Pr’ovember, 1928
I.I-DL-STRI-4L AA-D ELtTGINEERIATGCHEXISTRY
will in time become a geographical proposition both as to its manufacture and distribution. Then lease the entire Muscle Shoals power proposition as a power proposition to the highest power bidder and under the most favorable terms it is possible to make, so that the returns from this war-time investment might accrue to all citizens of the United States.
This letter also suggested keeping the nitrate plant at Muscle Shoals in a stand-by condition as an insurance against future wars, but with the installations existing and being finished this will now be unnecessary and an uncalled-for expense. If the socialistic energies of some of our government employees must have an outlet, it might be wise to let them spend this energy in educating the farmer in the use of concentrated fertilizers as mentioned above, and above all the Government should be kept out of business and those who are engaged in the business with millions invested be allowed to handle their own industry. Those who have millions of dollars in the industry, and who are investing millions more, prevent the necessity of having any foreign money invested in this line of business in the United States. Chemistry O u r Protection against Foreign Combinations
Sir James Irvine has aptly said: Chemistry is the nemesis of every monopoly based on raw material. By reducing many forms of matter to simple ele-
.
1133
ments or compounds and then fabricating by synthesis a desired substance, chemistry works for equal industrial and commercial opportunity. It is the foe of monopoly, public and private. The free interchange of scientific knowledge and theory makes it so.
The largest industrial cartel of Germany is the Interessen Gemeinschaft, with an investment according to their last balance sheet of over $430,000,000. The largest industrial combination of England is the Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd.. with an investment of over $290.000,000, and in both of these countries these chemical cartels are almost quasi-governmental in their importance, and will in time work out an arrangement aimed at the chemical industry of the United States. Our chemical companies in this country are prohibited from adopting measures, except for export trade, to protect themselves from these foreign combinations, except by spending money to reduce costs, but the chemical industry of this country will protect itself in the United States, and at the same time secure its proper portion of the world’s trade. Today we have as thorough and as resourceful chemical engineers as there are in the world, and the continued enlarging of our present position in the chemical world, with its unlimited possibilities for the future, lies in the hands of the present and the future members of the ERICA AN CHEMICAL
SOCIETY.
Economic Relationships between Nitrogen and Fertilizers H. R. Bates’ ISTBRXATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CORPORATIOX, ATLAXTA, GA.
T W-4S about thirty years ago that the famous British scientist, Sir William Crookes, startled the world with the statement that, unless we took advantage of the inexhaustible supply of nitrogen in the air to supplement the Chilean nitrate, we would eventually face starvation. This was one hundred and twenty-five years after the discovery of nitrogen. Little did he dream of the outcome of his prophecy. How well we heeded the warning is evidenced by our daily production of 4500 tons of nitrogen. Strange to say, it was not nitrogen for food, but nitrogen for war, which supplied the incenti\-e for the increased production. Stranger still, the production continues to increase after that incentive has been removed. Nitrogen, the lazy, inert, colorless, tasteless, and odorless gaseous element, has, of all known elements, taken the most important position in the affairs of the world, and is by far the most active in the world markets. Some one has figured that every square mile of air over the earth’s surface carries 20 million tons of nitrogen-enough in each square mile to last the world twelve years a t the present rate of consumption-and it is free as far as its material value is concerned. Any important changes in the production and cost are of immediate interest to statesmen, financiers, chemists, agriculturists, and manufacturers. It is absolutely indispensable to mankind in peace or war, and a necessity to all animal and vegetable growth. There is hardly a problem in any branch of agricultural or industrial chemistry that does not at some point require the consideration of nitrogen. The influence of the World War on nitrogen production was far-reaching. I n 1913 we find the production as follows:
I
Tons N Chilean nitrate By-product ammonia Synthetic ammonia
429,897 319,667 90,491
___ __ ~~
840,056 Manager, Manufacturing Department, International Agricultural Corporation. 1
At the close of the war we find the order of productiou reversed, and synthetic ammonia has taken the lead, with the 1927 tonnage as follows: Tons N 700,000 30,000 200,000
Synthetic ammonia Norwegian saltpeter Cyanamide
---
930,000 370,000 320,000
By-product sulfate of ammonia Chilean nitrate
--
1,620,000
From the available sources of information it would appear that the world’s capacity for fixed nitrogen production is as follows : BYSYNTHETIC CY.4NAMIDE Tons N TonsN Germany France England United Stales Italy Japan Belgmm Spain Poland Czechoslovakia Norway Russia Sweden Roumania Canada Switzerland Jugoslavia Actually producing
450,000 116,700 55,000 25,000 63,700 43,500 22,000 7,200 3,000 4,500
114,000 53,500
....
