INTERNATIONAL
Chilean Nitrate Needs Capital Future of industry d o o m e d unless l a w s can be revised to p e r m i t p r o f i t a b l e f o r e i g n investment *-pHE Chilean nitrate industry cannot **· continue much longer to operate profitably unless new capital investments are made, and the possibility of these is precluded under Chile's present laws, which are discouraging to foreign investment, according to the Sew York Times. Present equipment in the Atacama Desert, where the nitrate is mined, includes steam engines built for the Czar of Russia in 1917 and sent to Chile after World War I. The newest shovel is nearly 10 years old, and the plant where most of the producing, graining, and crystallizing is done is 2 5 years old. Even in its present state the industry brings more than $40 million in foreign exchange to the government. Anglo-Lautaro Nitrate, which produces 65r/r of Chilean nitrate, represents capital investments after amortization of $80 million. Although Chile formerly had a monopoly of the nitrate used for fertilizer and munitions, Germany began making synthetic nitrate in World War I. Now only 1.5 million tons of nitrate out of the 34 million used throughout the world come from Chile. In an agreement signed last December by President Carlos Ibanez and his Ministers of Finance and Commerce and by representatives of the nitrate industry-, there was provision for realistic exchange rates, allowances for depreciation, amortization of capital, and reasonable profits. The government in turn was to get 40% of the gross profits instead of the present 25%. But there is no immediate prospect of passage of this bill, in view of frequent shifts in the Cabinet and various disagreements between the President and Congress. According to Foreign Commerce Weekly production of sodium nitrate in Chile in 1954 came to 1,580,896 metric tons, which was slightly ahead of 1953 output. Chilean nitrate was exported to 41 countries in 1954, although the U. S. still was the largest recipient, accounting for approximately 42% of total exports. Other countries taking more than 50,000 tons, in decreasing order, were France, Spain, Egypt, Brazil, and Germany. The Pampa, or desert plateau between the Andes and the seacoast of Chile where the nitrate is found, is 1500 miles long and 150 miles wide. There is absolutely no rainfall and only one river, the Loa, so brackish that 1974
inhabitants cannot use it for drinking. Water supply is brought in by pipelines or is distilled from sea water. AU food, except fish, and all fuel must be imported. Nitrate deposits, scattered in varying amounts over the entire area, are so extensive as to provide reserves for years to come, say authorities. They occur in a layer or caliche from 1 to 4 feet under the surface. Composition of the caliche varies, with the following considered average:
% Sodium nitrate 20 Potassium nitrate trace Sodium chloride 2.8 Calcium sulfate 6.3 Sodium sulfate 2.8 Magnesium sulfate 4.05 Sodium iodate .15 Insolubles (clay, sand, etc.) 45.5 Undetermined (borates, perchlor;ates) 1.0
Europe's Phosphate Consumption Grows Although comparatively little money has heen spent on new phosphate fertilizer factories throughout Europe since the war, production and consumption of the product has increased greatly in most countries. Total coosumption (in terms of PaOe) in OEEC countries was about 2.5 million tons ia 1953-54. A third of western Europe's total consumption is covered by basic slag, of which Germany, France, Belgium, and The Netherlands are the principal producers. Chief producers of other phosphatic fertilizers are Italy, Great Britain, France, Sweden, and Denmark. All of these depend primarily on crude phosphates from French North Africa, with the U.SA. as principal secondary source. British demands are partially met by Commonwealth phosphate while other European users obtain smaller tonnages from Egypt and the U.S.S.R. The latter's source of supply doesn't appear to be sufficient to meet requirements of t h e Soviet satellites. Fertilizer manufacturers take an active interest in the development of new sulfur materials, such as anhydrite in England, because of the difBculty of obtaining enough sulfuric acid for production of superphosphate. The Jordan Phosphate Co. is increasing its production to 220,000 tons a
year to meet substantial orders from Poland and Czechoslovakia, and production of crude phosphates i n Israel is being 'stepped up. Phosphate rock producers in French North Africa are steadily increasing output, and their shipments last year approached 4 million tons.
