Industrial and Engineering Chemistry : industrial edition, Vol. 35, No. 5

DO

te failures can be avoided!

I V I t f l l l W I V « * v v W W l t f l V W •

... install

■ y fr in /n //S ite C /o c & duty is the service Nordstrom Valves have always given. Operators expect more service from Nordstroms because these valves are engi-

_ _ - i tv „ ___ f — tVia li m it a -

SfftrwtiCe

thus saving critical metals. Their ease of oper­

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valves in the chemical in­

dustry for all types of solutions and slurries.

M E R C O N O R D S T R O M V A L V E C O M P A N Y A Subsidiary of

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M ain O ffice: P ittsb u rgh , Pen n a. B ra n c h e s : B oston, B u ffalo, B rook lyn, C hicago, C olum bia, Des Moinc-s, Houston, T u ls a ,

Today, with p r o c e ssin g c a p a c ity crowded to the limit, Porter Mixers and Agitators are appreciated by their users more than ever. Because they blend faster and stay on the job longer without shutdowns for repair or maintenance, Porter Process Equipment is meeting the demand for faster production. Installing a Porter Mixer or Agitator is like adding to present vessel capacity

—batches are completed in less time and vessels released for re-charging more often in the same length of time.

Another advantage of Porter Process Equipment is its ready adaptability to a wide range of operations—an important factor in these days of rapid development in process industries.

If you want dependable operation over a long period of time, begin now to standardize on Porter Equipment.

EaUbliahM 1866

■

:iU

r :. & .

E D I T O R : W A L T E R J. M U R P H Y

Associate Editor: F. J. VAN ANTWERPEN

Contributing Editor: D. H. KlLLEFFER

Assistant to Editor: N. A. PARKINSON

Manuscript Editor: HELEN K. NEWTON

Make-up Editor: BERTHA REYNOLDS

Manuscript Assistant: STELLA ANDERSON

Advisory Board W. L. Badger H. R. Murdock

H. E. Barnard A. S. Richardson

C. A. Browne W. A. Schmidt

W. H. D ow R. N. SHREVE

Gaston Du Bois L. V. Steck

C. F. Kettering C. M. A. Stine

W. S. Landis E. C. Sullivan

C. S. Miner L. W. WATERS E. R. WEIDLEIN

The American Chemical Society assumes no re­

sponsibility for the statements and opinions ad­

vanced by contributors to its publications.

Copyrisht 1943 by American Chemical Society 30,400 copies of this issue printed

IS S U E D M A Y 7, 1943 • V O L . 35, NO. 5 • C O N S E C U T IV E NO. 9

EDITORIALS 499

INDUSTRIAL REACTION RATES

Prediction of Reaction Rates Farrington Daniels 504

Organic Reactions. . . . Henry Eyring, H. M. Hulburt, and R. A. Harman 511 Principles of Reactor D e s i g n ... David M. Hurt 522 Solid Catalysts and Reaction Rates:

General P rin c ip le s... O . A. Hougen and K. M. Watson 529 O xidation of Sulfur Dioxide . . . . O . A. Uyehara and K. M. Watson 541 Cation-Exchange Water Softening R ates...

John du Domaine, R. L. Swain, and O . A. Hougen 546 Catalytic Hydrogenation Rates:

Equipment and C o n te n t...N. K. Anderson and C. A. Rowe 554 Interpretation of Results . R. B. Beckmann, A. E. Pufahl, and O . A. Hougen 558 Conduction, Convection, and H eat Release in Catalytic Converters . . . .

R. H. Wilhelm, W. C. Johnson, and F. S. Acton 562 Vapor-Phase Estérification Rates

H. F. Hoerig, Don Hanson, and O . L. Kowalke 575 Catalysis in the O xidation of Lubricating O il . . R. G. Larsen and F. A. Armfield 581 A dsorption of Riboflavin by L a c t o s e ... Abraham Leviton 589 Durability of Lusterless E n a m e l s ...S. E. Beck 594 Present Status of Plant H o r m o n e s ...P. W. Zimmerman 596 Thermodynamic Properties of Propane . . . . W. V. Stearns and E. J. G eorge 602 Barium and Strontium Sulfate Decomposition in A queous Solution...

R. Norris Shreve and H. F. W iegandt 60 8 Composition of Vapors from Boiling Binary Solutions . . . . Donald F. Othmer 614 Alchemical P r i n t ... 620 A s We See It (Advt. Sect.) 5 Spying (A dvt. Sect.) 8 Did You See? (Advt. Sect.) 10

P u b l i c a t i o n O f f ic e : E a s t o n , P e n n a . E d i t o r i a l O f f ic e : 1155 1 6 t h S t r e e t , N . W ., W a s h i n g t o n , D . C .

T e l e p h o n e : R e p u b l i c 5 3 0 1 . C a b l e : J i e c h e m ( W a s h i n g t o n )

P u b lis h e d b y t h e A m e r ic a n C h e m ic a l S o c ie ty , P u b lic a ti o n O ffice, 2 0 th &

N o r t h a m p t o n S ts ., E a s t o n , P e n n a . E n t e r e d a s s e c o n d -c la s s m a t t e r a t t h e P o s t O ffice a t E a s t o n , P e n n a ., u n d e r t h e A c t of M a r c h 3 , 1 8 7 9 , a s 24 tim e s a y e a r . I n d u s t r i a l E d i tio n m o n t h ly o n t h e 1 s t; A n a ly tic a l E d i tio n m o n th ly o n t h e 1 5 th . A c c e p ta n c e fo r m a ilin g a t s p e c ia l r a t e o f p o s ta g e p r o v id e d fo r in S e c tio n 1103, A c t o f O c to b e r 3 , 1917, a u th o r iz e d J u l y 13, 1918.

