The Bastringue apparatus

At the end of a reverberatory furnace, (see Copper, smelting of , and Soda, manufacture of ,) a rectangular lead trough or pan, about 1 foot deep, of a width equal to that of the interior of the furnace, that is about 5 feet wide, and 6 1 ⁄ 2 feet long, is encased in masonry, having its upper edges covered with cast-iron plates or fire tiles, and placed upon a level with the pa age of the flame, as it escapes from the reverberatory. The arch which covers that pan forms a continuation of the roof of the reverberatory, and is of the same height. The flame which proceeds from the furnace containing the mixture of salt and sulphuric acid is made to escape between the vault and the surface of the iron plates or fire tiles, through a pa age only 4 inches in height. When the burned air and vapours reach the extremity of the pan, they are reflected downwards, and made to return beneath the bottom of the pan, in a flue, which is afterwards divided so as to lead the smoke into two lateral flues, which terminate in the chimney. The pan is thus surrounded as it were with the heat and flame discharged from the reverberatory furnace. See Evaporation . A door is opened near the end of the pan, for introducing the charge of sea-salt, amounting to 12 bags of 2 cwt. each, or 24 cwt. This door is then luted on as tightly as po ible, and for every 100 parts of salt, 110 of sulphuric acid are poured in, of specific gravity 1·594, containing 57 per cent. of dry acid. This acid is introduced through a funnel inserted in the roof of the furnace. Decomposition ensues, muriatic acid gas mingled with steam is disengaged, and is conducted through 4 stone-ware tubes into the refrigerators, where it is finally condensed. These refrigerators consist of large stone-ware carboys, called dame-jeans in France, to the number of 7 or 8 for each pipe, and arranged so that the neck of the one communicates with the body of the other; thus the gas must traverse the whole series, and gets in a good measure condensed by the water in them, before reaching the last. When the operation is finished, the door opposite the pan is opened, and the residuum in it, is discharged, in the form of a fluid magma, upon a square bed of bricks, exterior to the furnace. This paste speedily concretes on cooling, and is then broken into fragments and carried to the soda manufactory. The immense quantity of gas exhaled in discharging the pan, renders this part of the operation very painful to the workmen; and wasteful in reference to the production of muriatic acid. The difficulty of luting securely the cast-iron plates or fire tiles which cover the pan, the impo ibility of completing the decomposition of the salt, since the residuum must be run off in a liquid state, finally, the damage sustained by the melting and corrosion of the lead, ., are among the causes why no more than 80 or 90 parts of muriatic acid at 1·170 are collected, equivalent to 25 per cent. of real acid for every 100 of salt employed, instead of much more than double that quantity, which it may be made to yield by a well conducted chemical proce . IMG:4147767755307473660_illo0872.png:Cylinder apparatus The cylinder apparatus is now much esteemed by many manufacturers. Fig. 747. represents, in transverse section, a bench of iron cylinder retorts, as built up in a proper furnace for producing muriatic acid; and fig. 748. a longitudinal section of one retort with one of its carboys of condensation. a is the grate; b , a fireplace, in which two iron cylinders, c c , are set alongside of each other. They are 5 1 ⁄ 2 feet long, 20 inches in diameter, about 1 ⁄ 4 of an inch thick, and take 1·6 cwts. of salt for a charge; d is the ash-pit; e , e , are cast-iron lids, for closing both ends of the cylinders; f is a tube in the posterior lid, for pouring in the sulphuric acid; g is another tube, in the anterior lid, for the insertion of the bent pipe of hard glazed stone-ware