Image: Nitrous oxide production

Description: A schematic showing the (laboratory) production of nitrous oxide. This setup is the same one Joseph Priestley used. The setup was made based on an image of the 1949 Popular Mechanics article by Kenneth M. Swezey (titled: The gas that makes you laugh). Images from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rocket000/SVGs/Chemistry were used to make this image. Note that the setup shown here is not suitable for large scale production, since the heating needs to be kept at 200°C (meaning the flame of the bunsen burner needs to be constantly increased/decreased). The use of a regulatable, automated electric heater (with imbedded temperature meter, reducing or increasing the heat to attain a certain temperature) would be better instead. In addition, if the nitrous oxide is intented to be used as an emissionless fuel, the ammonium nitrate would first need to come from the ambient air (currently AN is often made from fossil oil).
Title: Nitrous oxide production
Credit: Own work
Author: KVDP
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No