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ON THE NITROGEX INDUSTRY. 421 



Tliu caibou monoxide in water-gas may be caused to react with steam 

 in presence of ti catalyst, producing carbon dioxide and hydi'ogen, 

 according to the equation CO + H„0 = CO; + H,. 



The process which has been worked out by Dr. A. Jaques and 

 J. H. West combines the distillation of coal in a retort, the formation 

 of water-gas tVom the resulting coke, and the conversion of the carbon 

 monoxide produced in these two operations into carbon dioxide and 

 hydrogen by reaction with steam in presence of a catalyst, in one 

 apparatus, thus giving the maximum possible yield of hydrogen from a 

 ton of coal. The hydrogen present in the coal is practically all liberated 

 by passing the crude coal-gas through a hot zone in the producer, so 

 that all tar, oils, and hydrocarbons, such as methane, are cracked or 

 split up into hydrogen and carbon, the carbon reacting with steam to 

 form water-gas. The process is carried out in a modified form of TuUy 

 complete gasification plant, and the only prcnlucts are gas and ashes. 

 Nitrogen can be made in an ordinary liquid-air plant, the separation 

 from oxygen being effected by fractional distillation. 



Another method is to burn out the oxygen of air with hydroger.'. 

 In other words, a measured quantity of air is added to the hydroge'i 

 and the mixture is passed over a catalyst, so that combustion takes 

 place qin'etly, and a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen in the desired 

 proportions results. 



In the Haber process water-gas is mixed with air-producer gas, so 

 that sufficient nitrogen remains in the mixture after treatment for 

 conversion of the carbon monoxide, the final adjustment to the exact 

 proportions being made by adding a little pure nitrogen obtained from 

 liquid air. 



Mr. C. J. Goodwin. — The Hdusser Process of Nitrogen Fixation. — 

 The commercial success of the manufacture of synthetic ammonia in 

 conjunction with the Ostwald process of obtaining nitric oxides and 

 nitric acid by combustion of the ammonia have created the impression 

 that, in the near future, such ammonia will be the principal raw material 

 for nitric-acid manufacture. Colour is lent to this view by the economic 

 failure of the arc pi'ocess unless under exceptionally favourable con- 

 ditions, and by tlie price conditions obtaining in tlie nitrate of soda and 

 sulphui'ic acid markets. 



Economically, and on general principles, such an assumption seems 

 unsound provided there is an assured output for all the synthetic 

 ammonia produced, because even if the loss on conversion is small, it 

 is irrational to make ammonia in plant involving high capital costs if 

 nitric acid could be made direct in cheaper plant at the same cost. 

 Recent developments in the Hausser process have brought the com- 

 mercial realisation of this statement within sight. 



The details and theory of the Hausser process were briefly discussed, 

 and it was shown that the impending trials with a 1,500-litre bomb are 

 likely to lead to commercial yields. Modern alloys and stainless steel 

 have assisted in overcoming difficulties in wear and corrosion, and the 

 volume of the absorption-tower system has been reduced to one-sixtieth 



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