1 INORGANIC CHEMICALS production sights raised to meet demands HARRY STENERSON, Associate Editor, Industrial and Enpineering Chnidry
recovery of the element from refinery gssea, smelter fumes, sour n a t l d gss, and surface depoeita New & am being developed in the Gulf Coast repion. One is M y in production &d two more will stsrt thin year. Afourthmineshould be raady in 1958, anda6fthoneatasomewhat later date. Explomtion is constentlg under way, but resultm in workable diecoveriea are wry few. Mom than 200 sslt domes have been located, only 12 of whicb have been exploited commercislly. Export demands have contributed in no small measure to the sulfur shortageand thin hss made it neweaary to p h the requimnenta of the f m world on a quota baais. Foreign acid producem in large numbem Bwitohed fmm pyrites ore to American mined sulfur following the last war, and tbk, together with an inin domeetic CollBUmption of sulfur (from35poundsprewarto75poundsin1950), broughtonthe day of reckoning many predided in thii indispensable natural 'muulrca.
Ddm o b i i t i o n uncovered serious supply d e ficienoiee in heavy tonnage inorganic cbemie8I8, notwithstanding the additions made to aspacity prior to ensctment of the militmy progrsm in 1951. It wre necesmy, tbmugh progrpme partly supported by such peacetime government aids ss aaoelereted tax write-olTs, to enlarge and build new plants for chlorine, sulfur, and ammonia, which will provide productive cap~&lyin each c b d d far exaaedi any previou war or peacetime needs. Sulfur and Sulfuric Acid Of the inorganic supply shortspes, the one in sulfur b t end to have the most serious impact upon the d o h of the United Staka and other free natimto erect d e f w against the growing inmeds of communimn. The shortage developed
despite incressed production of Frssch procesa sulfur-minersl sulfur in Texas and Luuisiana-and in the face of w a t e r
PHOSPHORIC ACID 50% H S P O A
SULFURIC ACID millim 01 rhorl l m 1.5
I .0 :5
1939
1944
I9k9
1950
I951
0
Ihwandr 11 shorl l o i s
.I0
1939
I944
1949
1950
1951
HYDROFLUORIC ACID
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
lhwvndr 01 shod l o w 50
44 30 20
IO 0
mnl
1939
1944
1US
1949
I950
I951
1939
1944
19k9
I950
I951
1236
I
Vol. 44, No. 6
INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Sulfuric acid production, due largely to expansion at contsct plants, rose from 9,200,OOO tons in the war year 1944 to over 13,300,000 in 1951, but its requirements for fertilizers, steel finishing, and organic chemical mufactwe have o u t p a d the acid output. At the end of 1951 the National F’rcduction Authority restridedthe use of sulfur for all purpoees, acid included, to 90% of the 1950 use, also eat up machinery preventing integrated chemical producers from withholding a disproportionate share for their own uea. Previously issued inventory regulations stiedi all industry remained in force. The Defense Production Adminiitration later prognunmed an expansion goal for sulfur, b a d on rapid tax write-offs, loans, and purchase contracts to industry which raised the supply sights in 1955 to 8,400,000 tons, 38% more than had been made in 1950. Requirements by that time actually will be 43% higher than in 1950. “kssited expansion” will provide 690,000tons of native Frasch-mined sulfur, 280,000 tons of recovered sulfur from natural and petroleum gas, 170,000 tons from pyrites ores, 100,000 tons to be obtained in smelter operations, and 10,ooO tons from other sourn. Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture’s program for enlarged f w d crop production has re-emphasiaed the need for more fertiliser products employing sulfur. The demand for superphoas phates by 1955 will be 3,490,000 tons, or almost 75% more than the current year. Alkalies and Chlorine
Alkalies, represented by sodium hydroxide, sodium earbonate, and sodium bicarbonate, have remained outside the circle
of critical chemical shortages. Surpluses began building up in sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), the coproduct of chlorine in electrolytic pmeessea, as production of chlorine swung u p ward in 1951and 1952. The caustic oversupply was rendered even more complicakd during the early mouths this year 88 economic setbacks developed in the chief consuming indue tries, especially in textiles, fats and oils, and certain chemicals, and in the export demand. Rising chlorine-caustic o p erations at electrolytic plants, plus output recoveries at ammo-
