Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture or Production of Ammonia-soda.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 16th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture or Production
of Ammonia-soda.
I, JAMES GREENWOOD, of 35, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London,
Electro-chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in and connected with the manufacture or
production of ammonia-soda.
In manufacturing ammonia-soda by present methods, the mother liquor containing
ammonium chloride, is treated with caustic lime, and the ammonia is thus
recovered, calcium chloride remaining behind as a waste product.
The principal object of my invention is, to recover the chlorine which has
hitherto been lost, and also at the same time to save the cost of lime, by using,
instead thereof, a material which can be converted into a product of commercial
value.
In carrying out my improvements, I take the ammonium-chloride, and treat the
same with the oxide of any suitable metal such as zinc oxide so as to form a
chloride of the said metal, which I then decompose, by passing a current of
electricity through it, thereby liberating the chlorine in the anode section of an
electrolytic vat, und depositing the metal on the cathode plate of the said vat.
As an example of one method of carrying my invention into practice I take zinc
ore, preferably of the kind known as calamine, or carbonate of zinc, which I calcine
or roast to convert it into zinc oxide. The carbonic gas driven off in this.
roasting operation may be collected and utilized in the preliminary stages of the
process.
The zinc oxide I then use in the same manner as caustic lime, for treating the
ammonia chloride, to liberate the ammonia and form zinc chloride, which is a
suitable electrolyte for the purposes of my invention. This zinc chloride is then
caused to flow into an electrolytic vat, similar to that described in the Specification
of my former Patent No. 18990 of 1890 with the exception that a zinc cathode is
used for the present purpose. A current of electricity being then passed through
the zinc chloride solution, free chlorine is liberated in the anode section, which is
conducted into suitable absorbers, and pure metallic zinc is deposited on the zinc
cathode.
The circulation of the zinc chloride solution is advantageously arranged so that
the process may be worked in a practically automatic manner.
It will be obvious that whatever metal oxide be employed, the metal of that oxide
will be recovered.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Manufacture or Production
of Ammonia-soda.
I, JAMES GREENWOOD, of 35, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London,
Electro Chemist, 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 :—
My invention relates to improvements in and connected with the manufacture or
production of ammonia-soda.
In manufacturing ammonia-soda by present methods, the mother liquor containing
ammonium chloride, is treated with caustic lime, and the ammonia is thus recovered,
calcium chloride remaining behind as a waste product.
The principal object of my invention is to recover the chlorine which has
hitherto been lost, and also at the same time to save the cost of lime, by using,
instead thereof, a material which can be converted into a product of commercial
value.
.
In carrying out my improvements, I take the ammonium-chloride, and treat the
same with the oxide of any suitable metal such as zinc oxide so as to form a
chloride of the said metal, which I then decompose by passing a current of
electricity through it, thereby liberating the chlorine in the anode section of an
electrolytic vat, and depositing the metal on the cathode plate of the said vat.
As an example of one method of carrying my invention into practice I take zinc
ore, preferably of the kind known as calamine, or carbonate of zinc, which I calcine.
or roast to convert it into zinc oxide. The carbonic acid gas driven off in this
roasting operation may be collected and utilized in the preliminary stages of the
process.
The zinc oxide I then use in the same manner as caustic lime for treating the
ammonium chloride to liberate the aminonia and form zinc chloride which is a
suitable electrolyte for the purposes of my invention. This zinc chloride is then
caused to flow into an electrolytic vat, similar to that described in the Specification
of my former Patent No. 18990 of 1890 with the exception that a zinc cathode is
used for the present purpose. A current of electricity being then passed through
the zinc chloride solution, free chlorine is liberated in the anode section, which
is conducted into suitable absorbers, and pure metallic zinc is deposited on the zinc
cathode.
The circulation of the zinc chloride solution is advantageously arranged so that
the process may be worked in a practically automatic manner.
It will be obvious that whatever metallic oxide be employed the metal of that
oxide will be recovered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The process of recovering chlorine from the ammonium chloride obtained in the
manufacture of ammonia-soda, consisting in treating the ammonium chloride with a
metallic oxide (the metal of which can be electrolytically deposited such as zinc
oxide) to form a chloride, and then decomposing such chloride by clectricity,
whereby the chlorine is liberated, substantially as described.
Dated
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.