Improvements in the Manufacture of Ammonia and Ammonia Salts.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1888.
Complete Specification Left, 18th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1889
Improvements in the Manufacture of Ammonia and Ammonia Salts.
I MICHEL NICHOLAS D'ANDRIA of Derbyshire Lane Stretford in the County of
Lancaster Manufacturing Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My improvements consist in boiling commercial sulphate of ammonia which contains
twenty four per cent. of ammonia with magnesium oxide or hydrate; free ammonia is
given off and sulphate of magnesia is left in the still.
Ground or precipitated carbonate of magnesia may also be employed in place of the
magnesium oxide or hydrate.
In this case, of course, sulphate of magnesia and carbonate of ammonia or a mixture
of carbonate of ammonia and ammonia is obtained.
The cost of a ton of ammonia is by this method considerably reduced and the wear
and tear of plant is by no means so heavy as when lime is used.
About one hundred and thirty two parts of ammonia sulphate requires for complete
decomposition. about 40 parts of magnesia and produce about two hundred and forty
six parts of Epsom Salts and thirty four parts of ammonia.
Dated this 17th day of April 1888.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I MICHEL NICHOLAS D'ANDRIA of Derbyshire Lane Stretford in the County of
Lancaster Manufacturing 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 improvements consist chiefly in the manufacture of ammonia by boiling com-
mercial sulphate of ammonia (which contains about twenty four per cent. of ammonia)
with magnesium oxide or magnesium hydrate; by this process free ammonia is given
off and sulphate of magnesia in solution is left in the still, which is then run off and
obtained in the solid form by crystallization or evaporation.
Ground or precipitated carbonate of magnesia may also be employed in the place
of magnesium oxide or hydrate to decompose the sulphate of ammonia but with less
economy and efficiency, a higher temperature and more prolonged action being required
for the decomposition when the carbonate of magnesia is used, in addition to the
inconvenience caused by the copious frothing.
In this case sulphate of magnesia and carbonate of ammonia, or a mixture of
carbonate of ammonia and ammonia is obtained.
The cost of the production of a ton of ammonia is by this method considerably
reduced, chiefly in consequence of the manufacture at the same time of a valuable bye
product namely sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salts) and the wear and tear of the
plant is by no means so heavy as when lime is used.
About one hundred and thirty two parts of ammonia sulphate requires for complete
decomposition about forty parts of magnesia to produce about two hundred and forty
six parts of Epsom salts and thirty four parts of ammonia.
The distilled ammonia may be condensed with water to form strong liquid ammonia ;
or in order to form salts of ammonia (such as the chloride, nitrate or other salts of
ammonia) the distilled ammonia may be mixed with suitable acids according to the
particular salt of ammonia desired.
In this latter case the ammonia evolved in the gaseous state may be directly
absorbed by the acids instead of being previously condensed.
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 improved manufacture of ammonia and ammonia salts by the treatment of
sulphate of ammonia with the oxide, hydrate or carbonate of magnesia substantially in
the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 17th day of Ton 1000
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.