40,000 20,000 20,000
.. .. . ...
PRODUCT
Tons N 100,000 5,000 100,000 147,000 3,500 5,000 10,000 . . . t
.... .... 60,000 2,200 .... . .. . 14,000 -__ ___
. .. . .... .... .... .... .... 5,000 .... . . .. ---
802,600 700,000
375,500 370,000
....
7,300 2,500
30,000 6,000 15,000
....
6,000 5,000
383,500 200,000
ARC PROCESS Tons N
.. . .... . ... *
.... .. .... .. .... . .., . .. . i6,boo
. .. . .. . I
. ... . .. , ....
,... __ 46,500 30,000
Some idea of the remarkable growth of the synthetic industry may be noted from the increase in the production in 1909 of 1 per cent of the total fixation to 57 per cent in 1927. Surely a wonderful heritage from the chemists and engineers who solved the difficult problems and made possible the, present synthetic production,
1134
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 20, No. 11
United States Production In the United States we find in 1921 but 200 tons of synthetic ammonia. In 1928 we find a 30,000-ton capacity with 25,000 tons production. I n the United States in 1909 wc find 106,500 tons of by-product ammonia. Today we have a production of 715,000 tons of by-product ammonia, equivalent to 147,290 tons of nitrogen. About 87,550 tons were used in agriculture, 28,840 tons exported, and the balance used in other industrial operations. We, however, need not fear that there will be a shortage of fixed nitrogen; our German friends will see to that. Their own consumption is only 400,000 tons of fixed nitrogen and they are finding it quite a problem to dispose of the remainder. They plan to put part of this surplus into synthetic nitrate in competition with Chilean nitrate. Before 1929 the United States will be producing a t Hopewell, Va., synthetic nitrate of soda. The function of the fertilizer industry is to provide properly balanced fertilizers, compounded with regard to crop requirements, the soil, and climatic conditions. Some idea of the field of this industry may be obtained when we realize that we have 924,000,000 acres for our field of operations, with 6,250,000 farms, serving 117,000,000 people with farm products (exclusive of animal food), valued at $5,685,000,000. Serving these farms are 675 fertilizer factories. It has been estimated that the loss of nitrogen in the United States lands under cultivation, not replaced by manure, leguminous crops, atmospheric precipitation of rain and snow, and by commercial fertilizer, is between 3 and 4 million tons. To replace this would require 15 to 20 miIlion tons of sulfate of ammonia, or more than 100 million tons of fertilizer carrying 3 per cent nitrogen per ton. Fertilizers are replacing but 6 to 8 per cent. Surely no other industry has such a possibility for future expansion, and no other country such a need for conservation and expansion of its nitrogen resources. It is very evident the soils need nitrogen in increasing quantities to replace the soil losses. This fact alone makes the industry fundamentally sound, and insures its present permanence. Future generations may exist on synthetic foods, but we will need artificial fertilizers for many years to come. Commercial fertilizers carry two or more of the three chief elements-nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash-but calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon also play important parts in plant growth. The function of nitrogen in fertilizer is, to promote the vegetation growth above ground, impart plumpness to cereals, and produce succulence. At the same time it acts as a regulator, to some extent, of the utilization of potash and phosphoric acid. I n 1898, when Sir William Crookes issued his chemical slogan “Ntrogen or starvation,” the United States was producing and consuming about 2 million tons of fertilizers. Today we are consuming from 6,500,000 to 7,500,000 tons. There has been no substantial tonnage increase for the past ten or iifteen years, but there has been an increase in the plant food consumption, particularly during the past five years. From 187,829 tons of nitrogen for agriculture, we have advanced to 210,092 tons, consumed in 1927 in mixed fertilizers and top dressers. The fertilizer tonnage is divided into: Mixed ammoniated fertilizers Mixtures of potash and superphosphate Superphosphate Miscellaneous materials
Per cent 70 6 96 10 6 9 2
--
100.0
The tonnage is divided into territories as follows:
Per cent 5.4 14.5 66.2 11.9 2.0
New England states Middle Atlantic states Southern states Middle West states Western states
--
100.0
Domestic and Foreign Consumption
While we have been making our slow progress, other countries have advanced rapidly. The following table will show the comparative consumption for agriculture for 1927 per unit of population : NITROGEN CONSUMED
1927
Tons France
NITROGEN
1927 PER MILLION POPULATION POPULATION Tons
143,000
The consumption of fertilizers in 1927 in the same countries, all figured to tons, all carrying a total of 20 per cent plant food, shows: AVERAGE TEST CONSUMPTION Nitroeen PzOs Kz0 Tons Per cent Per cent P -er . cent . United States Germany France England Holland
6,877,000 8,750,000 4,000,000 1,225.000 1,325,000
2.7 5.0 3.1 3.7 3.5
10.0 6.0 12.5 12.3 9.0
4.0 9.0 4.4 7.5 7.5
The average consumption of fertilizer per acre under cultivation shows: CROPLAND
Acres 391,000,000 49,500,000 56,200,000 14,200,000 5,000,000
United States Germany France England Holland
FERTILIZER Pounds per acre 35 337 142 172 530
From these figures it is apparent that Holland carries on the most intensive fertilization, and Germany, with onesixth the acreage and about one-half the population, is using twice the quantity of nitrogen used by the United States. I n spite of this, German crop yields have been on the decline, as evidenced by the following comparison, as shown by Pridmore and Smalley in reporting their recent observations while in Europe: CROPS
AVERAGE YIELD
1909-13 Bushels
1923-27 Bushels
UNITED STATES YIELD
1927 Bushels
Germany’s desire to consume more of its nitrogen and potash and the loss of its phosphatic supply from the Ruhr steel converters are probably responsible for the use of low phosphatic fertilizers. The crop yields point to phosphorus deficiency, and possibly a waste of nitrogen and potash. In the foreign countries formerly using broadcasting methods of fertilizer application, we find now the agronomists, especially in Germany and England, coming over to the American methods of application-in the rows near the seed and a t the time of planting. In the foreign countries the applications are practically all mineral, while in the United States a proportion of organic of animal and vegetable, as well as mineral, origin is used along with mineral ammonia of inorganic origin. Our nitrogen supply can be classified into organic and inorganic, the latter sometimes termed “mineral ammonia,” or “fixed nitrogen.” The organic nitrogen of animal or
I N D U S T R I A L AATD ENGINEERIA’G CHEMISTRY
November, 1928
1135
