F e b . , 1917
T H E JOURNAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
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AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS The Xinth -1nnual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers was held in New York City, January I O to 12, 1917, a t the Chemists’ Club. The attendance was very satisfactory and reached a total of about roo. The meeting was called to order Wednesday morning by First Vice-president G. W. Thompson. President George D. Rosengarten was unable to be present as he is in Florida recuperating from recent illness. The outof-town members and visitors were welcomed t o the club and to New York City by hZr. EXwood Hendrick with a characteristic cordial address. The reports of officers and committees were read. The treasurer reported all bills paid and a substantial balance on hand, the financial condition of the Institute being very satisfactory. The Secretary reported a substantial growth of the Institute during the past year, 31 members having been elected, the present membership in the Institute being 250. Volume 8 of the Transactions has been issued during the year, also two bulletins. X report was also read from the Xembership Committee with reference to action taken on the applications received during the year and the ballots canvassed. COMMITTEE REPORTS
Professor James R . Withrow, chairman of the Committee on Chemical Engineering Education, reported that a joint meeting of the Engineering Societies was being arranged t o discuss the question of engineering education, under the leadership of Professor Mann. The Committee on Meetings reported invitations for the next meeting of the Institute from Chicago, St. Louis and Buffalo. By vote of the Institute the meeting in June will be held in Buffalo. The Institute also voted in favor of arranging for a meeting in Kew York in September, a t the time of the Third Chemical Exposition. The Committee on Patents reported that there was no prospect of improvement in patent laws on account of the urgency of other legislation and war conditions. The Committee on Catalogs reported that the Chemical Engineering Catalog had been issued by the Chemical Catalog Company during the early fall under the editorial supervision of this committee. This arrangement had proved entirely satisfactory and a very large number of letters had been received from the users of the catalog expressing enthusiastic praise of the work and the great usefulness of the publication. S O C I A L FEATURES
-4 subscription banquet was held a t the Chemists’ Club on
Thursday evening. Fifty-nine covers were laid, a considerable number of ladies being in attendance. The after-dinner program was carried out under the direction of Mr. Maximilian Toch as toastmaster who proved to be an exceptionally genial and humorous master of ceremonies. The Secretary of the Institute, Dr. John C. Olsen, was first introduced and spoke on the Institute. He stated that one of the most important achievements of the Institute was the drafting of the Code of Ethics. Dr. Olsen thinks that the influence of the Institute could be of the greatest value in bringing about cooperation between the chemical industries which would be very essential in order to meet conditions following the war. hlr. Ellwood Hendrick responded to a toast entitled “Chemical Credit,” and explained the methods by which chemical industries are financed. Dr. Leo H. Baekeland spoke on qualitative and quantitative thinking and showed how very erroneous conclusions are reached, especially by politicians, by drawing quantitative conclusions from qualitative statements. Ur. Chas. Baskerville responded to a toast upon education. He pointed out the great necessity of expansion of educational facilities to meet the increasing
demand of the industries for trained technical men, and emphasized the great difficulty under which the great educational institutions rest in securing adequate funds not only for expansion, but for the very necessary increase in salaries of the instruction staff. He, therefore, urged the cooperation of the industries with the educational institutions t o remedy these conditions. President-elect G. W. Thompson responded to the toast, “The New Administration,” and stated that the policy of this administration will be the rendering of service to the members of the Institute in every possible way, and the increaqing of acquaintanceship and mutual helpfulness among members. The Smoker was held a t the Chemists’ Club on January 10th. Mr Theodore Bamberg was the entertainer who performed a great many very mysterious tricks after explaining fully how they were carried out, in spite of which the jugglery was as mysterious as ever. A program for the ladies had been arranged under the chairmanship of Mrs. Maximilian Toch. This program included welcome to the visiting ladies a t the Chemists’ Club under the leadership of Mrs. H. R. Moody; a theatre party at the Hippodrome, chairman, Mrs. Frank Hemingway; musical afternoon a t the h’ational Opera Club of America, chairman, Mrs. Leo Baekeland; automobile trip to Metropolitan Museum of Art, chairmen, Mrs. J. M. hlatthews and Mrs. P. C. McIlhiney; luncheon a t the Plaza Hotel, chairman, Mrs. D. L. Davoll; tea a t the residence of Dr. and Mrs. Charles F. Chandler; a theatre party a t the Strand, chairman, Mrs. Chas. Baskerville. The ladies also attended the subscription dinner a t the Chemists’ Club on Thursday evening. PAPERS