h ; i is a three-necked stone-ware carboy; k is a tube of safety; l , a tube of communication with the second carboy; m m , m m , are the flues leading to the chimney n . After the salt has been introduced, and the fire kindled, 83 1 ⁄ 4 per cent. of its weight of sulphuric acid, of spec. grav. 1·80, should be slowly poured into the cylinder through a lead funnel, with a syphon-formed pipe. The three-necked carboys may be either placed in a series for each retort, like a range of Woulfe’s bottles, or all the carboys of the front range may be placed in communication with one another, while the last carboy at one end is joined to the first of the second range; and thus in succe ion. They must be half filled with cold water; and when convenient, those of the front row at least, should be plunged in an oblong trough of running water. The acid which condenses in the carboys of that row is apt to be somewhat contaminated with sulphuric acid, muriate of iron, or even sulphate of soda; but that in the second and third will be found to be pure. In this way 100 parts of sea-salt will yield 130 parts of muriatic acid, of spec. grav. 1·19; while the sulphate of soda in the retort will afford from 208 to 210 of that salt in crystals. It is proper to heat all the parts of the cylinders equably, to insure the simultaneous decomposition of the salt, and to protect it from the acid; for the hotter the iron, and the stronger the acid, the le erosion ensues. Some manufacturers, with the view of saving fuel by the construction of their furnaces oppose to the flame as many obstacles as they can, and make it perform numerous circulations round the cylinders; but this system is bad, and does not even effect the desired economy, because the pa ages, being narrow, impair the draught, and become speedily choked up with the soot, which would be burned profitably in a freer space; the decomposition also, being unequally performed, is le perfect, and the cylinders are more injured. It is better to make the flame envelope at once the body of the cylinder; after which it may circulate beneath the vault, in order to give out a portion of its caloric before it escapes at the chimney. The fire should be briskly kindled, but lowered as soon as the distillation commences; and then continued moderate till the evolution of gas diminishes, when it must be heated somewhat strongly to finish the decomposition. The iron door is now removed, to extract the sulphate of soda, and to recommence another operation. This sulphate ought to be white and uniform, exhibiting in its fracture no undecomposed sea-salt. Liquid muriatic acid has a very sour corrosive taste, a pungent suffocating smell, and acts very powerfully upon a vast number of mineral, vegetable, and animal substances. It is much employed for making many metallic solutions; and in combination with nitric acid, it forms the aqua regia of the alchemists, so called from its property of di olving gold. Table of Muriatic Acid, by Dr. Ure. | Acid of 120 in 100. | Specific gravity. | Chlorine. | Muriatic Gas. | | 100 | 1·2000 | 39·675 | 40·777 | | 99 | 1·1982 | 39·278 | 40·369 | | 98 | 1·1964 | 38·882 | 39·961 | | 97 | 1·1946 | 38·485 | 39·554 | | 96 | 1·1928 | 38·089 | 39·146 | | 95 | 1·1910 | 37·692 | 38·738 | | 94 | 1·1893 | 37·296 | 38·330 | | 93 | 1·1875 | 36·900 | 37·923 | | 92 | 1·1857 | 36·503 | 37·516 | | 91 | 1·1846 | 36·107 | 37·108 | | 90 | 1·1822 | 35·707 | 36·700 | | 89 | 1·1802 | 35·310 | 36·292 | | 88 | 1·1782 | 34·913 | 35·884 | | 87 | 1·1762 | 34·517 | 35·476 | | 86 | 1·1741 | 34·121 | 35·068 | | 85 | 1·1721 | 33·724 | 34·660 | | 84 | 1·1701 | 33·328 | 34·252 | | 83 | 1·1681 | 32·931 | 33·845 | | 82 | 1·1661 | 32·535 | 33·437 | | 81 | 1·1641 | 32·136 | 33·029 | | 80 | 1·1620 | 31·746 | 32·621 | | 79 | 1·1599 | 31·343 | 32·213 | | 78 | 1·1578 | 30·946 | 31·805 | | 77 | 1·1557 | 30·550 | 31·398 | | 76 | 1·1536 | 30·153 | 30·990 | | 75 | 1·1515 | 29·757 | 30·582 | | 74 | 