Under the best oficina operation it has been stated that $37.57 is the cost f. 0.b. Chilean points. The freight to the Atlantic seaboard lands it there for $45.00, or $2.25 per 100 pounds, or $2.90 a unit of nitrogen. It is being offered a t this price for fall delivery. Its lowest price was $1.90 per 100 pounds, or $2.45 per unit of nitrogen, in the late fall of 1914, and it was selling a t or about its present scale from 1907 to 1914, dropping again after the war to $2.00 per 100 pounds in the fall of 1921 f. 0 . b. Atlantic ports. The present cost may be decreased by new methods of mining and handling. Chilean authorities estimate that it might be delivered in New York for $30.56 a net ton, or $1.98 per unit of nitrogen; this on a $7.50 freight to the United States. Its lowest sales price was $38.00 in the fall of 1914. Bain and Nilliken. of the DeDartment of Commerce. dace the minimum delivered Atlantic seagoard cost a t $35.00 per ton, or $2.25 per unit of nitrogen. Cyanamid and sulfate of ammonia and some of the imported GerOrganic Nitrogen, Animal and man synthetic products are selling for less Vegetable per unit of nitrogen delivered a t interior points. Sulfate of ammonia a t $44.00 The 6,305,775 tons of c o t t o n s e e d delivered means nitrate a t $33.00 a t ports crushed in 1927 (our D e p a r t m e n t of with interior freight allowed. Agriculture states) made 2,840,000 tons Representatives of the by-product amof cake and meal, and but 450,000 tons monia producers, testifying in February, of this found its way into f e r t i l i z e r s , 1928, before the Interstate Commerce 120,000 tons in mixtures, and 330,000 by Commission, on ammonia rates, stated direct application. The remainder, after that their by-product ammonia as liquid deducting 495,000 tons exported, was used ammonia yielded them 3.78 cents per as stock feed in t ‘s country. pound of ammonia in ammonia liquor. Packing-house ankage t w e n t y - f i v e Converting this into sulfate of ammonia, years ago was first used as stock feed. according to the British and the American Today only the condemned cattle tankages nitrates commissions appointed during the are left for the fertilizer industry. The H. R. Bates war to survey the nitrogen situation, we packing-house tankage production has at 4 cents a find, using ammonia (“3) been materially reduced by the “dry meltpound : ing Drocess.” a Drocess wherebv “cracklin& instead of ^tankage are produced. Concentrated tank516 Ibs. NH3 at 4 cents $20.60 1912 Ibs. 60” sulfuric acid a t 89.00 8.60 age, so-called “stick liquor,” is no longer produced in any Plant expense 3.00 quantity. It is estimated the packing industry produces Fixed charges 1.75 175,000 tons of tankage, 175,000 tons of cracklings, and 4000 $33.95per ton (2000 lbs.) tons of blood. The best estimates obtainable give 95 per Thus it will be seen that with ammonia a t 4 cents a pound, cent of this material as going into stock feeds. Fish scrap, a t one time imported for fertilizer to supple- sulfate of ammonia can be produced a t $1.65 a unit of nitrogen. With liquid ammonia a t 4 cents per pound of NH, we have ment our meager production of 45,000 to 50,000 tons, is now nothing to fear from $30.56 Chilean nitrate, the best they going into stock feeds. Today we have left for our organic supply of animal and hope to do and deliver in the United States. Aqua ammonia vegetable origin foreign and domestic nitrogenous manures, was quoted a t z3/*cents per pound last July. Chile may probably 150,000 tons of 8 per cent nitrogen; blood, 12,000 continue to produce, the Government may give the producers a tons, 14 per cent nitrogen; and South American tankage, $4,000,000 subsidy in lieu of a tax reduction, a central sell25,000 tons, 8 per cent nitrogen; with a probable tonnage ing agency may be established, but in the end nitrate must of 100,000 tons of 2.5 per cent nitrogen of such products as follow its synthetic master. Properly compounded fertilizer will continue