Improvements in the Manufacture of Potassium Chlorate.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Potassium Chlorate.
I, THOMAS PARKER, of Manor House, Tettenhall, near Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of potassium
chlorate which comprise the application of electricity as a decomposing agent.
According to this invention, chloride of magnesium is introduced into the inner
and outer division of an electrolytic cell having a porous diaphragm. Hydrated
magnesium oxide (precipitated magnesium oxide) is also put into the inner division
of the cell, and chloride of potassium may, if desired, be put into such division also.
A current of electricity is passed through the cell, with the result that the metal.
magnesium is liberated at the surface of the plate or electrode (which may be of
iron) of the outer division, and is oxidised and precipitated from the plate, and
chlorine is liberated in the inner division of the cell at the surface of the carbon
or other electrode, attacking the magnesium oxide with the result that chlorate of
magnesia is produced. When chloride of potassium is present in the inner division
of the cell, and the electrolyte maintained at 80° Centigrade or thereabouts, the
magnesium is displaced by the potassium and chlorate of potassium results; and,
when this is the case, the solution in the inner division of the cell is removed from
time to time and the chlorate of potassium crystallised out; and magnesium oxide
and chloride of potassium are added from time to time to the inner division of the
cell, as required.
When chloride of potassium is not used in the inner division of the cell, the
chlorate of magnesium formed therein may be removed therefrom and treated with
chloride of potassium, and the resulting potassium chlorate be crystallised out.
In either process above described, the mother liquor is returned to the inuer
division of the cell after the potassium chlorate has been crystallised out.
Other chlorides, such as those of calcium, barium, strontium, and the like, may
be substituted for chloride of magnesium as the electrolyte, in either process above
described.
1
Dated this 20th day of December 1894.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Potassium Chlorate.
I, THOMAS PARKER, of Manor House, Tettenhall, near Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, 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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of potassium
chlorate which comprise the application of electricity as a decomposing agent.
.

page_text: According to this invention, chloride of magnesium is introduced into both the
divisions of an electrolytic cell having a porous diaphragm. Hydrated oxide of
magnesium (precipitated magnesium oxide) is also put into one of the divisions of
the cell, and, according to one method of working, chloride of potassium may be
put into such division also. A current of electricity is passed through the cell,
with the result that chlorine is liberated at the surface of the carbon or other
electrode in the division of the cell into which the hydrated oxide of magnesium
has been introduced, and attacks such oxide with the result that chlorate of
magnesium is produced. When chloride of potassium is present in such division
of the cell, the electrolyte is maintained at 80° Centigrade or thereabouts and the
magnesium of the chlorate of magnesium is displaced by the potassium of the
chloride of potassium, and the resulting chlorate of potassium is extracted from
the solution of such division of the cell, which is removed from time to time for
this purpose. The electric current causes also the liberation of the metal
magnesium at the surface of the iron, carbon, or other electrode of the other
division of the cell, and the liberated magnesium is oxidised and precipitated
from the plate as hydrated oxide of magnesium. The mother liquor from which
the chlorate of potassium has been extracted is returned to the cell, and the
hydrated oxide of magnesium precipitated in the one division of the cell is trans-
ferred to the other division from time to time, and any further supply of hydrated
oxide of magnesium as may be required to make good the waste and maintain the
. strength of the solution in such last mentioned division of the cell is added from
time to time. Chloride of potassium is also added from time to time to such
division of the cell, in the quantities required.
.
The electrolysis may be continually repeated, or be carried on continuously,
When chloride of potassium is not used in the division of the cell into which the
hydrated oxide of magnesium is introduced, the chlorate of magnesium formed
therein in the manner above described may be removed in solution therefrom and
treated with chloride of potassium, and the resulting potassium chlorate be extracted
from the solution and the mother liquor returned to the cell. In such case, also,
the hydrated oxide of magnesiumn precipitated in one division of the cell is added
from time to time to the other division, and the solution in such latter division is,
strengthened also from time to time as may be required, to make up for any waste,
by the addition of further bydrated oxide of magnesium.
The chloride of calcium may be substituted for chloride of magnesium as the
electrolyte, in either process above described, in which case chlorate of calcium is
produced in place of chlorate of magnesium and hydrated oxide of calcium takes
the place of hydrated oxide of magnesium.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The manufacture of potassium chlorate by submitting chloride of magnesium,
or chloride of calcium, to electrolysis, whereby chlorine is liberated in one division
of the electrolytic cell and magnesium or calcium in the other division of the cell,
hydrated oxide of magnesium or of calcium being previously introduced into the
division in which the chlorine becomes liberated and which is consequently attacked
by the chlorine with the result that magnesium chlorate, or calcium chlorate. is
produced, and the magnesium or calcium liberated in the other division of the cell
being precipitated as hydrated oxide of magnesium or of calcium, the magnesium
chlorate or calcium chlorate being treated with chloride of potassium previously
added to the division of the cell in which the chlorine is liberated, or added..
subsequently to the liquor removed from such division, for the production of
potassium chlorate which is extracted from the solution in which it is produced,
substantially as described.
2. In, or as part of, the process of manufacturing potassium chlorate, submitting
chloride of magnesium, or chloride of calcium, to electrolysis, whereby chlorine is

page_text: liberated in one division of the electrolytic cell and magnesium or calcium in the
other division of the cell, hydrated oxide of magnesium or of calcium being
previously introduced into the division in which the chlorine becomes liberated
and which is consequently attacked by the chlorine with the result that magnesium
chlorate or calcium chlorate is produced, substantially as described.
3. In the manufacture of potassium chlorate, in the manner set forth in Claim 1,
returning the mother liquor to the cell after the extraction of the potassium
chlorate or after treating with chloride of potassium and extracting the resulting
potassium chlorate, and strengthening it with hydrated oxide of magnesium, or
of calcium, which has been precipitated in the cell, and with chloride of
potassium also when such is used within the cell as above described, substantially
as described.
Dated this 20th day of September 1895.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.