Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 11th Nov., 1887.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS carrying on business under the firm or style
of Harris and Mills of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me
from abroad by Thomas B. Fogarty of the City of Brooklyn, County of Kings, and
State of New York, in the United States of America, and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming
a part of this specification :-
The object of my invention is to cheapen the production of sulphate of ammonia by
producing, first, a carbonate of ammonia or its equivalent components, through the
combustion of alkalized carbon, in an atmosphere composed of incandescent air steam
and nitrogenous gas, and second, separating from the combustible gases produced the
resulting carbonate of ammonia, or its components and fixing them by means of
gypsum with the production of sulphate of ammonia, and carbonate of lime.
It is well understood that ammonia cannot be practically produced upon a large
scale by the direct synthesis of its elements; but, it is, at the same time, well known
that there is no practical obstacle in the way of the artificial production of cyanogen,
and, that this having been produced, as an intermediate step, its conversion into
ammonia is an easy matter.
It is well known, also, that it is extremely difficult to effect the combination of
nitrogen and carbon-the elements of cyanogen-and to form free cyanogen gas,
even at a high temperature. If, however, an alkali or alkaline earth, or indeed, any
substance capable of combining with cyanogen, or of producing a substance capable
of combining with it be present, cyanogen is readily produced from its elements and
combining with the alkali to form a cyanide or cyanite, which, in turn, may be
decomposed by steam with the production of ammonia, oxides of carbon, and
hydrogen gas.

page_text: Taking advantage of this disposition of incandescent nitrogen and carbon to
combine in the presence of an alkali, I submit a suitably prepared mixture of carbon
and alkali to the action of nitrogenous gas in a close furnace or retort, and, simul-
taneously with such gas, or mixed therewith, I also introduce into my retort suitably
adjusted volumes of steam, and air, preferably super-heated, whereby, not only the
cyanides resulting from the combination of the nascent cyanogen may, as fast as
formed, be decomposed by the steam, with the production of ammonia, oxides of
carbon and hydrogen gas and the return of the alkali to its original state or its
entrance into fresh combinations; but also, the air present will tend to promote the
combustion, and to maintain the temperature of the retort at a higher and more
uniform point, while the volume of fuel gas will, at the same time, be largely
increased.
The nitrogen used may be derived from any suitable source, but I prefer to obtain
it from the nitrogenous gas produced by the partial combustion of coal, coke or any
other suitable form of carbon in a closed furnace or cupola.
I shall now proceed to describe my invention so fully and clearly that any person
skilled in the art of making sulphate of ammonia may be able to understand and
practice the same, and, for this purpose I shall divide or classify it into three heads
or parts, consisting, first, in obtaining nitrogen, either pure or as contained in
nitrogenous fuel gas mixed with other gases; second, in causing the nitrogen of such
nitrogenous gas to combine with hydrogen and to produce ammonia, oxides of carbon
and hydrogen gas, and third, in separating the ammonia and carbonic acid from the
other gases by means of gypsum-with the production of sulphate of ammonia and
carbonate of lime.
In carrying out the first part of my invention I prefer to make a nitrogenous fuel
gas by forcing air, either alone or mixed with steam, through a suitable cupola,
furnace, or retort suitably filled or charged with coal, or coke, or other suitable
carbonaceous fuel in a state of combustion or incandescence.
My second step consists in the conversion, either in whole or in part, of the nitrogen
of the nitrogenous gas into ammonia, and consists in causing the gas to pass through
a suitably constructed cupola, furnace, or retort wherein it meets with suitably
adjusted currents or moving volumes of suitably mixed carbon and alkali, preferably
in a pulverized or finely divided state, and steam and air, preferably, super-heated;
and wherein the mixed volumes of nitrogenous gas, alkalized carbon, steam and air
is subjected to a high or incandescent temperature under the influence of which the
alkalized carbon combines with the nitrogen of the gas to form alkaline cyanides,
which are, in turn, decomposed by the steam with the production of ammonia, oxides
of carbon, and hydrogen gas, while the combined alkali returns to its original state
or enters into fresh combinations. The combination is largely promoted by the
air present, and, consequently, the retort is maintained at a high and more uniform
temperature while the volume of nitrogenous gas is largely increased.
DRAWINGS.
The annexed drawings illustrate and are a part of this specification.
The annexed drawings illustrate and are a part of this specification.
in Figure i which shows in elevation the general arrangement and form of my
apparatus; A is a steam-boiler of any suitable construction, B a cupola, or furnace
for producing nitrogenous gas, C, a furnace for the conversion of the nitrogen of the
nitrogenous gas into ammonia, D a washer wherein the solid matter escaping from C
is separated from the gas, E a condenser wherein the gas, now largely impregnated
with ammonia, is cooled preparatory to the conversion of the ammonia present into a
sulphate, such conversion being effected in a purifying box T or set thereof, of the
ordinary construction.
In Figure 2, which is a vertical section of C and D Figure 1.
F is a vertical cupola or retort provided at top with a suitable hopper G, suitably
provided with a suitable feeding screw H, for feeding the alkalized carbon into the
retort F, which is provided with suitable shelves or hoppers by means of which the