to use some humus and garbage. Waste materials of various kinds will continue to be used, nitrate for its early cropmaturing value. Formerly, of our but their low nitrogen restricts their use to localities near nitrate imports, 50 per cent went into agriculture, 25 per cent into chemicals, and 25 per cent into explosives. Of the 50 their production. In all we might supply from the above sources, production per cent for agricultural use, 60 per cent went into mixed and importation, b e h e e n 45,000 and 50,000 tons of organic fertilizers, 35 per cent was sold for direct application, and 5 per cent was sold to sulfuric acid producers. nitrogen, and no prospect of increasing this amount. Unless there is a large increase in the United States fertilizer Nitrate of Soda consumption, or a larger tonnage is used in top dressing, niKitrate of soda first made its appearance in the United trate, before many years, will have to look elsewhere for its States in about 1830, and has up to 1925 maintained its United States market. supremacy as the most important source of mineral nitrogen. It is interesting to note that the Chilean Government I n 1925, with the world’s sulfate of ammonia by-product and desires to place its leading industry on a competitive basis synthetic ammonia increasing 50,000 tons in 1926, 100,000 with other nitrogen products. This no doubt means that tons in 1927, and 300,000 tons in 1928 over 1925, nitrate of when synthetic products are made here, or are imported in soda lost it! dominance as a controlling factor in fixing the sufficient quantities, Chilean nitrates will be priced to meet price of the world’s nitrogen. this competition. In fact, a bonus has already been promised
vegetable origin is found in cottonseed meal and other seed meals, nitrogenous tankage, packing-house tankage, concentrated tankage, blood, fish, humus, garbage, wool waste, hair felt, etc. Organic nitrogen of synthetic origin is present in cyanamide, urea, and calurea. The mineral, or inorganic nitrogen, we find in nitrate of soda, sulfate of ammonia, anhydrous ammonia and ammonia liquor, calcium nitrate, Ammo-Phos, Leunasalpeter, potassium nitrate, and ammonium nitrate. To this should be added the newer compounds which a t present are more chemical curiosities than practical sources of fertilizer nitrogen. In compounding fertilizers thirty years ago it was the practice to use 60 to 70 per cent organic nitrogen and 40 to 30 per cent of mineral nitrogen. Now we find the ratio just the reverse, and before many years we will be forced to use even less organics as the supply decreases and they become more valuable as stock feeds.
h$
INDUSTEIA L AVD ENGLVEEEIAX? CNEXISTR Y
11313
to equal any prire reduction of the German syndicate. But the syndicate's pric!es cut for 1928-29, aIld no change
of anv imnortanee over the nrevious "vear.. there will arobablv " be no bonus. This arrangement, however, is effective until dnril 30. 1929. and nrotects the Chilean wroduccrs on any cl;ange in tllb syn&eate prices prior t i tllat date, 0;l .lug& 14, 1928, the Nitrat.c Syndicate voided its open selling arrangement and reverted to the old phm of CentrdiZed cont,rol. Sulfate of Ammonia I
_
Sulfate of annnoisis, or by-product ammonia in the form of sulfate of ammonia, 370,000 tons of the world's nitrogen supply, finds 147,290 tons produced in the United States, eqnivalent to 715,000 tons of sulfate of 8inmoiiia. 111normal
Vol. 20, No. 11
SULFATE OF AMMONIA-Alade by treating finely ground gypsum with synthetic ammonia and carbonic acid; the resultant sulfate liquor is evaporated, crystallized. It carries 20.G per cent 'L'L'"6"L.