Unpreparedness. By GEORGED. ROSENGARTEN.This paper called attention to the urgent necessity for providing an ample supply of raw materials as cannot be obtained in the United States. [This paper appears in full below. 1 Recent Developments in Chemical Engineering Equipment. By H. D. MILES, President of the Buffalo Foundry and Machine Company. [See THISJOURNAL, page 161.1 Corrosion of Pure Iron Containing Cobalt, Nickel or Copper. AND K. B. BLAKE. I n the absence By HERBERTT. KALMUS of the authors, this paper was presented in the form of preprints. Extended criticism was made by Dr. A . s. Cushman because the test pieces used were so small that the conclusions reached were not in his opinion justified. [This paper appears in full in this issue, pp. 123-136.1 The Fixation of Nitrogen, By JOHN E. BUCHER. No formal paper had been prepared on this subject but an extended discussion of his methods and results was given by Prof. Bucher who described his experiments carried out a t Providence, R. I. [Prof. Bucher is now working up a paper for THISJOVRNAL which he expects to complete in time for publication in the March issue.] The Effect of Centrifugal Force on Colloidal Solutions. By EUGENE E. AYRES, JR., of the Sharples Specialty Company. The theory of separation of small particles by centrifugal force was developed and the relation between size of particle, viscosity of the solution, and centrifugal force on the colloid and time required for separation were developed. The limit of centrifugal force a t present employed is 40,000 times the force of gravity. The super centrifuge, which in operation gives this force, was shown. Recent Developments in the Absorption and Distillation of Volatile Liquids. By CHARLESL. CAMPBELL,of the E. B. Badger & Sons Company. Curves were shown by which the
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number of fractionations required for separating two given liquids can be determined. Numerous lantern slides of installations were also shown. The Human Side of the Development of Chemical Industries. This paper emphasized the importance By G. W. THOMPSON. of a study of the operating force of chemical industries and adapting processes to the character of the labor available. [See THIS JOURNAL, pp. 181-186.1 The Recovery of Benzol from Coke Oven and Illuminating Gas. By F. W. SPEER, JR., of the H. Koppers Company. The methods in use for the recovery of benzol were described and installations shown by means of lantern slides. The Fairlie Method of Control for the Chamber Process of Making Sulfuric Acid. By ANDREWM. FAIRLIE. This process, which is patented, consists of the determination of the sulfur dioxide content of the gas before entering and after leaving the acid chamber. EXCURSIONS
Davis-Bournonville Co., Jersey City. Great interest was shown in the methods which have been developed for accurate following of tracings in cutting sheet steel, also in the demonstration of cutting a 9-in. steel bar which was cut through in about 4 minutes: this is the maximum thickness which can be cut through by the oxyacetylene flame (the maximum thickness for the oxyhydrogen flame is 28 in.). The construction and manufacture of a recently developed electrolytic cell for producing oxygen and hydrogen, also 500 and 1000 ampcre cells were shown, also the method of use and control as demonstrated in a small experimental installation. Pierre Lorillard Tobacco Company. The sorting, cutting, impregnating, weighing and packing of the tobacco was inspected with the greatest interest. American Smelting and Refining Co., Maurer, N. J. This excursion could not be made on account of a strike a t the plant of this company. Didier March Co., Keasby, N. J. The method of manufacturing refractory brick was shown, especial interest being manifested in the continuous kiln, which is zoo f t . long, the maximum temperature being 2600’ F. Interest was also shown in carborundum bricks which do not melt a t 3600’ F. German-American Stoneware Works. A great variety of chemical stoneware was shown together with the process of manufacture, the method of making stoneware condensers involving the manufacture of the stoneware tubing and coiling of same being especially interesting. The trip was made especially comfortable and convenient by having available a special car furnished by the German American Stoneware Works. The members watched with great interest on the return to New York the fire and explosions which destroyed the plant of the Canadian Car and Foundry Co. a t Kingsland, h-.J. Commercial Acetylene Welding Co., Bound Brook, N. J. A great deal of interest was shown in the manufacture of cylinders, more particularly the process of filling the cylinders with a very light and porous mixture of charcoal, asbestos, kieselguhr and cement. After thorough drying, the cylinders are charged with acetone and then charged with purified acetylene gas under zoo lbs. pressure. J. C. OSLEN, Secretary COOPER UNION,N E W YORKCITY
UNPREPAREDNESS’ By GEORGED. ROSENGARTEN
When by unforeseen circumstances a nation is suddenly plunged into conditions depriving it of materials necessary for 1 Read a t the 9th Annual Meeting American Institute of Chemical Engineers, New York City, January 10, 1917.
