The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-23
INDUSTRIAL NITROGEN.
Recent Progress In Manufacture.

Much has been written. both before
and since the outbreak of the war.
regarding the extreme importance of
means Of fixing the nitrogen OF the
ar and of the manufacture OF syn
thetic nitrates. Yet 1t Is likely the
public generally is unacquainted with
the difficulties Of the problem. 1t is
common knowledge that the atmos-
pfere contains an inexhaustible store
OF nitrogen from which nitric acid
for munitions and nitrates for ferti-
lizers may be produo ed. At first sight
1t seems easy enough to draw upon
this supply. but the nitric acid manu-
factured by fxation and eleotrochemi-
cal proce sses must be refined and con-
centrated to be OF the greatest use
In industry. These processes involve
the cost OF producing expensive mate
rails, such as platinum, machinery
and electric power. which for this
purpose must be supplied on q gre at
scale. This last item is proving a
serious one In the account for several
reasons. In the first place the cruel
BILE or furnace In which nitric acid is
manufactured by passing electricity
through the atmosphere has q rela-
lively small yield. necessitating the
construction OF a great many of these
furnaces to furnish an output which
Will be a paying proposition. Sec
ondly. the economical production OF
electricity seems to depend upon the
use OF water power. This source of
energy Is not always available. or II
he situated at inn4nx.arta.,t a
tances from the centres OF trade,
which means the additional cost Of
labor and transport.
In Norway these factors operate
under favorable circumstances. and
the manufacture OF nitric acid and nj
trates by electric power has pro-
crossed recently in leaps and bounds
That country, owing to its water
power and the comparative cheapness
OF labor and materials. occupies a
relatively important position. The
United States likewise possesses the
advantages OF having an abundance
Of water power as we'll as large sup
plies OF sulphate of ammonia, one OF
the by-products OF the distillation OF
coal. From ammonia nitric acid can
be prepared, and 1t appears that the
process has received due attention in
various countries. notably in England
where the new methods and modern
Improvement have been shown at the
Scientific Products Exhibition in
London. The example is worth fol-
lowing. as there is a considerable
amount OF popular misunderstanding
as TO the true nature Of this manu-
facture at present.
From the scientific and commercial
point of view the manufacture OF
nitric acid In the electric furnace pos
sesses great possibilities The EN-
cheney OF the process may be Judged
from the fact that under favorable
circumstances the yield OF 81 per cent.
OF pure nitric acid is claimed. AS It
forms the active agent In nearly all
explosives the Importance of this
manufacture needs no dsmonstratl on
1t is no secret that the process is
established here and is perhaps being
perfected In those details which
present the greatest difficulty. II Is
however. question whether the
manufacture can be made remunera-
tive in normal times. The object is
certainly one which II is desirable to
attain, for when the war demand for
nitric acid Is satisfied there still re-
mains the supply OF nitrates. II will
not be long before the eyes OF people
will be opened to the necessity OF
providing a more abundant source of
these fertilizers than now is available