IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AMMONIACAL PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leon Quentin Brin and Arthur Brin both of Paris
France for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
AMMONIACAL PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leon Quentin Brin and
Arthur Brin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June
1883.
LEON QUENTIN BRIN and ARTHUR BRIN both of Paris, France
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AMMONIACAL PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR
"
In the specification of our previous patent dated 7th April 1880 N° 1416 wc
have described a mode of manufacturing oxygen based upon the power of absorption
which belongs to protoxide of barium and upon certain conditions of temperature
and otherwise whereby the said material under the influence of a partial vacuum
absorbs oxygen while the nitrogen escapes, the apparatus being such that the
temperature was automatically regulated.
By certain modifications in the said apparatus and additions thereto we are now
enabled to manufacture cyanide of barium and ammonia and by the following
manner and process. When a current of air is passed through or over barytic
coke at a red heat cyanide of barium and carbonic oxide are formed but this
chemical reaction it has not heretofore been possible to apply in a practical or
useful manner because the carbon having more affinity for oxygen than nitrogen
the combination of the latter with the carbon only took place in exceedingly
variable proportions. In our aforesaid apparatus the nitrogen was obtained in a
pure state and according to this present invention we pass the pure nitrogen
coming from the first retort or series of same containing protoxide of barium and
in which retorts the oxygen of the air has been drawn or forced into a second
series of retorts placed say on the right hand side and separated from the first
series by a wall which causes or forms the return of the flames. We use this or
equivalent arrangement in order to produce the different temperatures required for
these re-actions and in order to utilize the waste heat coming from the retorts for
[Price Bd1

page_text: fixing the azote and which has to be very high, that is about 1470 degrees
Fahrenheit and to apply it to the peroxidation. The retorts are charged with coke
which by preference is made from about equal parts of caustic baryta and wood or
other charcoal pulverized and agglomerated by means of tar.
Under these conditions the apparatus works as follows: the left hand retorts
which are charged with baryta, as described in the specification of our previous
patent are in serial or derived communication with a suction pump the action of
which is regulated or governed in proportion to the volume of baryta under
treatment. The temperature of this series of retorts is about 1100 degrees
Fahrenheit. The oxygen is retained in them by the baryta and the azote is
expelled and forced through the series of retorts, on the right hand of the apparatus
and containing barytic carbon at a temperature of about 1470 degrees Fahrenheit.
We thus obtain the result by the special arrangement adopted wherein these latter
retorts are directly exposed to the fiercest fire and the left hand retorts to the
flames proceeding therefrom.
All the baryta contained in the barytic carbon is thus transformed into cyanido
of barium by passing steam by preference dry through the right hand retorts and
lowering the temperature to about 570 degrees Fahrenheit. We decompose the
cyanide of barium and produce formate of ammonium which we form into hydro-
chloric acid and baryta the latter being continuously applicable to the fixing of
the azote.
In caso the acting temperature of the steam is exceeded causing decomposition
of the ammonia we employ ozonizers which are actuated by a strong Rhumkorff
bobbin and thus recomposing the ammoniacal gas.
Instead of barytic materials we may use compounds of strontium, sodium,
potassium or other caustic alkaline materials.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Leon Quentin Brin and Arthur Brin in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st December 1883.
LEON QUENTIN BRIN and ARTHUR BRIN, both of Paris, France "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AMMONIACAL PRODUCTS AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR
In the Specification of our previous Patent, dated 7th April 1880 N° 1416, there
is described and claimed a mode of manufacturing oxygen, which mode is based
upon the power of absorbing oxygen which belongs to protoxide of barium and
other materials as mentioned in the said Specification and upon certain conditions
of temperature and pressure whereby the said materials absorb oxygen (and
afterwards under the influence of a partial vacuum give off the oxygen) while the
nitrogen escapes, the apparatus being such that the temperature is automatically
regulated for the aforesaid purposes.
By certain modifications in the said apparatus and additions thereto we are now
enabled to utilize the said nitrogen and to obtain or manufacture ammoniacal
products in the manner and by the process as hereinafter described.
