A NEW, OR IMPROVED TREATMENT AND MANUFACTURE OF PHOSPHATES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William John Williams, of No. 28, Cambrian View,
Chester, in the City and County of Chester, for an Invention, of "A NEW, OR
IMPROVED TREATMENT AND MANUFACTURE OF PHOSPHATES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Williams at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th March 1880.
WILLIAM JOHN WILLIAMS, of No. 28, Cambrian View, Chester, in the City and
County of Chester. "A NEW OR IMPROVED TREATMENT AND, MANUFACTURE OF
PHOSPHATES."
This Invention relates to certain new processes whereby phosphates of the
alkalies are produced from natural or other phosphates.
Phosphate of alumina, or phosphate of lime, or phosphate of iron, or phosphates
of other earths or metals, or mixtures thereof (such as the phosphates known as
redonda, alto-vela, and others), whether natural or manufactured, are intimately
mixed with chloride of sodium (common salt) and coal bydro-carbons, or other
suitable form of carbon, or with iron or other suitable deoxidizing agent, and steam
or air, and steam superheated or not is passed into and through the mixture which
is heated in a suitable furnace until the decomposition is completed.
The carbon or other deoxidizing agent aided by heat decomposes the steam, the
hydrogen combining with the chlorine of the salt forms hydro-chloric acid gas
which may be condensed, the sodium combining with the oxygen forms soda which
combines with the. phosphoric acid, and alumina of the phosphate forming
phosphate of soda and aluminate of soda, both of which can be dissolved out of
the mass either with hot or cold water in suitable apparatus.
The phosphate of soda may be separated from the aluminate of soda by
crystallization, or the aluminate of soda can be decomposed by acids and alumina
precipitated and separated, and the phosphate of soda converted into phosphate of
lime by the addition of pure lime or salts of lime, or treated by any well known
process.
The proportion of chloride of sodium can be varied according to the product
required.
Chloride of potassium can be substituted for chloride of sodium, thus producing
phosphate and aluminate of potash.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William John Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
September 1880.
WILLIAM JOHN WILLIAMS, of No. 28, Cambrian View, Chester, in the City and
County of Chester. "A NEW OR IMPROVED TREATMENT AND MANUFACTURE OF
PHOSPHATES."
This Invention relates to a new or improved treatment whereby phosphates of
the alkalies are produced from natural or other phosphates.
1. Phosphate of alumina, or phosphate of iron, or phosphate of lime, or
phosphates of other earths or metals, or mixtures thereof (such as the phosphates
known as "redonda," "alto vela," or others), whether natural or manufactured, is
or are finely powdered and intimately mixed with finely ground chloride of sodium
(common salt), and with finely ground coal, coke, hydrocarbons, or other suitable
forms of carbon, or with iron or other suitable de-oxidizing agent. The mixture,
either dry or in preference moistened to form a stiff paste, is then placed in a retort
or other suitable furnace, and air and steam superheated in preference are passed
into and through the mixture which is heated with frequent stirring until the
decomposition is completed. The carbon or other deoxidizing agent aided by heat
decomposes the steam depriving it of its oxygen, while the hydrogen combines
with the chlorine of the salt forming hydrochloric acid gas (which can be
condensed); the oxygen of the air combining with the sodium of the salt forms soda
which combines with the phosphoric acid, and the alumina of the phosphate
forming phosphate of soda and aluminate of soda, both of which may be dissolved
out of the mass either with hot or cold water in suitable apparatus.
2. The proportions in which the substances above mentioned are mixed are
dependent on the percentage of phosphoric acid and of alumina in the phosphate
used; but it is preferable to mix them in such proportions that there are three
equivalents of soda present and available for each equivalent of phosphoric acid,
and three further equivalents of soda present and available for each equivalent of
alumina in the phosphate. Of carbon or other deoxidizing agent there should be
equivalent for equivalent with the salt present, that is, twice the theoretical
quantity. Thus, for a phosphate containing 46% of phosphoric acid and 24% of
alumina, 1 ton of phosphate would require 2 tons of salt, and about 10 cwt. of coal
or 8 cwt. of carbon. Sufficient air and steam by preference superheated must be
present.
°
3. The calcined mass is then lixiviated in suitable tanks, by which treatment the
phosphate of soda and the aluminate of soda are dissolved out. The phosphate of
soda may be separated from the aluminate of soda by crystallization, or the
aluminate of soda may be decomposed by acids, and the alumina precipitated and
separated. The phosphate of soda may be converted into phosphate of lime by
adding lime or salts of lime, or treated by any well known process.
4. Chloride of potassium can be substituted for chloride of sodium, thus producing
phosphate of potassa or aluminate of potassa.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe that what I consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to me
is,―
The use of coal, carbon, iron, or other deoxidizing agent together with steam and

page_text: air for the purpose of decomposing chloride of sodium (or potassium), and pro-
ducing phosphate of soda (or potassa) from natural or manufactured phosphates.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Williams, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM JOHN WILLIAMS. (L.S.)