SODIUM CARBONATE short tom
SODIUM CHROMATE and BICHROMATE Ihruumdr I f
~EmI
I h w m d i PIrharl
m0
1944
I949
1950
I944
I949
I950
SODIUM SULFATE
SODIUM SILICATE
hourondr 01 short toni
1951
SODIUM HYDROXIDE millimns of hilf liii
t h l 1.1’
I939
1939
nisrsoda installations following strikes in 1950, sent sodium hydroxide production to 3,098,000 tons in 1951, from 2,510,000 tonsin1950. ’ The fortunes of sodium carbonate f d a ash of commerce) am tied in rather inthe.tely with the glw container industry: ita largest customer, as well BB with the redudion of bauxite ore to aluminum,and the processing of sodium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate. Glase container operations followed a downward c o r n in 1951, then recwemd at the begiiing of 1952. G k and chemical manufacture probably accounts for about 70% of soda ash production in the United States. Aluminum outputs rose slowly in 1951 and sttamed a new postwar monthly high of 77,000 tons early this year. They are scheduled to increase further before the objectives of the military program are reached. The expansion of more than 1,000,000 tons in soda ash between 1950 and 1951 therefore did not occasion the surplus dilemma which fell to the lot of caustic soda. The total me from 3,991,000to 5,093,000tous, all from the ammoniwoda process. Although provided largely as a by-product of ]&e brine exploitation in California, uatural d i u m carbonate outputs a& tained a new high total of 346,385 tons in 1951, almost triple the tonnage derived from these eourcea before the war. At 2,510,000 tons, chlorine production in 1951, almost five times greater than the year immediately p r e e e d i the war, still could not fuUy satisfy demand. The easentisl role of chlorine in defense! plus stemlily rising consumption in the manufacture of organic chemicals,has made further expansiou neeesssry, and if the present aims of the Defense F’rcductiou chlorine production three years Administration a= di, hence will go to 3,430,000 tons It h a been estimated that organic chemical processea account for between 70 and 75% of total chlorine consump tion. Among the more important are chlorinated solvents, now led by trichloroethylene; tetraethyllead, neoprene rubber, vinyl chloride, and a growing volume of organic insecticides. The remaining 25% is probably accounted for by the pnlp and paper industry, where it is utilhed in bleach-
I951
.
1939
1944
I949
I950
CALCIUM CARBIDE thoviondr 01 rhml tons
1951
INORGANIC CHEMICALS
Sowc.;
1939
..
....
1944 543,651 434.690 U8.
44,350 789.426 61,894 49.914 226,370
millins of h r t 1 , s 1.0
1949 1,294,057 1,018.706
1950 1,565,569 3,213,911
1951. 1,771,774 1,317,121
I5
1.692.390
2,275.442 45,348 671.492
1,227,560 38,742 775,281
.I
16,006 605.356 n.8.
78.944 106,092
....
471.717 18,495 696,570 306,894 389,676 52.131
53,056 29,657 16.866 1,129,521 14.502 1,394,544 716,944 677,600 41,025
70,348 45.163 39,434 1,335,718 17.-
83.772 29.11g 27,450 1,498,228 21.817
1.640.599
1,846,841
814.668 825,931
911,361 935,480 58,452
4,538,398 2,455,368 1,4661,832 179,580 155,216 81,975
3,916,016 2,051.405 1,324,924 203,264 153,787 75,652
3.991.199
89.829
346.385 167,244 130.583
Liquid, 100% NaOH 512,192 1,182,883 n... 221,838 Solid. 100% &OH lime-S.de pm0e.s Iiqdd, 100% NaOH.. 532.914 681),565 Solid, 100% NaOH ......... n... 234.514 Sodium phosphate n.1. 14,562 Yonohuic. 100% N-1.. Dibuic, 100% N l g P 0 1 32,382 55,792 Tribade, 100% NmPO. ........ 116.731 80,291 M e k , 100% NlpoI.. ......... u8. 25,541 Tetn, 100% UaPsol 48.691 38.757 Sodium rllicate, wluble rlliute G h u , liquid and solid (anhydIOtu) n... 428,353 Sodim Sulf8te Anhydrous, refinad, 100% N1.801 an. 69,997 Ghmber's uit, 100% NalS0.1050 ............ n... 231.200 Sdt U L e , aude, c o d . u. 564.889
1,656,768 257,418
2.005.420 316,816
2,429,778 415.3%
566,230 169,086
5M.300 121,562
668.310 169,610
12,722 130,555 70,367 27,823 78.376
15.703 158.756
18,479 182,650 67.605 51.020 84.867
.............