~ ~ u ~ ~ ~ ~ 26~per~cent~ nitrogen, ~ e is~a double - ~ ~ salt of nitrate of ammonia and sulfate of ammonia, with G.50 per cent of nitric nitrogen and 19.50 per cent of ammoniacal nitrogen. This matcrial must be used s i t h care or its nitric will be lost and its sulfate a,nmonia serious caking troubles in complete iertilizers. It also becomes vew CALCIUM NrrRnrE-Testing 15.5 per cent nitrogen, is the result of treatine limpstone with nitric acid. ncutralirine the C S C ~ S S acid, fiIt&g, &poiating, adding 5 per cent amm&ium carbonate, and dryinz by compressed air spray. It is vew hygroscopic and is shiiped in specially prepared packages. Its use in fertilizer is not satisfactory, but it will find general nsc as a tou drcsspr. CALunGA-Testing 34 per cent nitrogen, with 7 per cent in the nitric form and 27 prr cent in the amid form. It is also hygroscopic and its use in fertilizer will bc limited. It can be used to better advantage as a top dresser. CYANAIEIDE (CaCX+A lime compound of cyanogen, testing 20 per cent nitropen. Its use is very limited by its revertivc
45 per cent availabli ph&phoric &id. This is an excellent fertilizer material and can be used in any quantity with any other material. It is well adapted for tobacco on account of its freedom from the sulfur element. Last ycar (1927-28) tlie prodnctioti is given as 55,136 tons, largely exported. NITRATEOF Por'nsn-Tcsting 13 per cent nitric nitrogen and 44 per cent potash, is an excellent fertilizer material, less hygroscopic than nitratc of soda. It is a good material for tobacco where chlorinc is objectionable. UXEA (CO(NH&-Testing 46 per cent nitrogen in the amid per cent 'nrttrogen ;id
Overhead Track Syscenl, I. A. C. Plant, Spartanburg, S. C.
t,imes this by-product ammonia is distributed: 65 per cent to fertilizers, 23 per cent to refrigeration, and 12 per cent to explosives. Its production follows closely the coke and pig-iron curves. Passing from 42 million tons of coke in 1910 to 51 million tons in 1925, we lind all but 10 per cent of tho beehive ovens have been converted to by-product ovens. Under these conditions it is reasonable t o suppose, unless there is an unforeseen demand for pig iron, that wc have reached our limit in the United States of such nitrogen production, and must look to other sources and processes to s u p ply the deficiency, or aoknowledge our dependency upan other nations. At present this is our condibion, but we are gradually workiiig out of it. Japan, one of our export customers, has already developed her resources to tile extent of 400,000 tons of sulfate, and no longer calls on us as she has done the past fifteen years. The present fertilizer practice and tonnage consumed will absorb about 350,000 to 400,OW tons of sulfate of am0PBR A TOII Afmospheric Nitrosen Co. Mathieso? Alknli Ca. Pacific Nsirogen Corp. Lnzote. 1°C. Koerder & Ilasrlachei C o . Grerl Weefern J$lecfro-Chemical Co.
Locnrrow Syiacuee, N. Y. Nisgara Falls, N. Y. Seattle. Wash.
neiie, w. va.
Niwallt Fdlr, N. Y. Piftsbuig. Calif.
product too concentrated for ordinary fertilizer use. At present it carries a 35 per ceut ad valorem duty and only 800 ton5 w'cre imported last year. I>OMBSTIC SYNTHETIC S o D r U g NITRATE-Testing 16 per Cent nitrogem, will he found on the markct next spring. Samples of this product appear t o be in better mechanical condition than the Chilean product. Will not have t o be ground. In appearance it is like Arcadian sulfate of ammonia.
The latest statist.ics show that we imported in clevcn 'months of 1927-28 the following tonnages of synthetic products, in additiou to the Chilean nitrate: 1926-27 TOSS
Sulfate of ammonia Lcunrsalpeter Calcium nitrate Cvanarnide
5,470
12.282 18,283 100.330
U k
1827-28 (It moitths) Ton.? 88.031 67,733 23.254 126.162 5%
It is difficult to secure authentic figures on the United States synthetic ammonia produetion; tbe capacities appear, however, as iii the following t.abular matter. The new plant of the Atmosplierie Nitrogen Company, MBIflOD
Gm. Chem.
Nitrogen Bnsineering Com. Fired Nitrogen Research Lab.
Chide Hired Nitrosen Reseearch Lab. h'irg;,ia Alk. Co.
