Improvements in Means to be Employed in the Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 7th Apr.,
1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means to be Employed in the Manufacture of
Sulphuric Acid.
I, ADOLF CLEMM, Ph. D., of 38, Kaiserring, Mannheim, in the German Empire
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I have found that when anhydrous sulphurous acid along with dried oxygen (either
The
alone, or in a gas mixture, such as air) is passed over copper sulphate heated to
redness, condensation of the two gases to sulphuric acid takes place freely.
more completely the mutually reacting gases are dried, the better, and more perfectly,
does the action proceed.
In the practical application of this process it is advantageous to present the copper
sulphate to be used as contact-material in the form of a large surface, and for this
purpose, instead of saturating baked clay with copper sulphate, whereby the power of
the clay to absorb copper sulphate is limited, I mix crystallized copper sulphate with
moistened, unbaked, clay to form a stiff paste or dough and then I mould this into
balls, plates, tubes, or other suitable forms.
On heating these, the water in the paste, or dough, particularly the water of
crystallisation is driven off in such a way that a highly porous material is produced,
particularly adapted for the action in view.
More, or less, copper sulphate is employed according to the varying nature of the
clay. The clay which I use is mixed with an equal weight of copper sulphate.
The sulphurous acid may be obtained from any convenient source, and can be
brought into action not only with the heat arising from its production, but also with
the aid of heat applied externally for the purpose of roasting the contact-material
and the gases.
Materials having properties similar to those of clay, such as gypsum for example
can be used instead of clay.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (A)
Improvements in Means to be Employed in the Manufacture of
Sulphuric Acid.
I, ADOLF CLEMM, Ph. D., of 38, Kaiserring, Mannheim, in the German Empire,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
I have found that when anhydrous sulphurous acid along with dried oxygen (either
alone, or in a gas mixture, such as air) is passed over copper sulphate heated to
redness, condensation of the two gases to sulphuric acid takes place freely. The
more completely the mutually reacting gases are dried, the better, and more perfectly,
does the action proceed.
In the practical application of this process it is advantageous to present the
copper sulphate to be used as contact-material in the form of a large surface, and
for this purpose, instead of saturating baked clay with copper sulphate, whereby
the power of the clay to absorb copper sulphate is limited, I mix crystallized copper
sulphate with moistened, unbaked clay to form a stiff paste or dough and then I
mould this mixture into balls, plates, tubes or other suitable forms.
On heating these the water in the paste or dough particularly the water of
crystallization is driven off and a highly porous material is produced, particularly
adapted for the action in view.
More or less 'copper sulphate is employed according to the varying nature of the
clay and its binding quality.
The sulphurous acid may be obtained from any convenient source and can be
brought into action not only with the heat arising from its production, but also with
the aid of heat applied externally for the purpose of heating the contact material
and the gases.
Materials having properties similar to those of clay, such as gypsum, for example
can be used instead of clay.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I am aware
of the patents granted to Alfred Trueman No. 982 of 1854 and to Henry Deacon
No. 753 of 1871 and I do not claim anything that is described in the specifications
of these patents, but what I claim is :--
1. The manufacture of sulphuric acid by passing anhydrous sulphurous acid
and dried oxygen, or air, over red-hot copper sulphate as contact material.
2. In the manufacture of sulphuric acid according to the preceding claim the
employment of a contact material composed of moistened, unbaked clay, or the
like, mixed with crystallised copper sulphate and moulded into suitable shapes.
Dated this 7th day of March 1900.