An Improved Process for Manufacturing Compound and Elementary Bodies or Chemical Products by Means of Electricity, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 6th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Manufacturing Compound and Elementary
Bodies or Chemical Products by Means of Electricity, and
Apparatus therefor.
I, HERMANN NIEWERTH, of Nos. 41 and 42, Lutherstrasse, Berlin, in the
Empire of Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to a process for manufacturing compound and elementary
bodies or chemical products by means of electricity and to apparatus therefor.
It has hitherto been usual to manufacture chemical products, either by allowing
several substances of opposite reactions to act upon one another, under the influence
of heat (usually a very high degree of heat) and after the reaction was complete, to
separate the foreign substances, or bye-products, either by lixiviation, fusion, or
distillation, from the product desired, or by directly decomposing a compound
substance in solution or fused to a fluid condition by electrolysis by means of a
current of electricity.
According to my invention I manufacture such products by the direct com-
bination of their elements, which are either brought together in one uncombined
state or are formed, partially or entirely, in the course of the process.
In effecting
this, the present process admits of the employment of temperatures which lie far
below those usual hitherto, in consequence of its special character which also allows
elementary bodies to be manufactured in a new and advantageous manner.
This
object is attained by the fact that the bodies which have to react upon one another
have imparted to them a greatly increased energy of reaction by the employment
of static (frictional or influence) or induced electricity which is conducted to the
reacting substance or substances by the aid of a gas or vapour which is electrically
conductive, or some other conductor, the transformation being effected, or assisted,
by the action of the electricity so conducted.
It is advantageous to use heat to assist in the desired transformation, by allowing
the reacting materials to operate upon each other in a chamber under the influence
of electricity conducted to them as hereinbefore described especially frictional
electricity, and with conduction to them of heat.
An apparatus suitable for carrying out my improved process and for the
generation of electricity, comprises receivers or exciters, one or more of which is
filled with fragments of glass or some substance with a similar electrical action, and
the other or others with fragments of metal or some substance with similar
electrical action, a current of air, gas, or vapour being driven between them, pre-
ferably metallic vapour, so that by friction on the fragments of glass or their
substitutes, or upon the fragments of metal or their substitutes, positive or negative
electricity respectively is generated.
The exciter itself is placed in a reaction chamber for the reception of the
reacting substances, and can have its covering or walls conductively connected to
the earth or to a source of electricity of a sign contrary to that generated in the
exciter. Or the exciter-holder may be omitted and the walls of the reaction
chamber constructed of a material which corresponds to the contents of the exciter-
holder hereinbefore described, so that by the friction of one or more gases or
vapours either among themselves only or on the walls of the apparatus the
electricity may be partially or entirely generated.
Dated the 17th day of June 1892.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Manufacturing Compound and Elementary
Bodies or Chemical Products by Means of Electricity, and
Apparatus therefor.
I, HERMANN NIEWERTH, of Nos. 41 and 42, Lutherstrasse, Berlin, in the
Empire of Germany, Engineer, 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 invention relates to a process for manufacturing compound and elementary
bodies or chemical products by means of electricity and to apparatus therefor.
It has hitherto been usual to manufacture chemical products, either by allowing
several substances to act upon one another, under the influence of heat (usually a
very high degree of heat) and after the reaction was complete, to separate the
foreign substances, or bye-products, either by lixiviation, fusion or distillation,
from the product desired, or by directly decomposing a compound substance in
solution or fused to a fluid condition by electrolysis by means of a current of
electricity.
According to my invention I manufacture such products by the direct combination
of their elements, which are either brought together in an uncombined state or are
formed, partially or entirely, in the course of the process. In effecting this, the
present process admits of the employment of temperatures which lie far below those
usual hitherto, in consequence of its special character which also allows elementary
bodies to be manufactured in a new and advantageous manner. This object is
attained by the fact that the bodies which have to react upon one another have
imparted to them a greatly increased energy of reaction by the employment of
static (frictional or influence) or induced electricity as the case may be aided
by heat.
A further advantage of this process consists in the fact that if the electricity be
conducted directly to the substance to be acted upon by the use of an electrically
conductive gas or vapour the action must of necessity be exerted everywhere that
the reagent is present. The apparatus to be described hereinafter is especially
suited to attain this result. This specially favourable action depends upon the
fact that the electricity suited to the process can be produced cheaply and without
alternation of currents. Any other suitable apparatus can however be employed to
attain the desired object.
