IMPROVEMENTS IN. THE MANU- FACTURE OF CHLORINE to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ERNEST SOLVAY, of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN. THE MANU-
FACTURE OF CHLORINE to be as follows:-
"
In the Specifications of Letters Patent granted to me in Great Britain dated
respectively the 8th of January 1877, No 77 for Improvements in the manufacture
of chlorine; the 25th of February 1880 N° 838 for Improvements in means and
apparatus for the decomposition of chloride of calcium in order to obtain therefrom
hydrochloric acid and chlorine; and the 25th of February 1880 N° 839 for
Improvements in the manufacture of chloride of lime, I described the processes
and apparatus employed by me in the manufacture of chlorine by means of chloride
of calcium. Since that time I have continued my researches and have invented
the Improvements hereinafter described relating firstly to the preparation of the
materials to be used in forming the mixture to be decomposed, secondly to the
purification of the said mixture and thirdly to the purification of the air required
for producing the reaction-I will now describe my said Improvements in
reference to
Firstly. The purification of the mixture to be decomposed.
The clay or silicious or aluminous materials which I use, generally contain
carbonates or organic matters capable of producing carbonic acid at a red heat by
the action of air.
Now the presence of carbonic acid in chlorine gas is very disadvantageous and
may sometimes prevent its being possible to utilise the said gas.
According to iny invention, I purify either the clay or the mixture previously to
its being used by adding thereto an acid capable of decomposing carbonates, by
preference hydrochloric acid.
When the clay or silicious materials contain a considerable quantity of organic
matters I destroy the said organic matters by calcination in presence of a sufficient
quantity of air and when necessary with the addition of nitrate of soda or other
oxidizing substance.
Secondly. Composition of the mixture to be decomposed.
When a mixture is composed in such relative proportions that the chloride of
calcium contained therein corresponds with the required theoretical quantity of
silica and alumina, a mass is obtained which softens under the influence of the
temperature required for producing the reaction, the matter agglomerates and the

page_text: apparatus then works with difficulty. By adding more silica or alumina the required
infusibility is obtained but then the material is no longer suitable for the manu-
facture of cement nor is it suited to be subjected to any chemical treatment
whatever.
The residuum is no longer so basic nor so soft.
Now I reconcile these two contrary conditions by introducing into the mixture
a sufficient quantity of the residuum of a previous operation which residuum is
infusible at the temperatures required to produce. re-action.
This new mixture resists heat sufficiently although it contains quite as much
lime as the mixture made in one single operation and containing the theoretical
proportions of chloride of calcium and of silicious or aluminous substances.
Thirdly. Purification of the air required for producing the reaction.
The air contains carbonic acid and vapour of water in variable quantities which
might have no influence upon the absorption of the chlorine if in my process the
chlorine were not very much diluted. It is therefore necessary to purify the said
air before sending it to the decomposing apparatus.
For this purpose I cause the air to pass through a series of absorbing vessels
some containing concentrated solutions of caustic alkalies and the others containing
substances which absorb moisture such as concentrated sulphuric acid and chloride
of calcium in pieces. But I prefer to use the air systematically in apparatus
charged with caustic soda or potash in pieces. By this means I am enabled to
keep back at the same time both the injurious elements, and the reaction which
would have been interfered with by the air when charged with carbonic acid and
vapour. of water becomes perfect when purified air is used.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: I, ERNEST SOLVAY, of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF CHLORINE "and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In the Specifications of Letters Patent granted to me in Great Britain dated
respectively the 8th of January 1877, No 77 for Improvements in the manufacture
of chlorine; the 25th of February 1880 N° 838 for Improvements in means and
apparatus for the decomposition of chloride of calcium in order to obtain therefrom
hydrochloric acid and chlorine; and the 25th of February 1880 N° 839 for
Improvements in the manufacture of chloride of lime, I described the processes
and apparatus employed by me in the manufacture of chlorine by means of
chloride of calcium.
Since that time I have continued my researches and have invented the Improve-
ments hereinafter described relating firstly to the preparation of the materials to
be used in forming the mixture to be decomposed, secondly to the purification of
the said mixture and thirdly to the purification of the air required for producing
the reaction. I will now describe my said Improvements in reference to:
Firstly-The purification of the mixture to be decomposed.
The clay or silicious or aluminous materials which I use, generally contain
carbonates or organic matters capable of producing carbonic acid at a red heat by
the action of air.
Now the presence of carbonic acid in chlorine gas is very disadvantageous and
may sometimes prevent its being possible to utilise the said gas.
According to my invention, I purify either the clay or the mixture previously to
its being used by adding thereto an acid capable of decomposing carbonates, by
preference hydrochloric acid.
When the clay or silicious materials contain a considerable quantity of organic
matters I destroy the said organic matters by calcination in presence of a sufficient
quantity of air and when necessary with the addition of nitrate of soda or other
oxidizing substance.
Secondly: Composition of the mixture to be decomposed.
When a mixture is composed in such relative proportions that the chloride of
calcium contained therein corresponds with the required theoretical quantity of
silica and alumina, a mass is obtained which softens under the influence of the
temperature required for producing the reaction, the matter agglomerates and the
apparatus then works with difficulty. By adding more silica or alumina the required
infusibility is obtained but then the material is no longer suitable for the manu-
facture of cement nor is it suited to be subjected to any chemical treatment
whatever.
The residuum is no longer so basic nor so soft.
Now I reconcile these two contrary conditions by introducing into the mixture
a sufficient quantity of the residuum of a previous operation which residuum is
infusible at the temperatures required to produce reaction.

page_text: This new mixture resists heat sufficiently although it contains quite as much
lime as the mixture made in one single operation and containing the theoretical
proportions of chloride of calcium and of silicious or aluminous substances.
Thirdly. Purification of the air required for producing the reaction.
The air contains carbonic acid and vapour of water in variable quantities which
might have no influence upon the absorption of the chlorine if in my process the
chlorine were not very much diluted.
It is therefore necessary to purify the said air before sending it to the decomposing
apparatus.
For this purpose I cause. the air to pass through a series of absorbing vessels
some containing concentrated solutions of caustic alkalies and the others containing
substances which absorb moisture such as concentrated sulphuric acid and chloride
of calcium in pieces. But I prefer to use the air systematically in apparatus
charged with caustic soda or potash in pieces. By this means I am enabled to
keep back at the same time both the injurious elements, and the reaction which
would have been interfered with by the air when charged with carbonic acid and
vapour of water becomes perfect when purified air is used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
:
'
1. In the preparation of the mixture to be decomposed in the manufacture of
chlorine, the process of adding to the said mixture the residuum obtained from
a previous operation for the purpose of promoting the infusibility of the said
mixture and of obtaining a more basic residuum substantially as described.
2. In the manufacture of chlorine the process of purifying the mixture to be
decomposed or the silicious and aluminous substances therein contained, by means
of acids or by previous, calcination with or without addition of oxidizing substances
such as nitrates et cetera substantially as described.
3. In the manufacture of chlorine, the process of previously purifying the air to
be used in producing the reaction, for the purpose of withdrawing from the said
air the water and carbonic acid contained therein, substantially as described.