Improvements in the Manufacture of Nitrate of Ammonia.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1889-Accepted, 15th June, 1839
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Nitrate of Ammonia.
I CECIL NAPIER HAKE of 14 Great Smith Street, Westminster, Consulting Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A common method of producing nitrate of ammonia when required in a state of
purity is to bring together commercial liquid nitric acid (that is, nitric acid vapor
condensed in water) and commercial liquid ammonia (gaseous ammonia condensed in
water) so that nitrate of ammonia is formed in solution in the water previously used
for condensing the nitric acid vapor and ammonia gas.
There are many technical disadvantages to this method, which it is the object of
invention to obviate.
my
My invention consists in combining the nitric acid and the ammonia while both
in the gaseous form, or the ammonia in the gaseous form and the nitric acid in the
form of a fine spray, and thus producing dry nitrate of ammonia.
The gases are cooled and are conducted in the gaseous form to a condensing
chamber or vessel, or the ammonia is introduced as vapor, or in the gaseous form,
and the nitric acid in the form of a fine spray. This chamber is constructed of
stone or other suitable material capable of resisting the chemical action of the:
ingredients used.
If the gases are fairly dry, the nitrate of ammonia condenses in snow like form,
or if little moisture is present, in a supersaturated liquid form. The product is
withdrawn from the condensing apparatus into suitable vessels, either in the form of
powder, or as a liquid; in the latter case it crystallises on cooling.
A supplementary condenser is attached to the outlet of the condensing chamber by,
which any escaping gas may be caught.
In carrying out this process the flow of the gases is regulated in such manner that'
equivalent proportions are present in the condensing chamber, so as to obviate the
presence of an excess of either gas.
:
:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Nitrate of Ammonia.
I CECIL NAPIER HAKE of 14 Great Smith Street, Westminster, Consulting 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:
A common method of producing nitrate of ammonia is to bring together commercial
liquid nitric acid and commercial liquid ammonia, so that a solution of nitrate of
ammonia is obtained, from which the salt may be extracted by crystallization and
evaporation.
This method has many practical disadvantages which it is the object of my invention
to obviate. Amongst others, the nitrate is produced in a more or less dilute solution
which has to be evaporated in a costly manner to produce the dry substance.
My invention consists in producing nitrate of ammonia in a dry or solid form or
state of powder, by combining nitric acid vapor with ammonia gas, or ammonia gas
with commercial liquid nitric acid in the form of a fine spray, under such conditions

page_text: that the temperature caused by the combination does not rise sufficiently high to
produce chemical decomposition, that is, to a temperature over 120° C.
According to my first method the gases are conducted to a chamber filled with air
where the two gases mix together and combine to form nitrate of ammonia which falls
down in the state of a fine powder, the atinospheric air reducing the temperature
within safe limits.
The ammonia gas may be dried by passing over quicklime before passing it into
the mixing chamber.
According to the second method, the nitric acid may be sprayed into the mixing
chamber into which a current of ammonia gas is at same time flowing, care being
taken not to admit sufficient of the acid and ammonia at one time to raise the
temperature beyond the above mentioned safe limit.
The mixing chamber is constructed of stone, lead, or other suitable material capable
of resisting the chemical action of the ingredients used.
If fairly dry gases be used, the nitrate of ammonia is produced in the form of a fine
powder, but if moisture is present it is produced in a supersaturated liquid form which
solidifies on cooling.
A condenser containing an acid by preference is attached to the outlet of the
mixing chamber by which any escaping gas may be caught.
In carrying out this process, the flow of the gases should be regulated in such
manner that as near as possible equivalent proportions of the two ingredients should
be present in the mixing chamber, but it is advantageous in practice to admit a slight
excess of ammonia; it is also desirable to blow a current of air through the nitric
acid generator in such a way as to give a decided flow to the gas, and at the same time
to dilute it when it comes into contact with the ammonia gas.
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 production of nitrate of ammonia in a dry or solid form or state of powder,
by bringing together in either of the ways herein specified, nitric acid and ammonia,
so as to effect their direct combination whilst both are in a gaseous or finely divided
form, and under such circumstances that the temperature caused by the combination
does not rise sufficiently high to produce simultaneous decomposition of the nitrate
of ammonia.
Dated this l5th day of May 1889.
C. NAPIER HAKE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agente