..... ....
..
Sodium hydroxide ( U Elsctml5tic pmceu
90.705
I919
I950
1951
CARBON DIOXIDE
318,532 963.310
horwds If h r t bm
:m CHLORINE
2,049,806
1,410,110 338,379 146.906
5,093,927 2,575,677 1,802,022
d C &.)e
millim of hart tom
0I
......... .........
.
..
I
...................
Sulfnric uid TOW,100% H,SO.
55.549
1911
16.842
2.510.820 686.175
91,413 24,372
0 1939
400.760 879.052 2.084.161 618,784
666.009
LO
11.1.
285,278 818,272 1.767.029 493,989
1,262,362 381.026
I
AMMONIA Synthetk Anhydrous
Bureau of the G n u s . Quantlly in short tons w h otherwise indicated
Ammonia. synthetic anhydrouc.. 310,822 n.8. Ammonium nitrate, original Ammonium sulfate, symthetic. tech.', lo00 Ib.. ..... . U 41.349* Calcium ~ r u ~ t100%. e , IO00 Ib. n.8. Calcium cuMde. c o d . . Calcium phosphate Monobasic, 100%. loo0 Ib.. ... 74,076 n... Dibuic. 100%. 1000 Ib.. ... Carbon dioride Iiqnid and gss, lo00 Ib.. ...... 105,568 Solid (dry ice), 1000 Lb.. ...... 356.894 514,401 Chlorine Hydmchloricacid. 100% ......... 123,831 HydmJlmoric acid, 100% mlydr. and tech., 1000 lb. 14,842 Hydmgen,mlllion~a ft......... 1.124 Lead UWM~E,acid buic, 1000 Ib. 59,569 NiMs wid, 100s............... 167,740 4,562 oxygen. minion cu. ft. Phosphoric arid, 50% total....... 375,190 Romphosphonu n.8. ...n Rom phosphate rook. ... n... silver nitnte, l@%, 1000 02. Sodium UrbOMte A-mia-wda p~oceu ~ o p l w e t m d & ~ ( ~ - i m %,826.000 )'~ Fluinhod light (96100%). n... Pini.be6 dense (96100%). na. 121.8% nehtnl (NalCOS eqniralent). S o d i m hiurboMt0,~oansd.100% 1M,9131 sodium bichrormt. d chromate 58,164
1237
PRODUCTION
Production by Chemical Compound
.
.
INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
June 1952
........... 4.795.002 Clumbsr pmcess. .......... 2,120,964 contact procs.. ToW .................... 2,674,038 New. ................. n... Forti6ed .pent a d d . . ... n.a.
I939
66.801
39,412 85.657
1919
1950
1951
OXYQEN LiQionr 01 cubic led
n
20 446.202
486.203
561.310
IO
136,276
184.254
233,503
o
156,634 537.843
185.626 561,395
217,138 707.921
9,242,202 11,431,883 13,029,359 13,343,903 3,237,217 2,744,814 2.956.007 2,869,635 6,001.985 5.302.160 702,825
I9U
8,687,069 10,073,352 10,474,268 7,982,162 9,386,784 9,515,108 704,907 8a6.568 959,160
-
1939
-
-
I914
-
HYDROGEN Lalions of cubic leet
10
-
1949
~
1950
I951
.
1236
I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R l N G CHEMISTRY
'NORGANIC
Vol. 44, No. 6
CHEMICALS Production of Selected Compounds, 1950 Quantity in short tons except as noted. Value in lhmand*
Totd Pl0du.Ztion QUenlitU
Aluminum compounds Chloride Liquid m d crystal.,
., ,., , . . .
