NITRIC ACID FROM AIR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16593, 17 January 1916, Page 7

NITRIC ACID FROM AIR

A GERMAN INVENTION. Although Germany is undoubtedly suffering heavily from the British bloekado, and is being hampered in her efforts to obtain adequate supplies for the production of high explosives (says an exchange), this disability will bs short-lived. It is anticipated that the atmosphere will yield all the nitric acid that will be required, and an immense plant for this purpose is being completed. The company which received the concession to supply the city of Berlin with electricity ior light and power required an enormous tract of lignite fuel-fields in the vicinity of Bitterfeld, with the idea of utilising' this fuel for the generation of the requisite electiicity. But the civic authorities obtained the right to purchase the electrical installation and to operate it for the city. Such, a decision, under peace conditions, would have brought the private undertaking to a close; but the war supervening, a comprehensive scheme for deriving nitric acid from the atmosphere was prepared and carried into execution. "Upon the lignite fields, which formerly supplied a cheap fuel, a huge station has been erected for the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, and before the close of the current vear this will be in full operation. The plant will serve, it is believed, to extricate Germany from a doable dilemma. Hitherto she has depended upon Chilian nitrates for the fertilisation of her fields, but this source of supply lias likewise been cut off. Now she will obtain adequate supplies of fertiliser as a by-product in the manufacture of nitric acid from the atmosphere, so that this activity will meet the needs of peace and war simultaneously. The .yield of nitric acid is to be supplemented by the quantities obtained in the synthetic production of ammonia, which has likewise been responsible for the creation of huge new works in Baden devoted to this specific purpose. Such is the manner in which the Germans hope to supply high explosives and fertilisers, the demand, for both of which at the moment is extremely urgent.