A n n u a l s u b s c r ip tio n r a t e . I n d u s t r i a l E d i tio n a n d A n a ly tic a l E d i tio n so ld o n ly a s a u n it , m e m b e r s $ 3 .0 0 , o th e r s $ 4 .0 0 . F o r e ig n p o s ta g e t o c o u n tr ie s n o t in t h e P a n A m e r ic a n U n io n , $ 2 .2 5 ; C a n a d ia n p o s ta g e , $ 0 .7 5 . S in g le

A d v e r ti s i n g D e p a r t m e n t : 332 W e s t 4 2 n d S t r e e t , N ew Y o r k , N . Y . T e l e p h o n e : B r y a n t 9 -4 4 3 0

co p ies; I n d u s tr ia l E d i tio n , $ 0 .7 5 ; A n a ly tic a l E d i tio n , $ 0 .5 0 . S p e c ia l r a t e s to m e m b e rs .

N o cla im s c a n be_ a llo w e d fo r co p ies of jo u r n a ls lo s t in t h e m a ils u n le ss s u c h c la im s a r e r e c e iv e d w ith in 60 d a y s of t h e d a t e of is s u e , a n d n o c la im s w ill b e a llo w e d fo r is s u e s lo s t a s a r e s u lt of in s u ffic ie n t n o tic e of c h a n g e of a d d re s s . (T e n d a y s ’ a d v a n c e n o tic e r e q u ir e d .) " M is s in g f r o m files”

c a n n o t b e a c c e p te d a s t h e r e a s o n fo r h o n o r in g a c la im . A d d re s s c la im s to C h a r le s L . P a r s o n s , B u s in e s s M a n a g e r , 1155 1 6 th S tr e e t, N . W ., W a s h in g to n . D . C ., U . S. A.

YOUR FILTRATION EQUIPMENT

with the aid of J-M Filtration Engineers!

J -M FILTRATION EN G IN EER S can show you not one, but

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sired clarity with the highest flow rate.

2. By determining exactly the right amount of Filter Aid to be added to the liquid to be filtered.

3. By determining the proper length of the filter cycle and the proper application of the filter powder.

4. By recommending a change or adjust­

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B E F O R E

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503

O N E V E R Y F I L T R A T I O N S E R V I C E

May, 1943 I N D U S T R I A L AND E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

► R e a c t i o n R a t e s , upon w hich o u tp u t from chemical processes prim arily depends, a tta in special significance in a w ar of produc­

tion when prodigious dem and cannot be m et sim ply by enlarging plants. H ence, a discussion of this subject now possesses urgent interest for production m en as well as scientists. Ten papers in this issue are devoted to it.

► P r e d i c t i o n of reaction rates is examined in considerable detail by D aniels (page 504) who points o u t th e im portance of including all hidden factors in th e calculation. Exam ples are given of the application of several rules em ployed and these are compared.

► R a t e s o f O r g a n i c R e a c t i o n s can be calculated from the fundam ental physical properties of th e molecules, and the calcu­

lations provide a useful fram ew ork for correlating empirical ob­

servations, according to E yring, H u lb u rt, and H arm an (page 511). A pplications of th e th eo ry to a num ber of different types of reactions are given.

► P e r f o r m a n c e o f sm all-scale units for carrying o u t gas-solid reactions is correlated b y H u rt (page 522) w ith th a t of p la n t pro­

duction units. T he m ethod, especially useful when th e inter­

mediate steps of developm ent m ust be shortened or om itted, is illustrated b y th e platinum -catalyzed oxidation of sulfur dioxide.

► C a t a l y s t s function properly only in th e optim um tem pera­

ture range for th e reaction involved. Because changes in heat always occur during reaction, th e h eat tran sfer characteristics of the catalyst bed necessarily control th e design of converters.

Wilhelm, Johnson, and A cton (page 562) discuss this phase of design of equipm ent for catalytic processes.

► E s t e r i f i c a t i o n of acetic acid b y alcohol in th e vapor phase over silica gel c a ta ly st has been investigated by Hoerig, Hanson, and Kowalke (page 575), who find mass transfer through a con­

densed phase on th e ca ta ly st to be th e controlling factor in rate.

► R a t e s o f R e a c t i o n s involving solid catalysts conform to general equations based on th e theory of activ ated adsorption by Hougen and W atson (page 529). T hey propose q u an titativ e ex­

pressions for th e effects of th e several factors involved.

► O x i d a t i o n of sulfur dioxide over platinized asbestos is used by Uyehara and W atson (page 541) to exem plify th e application of the generalized theory presented in th e preceding paper. Ex­

perim ental d a ta conform to an equation based on the assum ption th a t rate is controlled b y th e surface reaction between adsorbed sulfur dioxide and atom ic oxygen.

► C a t a l y t i c H y d r o g e n a t i o n possesses special in terest through its wide industrial applications. A nderson and Rowe (page 554) describe unique equipm ent, devised to stu d y reactions of this type as well as other high-pressure processes, and having im ­ p ortant advantages over o th er apparatus.

► H y d r o g e n a t i o n o f isooctene over nickel cata ly st has been studied b y B eckm ann, P ufahl, and H ougen (page 558) using the equipm ent of A nderson and Rowe. R a te equations have been developed to correlate experim ental results.

► Softeningof Water by cation exchangers was in v estig ated by

du D om aine, Swain, and H ougen (page 546), and th e resu lts o f th e experiments were reduced to a differential ra te equation. F rom this, both perform ance and design of commercial softeners are charted.

► Lubricating Oils in service undergo oxidation cata ly zed by th e m etals in contact w ith them . Larsen and Armfield (page 581) have investigated this catalytic reaction as i t occurs in internal com bustion engines. W hile massive m etals are active, th e fine particles w orn from engine p a rts are m uch m ore so.

