IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA, BARYTA, AND STRONTIA
Year: 1866

page_text: 1866.
I, GEORGE ROBINSON, of No. 26, Welbeck Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA,
BARYTA, AND STRONTIA," to be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, first, in an improved process for the production and
manufacture of ammonia.
Secondly, in the combination of this process with that hitherto practised for
obtaining baryta and strontia in a caustic form from the carbonates of those
bases.
Thirdly, in an improved mode of obtaining caustic baryta and strontia from
the sulphates of those bases.
And, fourthly, in the collection and utilization in any of or all the preceding
processes of the volatile matters resulting from the decomposition of the
bituminous coal employed.
In the preparation of ammonia by my improved process I proceed as
follows: Carbonate of baryta or caustic baryta, or carbonate of strontia or
caustic strontia, is first intimately mixed with coal, charcoal, or other car-
bonaceous matter, and heated for some time to whiteness in a close retort or
furnace. On withdrawing the charge and bringing water or steam in contact
with the red hot mass fumes of ammonia are copiously evolved, and are to be

page_text: collected and fixed in the usual manner. On further adding a quantity of hot
water to the same mass the caustic baryta or strontia contained in it will be
dissolved and deposited as crystals when the liquid cools. The baryta or
strontia so obtained may after this operation either be used over again to form
more ammonia or applied to other useful purposes.
In order to obtain caustic baryta or caustic strontia from the sulphates of
these bases I adopt the following process:-Sulphate of baryta or sulphate of
strontia is intimately mixed with coal or other carbonaceous matter and is
then heated to whiteness for some time in a close retort or furnace, so as to
form a sulphuret of barium or of strontium in the usual manner, but while
the sulphuret of barium or of strontium is still intensely heated, being at
least red hot, steam or water is to be applied to it. The effect of this
application is to withdraw the sulphur from the barium or strontium, so as to
leave these metals in combination with oxygen or caustic baryta, or caustic
strontia, the sulphur escaping either as sulphuretted hydrogen if the steam be
applied to the red hot sulphuret in a close furnace, or as sulphurous acid if the
watery vapour be brought in contact with the heated mass in the open air.
When sulphuretted hydrogen is in this manner formed by bringing steam
in contact with the hot mass in the furnace it can readily be burnt into
sulphurous acid and water as it escapes from the furnace, and be afterwards
condensed in any convenient manner. The caustic baryta or caustic strontia
so formed may be applied to the production of ammonia in the manner above
described, or may be otherwise utilized. When bituminous coals are employed
in the manufacture of ammonia, baryta, or strontia, by either of the above-
described processes the volatile matters proceeding from the decomposition of
the coal, and consisting chiefly of coal tar and combustible gases may be
collected and utilized in any convenient manner.