IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF GAS LIQUOR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM SULPHATE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF GAS LIQUOR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM
SULPHATE." A communication from abroad by Camille Alfred de la Martellière,
President of La Société Anonyme des Produits Chimiques du Sud-Ouest, of
Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1880.
JOHN IMRAY, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF GAS LIQUOR FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM SULPHATE." [A communication from abroad by Camille
Alfred de la Martellière, President of La Société Anonyme des Produits Chimiques
du Sud-Ouest, of Paris, France.]
In the Specification to a Patent granted to, me on the 29th October 1878,
No. 4353, were described means of recovering ammonia from gas liquor in the form
of ammonium chloride by treating the liquor with calcium and iron chlorides. The
present Invention relates to the production in a similar manner of ammonium
sulphate, a product largely required for agricultural purposes. This may be effected
by treating the liquor with sulphate of iron instead of the chlorides mentioned in
the Specification above referred to, but as sulphate of iron is somewhat costly it is
of advantage in most cases to substitute for it a cheaper reagent in the following
manner: The precipitating vessel being charged with the liquor to be treated a
net sack containing a suitable quantity of sulphate of alumina is immersed in it,
whereupon a reaction ensues between the ammoniacal salts and the sulphate of
alumina, producing ammonium sulphate, which remains in solution, and an abundant
precipitate of hydrate of alumina, which settles along with a large proportion of the
tarry matter. After several hours of repose the liquid is run off into the evaporating
tanks, where it is concentrated, the product being marketable ammonium sulphate.
The sulphate of alumina may be used in the form of the alum cake, which is
obtained by the action of sulphuric acid on kaolin without lixiviation or evaporation.
In producing this substance cheaply for the purpose of this Invention crude clay,
whether ferruginous or not, may be used instead of kaolin, provided it is tolerably
free from carbonate of lime. In this manner ammonium sulphate can be recovered
at very small cost from the ammoniacal liquors.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Imray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th October
1880.
JOHN IMRAY, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF GAS LIQUOR FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF AMMONIUM SULPHATE." A communication from abroad by Camille
Alfred de la Martellière, President of La Société Anonyme des Produits Chimiques
du Sud-Ouest, of Paris, France.
In the Specification to a Patent granted to me on the 29th October, 1878,
No. 4353, were described means of recovering ammonia from gas liquor in the form
of ammonium.chloride-by-treating the liquor_with_calcium and iron chlorides. _The_
present Invention relates to the production in a similar manner of ammonium
sulphate, a product largely required for agricultural purposes.. This may be effected
by treating the liquor with sulphate of iron instead of the chlorides mentioned in
the Specification above referred to, but as sulphate of iron is somewhat costly it is
of advantage in most cases to substitute for it a cheaper re-agent in the following
manner :- The precipitating vessel being charged with the liquor to be treated, a
net sack containing a suitable quantity of sulphate of alumina is immersed in it,
whereupon a reaction ensues between the ammoniacal salts and the sulphate of
alumina, producing ammonium sulphate, which remains in solution, and an abundant
precipitate of hydrate of alumina, which settles along with a large proportion of
the tarry matter. After several hours of repose the liquid (which is sufficiently
clarified by the alumina) is run off into the evaporating tanks, where it is concen-
trated, the product being marketable ammonium sulphate. The sulphate of
alumina may be used in the form of the alum cake, which is obtained by the action
of sulphuric acid on kaolin without lixiviation or evaporation. In producing this
substance cheaply for the purpose of this Invention crude clay, whether ferruginous
or not, may be used instead of kaolin, provided it is tolerably free from carbonate of
lime. In this manner ammonium sulphate can be recovered at very small cost
from the ammoniacal liquors.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim,―
Treating gas liquor with sulphate of alumina for the production of ammonium
sulphate, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Imray, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN IMRAY. (L.S.)