Improvements in or relating to the Obtaining of Inert Gases.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th May, 1889-Accepted, 15th June. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Obtaining of Inert Gases.
We, LUDWIG MOND of Winnington Hall, Northwich, in the County of Chester,
and GEORGE ESCHELLMANN Ph. D. of Winnington Park, Northwich, in the County of
Chester, Manufacturing Chemists, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
This invention relates to an improved process or. method of obtaining inert gases.
In many chemical and metallurgical operations gases are required, which have no
oxydising or reducing properties. These are known under the name of inert gases.
In many manufacturing operations, such as the burning of fuel or of lime, the
manufacture of sulphuric acid' or of soda by the ammonia process, etcetera, gaseous
mixtures are obtained largely composed of inert gases, but still containing a certain
quantity of oxygen or carbonic oxide, which must be eliminated before these gases
can be employed for the purposes aforementioned.
To effect this object we pass these gases over or through an oxide of iron at an
elevated temperature, preferably 30. to 400 degrees Centigrade. This oxide is advan-
tageously employed in pieces such as are obtained in burning pyrites, which may be
filled loosely, (so as to allow the free passage of the gases through the material), into
any convenient retort or vessel to which heat can be applied.
When Carbonic oxide (CO) is to be eliminated, we prefer to pass the gases through
peroxide of iron at the temperature named. This oxide becomes reduced to a lower
oxide and converts (CO into carbonic acid (CO₂). After a certain time, we pass air
over the reduced oxide so as to re-oxydise it, and it can then be used again as
before.
When oxygen is to be eliminated, we may in the first instance use a lower oxide of
iron, but we prefer to use the peroxide, which is more easily obtainable, and to reduco
it to a lower oxide by passing a current of a reducing gas, preferably "producer'
gas, over or through it at the temperature mentioned above. We then pass through
it the gas which is to be freed from oxygen, and after a time we reduce it again as
before, and so on.
Our process can also be worked in a continuous manner by adding to the gases to
be treated, other gases containing, as the case may be, oxygen or carbonic oxide, and
mixing both gases in such proportions that the mixture contains oxygen and carbonic
oxide in equivalent quantities. In passing such a mixture of gases over oxide of iron
at a temperature of between 300 and 400 degrees, the oxygen and carbonic oxide
combine to form carbonic acid, so that both the former gases are eliminated from the
mixture of gases. When it is desired to obtain gases which are also free from CO,
this latter cau easily be removed by well known methods.
Instead of oxide of iron we may also use oxide of manganese, the process being the
same in both cases.
T
11-
1
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Obtaining of Inert Gases.
We, LUDWIG MOND of Winnington Hall, Northwich in the County of Chester and
GEORGE ESCHELLMANN P.H.D. of Winnington Park, Northwich in the County of
Chester, Manufacturing Chemists, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
ID 1

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved process or method of obtaining inert gases.
In many chemical and metallurgical operations gases are required, which have
no oxydising or reducing properties. These are known under the name of inert
gases.
In many manufacturing operations, such as the burning of fuel or of lime, the
manufacture of sulphuric acid or of soda, by the ammonia process, etcetera, gaseous
mixtures are obtained largely composed of inert gases, but still containing a certain
quantity of oxygen or carbonic oxide, which must be eliminated before these gases
can be employed for the purposes aforementioned.
To effect this object, we pass these gases over or through an oxide of iron at an
elevated temperature, preferably 300 to 400 degrees Centigrade. This oxide is
advantageously employed in pieces such as are obtained in burning pyrites, which
may be filled loosely (so as to allow the free passage of the gases through the
inaterial) into any convenient retort or vessel to which heat can be applied.
When carbonic oxide (CO) is to be eliminated, we prefer to pass the gases through
peroxide of iron at the temperature named. This oxide becomes reduced to a lower
oxide, and converts CO into carbonic acid (CO,). After a certain time, we pass
air over the reduced oxido so as to reoxidise it, and it can then be used again as
before."
"
When oxygen is to be eliminated, wo may, in the first instance, use-a-lower oxide
of iron, but we prefer to use the peroxide which is more easily obtainable, and to
reduce it to a lower oxide by passing a current of a reducing gas, preferably "producer
gas, over or through it at the temperature mentioned above. We then pass through
it the gas, which is to be freed from oxygen, and, after a time, we reduce it again, as
before, and so on.
Our process can also be worked in a continuous manner by adding to the gases to
be treated, other gases, containing, as the case may be, oxygen or carbonic oxide, and
mixing both gases in such proportions that the mixture contains oxygen and carbonic
oxide in equivalent quantities. In passing such a mixture of gases over oxide of iron,
at a temperature of between 300 and 400 degrees, the oxygen and corbonic oxide
combine to form carbonic acid, so that both the former gases are eliminated from the
mixture of gases; when it' is desired to obtain gases which are also free from CO₂,
this latter can easily be removed by well known methods.
Instead of oxide of iron, we may also use oxide of manganese, the process being
the same in both cases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is ;-
1. The manufacture of inert gases by passing gases containing reducing or oxidising
constituents or both at a suitably high temperature through or over oxide of iron or of
manganese of a suitable grade of oxidation, substantially as described.
2. In the manufacture of inert gas from gas containing reducing or oxidising
constituents or both in the manner above described, revivitying the oxide or oxides,
by passing over or through the partially exhausted oxide an oxidising or reducing gas
as the case may be, or making the process continuous by adding to the crude gas to
be used the requisite amount of gas of the opposite tendency as regards oxidising or
reducing qualities to that of the crude gas employed before passing it through or over
the oxides named.
¡L:. UL
cit 1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.