IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHLORINE FROM BYE-PRODUCTS OF THE AMMONIA SODA PROCESS OR SIMILAR CHEMICALS OBTAINED FROM OTHER SOURCE (
Year: 1885

page_text: from other Source.
I; WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CHLORINE FROM BYE-PRODUCTS OF THE AMMONIA SODA PROCESS OR SIMILAR
CHEMICALS OBTAINED FROM OTHER SOURCE (a communication from abroad by
Messieurs Solvay et Cie of Bruxelles in the Kingdom of Belgium) to be as
follows:-
"
This invention has for its object certain improvements in the manufacture of
ohlorine from calcium (or magnesium) chloride set forth in patents granted to
Ernest Solvay, Nos 838 of 1880 and 7258 of 1884.
1. The heating of the decomposing cupola is a difficult problem and Messrs Solvay
and Co adopt the following contrivance to keep up the necessary temperature.
They mix the matter to be decomposed with a certain proportion of inert and
refractory materials. The part these play is to absorb the heat of the issuing
gases and to impart this heat, in virtue of the method of working the cupola, to
the air entering the same. In fact the quantity of air necessary for the decom-
position exceeds in weight the mixture which is to be decomposed, and as their
caloric capacities are nearly equal, the gases of a necessity issue hot and there is
not sufficient heat in the decomposed matter, which issues below, to raise the
entering air to the required temperature.
The result of it is, that even if the cupola bas at first been raised to the required
temperature it would rapidly grow colder, although the reaction itself costs no or
hardly any heat. By this contrivance, on the contrary, by adding as much inert
matter as is required in order that the caloric capacities multiplied by the weights
may be equivalent on the side of the air as well as on that of the solid matters,

page_text: the reaction once induced continues indefinitely, and if there were no loss by radia-
tion there would be no necessity for heating to maintain the chemical reaction
which theoretically costs nothing. To make good inevitable practical losses only a
light supply of outside heat is needed. The inert matter which comes out cold is
separated from the residue at its exit, and put back again into the upper part of
the cupola. In reality it constitutes a continuous recuperator of heat.
2. Utilization of the residue from the operation.
Mr Solvay in his former patents has shown that the residue from this process
can be used for making cement, and also, when it is very basic, that is, prepared
with an excess of calcium chloride, that it can be used for the distillation of the
ammonium chloride which has to be decomposed in the ammonia soda process.
Without being as active as lime this matter is decomposed, and one part of the
lime contained in it unites with the chlorine of the ammonium chloride and forms
calcium chloride, while free ammonia is given off. The silica and alumina which
were combined with this lime are liberated, and may form a new mixture ready to
act again under the action of the air and to begin the whole cycle of operations
again.
But the residue from the decomposition of the calcium chloride through the
silica and alumina, under the influence of air, can again be used to decompose
ammonium chloride in a very different fashion. It has already been proposed to
obtain ammonium chloride in a solid form from the ammonia soda process by the
direct evaporation of the filtered liquid, deprived of its ammonium bicarbonate
after the principal reaction. This ammonium chloride may be decomposed in the
solid state by heating it in the dry state with the residue that has been mentioned
previously pounded and perfectly mixed. Free ammonia is given off and chloride
of calcium is formed, which reconstitutes the original mixture with the residue.
Dated this 18th day of July 1885
W P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Chlorine from Bye-products
of the Ammonia Soda Process, or similar Chemicals Obtained
· from other Source.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster &
323, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication from abroad by Messieurs Solvay
et Cie of Bruxelles in the Kingdom of Belgium,) and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for its object certain improvements in the manufacture of
chlorine from calcium (or magnesium) chloride, set forth in patents granted to
Ernest Solvay, Nos 838 of 1880 and 7258 of 1884.
1. The heating of the decomposing cupola is a difficult problem, and Messrs Solvay
and Co., adopt the following contrivance to keep up the necessary temperature.
They mix the matter to be decomposed with a certain proportion of inert and
refractory materials. The part these play is to absorb the heat of the issuing
gases and to impart this heat, in virtue of the method of working the cupola to
the air entering the same. In fact the quantity of air necessary for the decom-
position exceeds in weight the mixture which is to be decomposed, and as their
caloric capacities are nearly equal, the gases of a necessity issue hot, and there is
not sufficient heat in the decomposed matter which issues below to raise the
entering air to the required temperature.
The result of it is, that even if the cupola, has at first been raised to the required
temperature, it would rapidly grow colder, although the reaction itself costs no, or
hardly any heat. By this contrivance on the contrary, by adding as much inert
matter as is required in order that the caloric capacities multiplied by the weights
may be equivalent on the side of the air as well as on that of the solid matters,
the reaction once induced continues indefinitely, and if there were no loss by radia-
tion, there would be no necessity for heating to maintain the chemical reaction
which, theoretically costs nothing. To make good inevitable practical losses, only
a light supply of outside heat is needed.
The inert matter which comes out cold is separated from the residue at its exit,
and put back again into the upper part of the cupola. In reality it constitutes a
continuous recuperator of heat.
The
The proportion of inert matter to the total bulk passed through may vary within
considerable limits, and can easily be determined by any practical man.
inert matter can consist conveniently of an excess of silica and alumina.
2. Utilization of the residue from the operation.
Mr Solvay in his former patents has shewn that the residue from this process
can be used for making cement, and also when it is very basic, that is prepared
with an excess of calcium chloride that it can be used for the distillation of the
ammonium chloride, which has to be decomposed in the ammonia soda process.
Without being as active as lime this matter is decomposed, and one part of the
lime contained in it unites with the chlorine of the ammonium chloride, and forms

