MENTS IN OBTAINING AMMONIA
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Storer at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 20th April 1881.
JOHN STORER, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
MENTS IN OBTAINING AMMONIA."
"IMPROVE-
This Invention has for its object the obtainment of ammonia in an improved
and economical manner, and from sources not satisfactorily dealt with for that
purpose hitherto.
The matters to be treated as sources of ammonia are drainage or waste waters
or liquids from distilleries, breweries, starch works, glue works, and generally all
effluents or sewage from works or places where the operations are such as to yield
residuary or waste liquids containing nitrogenous matters either in solution or
suspension, or both, and whether any such liquid is separate or mixed with other
similar liquids as in ordinary sewage.
The Invention is also applicable to the discharges from ammonia liquor stills
when not exhausted in the stills; also to nitrogenous materials, such as skin
cuttings, spent hops, offal, gluten, albumen, and animal and vegetable matters, such
materials being digested or otherwise treated with water with or without suitable
reagents, and if necessary made to undergo fermentation or putrefaction. Any
gases or gaseous mixtures containing small proportions of ammonia may also be
treated for the economical separation and utilisation of such ammonia.
It is an important advantage of the application of the Invention that the liquids
treated for obtaining ammonia are by the treatment deodorised or sweetened, and
rendered less liable to change.
The present Invention consists in the application and special adaptation for the
purpose herein before indicated of the process and apparatus described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to the present applicant, and dated
1 September 1880 (No. 3539). In the case of a liquid containing nitrogenous
matter, such liquid is subjected to the action of one or more rotating propellers or
pulverisers driven at a considerable velocity, the apparatus being arranged so that
air is brought by the propellor or propellers into a minutely subdivided condition,
and forcibly and systematically mixed and agitated with the liquid.. Provision is
made in the apparatus for collecting and leading away the air, gas, or vapor which

page_text: separates from the liquid, and for conducting it to receivers or condensers of any
suitable known kind wherein the ammonia may be absorbed or fixed. For
absorbing the ammonia, sulphurous acid in the gaseous form or in solution may be
used, or sulphuric or other convenient acid.
In many cases the separation or formation of ammonia may be facilitated by
mixing an alkaline earth or alkali with the liquid under treatment, and in some
cases the liquid may be warmed for the same purpose.
In treating gases or vapors containing small proportions of ammonia these are
led into the apparatus instead of air, and an acidulated liquid is placed in the
apparatus. The pulverising action of the propeller or propellers will cause the
ammonia to be absorbed by the acidulated liquid more expeditiously than when
the gases or vapors are only passed through or but slightly agitated with the
liquid.