Improvements in the Production of Caustic Alkali and Chlorine.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1891
Complete Specification Left. 21st Sept., 1891-Accepted, 21st May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Caustic Alkali and Chlorine.
I, FARNHAM MAXWELL LYTE, of 60, Finborough Road, London, S.W.,.
Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as.
follows:-
The object of this invention is, to improve the process of producing alkalies and.
chlorine forming the subject of a previous.application for Letters Patent dated the
25th day of March 1891, No. 5352, and it consists in the substitution, for the calcic
carbonate therein mentioned as the ingredient in admixture with which the nitrate
is heated, of ferric oxide alone or in conjunction with the carbonate of lime, so as.
to more effectually decompose the nitrate, obtain a higher yield of nitric acid, and
directly produce caustic alkali alone or in admixture with carbonate, the cycle of
operations for the production of chlorine being the same as previously described in.
my aforesaid application.
F. MAXWELL LYTE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
J
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Caustic Alkali and Chlorine.
1; FARNHAM MAXWELL LYTE of 60, Finborough Road, London, S.W
Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to an improvement in the continuous process of conjointly
producing caustic alkali and chlorine described in the Specification of a previous
application for Letters Patent dated the 25th day of March 1891, No. 5352.
In that process an alkaline nitrate is decomposed by heating it with calcic
carbonate, and the object of the present invention is to more effectually decompose
the nitrate (so as to obtain a higher yield of nitric acid for use in the process) to
produce caustic alkali, and diminish or entirely avoid the corrosion of the decom-
posing pan when made of iron.
This I effect by substituting ferric oxide for calcic carbonate as the re-agent by
which the decomposition of the nitrate is effected.
Apart from this substitution of one decomposing re-agent for another and the
continual regeneration of the reagent used, the cycle of operations so far as it
relates to the production of chlorine and the continual regeneration of the alkaline
mitrate is the same as previously described in my aforesaid application, the
description of the whole cycle being here repeated only for the sake of making the
whole process clear.
The process is applicable for treating either sodic or potassic nitrate, and I will
take the former as a typical example.
Commencing then at A in the accompanying diagram, sodic nitrate mixed with
ferric oxide heated until decomposition of the nitrate and the evolution of nitric
oxide and oxygen together leaving a ferriferous residue. This residue goes to B
and is there to be decomposed by lixiviation, preferably with boiling into caustio
soda (free from iron) which goes to K, and ferric hydrate which goes to C. The
nitric oxide and oxygen are by the addition to them of air and water or oxygen

page_text: F.
MAXWELL LYTE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
F. MAXWELL LYTE,,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.