Extracting Nitrogen From the Atmosphere Disc of fire nearly 12 ft in diameter , forms the essential feature of the long sought solution of the riddle how to extract nitrogen from the atmophere . It serves to heat the electro magnetic ovens which have a temperature of 3,000 to 3,500 degrees . Each oven uses 5,000 horse power and the nitrogen thus produced forms an important part of Norway ' s electro chemical output 25 October 1919