IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF NITRATE OF AMMONIA AND BICARBONATE OF SODA
Year: 1885

page_text: 6330
I, JAMES FREDERICK CHANCE of the firm of Chance Brothers of Oldbury in the
county of Worcester, Alkali Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF NITRATE OF AMMONIA AND
BICARBONATE OF SODA, to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a mutual decomposition between nitrate of soda,
ammonia, and carbonic acid by which is produced nitrate of ammonia and
bicarbonate of soda.
In carrying my invention into practice I proceed in manner following:
I take ordinary nitrate of soda of commerce and dissolve it in water and render
the solution slightly alkaline preferably by some of the washings produced in a
later part of the process. The solution is then filtered to remove any impurities
and the clear solution is treated with ammonia either gaseous or in solution until
the proper chemical equivalent is present. Such mixture is then subjected to a
current of carbonic acid gas under pressure when there ensues a decomposition
producing bicarbonate of soda and nitrate of ammonia the current of carbonic acid
gas being continued until the reaction is complete.
In the term ammonia I include pure ammonia, spirit of ammonia from gas
liquors, carbonate and bicarbonate of ammonia.
The bicarbonate of soda is separated by filtration and carefully washed free from
nitrate of ammonia, it can then be dried at a low température and sold as such or
treated at a red heat by which one molecule of carbonic acid is expelled producing
the ordinary soda ash of commerce but of great purity and strength.
The solution of nitrate of ammonia is evaporated in suitable vessels and then
crystallized: the washings from the bicarbonate of soda can be evaporated with the
solutions of nitrate of ammonia or may be used to make a fresh solution of nitrate
of soda. The nitrate of ammonia may be purified by recrystallization.
As the solution of nitrate of ammonia will always contain a little carbonate or
bicarbonate of ammonia it will be advisable to treat the solution with a small
quantity of nitric acid to convert such carbonate or bicarbonate of ammonia into
nitrate of ammonia or otherwise this ammonia would be lost on heating.

page_text: I JAMES FREDERICK CHANCE of the firm of Chance Brothers of Oldbury in the
County of Worcester Alkali Manufacturer 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:-
4
This invention consists of a mutual decomposition between nitrate of soda,
ammonia, and carbonic acid by which is produced nitrate of ammonia and
bicarbonate of soda.
In carrying my invention into practice I proceed in manner following.
I take ordinary nitrate of soda of commerce and dissolve it in water, and render
the solution slightly alkaline preferably by some of the washings produced in a
later part of the process. The solution is then filtered to remove any impurities
and the clear solution is treated with ammonia either gaseous or in solution until
the proper chemical equivalent is present. Such mixture is then subjected to a
current of carbonic acid gas under pressure when there ensues a decomposition
producing bicarbonate of soda and nitrate of ammonia, the current of carbonic acid
gas being continued until the reaction is complete.
In the term ammonia I include pure ammonia spirit of ammonia from gas
liquors, or ammonia from carbonate and bicarbonate of ammonia or from other
sources in the form of NH
The bicarbonate of soda is separated by filtration, and carefully washed free
from nitrate of ammonia, it can then be dried at a low temperature and sold as
such, or treated at a red heat by which one molecule of carbonic acid is expelled,
producing the ordinary soda ash of commerce, but of great purity and strength.
The solution of nitrate of ammonia is evaporated in suitable vessels and then
crystallized, the washings from the bicarbonate of soda can be evaporated with the
solutions of nitrate of ammonia, or may be used to make a fresh solution of nitrate
of soda. The nitrate of ammonia may be purified by recrystallization.
As the solution of nitrate of ammonia will always contain a little carbonate or
bicarbonate of ammonia it will be advisable to treat the solution with a small
quantity of nitric acid to convert such carbonate and bi-carbonate of ammonia into
nitrate of ammonia or otherwise this ammonia would be lost on heating.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The herein described process of producing nitrate of ammonia and bicar-
bonate of soda.

page_text: Second. Treating nitrate of soda solution to make it alkaline, and subjecting the
solution to the actions of carbonic acid gas and caustic ammonia either in a gaseous
condition or in solution for the purpose set forth.
Third. Separating by filtration bicarbonate of soda from nitrate of ammonia
produced as herein set forth and subsequently evaporating the filtrate to obtain
crystals of nitrate of ammonia.