When a current of air is passed through or over barytic coke at a red heat
cyanide of barium and carbonic oxide are formed but this chemical reaction has
not heretofore been capable of being applied in a practical or useful manner,
because the carbon having more affinity for oxygen than it has for nitrogen, the
combination of the latter with the carbon only took place in exceedingly variable
and limited proportions.
By the process forming the subject matter of the said former patent, tho nitrogen
is obtained in a pure state and according to our present Invention we pass the
pure nitrogen thus obtained and coming from the first retort or series of retorts
(wherein the oxygen has been retained) into a second retort or series of retorts,
placed say on the right hand side and separated from the first retort or series of
retorts by a wall which causes or forms the return of the flames. We use this or
equivalent arrangement in order to produce the different temperatures required for
the reactions and in order to utilize tho wasto heat coming from the second retort
or retorts (which are used for fixing the nitrogen) which temperature has to be
high, that is to say, about 1100 to 1470 degrees Fahrenheit and to apply the
aforesaid waste heat to the retort or retorts wherein the oxygen is separated. Tho
retorts are charged with barytic coke which by preference is made from about
equal parts of caustic baryta or the carbonate or the sulphate of baryta and wood
or other charcoal pulverized and agglomerated by means of tar.
In the accompanying drawing we have shown a vertical sectional diagram
showing an apparatus constructed according to our invention. A A A are the
retorts containing the protoxide of barium according to our aforesaid previous
patent. The nitrogen escaping from the said retorts is by a pump or other suitable
means passed into the retort B which is charged with the barytic coke. The
nitrogen with the steam enters the retort B by the pipe C which branches off into
a series of pipes c distributed through the mass of the barytic coke and provided
with small outlet holes. D is a pipe for conveying carbonic oxide gas from a
suitable generator. E is a pipe for supplying this gas fuel to the flues arranged
around the retort B. G is a pipe for conveying gas fuel to the flues around the
retorts A; and, H, and, I, are valves in the pipes E and G to give facility for
adjusting the tomperatures for the interior of the retorts A and B, during the

page_text: process and K and L are dampers in Blues leading to the chimney F for the same
purpose.
Under these conditions the apparatus works as follows:-
the first retort or retorts A which are charged with baryta, as described in the
Specification of the aforesaid previous patent, are in communication with a suction
pump, the action of which is regulated or governed in proportion to the volume of
baryta under treatment. The temperature of this series of retorts is about
1100 degrees Fahrenheit. The oxygen is retained in them by the baryta and
the nitrogen is expelled and forced into the second retort B (or series of retorts),
containing barytic coko which is maintained at a temperature preferably of
1470 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabouts. We thus obtain the result by the
special arrangement adopted wherein this latter retort or retorts are directly
exposed to the fiercest fire and the left hand retorts to the flames proceeding
therefrom.
The baryta contained in the barytic coko is thus transformed into cyanide of
barium. By passing steam by preference dry entering by the perforated pipes c
through the second retort B or retorts, and lowering the temperature to about
570 degrees Fahrenheit, we decompose the steam, the hydrogen of which combines
with the nitrogen to produce ammonia which passes off by the pipe M and may be
condensed in the water contained in the vessel N or treated to form the required
ammoniacal products. The oxygen combines with the carbon and passes off nlong
with the ammonia. The barytic coke can be used for fixing the nitrogen con-
tinuously as described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and the manner in which same is or may be used or carried into effect
we would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the hereinbefore in part.
recited Letters Patent is :
First: The process and apparatus for the production of ammoniacal products the
said process consisting in treating nitrogen in the presence of what we have
hereinbefore termed "barytic coke" and steam or watery vapour substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Second The process for the production of ammoniacal products consisting in
first obtaining nitrogen by the treatment of atmospheric air as herein before
mentioned and as described in the Specification of our aforesaid prior patent and
then treating the said nitrogen in the presence of what we have hereinbefore
termed "barytic coke" and steam or watery vapour substantially as hereinbefore
described.
In Witness whereof I the said Leon Quentin Brin for myself and on behalf
of the said Arthur Brin have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty first
day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty
three.