Scandinavians Begin Polio Vaccination The Norwegian government has arranged for inoculation of Norway's 400,000 elementary school children with the Salk vaccine as soon as the serum is available. Vaccination will be carried out on a voluntary basis and at no charge. On recommendations from public health authorities the government has urged Parliament to appropriate $295,050 t o pay for the polio serum conditionally ordered on Feb. 3. This would b e used to vaccinate school children. A supplementary appropriation has also been proposed. Sweden continues to experiment with a native vaccine which -has been tested over the past two and a half years. Work has been carried on at the State Bacteriological Laboratory and the Board of Hospitals Laboratory i n Stockholm. Injections on animals produced good results and 250O children have received shots. - The preparation is based on a virus from a human tissue, rather than monkey kidneys. Mass vaccination plans in Sweden call for free injections on a voluntary basis for 350,000 school children between the ages of seven and nine. About a third will receive the Swedish preparation, of which there is enough on hand for 100,000 injections. Orders had been placed and a small shipment of the Salk vaccine had arrived before the U. S. imposed controls on exports.
India Ends Free Trade in Monkeys; Allows Limited Export A ban recently imposed by the Indian government will not prevent export of a sufficient number of monkeys to foreign countries t o be used in medical research. A ban was put into force March 10 on liberal exports of the animals because of reports of overcrowding and cruelty in shipping. Since the imposition of the ban the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has received numerous representations from the United Kingdom and the U. S. to reconsider the question of free export. Total exports last year were 64,000, four times the figure for 1953, and de-
CHEMICAL
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
f/^^^^^^λ
TO EASTMEN'S STOCK OF
SOME 3500 ORGANIC CHEMCALS Ρ 2822
3-Benzoylacrylic Acid (Pract.) MP 91-94°
100 g. . . $ 1.60
500 g . . . $ 6.05
C6H6COCH:CHCOOH. . MW 176.17
7089
4,4 '-Bis(4-amino-l-naphthylazo)-2,2 '-stilbenedisulf onic Acid
1 g. . .
1.00
10 g. . .
5.50
Bis(a-methylbenzyl) Ether (Pract.) BP 146-150°/8mm..500 g. . .
1.90
1kg...
3.25
100 g. . .
1.50
500 g. . .
5.60
100 g. . .
1.50
500 g. . .
5.60
25 g. . .
1.60
100 g. . .
4.90
25 g. . .
3.00
100 g. . . 10.50
N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-2-phenoxyacetamide MP 48-51°... 25 g. . .
1.65
100 g. . .
5.00
500 g. . .
1.80
1 kg.. .
3.10
100 g. . .
1.35
500 g. . .
4.75
(NlfcCioHeNrNCeHsSOaHCH:)*. . .MW 678.76
Ρ 6959
[CeH5CH(CH3)]20. . . MW 226.32
7082
cis-l,2-Dichloroethylene B P 59-60° CHChCHCl. . .MW 96.95
1381
ir£ms-l,2-Dichloroethylene BP 48-50° CHCUCHCl. . .MW 96.95
7024
1,6-Hexanediamine Dihydrochloride NH 2 (CH 2 ) e NH 2 -2HCl. . .MW 189.14
4025
1,6-Hexanediol MP 40-42° HO(CH 2 )eOH. . .MW 118.18
7079
CeH60CH2CONHCH2CH2OH. . .MW 195.22
Ρ7Ο80
0xybis(2-ethylbenzoate) (Pract.) BP 225-227°/3mm CeH6COOCH2CH2OCH2CH2OCOC6H4. . . MW 814.84
7081
1,2,3,4-Tetrabromobutane M P 115-118° CH2BrCHBrCHBrCH2Br. . .MW 378.76
Prices subject to change without
notice.
I f y o u d o n o t h a v e a c o p y of "Eastman O r g a n i c C h e m i c a l s , List N o . 3 9 , " w r i t e t o Distillation Products Industries, Eastman O r g a n i c Chemicals Department, Rochester 3, Ν . Υ .
Eastman Organic
Chemicals
A l s o . . . v i t a m i n s A and Ε in b u l k . . . d i s t i l l e d monoglycerides
Distillation Products Industries V O L U M E 33, NO. 19 ·
·
·
·
MAY
9.