Three representative oils were used in th e experiments.

► Extenders added to pigm ents in lusterless olive d rab enamels

appear n o t to affect d u rab ility so long as pigm ent m akes up less th an 60 per cent of th e to tal volum e of solids, according to Beck (page 594). Life of th e enamel is shortened if the pigm ent bulks larger th an th at.

► Plant Hormones, defined as physiologically active com ­

pounds, have fired m any im aginations, and Zim m erm an (page 596) reviews recent progress in th e use of such m aterials on th e basis of work done a t th e Boyce T hom pson In s titu te for P la n t Research.

► Propane’s widening uses as a refrigerant lend special in te r­

est to its therm odynam ic properties provided in detail b y S tearns and George (page 602). B oth tables and graphs are given.

► Barium and Strontium Chlorides can be recovered from

fusions of their respective sulfates w ith calcium chloride and ex­

traction w ith aqueous m ethanol, according to Shreve and W ie- gan d t (page 608). Conversion of a soluble m odification o f anhydrite, produced in th e aqueous reaction, to an insoluble form is app aren tly accomplished b y th e fusion, since w ater can also be used as the solvent for recovering th e chloride.

► Lactose adsorbs riboflavin during crystallization from w hey,

and th e p roduct th u s form ed is believed b y Leviton (page 589) to have a useful function in supplying riboflavin for hum an con­

sum ption. T he concentration of riboflavin in th e crystals is a linear function of its concentration in th e original solution.

► Vapor-Liquid equilibrium d a ta on tw enty-three b in ary liquid system s are presented b y O thm er (page 614). Included are : acetaldehyde w ith toluene, benzene, and fu rfu ral; acetone w ith benzene and monochlorobenzene; w ater w ith propionic and bu ty ric acids; acetic acid w ith seventeen other liq u id s; b u tan o l w ith b u ty l b u ty ra te ; and m ethyl ethyl ketone w ith propionic acid. A pparatus used is described in detail.

i n d u s t r i a l a n d e n g i n e e r i n g

_

_ Vol. 35, No. 5

B ^{h er m ex high} f r e q u e n c y

HEATING FOR BONDING ^or HEAT PROCESSING NON-CONDUCTING MATERIALS MAY BE THE ANSWER

Subm it your problem to Girdler Application Engineering Se rvice

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Let us study them with you. We suggest that you submit samples of your product and describe your heating problem. Girdler high frequency application engineers will make thorough tests and send you a report for comparison with your present method. We will welcome your inquiry, no matter how difficult your heat processing operation may be. There is no obligation.

The No. 15 Thermex illustrated at the right is one of several standard units available. The simplified diagram illustrates how practically any non-conducting material can be heated by means of top and bottom or center electrodes.

W rite fo r illu stra te d T h e r m e x b o o k le t d e s c rib in g m a n y p hases o f h ig h fre q u e n c y , ele c tro sta tic h ea tin g .

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T h e p r o d u c t i s h e a t e d u n ifo rm ly th ru o u t t h e e n t i r e m a s s . H e a t is t r a n s f e r r e d a t a sp eed n e v e r b e f o re a t t a i n e d .

P r a c ti c a l l y a l l k n o w n n o n - m e t a ll i c m a t e r ia l s m a y b e h e a t e d in a h ig h f r e q u e n c y e l e c t r o s t a t i c f i e l d . A b s o lu te ly u n ifo rm h e a t in g m e a n s im p ro v ed q u a l i t y o f p r o d u c t.

N o o v e r c u r in g o r u n d e r c u r in g .

G r e a t f l e x i b i l i t y . T h e r m e x c a n h a n d l e a w id e v a r i e t y o f j o b s w-ith h i g h o v e r a l l e f f i c i e n c y . R e s u lts m a y b e r e p r o d u c e d u i th o u t v a ria tio n . T e m p e r a t u r e is a c c u ­ r a te l y c o n t r o l l e d a t a l l t i m e s . C h e m i c a l c o n t a m i n a t i o n is c o m ­ p l e t e l y a v o i d e d .

I n d u c e d h e a t m a y b e u s e d to b r in g a b o u t c h e m ic a l r e a c t i o n .

H e a t i n g o p e r a t i o n m a y b e s u s ­ p e n d e d i n s t a n t l y , t h u s t h e d a n g e r o f d a m a g e f r o m o v e r h e a t i n g is a v o i d e d .

N o “ h o t p l a t e s ” o r s t e a m . H i g h f r e q u e n c y s u p p l i e s h e a t d i r e c t to a n d t h r u o u t t h e p r o d u c t . N o s c o r c h i n g o r s u r f a c e d a m a g e . W id e r a n g e o f s iz e s f o r all r e q u i r e m e n t s .

May, 1943 I N D U S T R I A L AND E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y 7

AN ELEVATOR, A CONVEYOR AND FEEDER IN A SINGLE UNIT

CONSERVES IN MANY WAYS

A b o v e : A v e r t ic a l r u n - a r o u n d t y p e B u lk - F lo h a n d lin g o v e rs iz e A b o v e : L o a d in g r u n s o f B u lk - F lo c o n v e y o rs h a n d lin g S p a n is h s o a p fla k e s f r o m s h a k in g s c re e n s t o p u lv e r iz e r s , p r e p a r a to r y t o p e a n u t s a n d a lm o n d s . N o te c o m p a c tn e s s o f in s ta lla tio n ; t h e

p a c k in g . B u lk - F lo u n it s a r e s u s p e n d e d f r o m th e c e ilin g in th i s c a se , lo a d in g

' f r o m s to r a g e lo c a te d o n t h e flo o r a b o v e .