I will fully explain my improved process in connection with the apparatus, two
different methods of constructing which are illustrated in vertical section at
Figures 1 and 2 respectively. In these I refer to those cases in which the
electricity is immediately brought into action, as soon as it is generated, or those in
which the electricity is conducted from its place of generation to its place of
employment.
The apparatus shewn in Figure allows of the direct employment of the
electricity generated or to be generated. It consists of a furnace A closed above,
and provided with a grate B and a flue C. This furnace may be constructed of any
desired substance, for example, it may be of masonry, or of iron with firebrick
lining. In the interior is arranged a reaction chamber D, which is advantageously
made of an electrically non-conducting material with a casing d of conducting
material; the chamber may however be constructed of an electrically conductive
material.
In the chamber is placed an exciting tube E with an inlet tube F, in the former
of which the electricity to be employed is produced by a current of gas or vapour
introduced through the inlet tube. If positive electricity is to be employed the
exciting tube E is filled with fragments of glass or some other material which acts
in a similar way upon a current of air, gas or vapour which impinges upon it. If

page_text: negative electricity is to be employed this tube is filled with pieces of metal or
other material which acts in the same way. In order that the gases may be capable
of being regulated as to their pressure when they enter the tube, the air, gas, or
steam-outlet of the exciting tube may be closed with a bell G, dipping into oil or
other fluid. The exciting tube may also have another form given to it than the
one shewn in the drawing, or I may arrange the whole apparatus in a position
different from that shewn, for example, it can be arranged longitudinally instead
of vertically. The internal exciting tube may also be omitted, and the necessary
electricity be produced, partially or entirely, by constructing the wall of the
reaction-chamber D of glass or the like, if positive electricity is to be employed,
the gases which pass through the apparatus being allowed to exert friction upon
the glass &c.
If negative electricity is to be employed, a lining of metal or other similarly
acting material is employed in place of the glass. The conduction of the electricity
of the opposite character may be effected by any suitable arrangement.
The
materials to be employed for compounding the substance to be manufactured are, if
in the solid state, charged into the reaction chamber or inserted upon an inter-
mediate plate or support, or pan, or in a holder H arranged within the reaction
chamber. The reaction chamber is also provided with inlet and outlet gas tubes .J
and K respectively.
If a metallic salt is to be employed, the metallic base of which is to be obtained,
metallic plates or rods à may be arranged inside the reaction chamber.
Through the inlet tube F air, a gas, or a vapour, as the case may be, is
conducted into the exciting tube E, and driven between the fragments of glass,
metal, or other similarly acting material, and the fuel on the grate B ignited if
necessary. By the friction of the air, gas or vapour, upon the fragments referred
to positive or negative electricity (as the case may be) is produced, which traverses
the walls of the exciting tube seeking to adjust its condition to that of the
electricity of the earth. The conduction of the electricity of the earth is effected by
the conducting casing of the furnace and gases of combustion or fire gases or by
some other directly acting conductors. The casing or the wall of the reaction
chamber may also be conductively connected with a source of electricity of a sign
contrary to that produced in the exciting tube. In its passage through the space
existing between the walls of the exciting tube and of the reaction chamber this
electricity comes into contact with the materials contained in the latter, the reactive
energy of which is thereby increased to such an extent as to chemically act upon
each other and to form new chemical compounds or to cause new chemical trans-
formations or changes. In working with solid materials or with gases which do not
conduct electricity, the latter would simply pass through the space in the interior of
the reaction chamber and not act energetically upon the material to be changed.
In order to compel the electricity to act in the desired manner upon the material to
be changed, the reaction chamber is filled with a gas which conducts electricity,
which gas need not take any further share in the chemical transformations, that is
to say, can remain neutral or indifferent, while they are going on, or such a gas may
be passed through the reaction chamber.