1955
is a division of
Eastman Kodak Company 1975
AT LAS CHEMICALS
DEPARTMENT
ATLAS POWDER C O M P A N Y , WILMINGTON 9 9 , DELAWARE ATLAS POWDER C O M P A N Y , C A N A D A , LTD., BRANTFORD, C A N A D A
" W a t e r - s o l u b l e " Atlas surfactants solve scores of emulsion p r o b l e m s Dispersing an oil or wax into water is by far the most common type of em unification problem. This calls for an emulsifier which is soluble or dispersible in and attracted to water . . . and at the same time has the capacity of absorbing the oily constituent. For applications of this class . . . in cosmetic creams, cleaning com pounds, polishes and numerous other products . . . Atlas manufactures an extensive line of water-soluble (hy drophilic) emulsifiers. All of these are non-ionic, and consequently offer the qualities of stability and com patibility characteristic of such ma terials.
How Water Solubility is "built" Atlas hydrophilic emulsifiers are de rived from sorbitol or other polyols, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and alkylene oxide. As in all emulsifiers, part of the molecule is attracted to wrater, and part t o oil. In hydrophilic types, the **water-loving" side predomi nates. Their HLB value (hydrophile-lipophile balance) on the Atlas scale is high. The water-loving character of these emulsifiers is supplied b y free hydroxl and oxyethylene groups in the molecule. By chemically building a series of products with molecules having different numbers of such groups, Atlas produces a family of emulsifiers with varying degrees of water solubility. From this line, it is possible t o select the exact degree of water-attraction necessary for a par ticular emulsion application. 1976
Choice of Chemical
Type
The table below shows the principal chemical types of Atlas hydrophilic emulsifiers. At any given H L B value, there are several different chemical types from which the emul sion technologist can choose the type most compatible with his specific
emulsion ingredients. These are used either by themselves or in blends with other Atlas emulsifiers to pro duce an almost endless range of emulsifying action. For complete data and suggestions for use, write for a copy of the booklet, "A Guide to Formulation of Industrial Emul sions with Atlas Surfactants."
Water-soluble emulsifiers are made in varying degrees of attraction for toater by adding hydrophilic alkylate oxide chains to the molecule. For example* the oil-soluble sorbitan fatty acid esters {typified by tiie Span products of Atlas) are made water-soluble by reacting them with ethylene oxide, producing such materials as the Τween emulsifier series.
mmmmmmm^^^
PMUlSIFIIgSi
HLB Value .*•. Poiyoxyethyiene,sorfa'îtan/monoiàùratë 16-.7 ' Polyoxyethylene sbrfiitan monolaurate 13.3 Polyoxyethylene sorbitan niono pa Imita te - 15,6 14.9 * Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate Polyoxyethyfene sorbitan monostearate 9.6 Polyoxyethylene sorbitan trïstëarate 10.5 Polyoxyethyfene sorbitan monooleate 15.0 10.0 Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate Polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate 11.0" ' Polyoxyethylene stéarate *• 11.1 15.0 Polyoxyethylene stéarate ^ ; 16,0 Polyoxyethylene.stéarate; , *--^ ν Polyoxyethylene stéarate" w " 163 17.9 Polyoxyethylene stéarate ; . Polyoxyethylene stéarate: ~ i 18.8 Polyoxyethylene fauryi etlrér 9.5 Polyoxyethylene latiryl eirwr 16,9
'*; *"f" V *' \- iVT^"*' - : > "
TWEEN 2 0 TWEEN21 TWEEN 40 TWEEN 60 TWEEN 6 1 TWEEN 65 TWEEN 80 TWEEN 81 TWEEN 85 MYRJ 45 MYRJ 49 MYRJ 51 MYRJ 52 MYRJ 53 MYRJ 59 BRU 3 0 BRU 3 5
Color-and form @^25C* lemon>drange oiiyjiiquifj tembrvbrang's oilyTitqufd lemon-orange oily;liquid orange oily semi-liquid tan waxy solid tan waxy solid lemon oily liquid lemon oily liquid lemon oily liquid cream-waxy semi-solid ' light tan waxy solid ! light tan waxy solid * jtghtjtah waxy solid · light tart waxy solid off white waxy solid | : white oily liquid *«*^" white waxy solidv"\ "r"-^
Iff CHEMICAL
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
Calculating V a l u e s of Surfactants o n t h e A t l a s HLB Scale A t l a s recently released information w h i c h enables emulsion technologists t o classify a m a j o r i t y of all n o n i o n i c surface a c t i v e a g e n t s m a t h e m a t i c a l l y , b y assigning numerical -values which g i v e an index of the usefulness of e a c h surface a c t i v e a g e n t for various purposes. T h e n u m e r i c a l m e t h o d of classification, k n o w n as t h e H L B (HydrophileJLiipophile B a l a n c e ) S y s t e m , w a s developed by Atlas and applied to -the A t l a s line of surfactants s o m e y e a r s ago.
