T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
June, 1918
Estimation of potassium in t h e test solution, by t h e improved method, gave results as stated below:
.
Potassium (as platinic chloride) found in 10 cc. solution.
Gram 0.2247 0.2247 0.2269 0.2275 0.2285 0.2291 0.2299 0.2305 0.2311
-
AVERAGE .......................................
0.2281
ACTUALLY PRESENT.. ............................
0.2336
Results obtained b y t h e usual method were high, a n d t h e agreement was not satisfactory, probably because of incomplete washing out of t h e calcium a n d magnesium sulfates with ammonium chloride solution. T h e improved method of ashing converts t h e calcium and magnesium into t h e chlorides which are easily washed out with ammonium chloride solution. The agreement of results by t h e improved method is satisfactory, a n d t h e amount of potassium found was 98 per cent of t h e amount present.
43 1
did not give results t h a t were peculiar t o their ultimate composition a n d chemical structure. I t was hoped in this way t o throw further light on t h e chemical structure of t h e substances in coal, by comparing the results obtained from organic compounds with those obtained from coal when treated in t h e same way. T h e experiments were carried out in a vertical, electrically heated, iron tube furnace, 4 in. in diameter a n d a little more t h a n 6 ft. long. The substances examined were powdered coal, gasoline, kerosene, gas oil, benzene and naphthalene. T h e coal used was a Pennsylvania gas coal of t h e following composition: Proximate, per cent.. Ultimate, per cent..
Moisture Volatile M a t t e r Fixed Carbon Ash 0.9 34.1 59.2 5.8 Carbon Hydrogen Nitrogen 80.2 5.7 1.6
.........
..........
I n t h e experiments in which powdered coal was used, it was fed in by a worm conveyor from a hopper a t the
POTASSIUM ESTIMATIONS O N FOODSTUFFS-AIR-DRYBASIS Potassium platinic Potassium Potassium chloride sulfate . .Wt. of platinic per gram per gram SAMPLE sample chloride sample sample Per cent No. FOODSTUFF Grams Gram Gram Gram potassium 1 Corn meal . . . . . . . . . . . 5 0.1083 ... ... .. 0.1163 ... ... 2 Corn meal . . . . . . . . . . . 5 .. 3 Corn meal.. 5 0.1065 AVERAGE1 and 3 . . ... 0.1074 O.Oii48 O.OOj70 0.3455 1 Corn silage.. . . . . . . . . 0.0937 ... ... 2 Corn silage.. . . . . . . . . 0.0913 ... ... .. 3 Corn silage .......... 2 0.0897 AVERAGE.. 0.0916 o.OiOso 0.Oii63 0 . 2 6 2
.........
1 2 3 1
2 3 1 2 3
........... Linseed oil meal.. .... 1.5 Linseed oil meal ...... 1 . 5 Linseed oil meal ...... 1.5 AVERAGE.. ........... Wheat b r a n . . ....... 1.5
Wheat bran. . . . . . . . . Wheat bran.. . . . . . . . AVERAGE1 and 3 . . Alfalfa .... Alfalfa. Alfalfa AVERAGE..
1.5 1.5
... .............. 1 . . . . . . .~. 1 .............. 1 ...........
..
... ...
0.1083 0.1115 0 1087 0 : 1095 o.Oijoo 0.1147 Dish broke dukng 0.1189 0.1168 0.0+?86 0.1561 0.1539 0.1545 0.1548 0.i i k o
... ...
... ...
.. ..
o.Oi617
1. i j 4 i
..
ignit'ion O.Oii9l
... .
I
1.2523
.. ..
.
o.Oi549
2.4898
DEPARTMENT OF NUTRITION EXPERIMENT STATION OHIO AGRICULTURAL WOOSTER,OHIO
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF COAL AND OF SOME OF THE PRODUCTS OF ITS CARBONIZATION1 By M.
c.
WIlrTAKER AND JOHN RICHARDSUYDAM, JR.
T h e work of Whitaker a n d Rittman,2 E g l ~ f fAlexan,~ 'der,4 Leslie,6 Zanetti,6 a n d others has shown t h a t it is possible t o control t h e thermal decomposition of hydrocarbons in such a way as t o give t h e maximum yields of certain products of decomposition, such as constituents of gases, aromatic hydrocarbons, etc. The purpose of this investigation was t o determine i f different hydrocarbons a n d other organic compounds 1 Abstract of dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree, Columbia University, New York City, 1917. * THISJOURNAL, 6 (19141, 383, 472. 8 Met. and Chem. Eng., 7 (1915), 16, 17; J. Phys. Chem., 1916; THIS JOURNAL, I (1915), 481, 578, 1019. THISJOURNAL, 7 (1915), 484. 6 I b i d . , 8 (1916). 593. 684. 0 I b i d . . 8 (1916); 674, 777.
top of t h e furnace. T h e powder dropped through the heated furnace, some of i t sticking t o the walls, and the coke was collected below. The gas formed was led off from t h e bottom of the furnace t o a gasometer. Experiments were carried out studying the effect of temperature, rate of feed, and size of coal particles on the production a n d composition of the gas. T h e results are summarized in the table on page 432. The quantity of tar produced was too small for examination. I n the work on the thermal decomposition of the other substances examined, the liquid was fed into the
T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING C H E M I S T R Y
432 Run No. 2a 2b 4a 4b 12a 12b 11 10 6a 8 7
Run No.