This electrically conductive gas will then surround and permeate the materials
to be changed and at the same time conduct the electricity to them and bring it
into intimate contact with them. Since, as may be admitted, static electricity
moves forward only upon the surface of the conductor, being employed aloue at
present, especially in scientific experiments, it could only be conducted with
extreme difficulty and very considerable loss to the place where its direct action
was desired. According to my invention, this is attained with the greatest ease
and certainty by the employment of an electrically conductive gas, and for this
purpose the apparatus just described may be employed with advantage; the
scientific experiments previously referred to have been confined to the establishment
of the action of static electricity, usually in the form of a discharge of sparks upon
single substances, and they have neither led to any practical utilization, nor, as is

page_text: evident from what has been said above, could they do so. By means of the
apparatus now described, however, not only is the electricity which is to be
employed generated, but also utilized directly for effecting or augmenting the
desired reaction between the materials to be employed as reagents.
If a carbon compound is to be manufactured in accordance with my invention by
the aid of an apparatus such for example as that herein before described and shewn
in Figure 1, a quantity of carbon and magnesia calculated according to the
composition of the substance to be prepared may be placed in the receiver H
arranged within the reaction chamber D, or upon the floor of the reaction chamber
itself.
After the apparatus has been warmed, or heated up, as the case may be, a
quantity of hydrogen and water vapour is conducted, by means of the inlet J and
the outlet K through the reaction chamber D and then by means of the inlet
tube F air, gas, or vapour is allowed to pass through the exciter E. The
electricity thus produced will pass out into the interior of the reaction chamber in
order to equalize itself with the electricity of the earth.
In the interior of the reaction chamber there is now a current of gas of good
electrical conductivity for static electricity, so that the latter is equally distributed
through the chamber, and consequently, exercises a most intense and ubiquitous
energy of reaction upon the materials contained in it whereby the energy of
reaction of these latter is increased by a very considerable amount.
The reaction which takes place in the presence of such an action of static
electricity occurs in the following way:-The oxygen of the magnesia is driven
off, and according to the special surroundings (as regards the temperature employed,
the state of division or arrangement of the materials, and the proportions of the
mixture) unites partly with the carbon, partly with the oxygen, to form compounds
of carbou with oxygen and of carbon with oxygen and hydrogen. The magnesium
as it is set free unites with the oxygen of the water vapour. The carbon used up
or consumed in this process must be replaced by fresh quantities of carbon, whilst
the magnesia reconstructs itself automatically in the manner described.
If nitric acid compounds are to be manufactured an oxide may be introduced
into the reaction chamber, and ammonia allowed to pass over it under the con-
ditions just described. The transformation then takes place as follows:-The
ammonia as it gives off nitrogen unites with a portion of the oxygen of the oxide
and this compound then unites with a further portion of the ammonia to form a
nitric salt. A salt of ammonia may be used instead of the ammonia itself.
The process may also be so conducted that free nitric acid is given off, or by
means of my invention most bodies may be made to combine directly with hydrogen,
or other combinations may be manufactured.
If, in the case described above, in which magnesia was made use of, it be desired
to obtain the other constituent of the magnesia, the metallic magnesium, it is
advantageous to give facilities for the latter to deposit itself outside the field of
reaction. This may be done by the arrangement of metal strips or rods a
previously described, in the reaction chamber. If with proper precautions the
process in the case first described be carried out, but with the difference that
merely hydrogen, and no water vapour, is allowed to flow through the reaction
chamber, the metallic magnesium, for want of the oxygen, which was given off
from the water vapour previously, cannot become oxidised, but will separate out
as the result of the action of the electricity upon the metallic rods or plates
arranged in the chamber. In this case the process goes on as long as any of the
reagents remain. If the plates are not used, the metal remains in the mixture.
Another oxide may be employed in place of the magnesia and a hydrocarbon
may be made use of instead of the carbon. The invention above described is
moreover suitable for the transformation of the most various substances, and
the manufacture of a great variety of the organic and inorganic bodies and com-
pounds, and also salts of the simple bodies. The choice of the reacting materials
is of course governed by the substances desired to be produced.

page_text: Instead of arranging the source of electricity immediately within or upon the
receiver for the reagents this source may be left out of the reaction apparatus
and the frictional, influence, or induced electricity required may be derived from a
special and corresponding source of electricity. In such a case one pole of the
conductor will be placed within the interior of the reaction chamber D, and the
other pole be connected to the casing of the chamber.
In this case it will be advisable to employ a special apparatus for the production
of the electricity, from which the electricity as it is generated is suitably led, by
insulated conductors, or a current of gas, or by means of condensers, such as
Leyden jars, to the place where it is to be used or to the receiver for the
reagents.
