Process for Preserving Hygroscopic and Decomposable Substances and Rendering them suitable for Transport.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1899-Accepted, 22nd July, 1899
Process for Preserving Hygroscopic and Decomposable Substances
and Rendering them suitable for Transport.
I, JOHANN DIETRICH MORCK, Ph.D., of No. 8, Wendelitz Stassfurt, Saxony,
Germany, Chemist, 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 relates to a process for rendering hygroscopic and decomposable
substances such as kainite, potash, nitrate of ammonium and the like, preservable
and suitable for transport or shipping.
The processes hitherto in use do not fulfil their purpose as they neither protect
the substance treated sufficiently against moisture nor preserve them in an
efficient manner. The new process offers the advantage over the old method,
that hygroscopic substances such as nitrate of ammonium, potash superphosphate
etc., need not be supplied with a special protection against moisture, and that
substances which are decomposed by moist air and acquire a disagreeable smell,
for example blood-manure, remain odourless, while valuable and preservable
manure compounds, such as phosphate and sulphate of ammonium may be produced
with or without potassium salt, which are preservable and capable of being trans-
ported. The process consists in first mixing the substances to be treated with
small quantities of fatty or oily bodies petroleum or the like and then adding a
small percentage of a substance that will render the mass loose or porous such
as infusorial earth.
The effect of this mixture is a most perfect one and differs essentially from the
action brought about by the use of one of these substances alone.
If the hygroscopic bodies are mixed only with infusorial earth or with boracic
anhydride, oxide of magnesium or the like, the moisture is not kept off. If on the
other hand the hygroscopic bodies are mixed only with oily or fatty substances,
the layer of oil covering the granules of the substance to be isolated is liable
to be fractured through the pressure and the friction to which the mass is subject
so that any moisture present can attack the latter.
This may be clearly recognised in case of mixtures of bodies that are easily
decomposed, such as sulphate of ammonium and Thomas-phosphate powder.
But if the isolating substances are mixed according to my process first with
oil, fat, petroleum, and the like and then with substances that render the mass
loose or porous such as infusorial earth or the like, the latter substances act like
small buffers in preventing the oil layer of the granules, which offers the pro-
tection against moisture, from being fractured through pressure and friction,
thus obtaining a preservable product capable of being transported.
The process may of course be modified in various ways, thus instead of mixing
the said substances first with the fat or oil and then with the body for rendering
it loose or porous the latter (infusorial earth etc.,) may be first saturated with
the fat, or oil, whereby good results are also obtained. The small particles of the

page_text: loosening body bear closely around the granules of the substance to be protected,
thus serving simultaneously as the covering of the fatty material and as small
buffers.
Such non-hygroscopic material for rendering loose or porous may also be found
in waste products from factories as well as in nature, for instance soot dried and
powdered lignite coal etc. These usually contain larger or smaller quantities
of bodies, which, like fat, are not dissolved by water, and are therefore non-
hygroscopic. They may therefore replace the artificially prepared loosening
material. Moreover they are mostly inexpensive and can be procured in large
quantities.
In carrying out my said invention I have obtained good results by mixing
with the substance to be protected about 4 p.c. of the fatty substances, and 4 2.c.
of the loose or porous substance such as infusorial earth.
Or when a substance is employed that is both non-hygroscopic and loose or
porous, such as soot, powdered lignite coal or the like, I have found an admixture
of from 6 to 8 p.c. of this substance to the substance to be protected to give good
results.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:
1. Process for rendering hygroscopic and easily decomposable bodies pre-
servable and capable of being transported consisting in mixing them with non-
hygroscopic bodies such as fats, oils, petroleum, and the like and then adding
a material that will render the mass loose or porous such as infusorial earth, and
the like, substantially as described.
2. The method of carrying out the process referred to in the first claim,
whereby the fats oils, petroleum or the like are first incorporated with the loosen-
ing material and this compound is then mixed with the hygroscopic or easily
decomposable substance substantially as described.
3. In the process characterised by Claims 1 and 2, the employment of natural
non-hygroscopic materials such as soot, lignite-dust, coal-dust and the like sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of May 1899
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.