Bulk-Flo is outstanding in its ability to cut handling costs and to conserve critical materials and save space. It minimizes breakage and degradation, prevents leakage and reduces explosion and fire hazards. The necessity for multiple elevating and con­

veying units is eliminated, because the same unit conveys horizontally, vertically or on an incline.

Bulk-Flo is self-feeding, self-discharging and to a high degree self-cleaning. It handles flowable materials under all conditions of loading. It loads automatically—at one or at several points—without feeders. It automatically discharges at the head end of vertical runs or at one or more points on horizontal runs, or both as desired.

S a v e s S p a c e

Bulk-Flo is unusually compact, effecting a considerable saving in space requirements and supporting structure.

M o r e F l e x i b l e

Bulk-Flo can be laid out to carry vertically, horizontally, around corners, along curves and on slants of any de­

gree. Loading and discharge points can be located to suit. Tandem units can also be used.

S e l f - F e e d i n g , E n c l o s e d

Bulk-Flo is self-feeding to capacity from bins, hoppers and chutes. It cannot flood. Material is moved in a dust-tight casing. It operates under partial loading with as high efficiency as when fully loaded.

S lo w S p e e d ; L a r g e C a p a c i t y

Because the material in a Bulk-Flo moves en masse, the speed is slow; usually 30 to 60 ft. per minute. Large capacities are obtainable by large duct cross section, rather than by speed.

L I N K - B E L T C O M P A N Y

C h ic a g o P h ila d e lp h ia I n d ia n a p o lis A tla n ta D a lla s S a n F r a n c is c o T o r o n to O ffices, w a re h o u s e s a n d d is tr i b u to r s in p r in c ip a l c itie s .

W it h w a r o rd e r s r e d u c ­ in g th e sp eed o f d e liv e ry — w ith a ll e m p h a s is o n g e tt in g e q u ip m e n t th a t w ill s ta n d u p in th e e m e rg e n c y —w ith a ll e ffo rts d ir e c te d t o ­ w a rd c o n s e rv in g m e ta ls a n d a llo y s—e n g i­

neers w ill m a k e fr e q u e n t u se o f th is re a d y re fe re n c e c o v e rin g all th e facts a b o u t w h a t to lo o k fo r w h e n s p e c ify in g sta in le ss ste e l p ro c e ssin g e q u ip m e n t:

/ . What grade will you 3 . How will you design

order? for economy and for

conservation of steel ? 2. What finish w ill 4 . How can you be sure

serve you best? of sound welds?

T h ese an d o th e r q u e s tio n s , i m p o r t a n t to y o u r p ro d u c tio n , a re a n sw e re d in th e n ew in f o rm a tiv e b r o c h u r e issued b y

S. B lic k m a n , Inc.

S . B L I C K M A N , i n c .

1 2 0 2 G REG O R Y AVE., W E E H A W K E N , N J.

TANKS . KETTLES • CONDENSERS • AGITATORS • EVAPORATORS • PANS . VATS • CYLINDERS

r a c k i n g petroleum , despite the age of the basic process, con-

w tinues so fruitful in in d u stry as to encourage search for fur­

th er modifications to yield even greater values for the future.

The introduction of catalysts into th e cracking reaction has immensely increased th e range of its usefulness and a t the same tim e the area to be explored for a proper understanding of the mechanism involved. On th a t we shall learn details of what happens to cyclohexane.

Brine from oil wells presents a special disposal problem in the field. In its sta y above ground, conditions are reached which favor precipitation o f calcium carbonate to clog porous struc­

tures when it is pum ped into th e earth again. W e shall learn how th e rem arkable stabilizer, sodium hexametaphosphate, im­

proves th a t condition.

Selective solvents have perform ed near miracles in separating constituents of petroleum . Now, we learn, a somewhat similar technique m ay yield equally valuable results in separating con­

stituents of w hat we have traditionally called the “ fixed oils” . Amazing and m ost useful is th e partin g of such oils as soybean into fractions possessing different degrees of unsaturation by the simple expedient of solvent extraction.

A nother solvent problem now vexing has to do with the highly useful zein, a protein from corn. A group of helpful binary sol­

vents for this m aterial enlarge its applications; it is already im­

p o rtan t as a coating through its resistance to greases.

Design problems are alw ays im portant. This tim e we shall learn of a new still to determ ine vapor-liqm d equilibrium data essential in the design of fractional distillations.

H eat capacity of gases, also essential in m any design problems, are calculated by a new and b e tte r m ethod to be described for us.

Similarly, viscosities of fluids are needed in designing vital parts of equipm ent for every ty p e of process. Often experi­

m ental values are missing in required ranges and hence calcula­

tion is used to extrapolate them . An im proved method for this purpose will prove valuable.

Behaviors of starch and glue in swelling in w ater will be dis­

cussed for the light they throw on these im p o rtan t materials and their applications.

A lkylation and dealkylation are suggested as methods of sepa­

rating individuals from th e usual complex m ixtures of cresols and xylenols. D espite its a p p aren t complexity, the method, we are assured, works.

T hen we shall learn m ore ab o u t the behavior of Buna S with petroleum products, inform ation we shall find most useful as the synthetic rubber program gets into production.

From the D etro it m eeting of the Society come two well re­

ceived articles, one dealing w ith th e newer a rt and contribu­

tions of the petroleum in dustry, the other a passing show of the rubber field (the censor willing).

And there will, as alw ays, be m uch more.

Yo u r Hu m b l e Sp y

8

May, 1943 I N D U S T R I A L AND E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

I

C H E M I C A L

ty ie l& l

M E T A L

9 * td u ¿ ¿ s U e ¿ .

■■

G I R D L E R P r o c e s s

H Y D R O G E N

W E L D I N G

I d é e l

C O S t s 3 0 c t o 5 0 less per 1 / 0 0 0 cu. ft.