T h e H L B vaJue of a non-ionic sur factant c a n b e determined experi mentally hy a long a n d laborious procedure. N o w , through correlation of m a n y s u c h values, we h a v e worked o u t formulas for calculating these values f o r m a n y t y p e s of m a t e rials, avoiding tedious experimental work. These m a t h e m a t i c a l formulas are b a s e d o n either analytical o r composition d a t a for t h e material. For example,, t h e approximate H L B v a l u e of m o s t polyol f a t t y a c i d esters can b e c a l c u l a t e d with t h e formula—
HLB = 20 (l— | ) " S " i s the saponification number of the ester, and " A " is t h e acid n u m ber of the f a t t y acid. For glyceryl monostearate, " S " = 161 a n d " A " = 198; therefore H L B = 3.8. F o r T w e e n 20 (see opposite p a g e ) , " S " = 45.5 a n d " A " = 2 7 6 ; therefore H L B = 16.7. Other formulas h a v e b e e n developed for ta.ll oil a n d rosin esters, beeswax esters, lanolin esters, a n d ethylene oxide derivatives of f a t t y acids a n d fatty alcohols. T h e s e formulas, along with HLB values for over 100 sur factants m a d e b y various manufac turers, are given in a b o o k l e t "Cal culation of H L B Values of N o n - I o n i c Surfactants," available from Atlas.
N e w Atlas Plasticizer for Evaluation in Glue Compositions A product recently developed from sorbitol, Atlas; G-2401, is offered t o manufacturers and users of glue compositions for evaluation as a plasticizer in printers' rollers, cork binders, dextrin adhesives, gaskets, etc. G-2401 has already been suc cessfully adapted by leading printers' roller manufacturers for their products, for which plasticizer requirements are most critical. een opened at La Romana, Dominican Re-
public, by South Porto Rico Sugar. The plant represents a new industry for the country and is the only source outside the TJ. S. for furfural. Bagasse for the plant will come from the company's raw sugar mill at La Romana. The plant, which cost $ 6 million, will in full operation have an annual capacity of 30 million pounds of furfural, of which 2 0 million pounds will b e under contract to Du Pont for 10 years. Du Pont also has an option to buy the balance of the plant's output and an option to extend the contract.
MIXING THÏ ^ H E J I V Yxww WITH THE
FIN
//
Stauffer's manufacturing processes are geared to give you " h e a v y " chemicals w i t h " f i n e " chemical purity. For example, Stauffer's plant a t Louûsvîlle, Kentucky, designed and equipped in accordance w i t h trie latest i n technological advancements, produces PERCHLOfcîTHYtENE and CARBON TETRACHLORIDE of t h e highest quality t o meet t h e demamds o f many industries.
Israeli Ferfilîier Enters Export Morket Israel's fertilizer production will be expanded by Kabulan, Ltd., which plans to enter the export market. Kabulan is manufactured from Israel's plentiful peat by a biochemical process. After being dredged from the marshes, the peat is dried and submitted to a fermentation process induced by addition of bacteria. This concentrates the organic content of the peat and also makes it a richer source of nitrogen. Fermentation process is carefully controlled by a series of laboratory tests and halted when the required stage of concentration is reached. Treated peat is then ground fine, yielding a stable product ready for use. Israel's agricultural development plan calls for increasing the area under irrigation from 150,000 acres to 463,500 acres by 1960, which will double the country's need for organic fertilizer.
rDainippon
Printing
Ink
Mfg.
of
Tokyo and Sun Chemical have signed a licensing agreement so that Dainippon may manufacture Sun Chemical products for the Far Eastern market. Sun will furnish technical information and production know-how in return for royalty payments.