Auhrdrm.. 38.6% &Os. . , Oxide, except mat& &Imino. 100%.AhOi ............... ~
~
~
13,322 31 .878
.:.
......
............ ...
~~
.
6 n w of Manufachmr
Shipments Vdue @anf.0.b. tit" plmt
13,295 S 857 31,982 6.430
1,461,485 1,455,903 Sodiumalvminate.62.2%Al~Oi 9.014 10,268 Sulfite. ~. 17% ~ ALO...~ ......... ~ . 669.897 ~ . 651.320 Ammonium chloride, 100%. .... 28;098 29k7 e....n W m o w compounds-.......... e.na. k m n i c compounds6.. .......... B d u m carbonate, gptd. 100%BaCOs 49.103 38,188 Bviumchlorids................ 15,353 14,M)l M u m sulfate. 100% BaSO,. ... 15,M 11,640 Bismuth compounds Subwbomte. 100%. ........ a5 91 Subnitrate. 160%. ........ 99 111 Bodcacid, 100%............... 51,089 54.738 Bromine. 100% ................ n... 2.032 Calcium compounds Arsenate, 100%.. ............ 22.674 23,204 133.309 Carbonate,lOO% . . . . . . . . . . . . 162,561 Chloride 3,125 2.692 Solid, 73-75%. ............ Flake, 7 7 4 % . .............. 345,971 346,439 108,869 Liquid,IMS% O . . . . . . . . . . . 107,080 37.921 n.a. Carbon., activated.. ............ Chlorine bleaching compounds Cdciumhypochlorite, 70% Ck. 9.198 7,075 meaching powdsr r a d lime bleach, 3S37% CI.. ........ 53.221 24,577 Sodium hypochlorite rad other bleaching-(compounds. n... n.0. Chrome colors Chrome green (chrome ysllor 7,688 7,145 and iron blue). 6,878 7,005 Chrome oxide green, C.P.. 27,098 26,738 Chrome jsllow and orrage, C.P. 3,869 Molybdate chmms oruge, C.P. 3,905 4,565 Zinc yellow (dnc chromate, C.P.) 4,a4 Copper sulfate. ................ 85,654 90.024 39.227 39,006 Hydrogen peroxide, 27.5 nt. %. 68 56 Iodine. resublimed.. ........... Iron c6mpounbs Ferric chloride, 100%. ........ 20,358 19,432 Permus sulfate,, 100% FeS04.7H.O ..................... 172,537 113,387 Lead compounds le.dusenate.acidmdbuic.. 19,717 16,991
."
of ddlon. Sari-
74,715 1,235 18.795 3;316 3,834 1,186 2,869 1,106
1,180 535 537 5,312 764 3.974 5.416 65 7,078 661
6,737 3,395
Toto1 PrOdW-
2.065
13.185 11,582 271 1,489 645 6,953
ing pulp, waste paper, and rags, and by water and eewage
treatment plants. The 1950 Annual Survey of Manufactures by the Bureau of the Census shows the growth that has taken place in alkalis and chlorine in dollar terms. The value of thw products shipped in 1950 waa $291,493,000 aa agaiaSt (208,560,000 in 1947. The d e s value reported by the Bureau of Cennua for other inorgmic chemicals WBS $1,138,956,000 for 1950 against 5672,646,000. Another concept of the alksli-chlorine branch of the industry is obtained from employment figures. Of the 840,199 total employeea in chemicals and related products in 1950, a little over 17,000 were employed in alkali and chlorine, and 52,875 in inorganic chemicals, an eggmgate of 70,072 for industrial organic chemicals. In announcing its expansion program for chlorine, DPA brought out the fact that most of the chlorine now made in
QIUIHrV
QUQnHtV
Lead compounds (continued) Other lead compounds (indudem lead nitrate)............... Lithium compounds*. .......... Magnncslum compounds.. ....... Mlnrrncic compounds.. ....... Y m q compounds, 100% Yercnrous chloride.. ........ Yer&e odds. yellow.. ...... Msrevric odds. red'. ........ Mixed add, nitric m d sulfuric.. . n i w .ulf.te, 100%. .......... F'hosphom~compounds Phosphorus, elsmental, whitey & ~ , rad red, technical.. . Oxychloride, 100%........... Pentoxide. 100%............. Potamslum compo&dm Chlorite, 100%..............
