By CHAS. CATLETT and R.C. PRICE.
The analyses of several of these "fire extinguishers" have been
published, showing that they are composed essentially of an aqueous
solution of one or more of the following bodies; sodium, potassium,
ammonium, and calcium chlorides and sulphates, and in small amount
borax and sodium acetate; while their power of extinguishing fire is
but three or fourfold that of water.
One of these grenades of a popular brand of which I have not found an
analysis was examined by Mr. Catlett with the following results: The
blue corked flask was so open as to show that it contained no gas
under pressure, and upon warming its contents, but 4 or 5 cubic inches
of a gas were given off. The grenade contained about 600 c.c. of a
neutral solution, which gave on analysis:
In 1000 c.c. In the Flask.
Grammes. Grains.
Calcium chloride¹ 92.50 850.8
Magnesium " 18.71 173.2
Sodium " 22.20 206.9
Potassium " 1.14 10.6
------ ------
134.55 1241.5
¹Trace of bromide.
As this mixture of substances naturally suggested the composition of
the "mother liquors" from salt brines, Mr. Price made an analysis of
such a sample of "bittern" from the Snow Hill furnace, Kanawha Co.,
W.Va., obtaining the following composition:
In 1000 c.c. In 200 c.c.
Grammes. Grains.
Calcium chloride¹ 299.70 925.8
Magnesium " 56.93 175.7
Strontium " 1.47 4.5
Sodium " 20.16 62.2
Potassium " 5.13 15.8
------ ------
383.39 1184.0
¹Trace of bromide.
There is of course some variation in the bittern obtained from
different brines, but it appears of interest to call attention to this
correspondence in composition, as indicating that the liquid for
filling such grenades is obtained by adding two volumes of water to
one of the "bittern." The latter statement is fairly proved by the
presence of the bromine, and certainly from an economical standpoint
such should be its method of manufacture.--_Amer. Chem. Jour._
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