G I R D L E R O F F E R S

p r o c e s s e s f o r .

P r o d u c t i o n , P u r i f i c a t i o n

Separation, Reforming oi

HYDROGEN s u lf id e c a rb o n m onoxide BLUE WATER GAS o rg a n ic s u l f u r

CARBON DIOXIDE Hy d r o c a r b o n s

Hydrogen

Nitro g en OXYGEN

and various mixtures.

Makes Hydrogen at lower cost than any other known method.

Girdler process practically automatic—sizes for every need.

C o st c o m p a riso n s m ad e f o r th e p ro d u c ­ tio n o f h y d ro g e n b y th e G ird le r P ro cess a n d o th e r p ro cesses show , in m o st cases, t h a t th e o p e r a tin g costs o f th e G ird le r P ro c e ss a r e 30c to 50c less per 1,000 cubic feet of hydrogen. (T h e sa v in g s a re , o f course, c o n tin g e n t on m a te ria l a n d u ti lity costs in d if f e r e n t sections o f th e c o u n try .)

O p e ra tin g re c o rd s in d ic a te t h a t w h en a v G ird le r H y d ro g e n M a n u f a c tu rin g U n it re p la c e s a n e x is tin g p ro cess, th e G ird le r p la n t o fte n w ill p a y

f o r its e l f in less than three years.

T h e G ird le r P ro c e ss p ro d u c e s h y d ro g e n of

excellent purity t h a t u s u a lly p e rm its u sin g i t w ith o u t f u r t h e r tr e a tm e n t.

G ird le r P la n ts m a y be o p e ra te d fro m 20% to 100% o f th e r a t e d c a p a c ity in a continuous m a n n e r. T h is m e a n s p ra c tic a lly a u to m a tic o p e ra tio n an d sa v in g in la b o r costs.

Coke, ste a m , a i r a n d w a te r a r e th e o n ly r a w m a te r ia ls n e c e ss a ry . C arb o n dioxide is a v a lu a b le b y -p ro d u c t.

G ird le r u n its a r e a v a ila b le in c a p a c itie s fro m one thousand to one million cubic fe e t o f h y d ro g e n per hour.

F o r com plete d e sc rip tio n a n d d a ta on th e G ird le r H y d ro g e n P ro c e s s, w rite fo r B u lle tin No. 103. U se th e con­

v e n ie n t coupon below .

GIRDLER CORPORATION

S p e c i a l i s t s I n B e t t e r G a s P r o c e s s e s

GAS PROCESSES DIVISION • LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

T H E G IR D L E R C O R P O R A T IO N

Gas Processes Division 202 E. Broadway Louisville, Kentucky

Please send bulletin No. 103 describing the low-cost Girdler Hydrogen Manufacturing Process.

Name ..___ _______ _____ Title ...

Firm...

Address... ...

Cify_...State...

Ease of operation is accomplished by the lifting action of the seating disc before it moves to the open position. Reed V alves are alw ays easy to operate as the discs cannot become wedged into the seat.

Line pressure, rather than mechanical tighten­

ing, holds the discs against the seats perm itting a w id e variatio n of fluid tem peratures without sticking the valve.

Reed V alves are designed and constructed to provide positive shut-ofF and ease of operation w ith the greatest factor of safety, under the most severe service conditions.

TH E S E A T I N G D I S C IS L I F T E D DI RE A W AY FROM ITS SEAT BEFORE IT MOVES TO THE OPEN POSITION, ASSURING EASY OPENING^

THIS EDGE OF THE DISC REMAINS IN CONTACT WITH THE INNER BODY WALL, W IP IN G THE SURFACE WHEN THE VALVE IS BEING OPENED.

W rite N O W for the Reed V a lv e C atalog 41.

SEE?,

A

ery of new equipm ent is sounded by the G raver T an k & Mfg.

Co. W h at w ith the publization of short­

ages, everyone knows th a t it’s a m ajor task to get machines, b u t, warns G raver, “ D on’t take it for granted th a t you can’t get delivery. I t doesn’t pay to assume th a t everyone is too busy to build a v ital piece of equip­

m ent.” Often production schedules are capable a t odd moments of taking care of extra work, and it m ay be th a t G raver’s engi­

neers will find ju s t th e rig h t schedule for th a t needed piece of equipm ent.

Goodyear brings forth a new synthetic m aterial, Resoweld, and asks us to rem ember this nam e when confronted w ith jobs re­

quiring corrosion protection. T he newcomer’s p aren t is a resinous base and it resists all the alkali, acid, and salt solutions successfully handled by rubber. Going even further than rubber, it can be used w ith nitric and chrom ic acids, alcohol, petroleum oils, gasoline, linseed and vegetable oils, soaps, and such. Continuing w ith its properties, we read th a t it can be applied, in th e field, to all types of m etal, wood, and concrete equipm ent, and functions satisfactorily up to 150 ° F . I t does not deteriorate w ith age and can tak e jo lts w ithout cracking. Reso­

weld, concludes Goodyear, is n o t a w artim e expedient. W ith such an array of favorable properties we can only agree w ith th a t conclusion.

Years ago, when America was having its whole economy changed as w orthy citizens m etam orphized into th e state of autom otive locomotion, one of th e basic economic laws each customer learned b y rote was “ I t ’s n o t th e cost, i t ’s the upkeep” . We, their sons, now graduated from wide-eyed excitem ent over an automobile ride to a blase contem plation of being our own aviator, remember, and as som berly contem plate, this basic law because it was further ground into our system s as engineers. T h a t’s w hy we can read w ith understanding heart, th e ad of J. F. P ritch­

ard, m anufacturers of cooling towers, and their high bid. On one job they were $8000 high. B u t when cost and operating charges were considered over a period of five years, th eir installations saved th a t am ount m any tim es over— an application of th e prin­

ciple “ I t ’s not th e cost etc., etc.,” . P ritch ard tells w hy their methods are cheaper as well as of fans th a t are m ore efficient due to a special blade tw ist and taper, and of advanced tow er design.

