A NEW PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SODA AND POTASH FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE HALOID SALTS BY THE DIRECT WET METHOD
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "A NEW PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SODA AND POTASH
FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE HALOID SALTS BY THE DIRECT WET METHOD." -A.
communication from abroad by Hector de Grousilliers and George
in the Common Timning
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th August 1873.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "A NEW PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
SODA AND POTASH FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE HALOID SALTS BY THE DIRECT WET
METHOD," to be as follows:-
The carbonates of potash and soda are insoluble in alcohol, while
chlorido of ammonium and carbonate of ammonium are readily soluble,
'

page_text: and the chlorides of potassium and sodium partially so. If therefore
chloride of potassium or chloride of sodium are combined with mono-
carbonate of ammonia in an alcoholic solution, a transformation into
alkaline carbonate and chloride of ammonium will take place, of which
the former is precipitated, while the latter is retained in solution.
The present Invention consists in the utilization of the above facts,
not heretofore known, for producing alkaline carbonates directly from
the haloid salts by the following two methods :-
According to the first method chloride of sodium or chloride of
potassium, together with a solution of mono-carbonate of ammonia in
alcohol or wood spirit, are introduced into a closed vessel, lined with
lead, and capable of withstanding a pressure of about 5 atmospheres.
The quantity of the carbonate of ammonia must be rather in excess of
that required for the proportion of equivalents, and the quantity of
alcohol must be sufficient to hold in solution all. the chloride of ammo-
nium produced. The vessel being closed, the contents are heated by
steam, either by means of an internal coil or by a steam jacket. The
heat is so regulated that the pressure produced thereby does not exceed
five atmospheres. A gradual transformation of the haloid salts into
alkaline carbonate will thus be effected.
As soon as the transformation is completed, which can be ascertained
by the decrease of pressure and by withdrawing and testing samples, the
liquid is drawn off, and the remaining alkaline carbonate is washed with
alcohol, in which a small quantity of carbonate of ammonia is dissolved,
and it is then dried by application of a moderate heat, whereby the last
traces of ammonia will be removed by evaporation. By this means soda
or potash will be obtained free from water, and almost chemically
pure.
•
From the hot alcoholic solution of chloride of ammonium, withdrawn
as above described, the greater part of the chloride of ammonium will
crystallize out on cooling, or the alcohol can be removed by distillation,
and according to a well-known method the chloride of ammonium is
then mixed with one equivalent of chalk and heated in cast-iron retorts,
whereby it is converted into chloride of calcium (which remains in the
retort), and into sesqui-carbonate of ammonia and caustic ammonia,
which are mixed with the alcohol required for the next operation, where

page_text: phuret of potassium, and acetate of potash), and partly with the addition
of ammonia, which combines with the acid of the alkaline salts. I do
not however claim the use of such other alkaline salts as part of the
present Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Denton Abel, Her
special license that I, the said Charles Denton Abel, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Denton Abel, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "A NEW PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SODA AND POTASH FROM THEIR
RESPECTIVE HALOID SALTS BY THE DIRECT WET METHOD,” a communication to
me from abroad by Hector de Grousilliers and George Siemens, both of
Berlin, in the German Empire, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Denton Abel, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calender months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Denton Abel. do hereby

page_text: samo is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
The carbonates of potash and soda are insoluble in alcohol, while
chloride of ammonium and carbonate of ammonia are readily soluble,
and the chlorides of potassium and sodium partially so. If therefore
chloride of potassium or chloride of sodium are combined with mono-
carbonate of ammonia in an alcoholic solution a transformation into
alkaline carbonate and chloride of ammonium will take place, of which
the former is precipitated, while the latter is retained in solution.
The present Invention consists in the utilization of the above facts,
not heretofore known, for producing alkaline carbonates directly from
the haloid salts by the following two methods
--
According to the first method chloride of sodium or chloride of
potassium, together with a solution of mono-carbonate of ammonia in
alcohol or wood spirit, are introduced into a closed vessel, lined with
lead, and capable of withstanding a pressure of about 5 atmospheres.
The quantity of the carbonate of ammonia must be rather in excess of
that required for the proportion of equivalents, and the quantity of
alcohol must be sufficient to hold in solution all the chloride of ammo-
nium produced. The vessel being closed, the contents are heated by
steam, either by [means of an internal coil or by a steam jacket. The
heat is so regulated that the pressure produced thereby does not exceed
five atmospheres. A gradual transformation of the haloid salts into
alkaline carbonate will thus be effected.
As soon as the transformation is completed, which can be ascertained
by the decrease of pressure and by withdrawing and testing samples, the
liquid is drawn off, and the remaining alkaline carbonate is washed with
alcohol, in which a small quantity of carbonate of ammonia is dissolved,
and it is then dried by application of a moderate heat, whereby the last
O traces of ammonia will be removed by evaporation. By this means
soda or potash will be obtained free from water, and almost chemically
pure.
From the hot alcoholic solution of chloride of ammonium, withdrawn
as above described, the greater part of the chloride of ammonium will
5 crystallize out on cooling, or the alcohol can be removed by distillation,
and according to a well-known method the chloride of ammonium is
then mixed with one equivalent of chalk, and heated in cast-iron retorts,

page_text: Other alkaline salts besides chlorides of potassium and sodium
may in alcoholic solutions be converted into alkaline carbonates by
means of carbonic acid according to the above-described process, partly
without the use of ammonia (as, for instance, sulphide of sodium, sul-
phuret of potassium, and acetate of potash), and partly with the addition
of ammonia, which combines with the acid of the alkaline salts. I do
not however claim the use of such other alkaline salts as part of the
present Invention.
In the foregoing description the term "alcohol" is intended to
embrace all descriptions of alcoholic liquids or spirits, especially those
contained in unrefined spirits, such as ethyl, alcohol, and the like.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I wish it to be understood that I do not
claim the processes described in the Specifications of Dyar and Hemming,
dated 30th June 1888, No. 7713; of Schlossing, dated 8th June 1854,
No. 1425; of Bell, dated 13th October 1857, No. 2616; and of Young,
dated respectively the 11 August 1871, No. 2122, and the 28th Sep*.
1871, No. 2558; but what I claim is, the production of soda and potash
from their haloid salts by treating the latter with carbonate of ammonia
dissolved in alcohol or wood spirit, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-