Iodide.. 100% ._................ Silver compoundd Cyanide,, 100% .............. Nitrate. 100% ............... Silica rd. dl modes.. .......... S o d i u i wmpiundm Bisulfate. niter cake, 100%. Borate, tschnlul........... .. chlorate. 100%............
..
100%................... ..
Silicofluoride, 100%. ....... SuMde, -2%. .......... m t s . 100% ..............
5.251 4.674 13.787 3,015
VdU.2
lion
1,050 44,333
Shipments
.... ..... . U.L.
15 264 388 162.662 10,759 ,153,233 7,734 14,341 9,603 4e4 2,142 55,549
n.a.
..
81,212 22,085 24,432 17.184 14.095 26.362 44,330 36,021
f.0.b. plant
ea. S 3.841 n... 2,a5 ILL. 10.761 ..n 5,806 15 201 311 59.167 10,858
51 412 422 3.053 3,373
114.58) 36,068 7.738 1.665 13,223 1,796 9,515 3%
1,749 1,519
2,112 1,265 54,027 23,501 11.1. 12.091 74,812 2,389 217,605 11,687 22,255 3,491 24,859 11,313 15.m I4;614 27.627 92.933 36,147
1.273 799 2,280
2,248 Thiomulfite. hypo, 100%.... .. 2,542 Sulfur compounds 31.411 2.657 Dioride, 1W%O ............ 31,808 5.321 331 8,133 Chlodda, technical......... 391 659 Stmmum chloride, 100%. .... ... 444 451 1.Of.1 672 sodium huuatate. - . 100%. .- ..... 'Ntraivm dioxide. 100% TiOr.. 298.618 299,036 128,943 Zinc sulfate, 100%. ............ 28,143 27,623 3,373 * Igolvda sodium antimonate. b Date for -tea and menitaa are inoluded underthemetdlio ndiosl
..
":"& y udoa puwntitiea of liquid wed to pmduw solid a&iurn
ohloride. Inoludsl lithium metal. Inaluda, r& and h t t s r y wades of red mereuric odds. I Rawrted in tho-?& of O U O C ~ ~ . B Inoludoa only qumtltwa produaed for uls and interplant tremlnm. d
the United States is captive-that is, produced by companies which u ~ ite themselves. This obviated lengthy negotiations over Certi6cst.m of Necessity for rapid tax amortization and speeded the plan under which chlorine capacity in 1955 will be stepped up mme 1,230,000 tom over 1950. Ammonia and Feltilizerr
One of the most ambitious undertakings in the current chemical expansion is that represented by nitrogen and involving anhydrous ammonia. During 1951 the outputs of ammonia in this country mounted to 1,771,774 tons, a total that is some 5*/, times greater than the ammonia turned out in 1939. The utiliition of nitrogen in fertilkr compounds and formulas over the past 30 years has increasingly favored anhydrous ammonia. It has replaced the older animal organica and is supplementing by-product ammonium d a t e
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
June 19-52
derived from the cokwven ot natural Chilean nitrate. Ammonia tcday is the h i e product in ammonium nitrate, urn, synthetic sodium nitrate, and synthetic ammonium date. Solutione b a d upon anhydrous ammonia are employed to introduce and step up the nitrogen content of fertilii m i x t m without unbalancing their weights and volume mqnirements. Ammonia slso is introduced directly into the soil by the grower ae a low-coet method of providing plants with nitrogen. The program of the Department of Agriculture aimed at lsrger orup production in an dort to keep pace with inc& world population is fundamentally conoerned with the production of more fertiliaers, specXc8lly nitrogen fertiliim. The DPA's objective for nitrugen calls for the output of Z,soO,ooO tons of nitrogen in 1954-55 (in terms of N),or about
d l T R O 6 E N
Consumption for Fertilizer Purposes
*
Quu.nNty in ihwt tons. B0-d on N. Crop year ended h 30. S0urc.i knou of Plant Industry, U. 5. D.parhmnt of AplPeultur.