page_text: other material capable of rendering the mass permeable to the escaping gases, the
ammonia, and carbonic acid of which combine with, and decompose the gypsum with
the production of sulphate of ammonia, and carbonate of lime. The sulphate of
ammonia, being soluble may now be separated from the lime by leaching, after which
it is ready to be chrystalized and prepared for market in the usual manner. The solid
matter which remains in the hydraulic main and washer may be removed by the
screw Q.
It is evident that the super-heaters M, a and P, may be dispensed with, but it is
equally manifest that this cannot be done advantageously, for, while the gaseous and
pulverulent volume would under any circumstances, be soon raised to a high
temperature by the heat of the retort itself, the effect of this would be to throw so
much more work upon the retort itself with the result of diminishing the effectiveness
to a corresponding extent, and, consequently, it is most desirable that the gas, steam,
and air should all be raised to as high a temperature as practicable before entering
the retort.
It is also evident that the gas, steam, and air, or any two of them, may, without
serious disadvantage, be mixed before being super-heated.
I do not limit or confine myself to the exact processes or succession of processes or
to the precise form of apparatus described, for it is evident that they may be varied
indefinitely.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process herein described of producing sulphate of ammonia, consisting
substantially as follows:-first, injecting air alone, or air and steam mixed into and
through incandescent carbonaceous fuel contained in a suitable furnace, causing the
oxygen of the air, or of the combined volume of air and steam to combine with the
carbon of the fuel and to produce oxides of carbon, free hydrogen, and nitrogen gas,
second, causing the crude nitrogenous gas so produced to mix with suitably adjusted
volumes of gas, steam and air, and the mixed volume of gas, steam and air to meet
with a moving or falling volume of pulverized carbon and alkali, and the nitrogen of
the gaseous mixture to combine with such alkali and carbon, producing cyanogen
and alkaline cyanogen, which, in turn, are decomposed by the steam present,
producing ammonia, hydrogen gas, and oxides of carbon; third, combining the
ammonia and carbonic acid in the gases resulting from the second sub-process with
the sulphuric acid and lime of gypsum, and producing sulphate of ammonia and
carbonate of lime, substantially as described.
2. In a process for producing sulphate of ammonia, the process of causing nitrogen,
generator gas to meet and mix with suitably adjusted volumes of steam and air, and
the mixed volume of gas, steam, and air so formed to meet with a moving or falling
volume of pulverized carbon and alkali, and raising the entire volume, both gaseous
and solid, to a high or incandescent temperature, causing the nitrogen of the gaseous
mixture to combine with the carbon and alkali and to produce cyanogen, which, in
turn, is decomposed by the steam present, producing animonia, hydrogen gas, and
oxides of carbon, substantially as described.
3. In a process for producing sulphate of ammonia, the process of causing nitro-
genous generator gas to meet and mix with suitably adjusted volumes of steam and
air, and the mixed volume of gas, steam and air so formed to meet with a moving or
falling volume of pulverized or finely divided carbon and alkali, and raising the
entire volume, both gaseous and solid, to a high or incandescent temperature, causing
the nitrogen of the gaseous mixture to combine with the carbon and alkali and to
produce cyanogen, which, in turn, is decomposed by the steam present producing
ammonia, hydrogen gas, and oxides of carbon; next combining the ammonia and
carbonic acid in the gaseous volume with the sulphuric acid and lime of gypsum, and
producing sulphate of ammonia, and carbonate of lime, substantially as described.
4. In a process for producing sulphate of ammonia, the process of causing the
nitrogen contained in a mixture of super-heated nitrogenous gas, steam, and air to

page_text: combine with carbon and alkali, and to produce cyanogen and alkaline cyanides, and
of decomposing the cyanogen and cyanides so produced, in turn, by means of the
steam contained in the gaseous mixture, producing ammonia, hydrogen gas, and
oxides of carbon, substantially as described.
5. In a process for producing sulphate of ammonia from the nitrogen of nitrogenous
gas by causing such nitrogen to combine with carbon and alkali, and to produce
cyanogen and alkaline cyanides, which, in turn, are decomposed by steam, producing
ammonia, hydrogen gas, and oxides of carbon, the process of forming the cyanogen
in the presence of suitably adjusted volumes of steam and air, substantially as
described.
6. In an apparatus for producing ammonia, a retort F, suitably provided with
super-heaters M, a and P, constructed and operated substantially as described.
7. In an apparatus for producing sulphate of ammonia, a retort F, suitably
combined with super-heaters M, a and P, and purifier T, constructed and operated
substantially as described.