NOVEMBER 1953 1
ARTICLES I N THIS ISSUE
J
I&EC LECTURES Nuclear Fuel Preparation
I&EC-November
1953
I n working out processes for production of atomic power, chemical engineering enters significantly in development of both durable and relatively inexpensive reactors and of cheap and efficient processes for concentrating and purifying nuclear fuels and re-using spent fuel. Principal process possibilities are (1) power from uranium enriched in U*35, (2) plutonium and power from natural uranium, and (3) plutonium and power from UZ3*in a breeding reactor. Chemical processes whose development is needed to make these fuel cycles a n economic reality can b;! classified as isotope separation, extraction and purification of uranium and thorium, and separation of reactor products. Comparison of fuel cycles shows that as more is spent for chemical processing of spent fuel, less will be charged to the raw fuel component as a part of the cost of nuclear power. Much chemical engineering work will be required here before an economic balance can be found. For thermal power reactors some form of isotope separation process is required. A Uz3satomic weapons plant can be easily modified to produce the slightly enriched U*33required. This phase of nuclear power will probably remain in government hands for some time. Deuterium separation is much less security-restricted. Distillation methods include distilling water, ammonia, and hydrogen. Exchange reactions may be between steam and hydrogen chloride or steam and hydrogen. Principal chemical engineering problems in the extraction of uranium will be found in connection with the enormous reserves of low grade ores found in South African gold ore and certain bituminous shales. If uranium can be extracted from shale for $27 or more per pound, there will be plenty of cheap fuel for nuclear , power plants. Recovery of fissionable plutonium, Uz33, is the major objective in processing spent fuel from the power reactor. Secondary aims are recovery and recycle of uranium or thorium and isolation of such radioactive fission products as cesium-137, which is a valuable industrial source of gamma radiation. Processing of spent fuel may be by carrier precipitation, distillation of volatile halides, ion exchange, and inorganic solvent extraction. Solvent extraction is discussed in some detail. Any discussion of the above problems is incomplete, partly because some of the pertinent information has not been declassified, but more because of actual gaps in knowledge and experience. I n filling these gaps the chemist and chemical engineer have a real opportunity to aid in reaching nuclear power goals. THE CHEMICAL E N G I N E E R I N G ASPECTS O F NUCLEAR POWER M-n Benedict Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
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November 1953
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
2372
47 A
"Progrcs
Chemistry"
Architect's drawing o f the new ten million doll a r fertilizer plant of The Davison Chemical Corp. located near Bartow, Florida. Completely designed and engineered b y The D o r r C a m p a ny's Consulting Engineering Dept., the plant's capacity is 200,000 tons of triple superphosphate per year, utilizing The Dorrco Strong Phosphoric Acid and Granulated Fertilizer Processes.
The Dav n e w D o r r d e s i g n e d plant w i l l p r o d u c e
200,000 TONS PER YE of t r i p l e s u p e r p h p s p h a t e
first time, is making s
it will pay you to check with Don. Write for Bulletin #8000, or better still, let us send an engineer to discuss your problem from the standpoint of economics and process. There's
3.& t d? -& r n D A Y G dt
Free flowing granules
. . . im-
~~~~~~~~h~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ produced by Dorr-designed plants.
'o!iwwuL
O R R THE
DORR COMPANY
ENGINEERS
STAMFORD,
Offices, Associated Companies or Representatives in principal cities
48 A
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
OF
CONN. the world.
Vsl. 45, No. 11
PILOT PLANT Continuous Monitoring in Process Research
I&EC-November
1953
In recent years process research in the petroleum and petrochemical industries has been characterized by greater emphasis on incremental improvement of product yield and quality because of increasing quality and purity specifications on petroleum and petrochemical products in the face of more active cost competition. At the same time cost of process research, particularly at the large pilot plant level, has increased rapidly. At the Baton Rouge, La., Esso Laboratories continuous analytical instruments have been extensively applied t o large scale petroleum processing plants. Problems of transporting large numbers of samples to a distant analytical laboratory have been cut. Improved composite sampling and improved accuracy have been attained. Reduction in over-all cost of pilot plant operation through more efficient use of on-stream operating time, and a higher degree of control of pilot plant operating conditions have resulted. Reduced cost of pilot plant operations has resulted; and improved plant control and speed and accuracy with which analytical data are made available have facilitated investigation of process variables. Continuous analyzers have become an important factor in the operations of the large pilot plant organization. Also, valuable information has been obtained relative to future use of these instruments in automatic control systems for large scale refinery plants. CONTINUOUS ANALYZERS APPLIED T O PILOT P L A N T OPERATIONS K e i t h P. L a n n e a u . . . . . . . . . . . . . Esso Standard Oil Co., Baton Rouge. La.
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2381
GENERAL ENGINEERING AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENT SECTION Pilot Plant Production of Fermentation Butanediol
I&EC-November
1953
To extend the investigations of the fermentative production of 2,3-butanediol from beet molasses, the recovery of this product from fermented mashes was studied on a pilot plant scale. Molasses mashes fermented by Aerobacter aerogenes are first stripped of by-product ethanol and then evaporated to a sirup containing ZOyo butanediol and 28 to 3091, solids. Butanediol is stripped from this sirup at 40 pounds per square inch pressure in a packed column and then scrubbed from the vapor with water in a similar column. Diol is recovered from the resulting aqueous solution by a series of distillations, during which the impurities are neutralized by adding sodium hydroxide. A quantitative flow sheet and cost estimate are presented for a hypothetical plant with a capacity of 60,000 pounds of molasses per day. The initial cost is estimated a t $2,780,000 (June 1952) and the cost of production a t 25.6 cents per pound of 98% butanediol. RECOVERY O F 2,3-BUTANEDIOL FROM FERMENTED BEET MOLASSES MASHES l.A.Wheat.................................................................. Division of Applied Biology, National Research Laboratories, Ottawa, Canada.
Improved Water Treatment Method
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I&EC-November
238~
1953
Pilot plant tests were run to determine whether the electrolytic process would be more effective and/ or economical than some of the more conventional methods for removing dissolved solids from waters of moderate to high mineral content. Electrolytic cells of the two-compartment type are well suited for softening and partial demineralization of hard, saline waters (1000 to 2000 p.p.m. dissolved solids), while multicompartnient units are satisfactory for reducing dissolved solids, irrespective of the hardness of the water. Modifications in the design of the cells permit development of higher concentrations in the anode and cathode compartments, making possible the use of the anolyte and catholyte (formerly wasted) for regeneration of ion exchange resins. These exchangers are, in turn, used for further demineralization of the electrolytically treated water, leading to more economical over-all treatment. November 1953
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
49 A
FOlmUld
Dcnrity
BOP ng Range.
OC
freezing Po'nt,
OC
Flash Point. "F lope" cup1
AMYL NITRATE is now available in commercial quantities and NORMAL PROPYL NITRATE in pilot-plant quantities. Four other alkyl nitrates are available in laboratory quantities. What can these new esters do in your field? They are characterized by low freezing point, favorable odor and color properties, very low water solubility, and low toxicity. They have high solvent power and are miscible with most organic solvents. They are stable in storage and can be shipped as non-explosive material in conventional steel drums.
CiHiNOi
50%C2HrN01 CO% CIH,NOI
CaH >NO>
0998
1057
1085
0963
152.157
104.116
88111
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