If now it be desired, as in the apparatus shewn in Figure 1, to make use of
frictional electricity to effect the objects of the foregoing invention, the arrange-
ment shewn in the drawing in Figure 2 may be employed for the generation of the
electricity with advantage. In this case the apparatus forms a double apparatus
one part of which serves for the generation of positive electricity, whilst the other
part is intended to furnish negative electricity. Of the two exciters L and L'
respectively, constructed of dielectric material, one is filled with fragments of
glass, and the other with pieces of metal, or instead of glass or metal respectively,
other materials with a similar action as regards electricity may be made use of.
The air to be conducted into the exciter (or the requisite kind of gas or vapour)
may suitably be conveyed through a worm N or N'arranged in a receiver M or Mi
filled with a fluid, such for instance as oil. This fluid receiver M or M' is capable
of being heated in a suitable manner, as for example by gas burners Oor O¹..
Around the exciter L or L' are arranged conductors P or P1, as for instance strips
of metal which are conductively connected to the combs Q and Q, of conducting
material, which project into the upper part of the exciter. From these combs
leads a metal rod R or R outside the apparatus, in which situation it may most
advantageously end in a ball or ¹. The exciter L or L' is surrounded by a
casing S or S of electrically conductive material, which casing also surrounds the
electrical conductor P or PI so that the apparatus is protected as far as possible.
from unintentional cooling or radiation of electricity outwards. In order that the
air, gas, or vapour introduced into the apparatus may be placed under a certain
pressure, the outlet for them is most suitably closed by a bell T or T¹ closed
outward, and dipping into a fluid. The stream of air, gas, or vapour, which
enters the exciter through the inlet pipe N or N', and which was previously warmed
by the heated holder M or M', passes between the fragments of glass or metal (or
other similarly acting material) and leaves the apparatus at T or T', having in
its passage through the fragments of glass or metal generated by its friction
positive or negative electricity respectively. This electricity is given up to the
conductor P or P¹ and comes to Q or Qand can then by means of the rods R or R¹
be conducted off to the outside, or carried farther on as the case may be.
The shape of the apparatus may of course be varied, and the warming of the
gas, air, or vapour conducted into the exciter be effected in a different manner, or
be entirely omitted; the exciter L or L' may also itself be heated. Such an
apparatus may also of course be made up of more than two exciters.
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:-
1. A process for the manufacture of compound and simple bodies or chemical
products, characterized by the fact that frictional, influence, or induced electricity
is conducted to the reacting substance or substances by the aid of a gas or vapour
which is electrically conductive, or some other conductor, the transformation being
effected, or assisted by the action of the electricity so conducted.
2. In the process for the manufacture of compound or simple bodies or chemical
products described in Claim 1, the use of heat to assist in the desired transformation,

page_text: by allowing the reacting materials to operate upon each other in a chamber
under the influence of electricity conducted to them as described in Claim 1,
especially frictional electricity, and with conduction to them of heat.
3. An apparatus suitable for carrying out the process described in Claims 1
and 2 and for the generation of electricity, consisting of receivers, one or more of
which is filled with fragments of glass or some substance with a similar electrical
action, and the other or others with fragments of metal or some substance with
similar electrical action a current of air, gas, or vapour being driven between them,
preferably metallic vapour, so that by friction on the fragments of glass or their
substitutes, or upon the fragments of metal or their substitutes positive or negative
electricity respectively is generated.
4. An apparatus suitably for carrying out the process described in Claims 1 and 2,
consisting essentially of an exciter-holder which is filled for the purpose of
generating positive electricity with fragments of glass or other material with
similar electrical action, and for the generation of negative electricity with
fragments of metal or other material with a similar electrical action, and through
which, or through the contents of which, air, gas, or vapour is driven; whilst the
exciter itself is placed in a reaction chamber for the reception of the reacting
substances, and can have its covering or walls conductively connected to the earth
or to a source of electricity of a sign contrary to that generated in the exciter.
5. The modification of the apparatus described in Claim 4 in which the exciter-
holder is omitted and the walls of the reaction chamber are constructed of a
material which corresponds to the contents of the exciter holder as described in
Claim 4, so that by the friction of one or more gases or vapours either among
themselves only or on the walls of the apparatus the electricity may be partially
or entirely generated.
Dated the 8th day of March 1802
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.