MANUFACTURING AMMONIA
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Young, the younger, of Kelly, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, for the Invention of "MANUFACTURING AMMONIA."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Young at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th November 1878.
JAMES YOUNG, the younger, of Kelly, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain.
MANUFACTURING AMMONIA."
This Invention has for its object to produce ammonia by uniting the nitrogen of
the atmosphere with hydrogen.
The Invention consists in separating nitrogen by causing atmospheric air to pass
over iron or other metals, carbon, or such other chemical equivalent thereof con-
tained in a chamber, to which substance or substances, when heated, atmospheric air
on being exposed parts with its oxygen, thus leaving the nitrogen free. The nitrogen
produced by the ordinary process of burning carbonaceous matter may also be used
for the purposes of this Invention. The free nitrogen is passed into a heated vessel
containing carbonate of baryta and charcoal, or equivalents of these substances
which reduce steam when passed over them, so that the free nitrogen, or a portion'
thereof, obtained in either manner herein-before mentioned, unites with the free
hydrogen from the steam, or a portion thereof, thus forming ammonia, which may
be collected by passing it through water or an acid solution, or by any other of the
known methods of collecting ammonia.
In working the Invention the nitrogen is allowed to pass over the carbonate of
baryta and carbon, or their equivalents, for some time previous to the steam being
passed over them, and when the steam is introduced the flow of nitrogen may or
may not be stopped.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Young in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th May
1879.
JAMES Young, the younger, of Kelly, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain.
"MANUFACTURING AMMONIA.'
My said Invention has for its object to produce ammonia by uniting the nitrogen
of the atmosphere with hydrogen.
+1
For the purposes of my Invention nitrogen is obtained from the atmosphere in
any convenient manner, as for instance by causing atmospheric air to pass over
iron or other metals, carbon, or such other chemical equivalent thereof, contained in
a chamber, to which substance or substances, when heated, atmospheric air on being
exposed parts with its oxygen, thus leaving the nitrogen free; or nitrogen may be
produced from the atmosphere by the ordinary process of burning carbonaceous
matter, and used for the purposes of my Invention. The nitrogen passing away
from the sulphuric acid chambers may likewise be used. The free nitrogen is passed
into a chamber, which it is essential should be heated to a bright red heat, that is
to say, to the heat corresponding to what is known as the bright red heat of iron.
This chamber contains carbonate of baryta and charcoal, which will reduce steam
when passed thereover. During the process the carbonate of baryta becomes caustic
by carbonic oxide being driven off. The baryta in the said chamber absorbs the
nitrogen, and when the said baryta no longer absorbs the nitrogen the supply of
nitrogen is discontinued. After this absorption of nitrogen has taken place the
temperature of the chamber is then reduced to a low red heat. Steam is then
admitted to the said chamber and is decomposed therein, the free hydrogen from
the steam, or a portion thereof, combining with the nitrogen contained in the baryta,
thus forming ammonia, which may be collected by passing it through water or an
acid solution, or by any other known methods of collecting ammonia.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood I now proceed more
particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same
is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
annexed Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 of the said Drawing represents a plan, and Figure 2 a transverse section
of an apparatus which may be used for practising my Invention, and which consists
of two chambers A and B, closed at each end by air-tight doors, communicating
with each other at the front by means of the pipe c furnished with a cock or
valve c. The pipe a leads into the chamber A from a fan or blower, and the pipe b
leads from the chamber B into a condensing chamber where the ammonia is
collected. The chamber A contains iron or other metal, carbon, or such other
chemical equivalent thereof, which will, when beated to a red heat, separate the
oxygen from the nitrogen of the atmosphere. In the chamber B is placed carbonate 4
of baryta and charcoal. The chambers A and B are heated, and for this pur-
pose they may be set in a manner resembling the setting of the fireplaces of
ordinary gas retorts, with a separate fire place for each chamber. In the Drawing
the fire places are shewn in section. When the temperature of the chamber B has
attained that of a bright red heat, atmospheric air is passed through the pipe a into
the chamber A, which is heated to a low red heat, or such other temperature as will
effect the separation of the nitrogen of the air. In this chamber A the oxygen and
nitrogen of the air are separated. The nitrogen passes by the pipe c into the
chamber B, and there unites with or is absorbed by the baryta. When the baryta
no longer absorbs nitrogen the supply of air by the pipe a is discontinued, and the
temperature of the chamber B is lowered to that of what is known as a low red
heat.
When this low red temperature is reached, the valve c¹ being then closed, steam
is then admitted to the chamber B by a pipe at d furnished with a cock d', and is

page_text: decomposed, the hydrogen, or part thereof, combining with the nitrogen contained
in the baryta, and thus ammonia is formed, it being passed by the pipe at b into a
chamber, where it is collected by any of the known ways of collecting ammonia.
The steam is admitted into the chamber B until the ammonia ceases to come off.
In working this Invention the process hereinbefore described is repeated, and the
ammonia which is formed is passed into the condensing or collecting chamber, and
so on until the charcoal in the chambers A or B no longer breaks up air or decom-
poses steam when fresh charcoal is supplied.
In order that any gases which are not absorbed by the baryta when passing the
nitrogen over it may be allowed to escape the chamber B may have two outlets,
one for the said gases to a chimney, and the other (the pipe b) for the ammonia to
the collecting chamber, as when charcoal is used carbonic oxide is forined.
two outlets are used the communication to, the one is of course closed when the
other is open, but I prefer the whole of the gases to be passed through the collecting
chamber.
When
I have described the process with reference to the Drawing as being conducted
with nitrogen obtained by passing the atmospheric air over metal or carbon in a
heated chamber (A), but the method of obtaining the nitrogen forms no part of my
Invention; for instance, nitrogen produced by burning carbonaceous matter or in
other way from the atmosphere may be led into the chamber (B) containing the
baryta and charcoal. The Drawing is merely for the purpose of rendering clear the
description of the manner of conducting my process, and I do not limit myself
to the use of the apparatus there shewn, or to any other apparatus, as any form
or arrangement of apparatus suited to the purposes of my Invention may be
employed.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or
may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The manufacture of ammonia from the atmosphere, substantially in the manner
herein before described; also the use of apparatus, such as herein before described, in
the manner and for the purposes mentioned, that is to say, the use of a closed
retort or chamber containing or charged with baryta and charcoal, the said retort
or chamber being kept at a comparatively high temperature, answering to that of a
bright red heat, or thereabouts, while nitrogen obtained from the atmosphere in any
convenient manner is passed into or through it, and the temperature of the said
retort or chamber being afterwards lowered to that answering to a low red heat, or
thereabouts, while steam is passed into or through it so as to be decomposed therein
and form ammonia by the combination of its hydrogen with the nitrogen absorbed
by the baryta, thus producing ammonia in a more economic and efficient manner
than by the processes hitherto employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Young, the younger, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JAMES YOUNG, Jª. (L.S.)