CHAPTER VI TTHE COMPOUNDS OF NITROGEN WITH HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN

together with an excess of this acid, in the distilling apparatus, and nitric acid, which is converted into vapour, and may be condensed, because it is a liquid and volatile substance. On a small scale, this reaction may be carried on in a glass retort with a glass condenser. On a large scale, in chemical works, the process is exactly similar, only iron retorts are employed for holding the mixture of nitre and sulphuric acid, and earthenware three-necked bottles are used instead of a condenser,³⁵ as shown in fig. 47.

see caption — Fig. 47.—Method of preparing nitric acid on a large scale. A cast-iron retort, C, is fixed into the furnace, and heated by the fire, B. The flame and products of combustion are at first led along the flue, M (in order to heat the receivers), and afterwards into L. The retort is charged with Chili saltpetre and sulphuric acid, and the cover is luted on with clay and gypsum. A clay tube, a , is fixed into the neck of the retort (in order to prevent the nitric acid from corroding the cast iron), and a bent glass tube, D, is luted on to it. This tube carries the vapours into a series of earthenware receivers, E. Nitric acid mixed with sulphuric acid collects in the first. The purest nitric acid is procured from the second, whilst that which condenses in the third receiver contains hydrochloric acid, and that in the fourth nitrous oxide. Water is poured into the last receiver in order to condense the residual vapours.

Nitric acid so obtained always contains water. It is extremely difficult to deprive it of all the admixed water without destroying a portion of the acid itself and partially converting it into lower oxides, because without the presence of an excess of water it is very unstable. When rapidly distilled a portion is decomposed, and there are obtained free oxygen and lower oxides of nitrogen, which, together with the water, remain in solution with the nitric acid. Therefore it is necessary to work with great care in order to obtain a pure hydrate of nitric acid, HNO 3 , and especially to mix the nitric acid obtained from nitre, as above described, with sulphuric acid, which takes up the water, and to distil it at the lowest possible temperature—that is, by placing the retort holding the mixture in a water or oil bath and carefully heating it. The first portion of the nitric acid thus distilled boils at 86°, has a specific gravity at 15° of 1·526, and solidifies at -50°; it is very unstable at higher temperatures. This is the normal hydrate, HNO 3 , which corresponds with the salts,

130