An ad for engineers to read and rem em ber.

Tygon, U. S. Stoneware’s rubberlike synthetic, shows great resiliency in adapting itself to w ar jobs. Available in many shapes, forms, and solutions, this stuff to stan d th e guff around the chemical plan t is “ meeting service dem ands far beyond con­

tem plation” . I t is used as ta n k linings for processes involving the use of corrosive m aterials and, because of its bonding tenac­

ity, is easily applied to diverse jobs such as fans, baskets, pipes, and odd shaped containers.

M oving chemicals in a cheaper and better w ay is the especial pride of the Dracco Corp., makers o f pneum atic conveyors.

Through the use o f this flexible conveyor, trucks and car loads can be unloaded by one man, replacing th e several used before.

Another im portant feature is the p ositive control o f dust this method makes possible.

Cole Tarr

REED VALVE DIVISION

o f t h e R E E D R O L L E R B I T C O M P A N Y

P . O . B O X 2 1 1 9 H O U S T O N , T E X A S

10

May, 1943 I N D U S T R I A L AND E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y 11

"D EMEMBER these common-sense facts before you install new piping systems or replace old sections: welding with Tube-Tum fittings insures

and better fittings that last as long as the pipe itself. You banish many maintenance troubles which seriously interrupt the vital

that keep war plants going.

In addition, Tube-Turn welding fittings give you

uniform wall thickness, for

compact piping layouts that sate

smooth inner walls that mean far

and

C o n tr a s t t h e s e d i a g r a m m a t ic d ra w in g s a n d e n l a r g e d c r o s s - s e c tio n s o f a f l a n g e d e l l (a b o ve) a n d a T u b e - T u r n 90®

w e ld i n g e l b o w ( b e lo ic ) i n a l i n e . N o te h o w t h e ic e ld e d c o n n e c t i o n f o r m s v i r t u a l l y a c o n t i n u o u s t u b e w i t h o u t j o i n t s . W e ld in g w i t h T u b e - T u r n f i t ­ tin g s e lim in a te s t h e m a n y m a i n t e n a n c e h e a d a c h e s i n h e r e n t w ith m e c h a n i c a l l y c o n n e c t e d p i p i n g : l e a k s , g a s k e t c h a n g e s , b o lt t i g h t e n i n g , c a u l k i n g , t h r e a d ­ in g , d i f f i c u l t c o v e r i n g , a n d o t h e r in e f f i c i e n c i e s t h a t c a n s e r io u s l y h a m p e r w a r p r o d u c t i o n .

T u b e - T u rn s ( I n c . ) , L o u i s v i l l e , K y . B ra n c h o ffic e s : N e w Y o r k , C h ic a g o , P h i l a d e l p h i a , P i t t s b u r g h , C l e v e l a n d . D a y t o n . W a s h in g t o n . D . C ., T u l s a . H o u s t o n , L o s A n g e le s . D is tr ib u to r s in p r in c ip a l c itie s .

TU BE-TU RN

i n d u s t r i a l a n d e n g i n e e r i n g c h e m i s t r y

Vol. 35, No. s

Above is shown the directly heated tile chamber which served as the spin bath evaporator for a large rayon mill. Its high temperature operation was characterized by ex­

cessive fuel consumption, extreme corrosion, frequent shutdowns, and expensive maintenance.

The cooperation of Swenson engi­

neers resulted in the design and fabrication of the cast antimonial lead evaporators shown on the oppo­

site page—equipment that operates at a lower temperature from a par­

tial vacuum.

Reduced corrosion and savings in

fuel are making the new equipment far more economical to operate.

Swenson engineers are ready to cooperate wherever there are prob­

lems in evaporation, filtration, or crystallization. Their years of spe­

cialization in this field give them an unequalled background of experience . . . on which thousands of highly successful installations have been based. Send a letter outlining your problems. Swenson Evaporator Company, Division of Whiting Cor­

poration, 15671 Lathrop Ave., Har­

vey, Illinois.

HOW A LARGE RAYON M ILL REDUCED OPERATING COSTS THROUGH SWENSON

COOPERATION

ONLY SWENSON PROVIDES THIS FIVE-WAY SERVICE

1. Analysis o f Requirements 2. Design and Layout 3. M anufacture of Equipment 4. T e s t O peration 5. Periodic C heck-ups

PROTECTS AGAINST

D e a d l y S p l a s h e s

a n d F l y i n g

C h i p s

The Duralite-50 Chemical Goggle offers the chemical worker maximum possible protection and comfort. It is equipped with Super Armorplate L enses th at p r o v id e p r o te c tio n against impact, and with solid baffle plates, in back of the side shields, to protect against splashes. Ample ven­

tilation, well-designed eye-cups, and an adjustable, elastic head-band all combine to give all-day comfort.

Examine this Duralite Chemical

Goggle yourself. Your AO Industrial

Representative located nearby will

gladly demonstrate it to you. ^jjj^

CHEM ICAL INDUSTRY PROCESSING

Complete Processing Plants Engineered Designed, Fabricated and Constructed BY FOSTER WHEELER for the Production from Petroleum of . . .

TOLUENE ALKYLATES

XYLENE STYRENE

CUMENE BUTADIENE

ISO-OCTANE ALCOHOLS ISO-COMPOUNDS PHENOL HYDROGEN AND OTHER CHEMICALS

FOSTER WHEELER CORPORATION • 165 BROADWAY, N. Y.