Vol. 9, No.
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its welfare, it becomes an eminent duty of such a people to take immediate steps to attempt to restore the supply of the wanting essentials. Since history ever repeats itself, the assumption can a t once be made that such conditions must have been taken under advisement long before there was any evidence of their becoming actualities, but the presumable optimistic trait in human nature and without which we would not be able t o live through a happy existence, will procrastinate the evil day, with the intention of relying on the strength of the country when the necessity arises. Recent events, however, have proved that this is no easy matter and the effort made in this direction, by making an inventory of our supplies, brings us to face the question of crude material, a question which is of the utmost importance in order that our stocks may be sustained. The United States is a country of immense resources, but owing to territorial advantages or seasonal conditions, i t follows that some of the basic needs are entirely wanting or so limited that they may be considered a negligible quantity. No matter if we are surrounded by a high protective duty or laboring under a tariff for revenue simply, at least that in name, which obviously means nothing a t all, instances will always remain where desirable commodities are lacking. Among the various expediencies suggested, the consideration of the question of crude material has been, to a large extent, neglected, and a very serious condition confronts us if the very material from which the finished goods must be manufactured is placed beyond our reach. The eternal slogan “preparedness” is the real foundation for the prevention of such conditions or a t least to reduce them to a minimum. It is so easy to preach, but this is not sufficient; it is the practice we need. There are not only the much-mooted coal-tar dyes, but other articles which have not had the publicity but are just as deserving. The coal-tar dyes of course derived all their fame from the fact that we were dependent for them on Germany and when the source of supply was shut off the prominence afforded them was amazing. Presuming that sulfur had not been obtainable in this country during the European crisis, can we for a moment believe that we would have enjoyed anything like the opportunity offered for prosperity-a forced prosperity in truth and due to no cause of internal workings, but entirely and absolutely to European conditions? The very contemplation of the thought of what might have been, had we been dependent for sulfur on foreign sources, is sufficient to bring horror to any chemical manufacturer. Fortunately we were not compelled to combat this situation, but the grave consequences are prominently brought to mind as to our situation if we were to be deprived from enjoying foreign commercial intercourse. The basic reflection is the problem how crude material is to be obtained to sustain our industries and the secondary consideration is the inventoring of our supplies. It is quite evident that the New Tariff Commission must be deeply involved in the consideration of the question of crude material and that the industries must assist in this respect, since they are much more cognizant of their necessities. Under the condition existing, while hostilities in Europe endure, it would seem doubtful if any commission can really approximate the need of protection for American industries. The present exaggerated situations do not offera stable basis for even a shrewd surmise towards consequent events and certainly are far from lending themselves as a solid foundation for the establishment of what really may be necessary for the future and lasting prosperity of this country. The prominent need is that the new ventures which have been brought about by the war must receive sufficient nursing and that the industries already established must enjoy protection in the same measure to insure our independence and security from foreign inroads.
