IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND IN THE TREATMENT OF AMMONIACAL LIQUIDS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
Patent Solicitors, at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND IN THE TREATMENT
OF AMMONIACAL LIQUIDS." A communication of Julius Vorster and Hermann
Grüneberg, persons resident at Kalk, near Cologne, in the Empire of Germany.
Sealed the 15th March 1878, and dated the 29th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October 1877.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at Frank-
fort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR AND IN THE TREATMENT OF AMMONIACAL LIQUIDS." A communication of
Julius Vorster and Hermann Grüneberg, persons resident at Kalk, near Cologne, in
the Empire of Germany.
The Invention has reference to the gaining of all the ammonia compounds con-
tained in the ammoniacal or gas water, whether they are free ammonia or combined
with sulphur, carbonic, sulphuric, and muriatic acid, by the use of a set of three or
more boilers, such boilers being placed on different levels, and only one heated by
fire; they are connected by suitable pipes with valves, etc. One of the boilers is
charged with lime for decomposing the non-volatile ammoniacal compounds. This
lime boiler is heated, and the contents agitated by steam or hot or cold air.
For convenience of reference the use of three boilers is described, which are
henceforth called a, b, c; c being the lower or lime boiler, a the upper, and b the
middle boiler.
The treatment of ammoniacal liquids by the improved apparatus is as follows:-
a is charged with fresh ammoniacal water; b, with ammoniacal liquid, having gone
through one operation in a, which has lost the greatest portion of its volatile parts;
c, with the residue liquids distilled off from a and b, and treated therein with lime

page_text: for decomposing the ammonia previously combined with chlorine and sulphuric
acid. The boiler b is supplied with a fire-place and fuel which heats the liquor in
b, and in the boiler a as well, to the boiling point. The vapours liberated in b pass
therefrom by means of a pipe into.c. The contents of c is heated by them, and the
The
free ammonia disengaged by the lime brought into c passes into the boiler a.
heat supplied by the fire-place under 6 evolves now the most of the volatile
ammoniacal compounds of the liquor in a. These gaseous products are led to a
leaden tank or chamber filled with sulphuric acid; bere decomposition of the
ammoniacal salts is accomplished, and carbonic acid, sulphuretted hydrogen, etc.,
are produced, and pass from the said tank through a convenient passage formed for
the purpose into the furnace, where the sulphuretted hydrogen is consumed and the
carbonic acid set free. The contents of the boiler c having been distilled off are
emptied by an outlet pipe. The contents of the boiler bare then inoved into c, and
b filled from a; a is then refilled with fresh ammonia gas water, and the apparatus
can then be worked again, as already described.
When the acid in the saturation tank is neutralized it is allowed to cool, and the
crystalized salts are then scooped out upon a dropping sieve, leaving the mother
liquor, which can be re-used. Special evaporation is not necessary, and as a rule
sulphuric acid of 120° suffices for the manufacture of sulphate of ammonia.
If sal ammoniac is to be produced a stone cistern instead of the lead tank must
be used, and instead of sulphuric acid muriatic acid, but in this manufacture an
evaporation of the liquor cannot be avoided.
In place of conducting the vapours from the boiler b to c they can be conducted
directly to a and the boiler c worked with steam from any other generator. In the
same way the ammonia liberated in boiler c may be driven out by steam.or air;
either hot or cold.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th April
1878.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at Frank-
furt-on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR AND IN THE TREATMENT OF AMMONIACAL LIQUIDS." A communication from
Julius Vorster and Hermann Grüneberg, persons resident at Kalk, near Cologne, in
the Empire of Germany.
The Invention consists in the gain of all the ammonia compounds contained in
ammoniacal or gas water, whether they are free ammonia or combined with sulphur,
carbonic, sulphuric, and muriatic acid, by the use of a set of three or more boilers,
such boilers being placed on different levels, and only one heated by fire, but con-
nected with the others by suitable pipes, with valves, et cetera, one of the boilers being
charged with lime for decomposing the non-volatile ammoniacal compounds, said
iime boiler being heated and the contents agitated by steam or hot or cold air.
For convenience of reference the use of three boilers is described, and illustrated
in the Drawing hereunto annexed, forming a part of this Specification, which are
henceforth called a, b, c; c being the lower or "line" boiler, a the upper, and b the
middle boiler.
The treatment of ammoniacal liquids by the improved apparatus is as follows :—
a is charged with fresh ammoniacal water; b, with ammoniacal liquid (having gone
through one operation in a), which has lost the greatest portion of its volatile parts;
c, with the residue of the liquids distilled off from a and b, and treated therein with
lime for decomposing the ammonia (previously combined with chlorine and sulphuric
acid). The boiler b is supplied with a fire-place and fuel, which heats the liquor
in b, and in the boiler a as well, to the boiling point. The vapours liberated in b
pass therefrom by means of a pipe into c. The contents of cis heated by them, and
the free ammonia disengaged by the lime brought into c passes into the boiler a.
The heat supplied by the fire-place under 6 then evolves most of the volatile
ammoniacal compounds of the liquor in a. These gaseous products are led to a
leaden tank or chamber filled with sulphuric acid. Here decomposition of the
ammoniacal salts is accomplished, and carbonic acid, sulphuretted hydrogen, et cetera,
are produced, and pass from the said tank through a convenient passage formed for
the purpose into the furnace, where the sulphuretted hydrogen is consumed and the
carbonic acid set free. The contents of the boiler c having been distilled off are
emptied by an outlet pipe. The contents of the boiler 6 are then moved into c, and
b filled from a; a is then refilled with fresh ammonia gas water, and the apparatus
can then be worked again, as already described.
When the acid in the saturation tank is neutralized it is allowed to cool, and the
crystallized salts are then scooped out upon a dropping sieve, leaving the mother
liquor, which can be re-used. Special evaporation is not necessary, and as a rule
sulphuric acid of 120° suffices for the manufacture of sulphate of ammonia.
If sal ammoniac is to be produced a stone cistern instead of the lead tank must
be used, and instead of sulphuric acid muriatic acid, but in this manufacture an
evaporation of the liquor cannot be avoided.
In place of conducting the vapours from the boiler b to c they can be conducted
directly to a, and the boiler c worked with steam from any other generator. In the
same way the ammonia liberated in boiler c may be driven out by steam or air,
either hot or cold.
In the Drawing a, b, c, are the boilers; f. pipe conducting to boiler a; g, pipe
from a to leaden acid chambers h; k is a liquid tank; l, outlet pipe; z, passage-

page_text: way from chamber h to furnace. The other parts of the Drawing will explain
themselves.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
FRANK WIRTH. (L.S.)