F ^{o s t e r} 1 / W h e e l e r

I NDUSTR i

vol. OO, «o. 5

How Calgon helps speed America s war effort:

8. IN THE S O A P C O N S U M I N G I N D U S T R I E S

I N this war we need more fats for food and for explosives than we can get, even though patriotic house­

wives are contributing their pounds of drippings to be made into glycer­

ine and soap. Not only the original fats, but also the derived soaps have gone to war, for example, in the synthetic-rubber industry.

But, all over America, tons of fats in converted form are being run down the sewer to waste as lime soaps

made useless by the hardness in water. That is where Calgon steps in to do its bit, directly for the

user bedeviled by shortages and rising costs and indirectly for the soap man­

ufacturer facing shrinking stocks.

For a decade Calgon has been used in laundries and in textile processing to remove previously deposited in­

soluble soap from fabrics. In many cases a shift in the point of applica­

tion will keep these insoluble soaps

o

Calgon treated

from forming. Every pound of Cal- eon added to a hard water used in a washing operation keeps a pound of sodium soap from being precip­

itated and wasted as insoluble cal­

cium and magnesium soap.

If you use soap in your processes, let us show you how Calgon* will make

soap do

work.

*R e g is te r e d , tr a d e - m a r k o f C a lg o n , In c . fo r its g la s s y s o d iu m p h o s p h a te p r o d u c ts .

1 POUND OF CALGON WILL PREVENT PRECIPITATION

OF 1 POUND OF LIME SOAP IN WASHING OPERATIONS

L A U N D R Y W A S H W H E E L

S C O U R IN G O F T E X T IL E P IE C E G O O D S

R A W W O O L S C O U R IN G

C O N T I N U O U S S O A P IN G O F C O T T O N A N D R A Y O N

calqon, inc.

DIARY OF

J

A SUBSIDIARY OF

HAGAN CORPORATION HAGAN BUILDING

PITTSBURGH, PA.

• Filled from the top—and equipped with an agitator that sweeps the charge against the jacketed sides and bottom—standard types of Bartlett-Snow Batch Dryers promote efficiency and economy in drying small quantities of tankage, wood flour, chlorides, chromates, and similar materials . . . and are ideally used in continuous production to avoid contamina­

tion and waste between different lots or batches of the same material. In addition, variations from stand­

ard construction are available to meet practically any material and operating condition.

In one of these special cases, the customer desired to separate the distilled water from a very expensive

finely divided, corrosive filter cake without dust or water loss. Based on very exact theoretical calcula­

tions and tests, run on an experimental unit in our shops, two dryers— (see illustration of one above) fabricated of stainless steel throughout and fitted with dust collectors were provided, with the full assurance that they would meet every service condi­

tion-proving again the ability of Bartlett-Snow engineers to master even the most complicated drying problems. Let us help you with your requirements.

T H E C . O . B A R T L E T T & S N O W C O M P A N Y 6 2 0 7 H A R V A R D A V E N U E , C L E V E L A N D , O H IO 30 Church St., New York First Nat’l Bank Bldg., Chicago

BARTLETT- S NOW

D R Y E R S C A L C I N E R S C O O L E R S K I L N S

Also complete materials handling facilities to meet any requirement

One contract * One guarantee of satisfactory performance '• Unit responsibility

Belt Conveyors I Dust Collectors I Pressure Vessel

fo r ^ m 'a n d Many Services, too!

i n d u s t r i a l a n d e n g i n e e r i n g c h e m i s t r y

Vol. 35, No. 5

P O T T E R Y I N A N C I E N T P E R S I A The Rhages pottery bowl reveals a massing of color to obtain brilliant harmonious effects, expressing the spirit of Omar Khayyam in color harmony as rich as the barbaric splendor of Baghdad itself.

Much of the famous 13th Century Rhages Potter/' had a transparent luster or thin metal­

lic film added after the vessel had been glazed.

This luster gave the surface a beautiful change­

able iridescence which, with its simple but color­

ful design and true metallic ring makes it easy to distinguish from other pottery masterpieces.

Like Persian masterpieces of pottery, General Ceramics Chemical Stone­

ware, when tapped with a hammer, will resound with a bell-like tone, showing its high quality. This test is not nearly as convincing, however, as the acid test to which General Cera­

mics products may be submitted with complete confidence. They are not merely acid resistant but acid

throughout. This, in use, means first, the elimination of product contami­

nation; second, greater protection of plant personnel and property because

OF POTTERY

there can be

hazardous leaking;

third, longer lasting stoneware equip­

ment, for, once installed, General Ceramics Stoneware lasts indefinitely;

and fourth, its hard glazed surface makes General Ceramics Stoneware easy to keep clean.

Included in General Ceramics Chemical Stoneware for industrial use are acid proof pipe, valves, fittings, kettles, jars, pots, pumps, exhausters, coolers, condensers, acid elevators, towers, filtering equipment and tourills.

FIG. 55 CONDENSATION

TOURILl

O th er produ cts in clu de S te a tite In su lators m a d e b y G en eral Ceram ics & S tea tite C orp., K e a sb e y ,

N.

C H E M I C A L S T O N E W A R E D I V .

K E A S B E Y • N E W JERSEY

ADVERTISEMENT—this entire page is a paid advertisement. Prepared Monthly by U. S. Industrial Chemicals, Inc.

U . S . I . C H E M I C A L N E W S

May A Monthly Series for Chemists and Executives of the Solvents and Chemical Consuming Industries 1943

R e v i s e d D a t a o n S o l o x P r o p e r t i e s

I s s u e d b y U . S . I . New Folder Lists Applications

Of General-Purpose Solvent

Revised information on the specifications for Solox, the popular general-purpose sol­

vent, has been prepared by U.S.l.