page_text: calcium chloride while free ammonia is given off. The silica and alumina which
were combined with this lime are liberated, and may be used to form a new
mixture with calcium chloride ready to form chlorine again under the action of
the air.
But the residue from the decomposition of calcium chloride by means of silica
and alumina under the influence of air can be used to decompose ammonium
chloride in a more advantageous manner. It has already been proposed to obtain
ammonium chloride in the solid form from the ammonia soda process by the
evaporation and crystallization of the filtered liquor deprived of its ammonium
carbonate, which is the result of the principal reaction. This ammonium chloride
'may be decomposed in the solid state by mixing it intimately with the above
mentioned residue previously pounded, and heating the dry mixture to about
350 degrees centigrade. The ammonia of the ammonium chloride is set free, and
the chlorine combines with the calcium or magnesium in the residue, forming
chloride of calcium or magnesium, which is most intimately mixed with the silica
and alumina of the residue and thus forms a mixture equally well adapted to
produce chlorine under the influence of air and heat as the mixture used under the
above cited patents. In this way the same silica and alumina can be used over
and over again to decompose successively an indefinite quantity of ammonium
chloride.
The theoretic proportions to be required in the reactions mentioned in the second
part of this specification are 107 parts of ammonium chloride to 40 parts of calcium
or 24 parts of magnesium in the residue, but to allow for incompleteness in the
reaction, it is better to use about two parts by weight of ammonium chloride
to one of calcium or 3 parts of ammonium chloride to one of magnesium in
the residues.
Having now particularly described and ascertained 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 declare that what
claim is:-
1st. The process described in part 1 of this Specification of regenerating the heat
in the manufacture of chorine from bye products of the ammonia soda process, or
from similar chemicals obtained from other source, which consists in charging the
cupola or other furnace from above with a considerable quantity of inert matter in
addition to the materials to be decomposed, which inert matter when freshly put
in, absorbs heat from the effluent gases, and when heated and past the zone of
action, gives out the heat again to the air or other operative gas or vapour incoming
from below.
2nd. The process of obtaining ammonia from ammonium chloride, and an intimate
mixture or compound of lime (or magnesia) alumina and silica, which consists in
heating the ammonium chloride in the solid form, with the material aforesaid,
substantially as described.
3rd. The improvement in obtaining chlorine from bye-products of the ammonia
soda process, which consists in producing an intimate mixture of calcium or
magnesium chloride with silica and alumina by heating ammonium chloride in the
solid form with an intimate mixture or compound of lime or magnesia with
alumina and silica, substantially as described.
WP. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.