An Improved Compound for Treating Fuel.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE STANDARD COAL AND FUEL COMPANY,
of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.]
An Improved Compound for Treating Fuel.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 improved compound for the treatment of coal and
other fuel to facilitate the combustion thereof.
Various compounds have been heretofore employed for this purpose, such
compounds usually containing salts that readily set free oxygen to combine with the
carbon of the coal, and containing other agents having various modifying effects
upon the action of the oxygen-supplying salt.
Such compounds as have been heretofore used are generally objectionable on:
account of the deliquescent nature of the chemicals employed, from which it results.
that, even if they are originally prepared and nixed dry, they absorb moisture and
dissolve, so that they can only be kept in a liquid condition, making it extremely
difficult and expensive to store them or to ship them from place to place or otherwise
transport them.
The present invention is based on the discovery that, by mixing together saltpetre
(either nitre or Chili saltpetre), common salt, sodium sulphate, carbonate of soda,
and salammoniac in suitable proportions, a compound can be obtained which will
perform, in a more effectual manner than the compounds heretofore employed, the
necessary functions in promoting the combustion of the fuel, and which is also
sufficiently non-absorbent to remain without liquefying under ordinary climatic
conditions until it is required for use, when it may be prepared by the addition of-
sufficient water to make a solution; this solution is to be sprinkled upon or
otherwise applied to the surface of the coal or other fuel; or the compound may be
used in the form of powder by sprinkling it upon the fuel.
The improved compound forming the subject of this invention is composed of the
following ingredients, which, for the best results on many kinds of coal, should be
in the proportions hereinafter specified, although the proportions may be somewhat
varied to adapt the compound for different kinds or qualities of coal or other fuel to
which it is to be applied
:-
Saltpetre (potassium nitrate or nitre KNO,, or preferably
sodium nitrate or Chili saltpetre Na NO₂)
Common salt (chloride of sodium Na Cl) as free as
possible from moisture -
Sodium sulphate (Glauber's salt Na, SO, +10 H₂ O, or
preferably the anhydrous sulphate known as salt-cake
Na, SO.)
-
Carbonate of soda (Na, CO,, or the crystallized carbonate
of soda Na, CO₂+10 H, O, known also as soda-
crystals)
Salammoniac (ammonium chloride, NH, CI)
25 parts by weight.
50 parts by weight.
15 parts by weight.
5 parts by weight.
5 parts by weight.
The above ingredients should be dried, ground and thoroughly mixed together,
and will form a compound which does not deliquesce under ordinary climatic
conditions, and consequently may be stored and shipped in a dry condition without

page_text: The compound may thus be prepared at any point where it is most convenient to
carry on the manufacture, and shipped to the point where it is desired to use the
said compound, when it may, as above stated, be applied to the coal or other fuel-
in any convenient manner, either by sprinkling the powder upon the same, or
preferably by dissolving the powder in water and sprinkling the solution over the
coal or other fucl.
The saltpetre affords oxygen for a thorough combustion of the coal or other fuel,
whilst the other ingredients afford further advantages, such, for instance, as the
prevention of the too rapid evolution of oxygen from the saltpetre and of too rapid
chemical union of the oxygen with the carbon of the coal, and also the holding
back of the smoke until thoroughly consumed. Moreover the carbonate of soda
lightens the compound, having an effect somewhat similar to that of yeast in
bread.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I wish it understood that, although it is most
advantageous to employ all of the ingredients above named in the manufacture of
the improved compound, yet, with one or other of them omitted, a compound might
be made which would give better results than have hitherto been obtained.
I do not, however, make any claim to a compound composed of saltpetre and any
individual one of the four other ingredients above mentioned, as such compounds
have already been described and claimed in the Specifications of the following
former Letters Patent viz. -No. 17,466, No. 17,470 and No. 17,484 all dated the
31st October 1890; but I claim :-
The herein described improved compound for the treatment of fuel, consisting of
saltpetre, common salt, sodium sulphate, carbonate of soda, and sal ammoniac (or of
saltpetre and any two or more of the other ingredients) in substantially the
proportions specified.
Dated this 9th day of June 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.