FIXED XITKOGEN RESEARCH LABORATORY. 635 



the cyanamide plant, or 22,000 tons of ammonium nitrate per an- 

 num. The plant in its original form was not a success, however, 

 due in part to insufficient technical information on the various 

 physical-chemical steps which go to make up the process. The lab- 

 oratory, therefore, undertook investigations to supplj^ such technical 

 information. 



In addition to research carried out in connection with these two 

 projects, the laboratory has conducted investigations on other meth- 

 ods of nitrogen fixation, as well as on the transformation and utiliza- 

 tion of nitrogen compounds. 



The principal results of the investigations made by the laboratory 

 up to the time of its transfer, July 1, 1921, are described in 76 

 technical reports made to the Chief of Army Ordnance. Some of 

 the material has already been published in scientific and technical 

 journals. In the future it is planned to publish such technical in- 

 formation as will be of interest to the nitrogen industry as a whole. 

 The main accomplishments of the laboratory to November. 1921, 

 are described in a recently published report on the " Fixation and 

 Utilization of Nitrogen " prepared by the nitrate division, Ordnance 

 Office, War Department, assisted by this laborator3^ 



WORK OF THE LABORATORY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED 



JUNE 30, 1922. 



The work of the Fixed Nitrogen Research Laboratory during the 

 fiscal 3'ear ended June 30, 1922, has been in part an extension of the 

 investigations already referred to and in part a study of new prob- 

 lems. Seventeen technical reports on the work of the laboratory 

 were prepared during the past year. The main lines of investiga- 

 tion conducted duriiig this period and the more important results 

 are briefly summarized in the following : 



INVESTIGATIONS ON FIXATION PROCESSES. 



At the present there are essentially three processes for the fixation 

 of atmospheric nitrogen in commercial operation in various parts of 

 the world. These are known as the direct synthetic ammonia (or 

 Haber) process, the cyanamide process, and the arc process. Sev- 

 eral others, such as the alkali cyanide (Biicher), the aluminum 

 nitride (Serpek), and the explosion (Hjiuser) processes, have also 

 been investigated on a fairly large scale of operation in several coun- 

 tries, but as yet can not be considered as commercially established in 

 the sense of the other three. 



In the present state of development of fixation processes in this 

 country, fixed nitrogen can not be produced for fertilizer pui'poses 

 in competition with Chilean nitrate and with ammonia obtained as 

 a by-product in the coking of coal, except under unusually favorable 

 circumstances. There is every reason to believe, however, that the 

 cost of fixation can be materially reduced through further study and 

 development. During the past year the laboratory has studied the 

 cyanamide. synthetic ammonia, arc, and alkali cyanide processes 

 with tliat oljject in view. 



