Chloride and Potassium Sulphate.
Year: 1885

page_text: Chloride and Potassium Sulphate.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF AMMONIUM
CHLORIDE AND POTASSIUM SULPHATE" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of ammonium chloride and potassium
sulphate by the reaction of ammonium sulphate upon potassium chloride.
In carrying out my invention I take ammonium sulphate and bring it, together
with potassium chloride in the proportion of their equivalents according to the
following formula; (NH), SO. + 2 K CI'= K, SO, + 2 NH, Cl.
The conversion can be effected by bringing together saturated solutions of the
two salts, or by introducing into a hot solution of ammonium sulphate a corre-
sponding quantity of potassium chloride in a solid condition, or by introducing
into a solution of potassium chloride a corresponding quantity of ammonium
sulphate in a solid condition. The conversion can also be effected by treating a
mixture of ammonium sulphate and potassium chloride repeatedly with water.
In carrying out my invention on a larger scale, a portion of the potassium
sulphate is at once precipitated in a solid state, if concentrated heated solutions of
ammonium sulphate and of potassium chloride are brought together, or if potassium
chloride is introduced, little by little, into a hot solution of ammonium sulphate.
The potassium sulphate is precipitated in a pulpy condition, and it is freed from
the adhering liquor by a centrifugal machine, and finally freed from adhering
particles of ammonium chloride by washing the same repeatedly in cold water
in suitable tanks. The mother liquor which remains after the removal of the
potassium sulphate contains principally ammonium chloride mixed with a small
portion of potassium sulphate dissolved during the reaction. By evaporating this
mother liquor the largest portion of this potassium sulphate is pecipitated and a

page_text: hot saturated solution of ammonium chloride is obtained which contains only very
little potassium sulphate. If this solution is left to cool the largest portion of the
ammonium chloride contained therein precipitates in the form of crystals in a
nearly pure condition. By recrystallization, or by treatment with water, perfectly
pure ammonium chloride can be obtained. The potassium sulphate obtained by
the evaporation of the mother liquor can be freed from the ammonium chloride by
boiling in water or by treatment with hot water. The mother liquor which
remains after the ammonium chloride has crystallized may be used in treating a
fresh batch of ammonium sulphate and potassium chloride..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. The within described process for manufacturing ammonium chloride and
potassium sulphate, which consists in bringing together ammonium sulphate and
potassium chloride in the presence of water, and then separating the products of
the reaction, substantially as described.
Second. The within described process of manufacturing ammonium chloride and
potassium sulphate, which consists in bringing together ammonium sulphate and
potassium chloride in the presence of water and heat, and then separating the
products of the reaction, substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd dox of October 190K
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.