Region 1959. 1944 1949 1950 1951 23,838 21.919 IiewZnJ.nd ...._ 16.3t4 253W 25,097 MiddleAtlantic ... 33,812 .52,648 70,697 76,026 69.065 313.215 163.525 230,144 276.327 275,392 SoUthAthniic SoUthCSntnl.... WZb3 159,076 251.579 287,SSP 339.694 Eat nod Cmtnl ........ 17,SOS 36.430 86,337 94,509 123.275 Wdst I i O d Centnl ........ 1,819 3.928 48.698 59,802 84.G WedsIU ....... 30@5 72,193 118.W 145,476 212,323 Tertitm'ieS......_ 33,065 37366 42.347 49,813 66816 ConiinentalU. 8.. 351,359 579,716 877,599 955,639 1 171 418 TOtdU.8. .. 384,424 616,982 919,946 I,OOS,452 1:238:234
....
..
.. .
Gowarnment diatributim not inoludsd
O D -X I
-PHOSPHORIC
Consumption lor Fertilizer Purposes Qumtily in .hentoru bond a owlkbk PrOc Crop p a r mded h 30. Soumi B u n w of Plant Industry, U. 5. D.pahont of Agriculhlr.
Region
1939. 31,581 135276
IiewEufand, WddlS U b C
South Atlulic SomthCentnl Bul Iiorth
.
261:M)J 114.246
1944 52.033 202,729 401.3.M
256.829
1949 58,002
233W 487:642
442.446
I950 59.069
215,501
470.493 449.587
1951 51,958
249.591
513865 473:332
cw4r8l........ lOl*736 215.941 1oSs12 396.452 .436*2
wwt n
e
C ~ l l t n l . . . . . . . . 19,333 Wedern 32,133 Tdtmies 14,049
....... .. .......
Con(inmtal
61,078 59,996 15.533
186,743 107.005 20875
192,650
114.4V3 21,510
223481
1M:915 24.120
U. 8. .. . . . .. . . . 695.808
1,920,834 1,928,258 2 , M W ....._709,857 1349.944 1,265,477 1,941,709 1,969,768 2,110,127
TotalU. S a
G o m r n e n t distribution not indudad.
-POTASH
Consumption for Fertilizer Purposes QuanlHy In rhat toM. h d am IM. clop ywr wd.d June 30. Soumi Bunou of Plant Indwlry, U. S. D.pa@t of ApMtUr.
Region
1939.
Iiew England.. ... . Middle Atlantic.. . . Atlantic.. .. . sotltll cmtnl.. . . . R u t Uorth
-.
. .. . . . , . ...... westan... . . . . .: . T d r i c s . .. . . , . West R o d central.. .
. ..
1944
54,476 119,754
1949
1950
1951
288,242
298,540
393855
3,930 13.241 62,316 59,967 83,610 a m 1 3 . w z 4 . z ~ 24.758 27,655 23,588 23,043 30,541 34,002 42,472 375,460 603,371 1,012,532 1,06S,ZW 1 337 322 399.048 626.414 1,073,073 1,103,062 1:379:794
Coathmtal U. 8.. T d U. 8.. ... * OomrnmFnt didtibution not indudsd
GROWTH
1240
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
EXPENDITURES FOR PUNT AND EQUIPMENT Indus(ria1 lno.ganl8 Chemicals Indumy
Vol. 44#No. 6
4year period ending with 1950, hydmgen production 108e from around 20,000,000to 45,163,000,000cubic feet, although the total turned down rather precipitately in 1951. Argon and nitrogen have both incressed their markets in recent years. Argon shipments m e from $1,427,000in value during 1947 to $2,522,000in 1950,including interplant transfers. One of the interesting applications for argon is offered by arc welding, where it is used as an inert gas shield. Helium is also utiiied in this process. Nitrogen gas bas had, apart from the enormous volume which enters ammonia synthesis, a considerable increase in use, production rising from 507,000,000cubic feet in 1947 to 1,350,000,000cubic feet in 1950. The gas is employed as a shield in food p d u c t a against oxidation, and has made headway in this field. A widely advertised brand of coffee, for example, uses nitrogen for thii purpose. Stimulating nitmgen utilization is the ability of the manufacturers to deliver the gas as a liquefied product under pressure, the eame as ammonia, oxygen, and chlorine. Conversion to gas is carried out at point of delivery, on the supplier's truck. Carbide, Other Inorganics
