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There were 1536 of these about four feet square and each holding 1600
pounds of pulverized calcium carbide. This is at first heated by an
electrical current to start the reaction which afterwards produces
enough heat to keep it going. As the stream of nitrogen gas passes over
the finely divided carbide it is absorbed to form calcium cyanamid as
described on a previous page. This product is cooled, powdered and wet
to destroy any quicklime or carbide left unchanged. Then it is charged
into autoclaves and steam at high temperature and pressure is admitted.
The steam acting on the cyanamid sets free ammonia gas which is carried
to towers down which cold water is sprayed, giving the ammonia water,
familiar to the kitchen and the bathroom.
But since nitric acid rather than ammonia was needed for munitions, the
oxygen of the air had to be called into play. This process, as already
explained, is carried on by aid of a catalyzer, in this case platinum
wire. At Muscle Shoals there were 696 of these catalyzer boxes.


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