The authorized composition of Solox now calls for the addition of the following to every 100 gallons of S.D. Alcohol No. 1:

Denaturing Grade Methanol... 2.0 gals.

tthyl Aceiate ... 1.0 gal.

Aviation Gasoline... 1.0 gal.

190-proof S.D. Alcohol No. 1 is used in the preparation of the Regular grade of Solox, and 200-proof for the Anhydrous grade.

Properties are as follows:

Regu- Anhy- lar drous Specific Gravity

(at 60°/¿0° F.)... 0.8158 0.7962

Color Water Water

White White

Flash Point (approx) ... 71° F. 71° F.

Coefficient of Ex­

pansion (per 1° F.)... 0.0006 0.0006 Weight, Lbs. per

Gallon (at 60° F.)... 6.790 6.630 Because of its unusual solvent powers and its mild, non-residual odor, Solox has found extensive use in a variety of industrial appli­

cations. A revised folder, now in preparation, lists many of the most important applications in fields ranging from lacquer formulation to fuel oil conditioning. Copies of this folder may be obtained by writing to U.S.l.

N e w M e t h o d D e t e r m i n e s S a l t s i n C r u d e O i l s

NEW YORK, N. Y. — Extensive tests con- lucted in five laboratories of a large company vith headquarters here to determine the most iccurate and reproducible method of deter- nining the salt contents of crude oils con­

comitant with reasonable speed and ease of nanipulation have led to a new method, em­

ploying hydrochloric acid reflux apparatus.

When the separation of layers after heat ipplication is slow, or an emulsion forms at he interface, the addition of about 5 ml. of putanol and the judicious application of heat s claimed to effect sharp separation. Butanol las broken all emulsions encountered to date.

Carbon D io x id e U sefu l A gainst E lectrical Fires

The snow and gas discharged from carbon dioxide extinguishers of the first aid type are non-conductive even in the presence of volt­

ages up to 100,000 volts alternating current so long as the extinguisher horns retain their original high dielectric qualities. These facts are the result of an investigation made by engineers of Underwriters’ Laboratories, Inc.

to determine the electrical conductivity of

L __ _______ :„ 1 , . r U n £ rrVi 1 1 r t rr f ir P C j f l OF

mient.

C a l c i u m S e p a r a t e d F r o m S t r o n t i u m b y U s e o f A c e t o n e

Calcium can be separated from strontium with fairly good results through the use of acetone as a solvent, according to a recent claim. After the two materials have been evaporated to dryness in a nitric acid solu­

tion and further dried at 170°, the calcium nitrate is extracted with acetone, in which it is very soluble, then evaporated to dry­

ness and weighed. Strontium nitrate, only slightly soluble in acetone, remains as a residue and can be weighed separately.

R e s e a r c h W o r k e r s U n c o v e r N e w F i e l d s f o r S t a r c h E s t e r s

PRINCETON, N. J. — A study conducted here reveals that starch esters have potentiali­

ties for use in the coating, sizing, and adhesive industries; in the preparation of aqueous emulsions or suspensions of high polymers;

and in soft rubberlike plastics.

When using such esters to form either plastics or coatings, dibutyl phthalate is rec­

ommended as a plasticizer. For example, it is claimed that a soft plastic with relatively high tack can be made with starch butyrate con­

taining 25% dibutyl phthalate. In coatings, dibutyl phthalate minimizes checking.

Iod in e C om pounds o f Steroids P roduced by New M ethod

BLOOMFIELD, N. J. — A new method has been patented and assigned to a company here for the production of iodine compounds of steroids. The iodo compounds obtained are expected to find application for pharmaceu­

tical use as therapeutic agents and also as intermediate products.

According to the invention, the hydroxy steroids are first converted into esters of true organic sulfonic acids. These are then treated with iodides, preferably in organic solvents such as acetone, at an elevated temperature whereby the corresponding steroid iodides and alkyl or aryl sulfonic acid salts are pro­

duced.

Q u i c k e r D r y i n g T i m e I s C l a i m e d f o r O i l s M a d e b y N e w M e t h o d Better Properties Obtained by

Rearrangement of Molecules

What are described as entirely new types of drying oils have been produced from soy­

bean and linseed oils by a molecular re­

arrangement which introduces conjugated double bonds in place of isolated double bonds in the molecule. Superior drying and bodying properties are among the advantages claimed for these oils.

The soybean oil product is described as dry­

ing in half the time required by high quality bodied linseed oil and as gelling under heat tests in a fraction of the time required by the latter. Baking times are said to be equally short and the hardness of the dried films as good as that of dehydrated castor oil. It is reported that there is none of the tackiness of ordinary soybean oil films.

E x cellen t C olor R e te n tio n The color retention of these films, both in the light and in the dark, is described as out­

standing, while cooking of varnishes requires less time than corresponding linseed oil var­

nishes. When dried without adding driers, frosting appears after one or two days.

The average constants of conjugated soy­

bean oil are as follows:

Viscosity ... Z-3 or Z Acid Value... 5.9 Wiis Iodine Value (400% excess) ... 97.1 Total Iodine Value (Woburn Method) 128.3 Difference... 31.2 Diene Value (Ellis-Jones Method).. 17.4 Browne Heat (600° C.)... 20 minutes Specific Gravity (25° C.)... 0.9427

T u n g O il S u b stitu te

As the cooking of conjugated linseed oil with resins proceeds very fast, it is expected to offer new possibilities in the problem of replacing tung oil. In producing this oil, the greater part of linoleic and linolenic acid occurring in linseed oil is changed into the isomeric acids containing conjugated double

(.Continued on next page)

Vacuum chambers at the Woburn Degreasing Company of N. J., into which drying oils are pumped after pre-heating to change the molecular structure from isolated to conjugated double bonds.