Improvements in the Manufacture of Caustic Soda, or Caustic Potash, from Carbonate of Soda, or Carbonate of Potash.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1897-Accepted, 6th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Caustic Soda, or Caustic Potash,
from Carbonate of Soda, or Carbonate of Potash.
We, PHILIP JOHN WORSLEY of Rodney Lodge, Clifton, in the City and County
of Bristol a Director of The United Alkali Company Limited and THE UNITED
ALKALI COMPANY LIMITED of G11 Exchange Buildings, Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of caustic soda or of caustic potash from carbonate of
soda or of potash by means of oxide of iron according to what is known as Lowig's
process it has hitherto been necessary to lift the materials out of the atmosphere
of carbonic acid which is generated by the action of the oxide of iron upon the
carbonate of soda or of potash at the requisite high temperature, and to allow
the said materials to fall through the atmosphere of the products of combustion
which are kept as low as possible in carbonic acid, by means either of steam,
or of water gas.
According to this Invention the expulsion of the carbonic acid from the car--
bonate of soda or of potash is effected without bringing it into unnecessarily
intimate contact with the fuel gases, thus preventing to a great extent the
absorption of sulphurous acid from the fuel gases, and avoiding the aforesaid use
of water-gas or steam. This is done by well agitating the materials whilst they
are on the bed of a reverberatory furnace the reaction then proceeding quite
readily without the employment of either steam or water-gas.
The process according to this Invention may be performed in a furnace having
a rotating horizontal bed and provided with mechanical agitators or stirrers.
An apparatus such as is known in the alkali trade as a Mactear carbonating
furnace is suitable for the purpose. Upon the bed of this furnace the mixture
of carbonate of soda or of potash and oxide of iron is placed and subjected to the
necessary temperature. The revolving bed brings portion after portion of the
charge to the hottest part of the furnace and the mechanical agitators or stirrers
mix and present new portions of the materials to the action of the fuel gases.
Dated this 8th day of January 1897
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Caustic Soda, or Caustic Potash,
from Carbonate of Soda, or Carbonate of Potash.
We, PHILIP JOHN WORSLEY of Rodney Lodge, Clifton in the City and County
of Bristol, a Director of The United Alkali Company Limited and THE UNITED

page_text: ALKALI COMPANY LIMITED of G11 Exchange Buildings Liverpool in the County
of Lancaster 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:―
In the manufacture of caustic soda, or of caustic potash, from carbonate of
soda, or carbonate of Potash, by means of oxide of iron according to what is
known as Loewig's process, it has hitherto been necessary to lift the materials
out of the atmosphere of carbonic acid which is generated by the action of the
oxide of iron upon the carbonate of soda, or of potash, at the requisite high
temperature, and to allow the said materials to fall through the atmosphere of
the products of combustion which are kept as low as possible in carbonic acid,
by means either of steam or of water gas.
According to this invention the expulsion of the carbonic acid from the car-
bonate of soda, or of potash, is effected without bringing it into unnecessarily
intimate contact with the fuel gases, thus to a great extent preventing the
absorption of sulphurous acid from the fuel gases, and avoiding the aforesaid
use of water-gas, or steam. This is done by well agitating the materials whilst
they are on the bed of a reverberatory furnace, the reaction then proceeding quite
readily without the employment of either steam or water gas.
The process according to this Invention may be performed in a furnace having
a rotating horizontal bed and provided with mechanical agitators or stirrers.
An apparatus such as is known in the alkali trade as a Mactear carbonating
furnace is suitable for the purpose. Upon the bed of this furnace the mixture
of carbonate of soda, or of potash, and oxide of iron, is placed and subjected to
the necessary temperature. The revolving bed brings portion after portion of
the charge to the hottest part of the furnace and the mechanical agitators, or
stirrers mix and present new portions of the materials to the action of the fuel
gases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
In the manufacture of caustic soda, or caustic potash, from carbonate of soda,
or from carbonate of potash, by what is known as Loewig's process, agitating
the carbonate of soda, or carbonate of potash and oxide of iron, on the bed of a
Mactear or equivalent furnace substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1897.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.