80% bigher than was turned out in 1950-51. The 1951-55 production goal is equivalent to about 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 tons of anhydrous ammonia. By-product forms of ammonia such as coke-oven ammcnium sulfate meanwhile can be expected to increase along w i t h steel and coke production. The sulfate, containing about 20% nitrogen, was turned out in 1951 to the extent of 896,611tons. Synthetic ammonium sulfate, in addition, mounted to 613,780 tons. It is a product of anhydrous ammonia and sulfuric acid, and its supply is subject to the availability of these materials. Supplies of nitric acid, which is derived from anhydrous ammonia, have increased with the latter and last year att s i e d the new high total of almost 1,500,000tons. Nitric acid and ammonia are used in the manufacture of nitrogen solutions with high nitrogen content. Urea is employed for the same purpose. The solutions supply desirable balances of nitrate nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen. Nitric acid is also required for certain plastics, dyes, and a great many other industrial uses. Industrial Gases
New applications in industry resulting from advanced use technology have led to greater consumption and production of hydrogen, oxygen, acetylene, and nitrogen since World War 11. The expansion in oxygen is due ina large measure to its introduction in the steel indnstly for greater fuel e5ciency, as well as to other growing industrial ws. Its production of 21.817 billion cubic feet in 1951 is almost five times the quantity turned out in 1939. A sharp upturn in the production of hydrogen, much of which is consumed by the producing plants themselves, has gone hand in hand with the growth of hydrogenation proeases, especially in chemicals, petroleum, and foods. In the
It will be noted from the table that calcium carbide output in the past year, 775,284 tans, fell just short of the record total turned out during the war year 1944. As carbide is largely consumed in the generation of acetylene, it is safe to predict that carbide will undergo further output gains in the years ahead. Vinyls, acrylica, and other chemicals based on acetylene have a brilliant future in the rapidly grvwing field of synthetic resins and fibers, although acetylene derived from petroleum souroe8 may prove a competitive factor. Although industrial needs, largely for the bleaching of cotton textiles, sent the product volume for hydrogen peroxide from 24,000tons in 1947 to over 39,000 tons in 1950, its future role in military planningis shown by &orb of the Defense Production Administration to expand capacity to the tune of more than 45% by January 1, 1955. Hydrofluoric acid has also been accorded a government program to meet requirements for aviation gasoline, atomic energy, and the Chemical Corps, as well as civilian needs. These demands have brought about sharp increases in its consumption, estimated at around 84,000,000 pounds in 1951, or 14,000,000above 1950. Requirements for this year were put a t 105,000,000pounds, and early in the year it was estimated that fluorsparwas available for only 95,000,000pounds of hydrofluoric acid. Metallic derivatives in the inorganic list are led hy copper sulfate, leadiing fungicide, which had a production of 87,807 tons in 1947 and 85,654tons in 1950. Formerly shipped in considerable quantities to Mediterranean grape-growing countries, copper sulfate is now marketed almost entirely in Western Hemisphere areas. Lead metal, ita pigments, and other chemical derivativas gave rise to considerable concern in 1951 as price dwparities between domestic ceilings and foreign prices resulted in reduced imports. More recently this situation has 4, and NPA has eatimated lead demand for 1952 at l,ZOO,000tons and the supply at 1,300,000tons. Use restrictions have been removed. The Governmentalsorevoked controlsonbismuth, cadmium, and antimony, and essed restrictions on zinc oonsiderahly. Various steps have been tsken to increase supplies, such as the arrangement entered into between the Defense Materials Procurement Agency with zinc producers to purchase the oub put of new concentrate plants. Suppliea of nickel and cobalt for chemical and other use will be increased through purchase agreements entered into between DMPA and Canadian companies.