Feed Lbs. per Hr. 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.78 0.78 0.38 0.38 0.38
Temp. OC. 650 650 750 750 875 875 650 750 800 800 800 7 -
coz
2.7 2.2 1.9 1.7 1.1 0.9 1.8 1.6 1.6 1.1 1.7
-__
co
15.2 12.1 12.3 12.0 15.7 16.5 12.0 12.4 11.9 12.3 12.4
Size of Coal Mesh 20-60 20-60 20-60 20-60 20-60 20-60 20-60 20-60 40-50 30-40 20-30
Cu. Ft. Gas Per Lb. Coal 2.82 2.79 3.92 3.96 6.14 6.26
....
3.40 4.90 4.60 4.30
Ill. 6.7 5.6 2.7 2.8 2.0 1.3 4.5 2.5 1.6 1.5 1.7
Vol.
IO,
No. 6
spores, and molds is very effectual; when this is followed by a single period of sterilization, we contend that the success of canning is just as sure as though three periods on three successive days were used.
Bitting and Bitting,’ in discussing the influence of cooling, make the following statement: The primary effect is t o make a better appearing product, but secondly i t appears t o be a factor in insuring the sterility of some products.
The only possible influence t h a t this procedure could have, would be t h a t of shock to the bacterial cell. This might possibly devitalize the cell in such a way t h a t it would be more easily destroyed by a subsequent heating, or, perhaps, perish slowly, or not be able t o grow under such rather unfavorable conditions as exist in sealed containers. Of course, this initial period top of the furnace from a sight feed pressure oiler and of heating during blanching will destroy many organisms vaporized from a length of chain hung in the upper in the vegetative stage, but a glance a t Table X will part of the furnace. Curves showing t h e composition show t h a t the organisms in the spore stage are the only of the gas produced b y the cracking of these liquids ones which are of importance in canning. and by carbonizing coal by the above method a t various If the shock of cold is of value in sterilization it temperatures and equal rates of feed of volatile matter should be more widely known t h a n it is a t present, as are contained in Fig. I. i t could be used in many lines of investigation other CONCLUSIONS t h a n t h a t of food canning. The question of blanching and cold dipping is of The paraffin hydrocarbons when cracked b y the method herein described give gases which a t the same particular importance in the canning of foods, as in this case the cooling can be made much more rapid temperature have practically the same composition. The aromatic hydrocarbons without side chains t h a n is possible after t h e material is packed in jars. gave a totally different form of gas curves. They do For this reason we conducted quite extensive experinot begin to decompose a t such low temperatures as ments upon this problem during our preliminary work t h e paraffins do and when they do break down they upon canned vegetables in the summer of 1917. The process consists of a short period of heating in boiling apparently yield only hydrogen and methane. After eliminating the nitrogen- and the oxygen- water or steam, followed b y rapid cooling. The containing constituents of the coal gas produced, this product is later subjected t o the sterilizing process. gas is similar to t h a t produced from paraffin oils and This procedure is of much practical importance in not a t all similar t o the gas produced from the aromatic improving the physical condition of the product and in causing shrinkage before the material is added t o bodies examined. The above results indicate t h a t coal is made u p in the jars. The experiments were conducted t o estabgeneral of straight chain compounds. The best evi- lish its value as an aid t o sterilization. dence of this t h a t has been put forward to date is the I n much of this preliminary work we used large fact t h a t “low temperature” coal t a r consists practically test tubes and half-pint bottles with large mouths. entirely of straight chain oils. Some of these were plugged with cotton, while others CHEMICA~ ENGINEERING LABORATORY were sealed with rubber stoppers. This was not from COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY an idea of economy in cost of material so much as an NEW YORKCITY economy in laboratory space and time, as rubber stoppers usually cost more t h a n jars. Several dozen THE INFLUENCE OF COLD SHOCK IN THE test tubes, however, occupy no more space in the STERILIZATION OF CANNED FOODS steamer than would be occupied by one dozen pint By L. D. BUSUNELL jars. Also, heat penetrates them much more rapidly Received March 29, 1918 and we were able in this way to save a t least half an hour on each experiment. The results which we obINTR0DCCTION The influence of rapid cooling, after heating, is a tained were comparable in every way to results which matter of considerable importance in the canning we obtained by the use of jars. The tubes are somewhat more difficult t o seal, industry. I t s value in t h e blanching of foods was but if they are completely filled before heating begins first mentioned by Benson’ who reports in part as and are sealed at once by a sterile solid glass rod as follows : soon as the heating period is completed, practically When a food product has been blanched in boiling hot water no trouble is experienced by the stoppers being blown or live steam, remove quickly from this and plunge immediately out on second heating. Better results are obtained into cold water. The influence of this method upon bacteria, b y using stoppers with one hole and plugging this with 1 “Home Canning Club Instruction to Save Fruit and Vegetable Waste,’’ Office of Farmers’ Cooperative Demonstrations, Northern and Western States, Washington, D. C., 1915, p 4.
1 “Bacteriological Examination of Canned Foods,” Research Laboratory National Canners’ Association, Bull. 1 4 (1917), 7.