In manufacturing over 50 chemicals in 3 8 plants, Stauffer maintains standards o f h i g h p u r i t y for every p r o d u c t . Sfrauffer Chemical Company, 380 Madison Advenue, N e w York Î 7 , Ν . Υ.; sales offices in t h e principal cities.
ί Canary Islands refinery of Cia Espanola de Petroleos has put into opera tion the first UOP Pktforrning unit to be built on Spanish soil. Designed to produce an 88 F - l clear octane blend ing component, the unit will have an output of 5000 barrels a day and is processing either Middle East or Ven ezuelan crudes. t Imperial Oil, Ltd., reports the largest volume of sales, most extensive opera tions, and highest earnings in 1954 of any of its 75 years in business. The company's average gross production of crude oil exceeded 96,500 barrels a day and totaled nearly 35,250,000 barrels —7% above 1953 output. I t repre sented 37% of all Canadian produc tion. The company drilled 158 net de velopment wells.
ι
Stmrffo
8ΐ8βΙΙΪΐΜΙββ1ΙΕβί8 !
Ε^Β§^ΧΕΛΧΕ^0ΕίΛ
STAUFFFR CHEMICALS 1978
t British Petroleum C o / s fifth platformer went into operation at Kent oil refinery on the Isle of Grain on March 15. It has a capacity of 250,000 tons a year and produces a high grade motor fuel by a reforming process which uses a platinum catalyst. • Cie. Française d e s Pétroles, French national oil company, is opening an affiliate organization in South Africa.
CHEMICAL
AND
ENGINEERING
NEWS
M o d e r n p o w e r plants r e q u i r e " u l t r a - p u r e " w a t e r for their h i g h pressure boilers. To p r o v i d e it,, ."..-ney/ e q u i p m e n t produces t h e ' e q u i v a l e n t of commercially distilled w a t e r . . . at f a r l o w e r cost!
WATER:
9 9 . 9 9 9 9 8 % Pure Water for Power Plants Ordinary water with just the dirt and hardness removed was good enough for old-time boilers. But today's, efficient plants operate at high steam pressures . . . up to 2600 lb. psi. Future plants ; will operate at 5000 psi. and up! • At high pressures any mineral element in the water causes trouble. For example: The few parts per million o f dissolved silica in practically all water, while harmless for drinking, builds u p as a glass-like deposit on turbine blades » . . impairs the balance and efficiency of the turbine. • Simplified flow sheet shows how a muddy river water might be démineralized: T h e Precipitator, with coagulants and otHer chemicals from the feeders, takes out mud, most suspended VOLUME
33.
NO.
19
·
·
·
·
matter and hardness. (This clarified water is adequate for the cooling-water system . . . cooling tower, condenser.) Next—the filters remove final traces of s u s p e n d e d m a t t e r . T h e c a t i o n exchanger takes out metallic ions (calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, e t c . ) . The degasifier removes carbon dioxide (formed in t h e cation exchanger). The anion exchanger takes out chlorides, sulfates, etc. and silica. The deaerating heater preheats the water for the boiler and removes corrosive gases» Depending on t h e condition of the raw water and the type of demineralizer, total solids are often reduced to less than 0.2 parts per million. 1 • Oldest and largest U. S. firm i n the business, The Permutit Company, deMAY
9.
1955
signs and builds complete water-conditioning systems like that shown above for leading utilities and industrial power plants. Other Permutit installations are reducing costs or improving products for almost any industry you can name. For advice on any water conditioning problem, simple or complex, write: T h e Permutit Company, Dept' CN-5,. 3 3 0 West 42nd S t , N e w York 36, Ν . Y.
