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Muriatic or Hydrochloric Acid

Pure muriatic acid is a colorless invisible gas , having a pungent odor and an acid taste, and fuming on coming into contact with air. It is irrespirable and uninflammable. Its specific gravity is 1.2695. Under a pressure of 40 atmospheres it is liquid. Water at 40° Fahr. absorbs 480 times its volume of this gas, and acquires the specific gravity 1.2109. One cubic inch of water at 69° Fahr. absorbs 418 cubic inches, and the specific gravity becomes 1.1958. The aqueous solution of the gas constitutes the liquid form of the acid. The combinations of muriatic acid with a base are MURIATES, or HYDROCHLORATES. 3883. Το Obtain Muriatic Acid. The acid solution in water is thus obtained: Introduce 48 ounces (avoirdupois) dried chloride of sodium into a flask capable of containing an imperial gallon. Pour 44 fluid ounces sulphuric acid slowly into 32 fluid ounces water; and, when cool, add the mixture to the chloride of sodium in the flask. Connect the flask , by corks and a glass tube, with a three-necked wash-bottle, furnished with a safety tube, and containing 4 ounces water. Apply heat to the flask, conduct the disengaged gas through the wash-bottle, and thence, by means of a glass tube, into another bottle containing 50 fluid ounces distilled water, the end of the tube dipping about½ inch below the surface.

Continue the process until the product measures 66 fluid ounces, or till the liquid has acquired a specific gravity of 1.16. The bottle must be kept cool during the process. The muriatic acid of commerce is now chiefly obtained from the manufacturers of carbonate of soda, who procure it as a secondary product. When, however, it is directly prepared from sea-salt, an iron or stoneware boiler, set in brickwork over an open fire, furnished with a stoneware head, and connected with a series of capacious double- Aqua necked stoneware bottles, usually constitutes 1.3163 54 43.038 1.300151 | 40.647 || 1.0053 1 0.797