen generated in the car.
Mr.. Enricht claims that he decomposes
the water, thereby obtaining his hydro
gen, a process which has never yet
been demonstrated, while Mr. Morrison
generates his hydrogen by the union
of water and chemical. There are
many points Of similarity apparent
in the operation OF both fuels.
Whether Mr.. Morrison has hit upon
Mr.. Enricht's idea has not been ascer-
tanned, because the Farmingdale in
yentor keeps his formula under lock
and key.
Mr.. Morrison's theory is simple in
the extreme. The chemicals he uses
are ammonia and metallic i)dium. one
of the principle constituents Of COM
mon table salt.
For purpose OF explanation Mr. Nor
rison suggests that an ordinary car
bids acetylene gas generator be used
TO create the hydrogen. All Of the nee
essary adjustments of the engine, ex-
cept the proper mixture adjustment Of
the csrburetor needed TO carry out the
Morrison plan, are the connecting of
the gasolene feed pipe from the car
buretor TO the water intake of the
generator and the connecting of the
gas outlet of the generator TO the in
take of the carburetor. Instead of
carbide. sodium is placed In the gen
orator and the tank is filled with water
into which has been poured solution
of ammonia.
Formula Not Secret.
When the water comes in contact
with the sodium the chemical action,
as explained by a chemist takes place
as follows:
MA Plus gH2o plus y, squa, YaNo' g,u, loH
Ammonia Water Sodium Sodium Hydrossn
Nitrate
That is, from one part Of ammonia,
three parts of water and one part Of
sodium ten parts Of hydrogen gas are
obtained. The hydrogen passes into
the cylinders, mixing with air at the
intake valve. Exploded by the spark,
II is reduced 20 water, nitrogen and
other negligible gases. The water
passes out the exhaust in yapor so
thin that II is no more noticeable than
the moisture in the air.
According 70 Mr.. Morrison, 10 obtain
the same horsepower from an engine
operated by hydrogen as from gaso-
lene larger volume of hydrogen
would have 10 be used. He says that
the efficiency of hydrogen is about q
third of gssolene.
After the hydrogen is released from
the sodium, by-product of commercial
value, Chilli saltpeter. is deposited in
the generator. A special generator
would have TO be constructed before
Mr. Morrison's scheme would work
perfectly, ne says. This would have
a cone shaped bottom so that the water
would fall on the sodium all the time
The speed OF the drops would be in
proportion 20 the amount of hydrogen
burned.
Auto Experts Skeptical.
Mr.. Morrison. although he is not a
chemist by profession, maintains n
laboratory at his home, 1853 TibbetS
Road, Yonkers. Here, with his uncle,
Richard Bennett, the actor, he has
demonstrated his plan. As yet he has
made no practical tests with an engine.
Automobile experts and chemists
are still skeptical in regard to a gaso-
lene substitute Of marketable value.
Ferdinand Jehle, laboratory engineer
for the Automobile Club of America,
said last night: Hydrogen would be
the most desirable fuel TO operate an
aroipa Tho 1oparatiop ~ brdroQpu