PERMUYll
rhymes with "compute it40 WATER CONDITIONING for BOILERS. PROCESSING, PUBLIC and HOME WATER SUPPLIES
197*
INTERNATIONAL This will compete -with the four major oil companies in the country. The new company has completed a survey of the South African market a n d its representatives and will seek permission to build u p a system of storage tanks and a distribution chain. • Johnson & Johnson, Ltd., is building a research laboratory t o adjoin its surgical dressing plant at Dongue Pointe, Montreal, Ont. All t h e research and development work of the company and of its Canadian subsidiaries will b e concentrated in this laboratory. T h e
three* major divisions of the unit will b e fibers, adhesives, and baby and general products. • Nicotine sulfate used for control of t h e resistant blue tick, sheep worms, and sucking insects such as aphids, is b e i n g manufactured in the form of a 209fe solution b y a tobacco firm at Rustenburg, South Africa. T h e firm produces about 4 0 0 0 gallons a year. • Thailand will have a n e w iron and steel plant with a minimum daily cap a c i t y of 100 tons, according to plans
mmËÊÊÊËËÊk.
eliminate clogging of tins, hoppers and chutes 3000
constant, controllable
eliminate stoppages
vibrations p e r minute
due* to arching a n d plugging.
Assure a fast, positive, f r e e flow o f most bulk materials, from fine powders t o coarse, heavy lumps—wet or d r y .
Economical—practically maintenance f r e e .
Fiit9«r-tip control
. other SYNTRON EQUIPMENT that helps reduce production costs· VIBRATORY SPIRAL FEEDERS For «levatlng or Uriels tl control· labl· tpttds. Ideal for cooling or dry-
PACKERS AND JOLTERS fttlns magnet operation for high speed packing of containers. I n crease net weight content up to 30%.
SHAFT SEALS eliminate leakage of S*t·* or liquids «round rotating shafts « I pumps» compresmm, ettc. Do not cut «c icort the shaft.
416 1980
• French Cumeroons are scheduled to have an aluminum plant near Edea by 1957. A maximum annual production of 4 5 , 0 0 0 tons is expected in 1959 by the Cameroon corporation, Alucam, which is financed b y French aluminum interests. T h e plant will operate with alumina imported initially from France although an eventual source of raw material is French Guinea. Bauxite deposits have not been proved i n the Cameroon itself.
• Investment opportunities abroad will b e m a d e known through a n e w service established b y the U . S. Bureau of Foreign Commerce. A semimonthly bulletin, initiated with the cooperation of Foreign Operations Administration, will describe specific foreign investment opportunities reported to the Department of Commerce b y U . S. Foreign Service, U . S. Operations Missions, a n d FOA's Foreign Field Counsellors. Entitled "Investment Opportunities Abroad," the bulletin is available o n written request to the Commercial Intelligence Division, Bureau of Foreign Commerce, U . S. Department of Commerce, Washington 2 5 , D . C , or from any of the department's field offices. • V e n e z u e l a will have a petrochemical plant b y mid-1957 in Moron, near Puerta Cabello. Total cost, including 5000-acre site, is estimated at $ 3 0 million. Plans call for an initial output of 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 tons of fertilizer, 5 0 0 0 tons of chlorine, 5 6 0 0 tons of caustic soda, and 500O tons of nitroglycerol. • Schenectady V a r n i s h C a n a d a , Ltd·,
FLOW CONTROL VALVES For positive flow control and shut-off of materials from bins» hoppers and chutes.
Write today for complete
• Société Rhone-Poulenc has begun commercial production of a complete line o f silicones in its n e w $3-million plant near Lyons, France.
• Kali Chemie of Hannover, Germany, has been licensed b y Atlantic Refining to manufacture catalyst for use i n the Atlantic Catforming process for making high octane gasoline. T h e company will install n e w facilities in its catalyst plant at Nienberg.
S'KBBlîRilTOlfiîi.a, VIBRATORS/;
Norodding or poking
now under w a y b y the Thai Ministry of Industry. The plant will exploit an iron deposit a t Kao Oem Kroem, northwest of Bangkok.
C&EN Foreign Correspondents Contributing fro This Issue:
catalogue—FREE
SYNTRON COMPANY Lexington A v e n u e Homer City,
has b e e n formed as a subsidiary of Schenectady Varnish C o . and will have a pilot plant in Toronto, Ont. F u ture expansion plans include a large plant in the Highland Creek area.
Ponna. CHEMICAL
G. ABRAWAMSON, Europe W. L . SPEIGHT, South Africa W. O . CASS, Venezuela
AND ENGINEERING
NEWS
