Don’t Forget the Sulfur!
Most of the attention is claimed by the ingredient, charcoal, and some goes to the potassium nitrate, but the type or grade of sulfur used is little thought of. Although black powder can be made without sulfur, almost all the BP produced in the world today for firearm and cannon useage, is made according to the standard formula, 75-15-10 (KNO3-C-S) by weight.
I was reading recently about the way sulfur was purified at the huge Confederate States Powder Works in Augusta, Georgia. It seems like every question Gary, Mike and I had about sulfur was answered by Col. C. W. Rains and his powder makers back in 1863.
The Powder Works received it’s sulfur as crude chunks of “Brimstone” directly from the mines in the southern states. 8% by weight was leaves sticks and other “earthy matter”. Simple melting and skimming separated most of this rubbish from the crude sulfur. Acidic compounds detrimental to finished powder remained in the sulfur. Further refining was necessary.
“The second method of refining sulfur, distillation, was more thorough and was preferred for high quality gunpowder. When sulfur is heated to the point at which vapor forms, the first vapors condense in a fine dust commonly called “flowers of sulfur”. Although pure, sulfur in this form is always accompanied by sulfurous and sulfuric acids and is unsuitable for gunpowder. Once the temperature has risen, the acidic compounds are absent from the sulfur vapor, which can be condensed as pure sulfur.”
Col. Rains copied the English, Waltham Abbey process for refining sulfur as this British Powder Works produced some of the best gunpowder in the world at that time.
“The sulfur was broken into small pieces. Placed in the pot, and heated. The pipe to the dome above the lid was opened by a valve, but the lower pipe was at this time closed by another valve. After two or three hours, a yellow vapor rose through the pipe and was collected in the dome as flowers of sulfur. A small pipe led out at the other side of the dome through a vessel of water. This allowed hot air to escape and captured sulfuric acid in the water. About two hours later the vapor turned a deep iodine color, indicating that the sulfur (no longer containing sulfuric acid) was now rising out of the pot. A valve was closed, shutting off the upper pipe and the other valve was opened, admitting the sulfur gas to the lower pipe. At this time cold water from a vessel above was admitted to the jacket around the lower pipe. This caused the sulfur in the lower pipe to condense and run into the iron vessel as a thick yellow liquid. The liquid sulfur collected was allowed to cool for an hour and was then poured into molds where it soon formed a bright yellow solid. Col. Rains stated that the sulfur in this vessel was “of a beautiful citron yellow color when cold and was entirely pure”.
This type of sulfur is available today and can be purchased from Skylighter, Inc. It is 99.9% pure.
This is their web address: www.skylighter.com
Mike and Tracy
