Improved Method of Treating Stable Refuse and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1899-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Treating Stable Refuse and the like.
I, FRANZ JULIUS BÖRNER, of Neue Friedrichstrasse 70, Berlin, in the Empire
of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
-
In stables and cattle houses and in the neighbourhood of refuse heaps a very
penetrating and disagreeable odour is produced which under certain conditions
seriously affects the membranes of the eye and the respiratory organs. The
cause of this disagrecable odour and penetrating effect is the presence of
ammonia, which is produced especially by the putrefaction of the foccal matter
of the animals kept on the premises, and which escapes in the air as gas. The
free escape of this gas however is a source of great loss to the farming industry
because the nitrogen contained in the ammonia is one of the most important
and useful combinations serving for the regeneration of the land.
To prevent such losses, which in consequence of their frequency represent a
serious damage to the national wealth many attempts have been made and a
great number of plans suggested. One of the simplest and consequently most
promising methods appeared to be the use of free mineral acids such as sulphuric
acid and hydrochloric acid, which have a tendency to bind or absorb the volatile
ammonia so as to form non-volatile ammonia salts. The bedding in the stables
as well as the matter deposited in heaps were sprinkled over the sulphuric acid
or hydrochloric acid diluted to a great extent. This method however was
characterised by a great drawback viz. that in course of time the acids though
greatly diluted attacked and damaged the floors of the stable. Moreover the
animals themselves suffered from the presence of the diluted acids and gradually
became seriously ill, in consequence of the continuous effect on either their skins
or hoofs.
In the use of hydrochloric acid there was another drawback owing to the free
hydrochloric acid being also volatile like the free ammonia, the two uniting to
a great extent in the air and forming a heavy mist of fog, and producing sal
ammoniac which renders the stables or barns untenable for man or beast.
When the acid solution was merely deposited in vessels along the walls of the
stable, very little ammonia was absorbed owing to the small surface exposed and
accessible to the re-action, which in the case of the use of hydrochloric acid was
also accompanied by the formation of very heavy sal-ammoniac vapour. All
these drawbacks are overcome when instead of using free sulphuric or hydro-
chloric acid, acid silicates are used. These can be produced with great ease from the
poly-silicates found in great quantities in nature, stirring the latter for some
time with boiling English sulphuric acid. The addition of bi-sulphate of sodium
greatly assists in this partial opening of the natural silicates.
For this purpose natural powdered silicates, for instance feldspar, clays,
granites, basalt, or artificial silicates as for instance the slags of iron foundries,
are stirred in with about a quarter of English sulphuric acid with or without the
addition of bi-sulphate of sodium at a temperature of about 300° C.

page_text: By strewing about on the stables ditches or heaps the mealy product thus
formed which preferably should be somewhat moistened the free silicic acid will
bind the ammonia as it is set free. In order to produce as great a surface of
re-action as possible, it is advisable to mix the acid silicates with turf rubble,
and to use it as a mixture. The salt formed by the absorption of the ammonia,
by the silicic acid is not volatile owing to which it is possible to secure a
valuable nitrogen and to return it to the fields. This mineral meal mixed with
turf rubble is not harmful or disagreeable to the animals on the premises, and
it also considerably increases the value of the manure in consequence of the
increased quantity of minerals it contains in a form which renders the com-
ponents more easily absorbable.
.
Granite, feldspar, basalt, and the like also contains the potassium necessary
for plant life, and in using the above mixture for regenerating fields this impor-
tant element is also introduced to the land in sufficient quantities.
By adding other minerals in the shape of powder, such as gypsum, chalk, dolo-
mite and the like it is made possible to introduce into the regenerating mixture
any mineral substances which it may be desired to introduce to the fields.
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. A method of combining the ammonia produced by putrefaction by means of
an ammonia-combining substance, consisting in applying to the matter to be
treated a mixture of powdered natural or artificial poly-silicates (with or without
turf rubble or the like) treated with hot sulphuric acid with or without the
addition of bi-sulphate of sodium or other material, substantially as described.
2. A substance for absorbing the ammonia produced in stables, refuse heaps
and the like comprising a mixture of powdered natural or artificial poly-silicates
(with or without turf rubble or the like) treated with hot sulphuric acid with or
without the addition of bi-sulphate of sodium, potash bearing mineral or other
additions, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of June 1899.