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NOVEMBER 20, 1930
Volume 8
Number 2 2
alcohols could be manufactured profitably from maize t o com pete with petrol at its present price, without an assured market: for residues at good prices. At the annual meeting of the Michigan Section of tlae American Institute of Chemical Engineers, held at Ann Arbor o n Tuesday, It is, however, necessary t o consider the several other forms November 11, the following memorial to Herbert H. Dow, of oil that figure in the imports, and which are essential for heating and manufacturing purposes. Moreover, hydrocarbon spirit; founder of the Dow Chemical Co., was adopted: manufactured from bituminous coal and shale is desirable for t h ^ The death of a leader brings to our minds a feeling of pride over h i s manufacture of fuel alcohol. The oil-yielding rocks occur in tire achievements as well as grief a t our loss. I t is with these mingled feelings highest and lowest divisions of the Karroo System, which e m that we pay tribute to the memory of Herbert H. Dow, recognized t h e world braces a maximum thickness of 25,500 feet. Their occurrence over as a brilliant leader in the field of chemical manufacture, b u t known is also recorded at various points 500 miles apart. The develop to us also as a sincere and helpful associate and friend, willing to give freely ment work that has been done shows that there are millions of from his store of knowledge and experience. We extend our deep sympathy tons of rich oil shale and satisfactory indications of largear to the family, and to those who labored so intimately with him in t h e great quantities in areas that have not been prospected. plant which will stand as a monument, not of dead, stone, but o f living service Research work has been carried out for many years in c o n continuing as it did in his lifetime. nection with the production of these oils and spirits from coal. Laboratory work proved many years ago that they can b>e produced from COP I under certain conditions, in which tempersLture plays an im* ->rtant part, but difficulties have been experi South African Fuel Research Institute Offers enced in producing oils of a suitable quality and at reasonable cost. Great Possibilities The technical obstacles include the low conductivity of coal, With reference to the notice appearing in this issue from the the tendency of oil vapors to crack and change their composition Government of the Union of South Africa, inviting applications in contact with heated surfaces, and the refining of the resultant* for the post of director of the Fuel Research Institute in that crude oil. The problem is further complicated in that no two deposits country, it may be stated, for the information of prospective applicants, that this institute has only recently been created of coal are alike. Even if two are selected that are proved t-o by the government for the purpose of conducting research work be practically identical on analysis, it frequently happens mart, into the possibility of extracting fuel oil, gas, e t c , from the on exposure to heat, they show very marked differences in their huge deposits of coal and oil shale and from other sources which behavior, because of physical characteristics. The bituminous shales may be classed -with coal as regards their variations, aixd exist in the Union of South Africa. the commercial method of treatment has not yet been solved in regard to certain qualities. Coal Resources From the foregoing i t will be apparent that a largefieldf o r A recent survey of the Union has revealed that the proved, is being opened up by the establishment of the F u e l estimated, and undetermined coal resources approximate research Research Institute by the South African Government. T i i e 226,771,434,000 tons, made up as follows: position of director will be a new post, and the person holding i t not only will be required t o undertake personal supervision o f TONS (2000 lbs.) the research efforts of the various chemists employed, and if 8,725,090,000 Proved necessary undertake research experiments himself, but he w i l l 15,006,100,000 Estimated also be entrusted with the establishment and organization o f 203,040,244.000 Undetermined the institute. In estimating these figures no seam was included which has a thickness of less than 3 feet of clean coal. "Proved" coal means coal which has been sufficiently prospected to warrant immediate Gortner to Lecture at University of Wisconsin opening up; "estimated" coal means coal, the existence of which is fairly certain, but which requires further investigation Ross A. Gortner, chief of the Division of Agricultural B i o to warrant l i e expenditure of capital; and "undetermined" chemistry, University of Minnesota, will give a series of lectures coal means that about which little i s known in detail, but which at the University of Wisconsin in December (9 t o 12) under t3he from the geological evidence warrants prospecting. auspices of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Doctor Gortner will deliver two general lectures7—"The Application of Raw Materials Colloid Chemistry to Biological Problems" and "Biochemistxy The raw materials that are available in the Union, or that and the Problem of Organic Evolution." In addition he w i l l could be produced for the manufacture of oil and spirit, may be lecture before specific groups on his own researches in the realm divided into two groups. Thefirstconsists of vegetable matter of colloid chemistry and the application of physico-chernioal suitable for the production of alcohol, and includes molasses, methods to biology and medicine. grain, and potatoes. The second group comprises carbonaceous deposits, including bituminous coal and shale. A'company has demonstrated that a satisfactory motor spirit Meeting of Society of Rheology can be manufactured from molasses but, even if all the molasses The Society of Rheology will hold its second annual meeting available in Natal were treated for this purpose, the quantity of motor spirit obtainable would be only a small portion of that at Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., December 29 and 30. Twertty required. Fortunately, South Africa can produce a cheap raw papers will be presented, including six from European contritrumaterial in the form of maize that is suitable for the manufacture tors, and inspection trips have been arranged t o various pteunts of alcohol, and it is estimated that a 10 to 15 per cent increase and points of interest in the vicinity of Easton. Eugene C. in the yield of maize would be sufficient to provide motor spirit Bingham, Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., is chairman of -fche for the present requirements. I t is not suggested that fuel Committee on Arrangements.
Memorial to Herbert H. Dow