1·1494 | 29·361 | 30·174 | | 73 | 1·1473 | 28·964 | 29·767 | | 72 | 1·1452 | 28·567 | 29·359 | | 71 | 1·1431 | 28·171 | 28·951 | | 70 | 1·1410 | 27·772 | 28·544 | | 69 | 1·1389 | 27·376 | 28·136 | | 68 | 1·1369 | 26·979 | 27·728 | | 67 | 1·1349 | 26·583 | 27·321 | | 66 | 1·1328 | 26·186 | 26·913 | | 65 | 1·1308 | 25·789 | 26·505 | | 64 | 1·1287 | 25·392 | 26·098 | | 63 | 1·1267 | 24·996 | 25·690 | | 62 | 1·1247 | 24·599 | 25·282 | | 61 | 1·1226 | 24·202 | 24·874 | | 60 | 1·1206 | 23·805 | 24·466 | | 59 | 1·1185 | 23·408 | 24·058 | | 58 | 1·1164 | 23·012 | 23·050 | | 57 | 1·1143 | 22·615 | 23·242 | | 56 | 1·1123 | 22·218 | 22·834 | | 55 | 1·1102 | 21·822 | 22·426 | | 54 | 1·1082 | 21·425 | 22·019 | | 53 | 1·1061 | 21·028 | 21·611 | | 52 | 1·1041 | 20·632 | 21·203 | | 51 | 1·1020 | 20·235 | 20·796 | | 50 | 1·1000 | 19·837 | 20·388 | | 49 | 1·0980 | 19·440 | 19·980 | | 48 | 1·0960 | 19·044 | 19·572 | | 47 | 1·0939 | 18·647 | 19·165 | | 46 | 1·0919 | 18·250 | 18·757 | | 45 | 1·0899 | 17·854 | 18·349 | | 44 | 1·0879 | 17·457 | 17·941 | | 43 | 1·0859 | 17·060 | 17·534 | | 42 | 1·0838 | 16·664 | 17·126 | | 41 | 1·0818 | 16·267 | 16·718 | | 40 | 1·0798 | 15·870 | 16·310 | | 39 | 1·0778 | 15·474 | 15·902 | | 38 | 1·0758 | 15·077 | 15·494 | | 37 | 1·0738 | 14·680 | 15·087 | | 36 | 1·0718 | 14·284 | 14·679 | | 35 | 1·0697 | 13·887 | 14·271 | | 34 | 1·0677 | 13·490 | 13·863 | | 33 | 1·0657 | 13·094 | 13·456 | | 32 | 1·0637 | 12·697 | 13·049 | | 31 | 1·0617 | 12·300 | 12·641 | | 30 | 1·0597 | 11·903 | 12·233 | | 29 | 1·0577 | 11·506 | 11·825 | | 28 | 1·0557 | 11·109 | 11·418 | | 27 | 1·0537 | 10·712 | 11·010 | | 26 | 1·0517 | 10·316 | 10·602 | | 25 | 1·0497 | 9·919 | 10·194 | | 24 | 1·0477 | 9·522 | 9·786 | | 23 | 1·0457 | 9·126 | 9·379 | | 22 | 1·0437 | 8·729 | 8·971 | | 21 | 1·0417 | 8·332 | 8·563 | | 20 | 1·0397 | 7·935 | 8·155 | | 19 | 1·0377 | 7·538 | 7·747 | | 18 | 1·0357 | 7·141 | 7·340 | | 17 | 1·0337 | 6·745 | 6·932 | | 16 | 1·0318 | 6·348 | 6·524 | | 15 | 1·0298 | 5·951 | 6·116 | | 14 | 1·0279 | 5·554 | 5·709 | | 13 | 1·0259 | 5·158 | 5·301 | | 12 | 1·0239 | 4·762 | 4·893 | | 11 | 1·0220 | 4·365 | 4·486 | | 10 | 1·0200 | 3·968 | 4·078 | | 9 | 1·0180 | 3·571 | 3·670 | | 8 | 1·0160 | 3·174 | 3·262 | | 7 | 1·0140 | 2·778 | 2·854 | | 6 | 1·0120 | 2·381 | 2·447 | | 5 | 1·0100 | 1·984 | 2·039 | | 4 | 1·0080 | 1·588 | 1·631 | | 3 | 1·0060 | 1·191 | 1·224 | | 2 | 1·0040 | 0·795 | 0·816 | | 1 | 1·0020 | 0·397 | 0·408 | MURIATES were, till the great chemical era of Sir H. Davy’s researches upon chlorine, considered to be compounds of an unde compounded acid, the muriatic, with the different bases; but he proved them to be in reality compounds of chlorine with the metals. They are all, however, still known in commerce by their former appellation. The only muriates much used in the manufactures are, Muriate of ammonia , or Sal ammoniac ; muriated peroxide of mercury , Mercury , bichloride of ; muriate of soda , or chloride of sodium , see Salt ; muriate of tin , see Calico-printing and Tin . MUSK ( Musc , Fr.; Moschus , Germ.), is a peculiar aromatic substance, found in a sac between the navel and the parts of generation of a small male quadruped of the deer kind, called by Linnæus, Moschus moschiferus, which inhabits Tonquin and Thibet. The colour of musk is blackish-brown; it is lumpy or granular, somewhat like dried blood, with which substance, indeed, it is often adulterated. The intensity of its smell is almost the only criterion of its genuinene . When thoroughly dried it becomes nearly scentle ; but it recovers its odour when slightly moistened with water of ammonia. The Tonquin musk is most esteemed. It comes to us in small bags covered with a reddish-brown hair; the bag of the Thibet musk is covered with a silver-gray hair. All the analyses of musk hitherto made, teach little or nothing concerning its active or e ential constituent. It is used in medicines, and is an ingredient in a great many perfumes.