TONSN
wmn 4.000
866
9.n00
865
3W
souncs
OB II
water gas
Ily-product of chlorine process By-product of cbloiine P ~ O C F S E water gas Ily-product of sodium process By-product of chlorine process
25,030
of Hopewell, Va., will be producing late this fall. Its ertiinated capacity has not been made public, but its nitrogeri
monia, with 157,000 tons seeking export consumption in 1927; the remainder going into refrigeration and explosivcs. Synthetic Products
will be a very important addition to our present resources.
Up to the present time the synthetic production of nitrogen in the United States has gone int,o refrigeration, explosives, and chemical trade. The chief synthetic ammonia products of interest to the fertilizer industry are:
Shoals Nitrogen Fixation and the Three years ago, when %'e were just beginning to consider seriously the fixation of nitrogen, Germany and England were exporting their surplus. France, Italy, and Japan were
r
r
y
November, 1928
INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
producing 50 per cent of their requirements, while the Enited States, with the largest population, had the lowest production per unit of population. The fixation industry in the United States has certain factors which almost guarantee its permanence and expansion. The demand is here and our product,ion short, with our population iucreasing one and a half millions annually. The raw materials are plentiful and cheap, power is not such an important factor as formerly, and their conversion to commercial plant foods has been successfully demonstrated by the clicmists and engineers. With increasing production will naturally follow process economies, and we may soon take a pla.ce inucli higher in the nations' list of nitrogen producers, instead of seveiiih with but 1100 tons of fixed nitroeen I .nor million population. KO consideratinn of fixed nitroeen in the United States would b e complete vrithout refer&e to the two plants a t Muscle Shoals, Kitrate Plant No. 1, the experimental plant to produce ammonium nitrate, never successfully operated, and Plant Eo. 2, the cyanamide plant with 40,000 tons nitrogen annual capacity. President Coolidge rightly vetoed (by the pocket veto) any measures which would put the Government into subsidized fertilizer production in competition with its eit.izensliip, selling power and crediting the returns to the fertilizer costs. While Congress has been debating this proposition, we liavc been making rapid progress in nitrogen fixation, and today have a fixatiori capacity equal to Muscle Shoals, distributed a t various points. With Hopewell coming in this fall we will probably find that the United St.ates will have twice the tonnage of fixed nitrogeu claimed for it. It, would be a verit,able calamity a t this stage for the Government to enter similar production in such manner as has heen proposed, freed from such charges 11,srentals, taxes, irisursnoe, amortization, etc., expenses whicli must be included in privRte operations. Such progress lias been made in t.lie tixcd nitrogen art that the cyanamide process is no longer the leading method. Cyanixnide requires 12,000 to 15,000 kilowatt-hours to fix a ton of nitrogen, while the Ifaber-Hoscli (Gerninn) process requires but 4000 to 5000. With the government plant cost
S h i p p i n e D e p a r t m e n t , 1. A. C. Plant, Spartanburg, S . C .
on today's values of $21,350,000, and a 15 per cent charge for depreciation, obsolescence, etc., and $0.004 electric power, our government experts state that cyanamidc nitrogen will cost $2.31 per unit. On $0.002 power the cost will he $2.06. The Canadian plant at Kiagara Falls, Ontario, no doubt finds it dimcult to meet the foreign eompetit.ion. While thc produetion is increasiiis, t,he greater part of the increase
1137
is going into other products for subsequent export. The foreign produetion appears ample to satisfy the demands of the United States. Therefore, the Muscle Shoals cyanamide (if and when produced), unless transformed into more acceptable combinations, would be of very little economic value. The same government experts intimated that it would cost $3.18 per unit of nitrogen on $0.002 power t o convert the cyanamide intomlfate of ammonia. The same product as
SUperphosphBte Mixer, 1. A. C. Y l m t , Spitrtanbvrs, S . C.
by-product sulfate of ammonia can be purchased today for $2.13 a unit of nitrogen delivered. Even cyanamide is being sold and delivered at 81.94 per unit of nitrogen; suoli has been the progress under privat.e control. And such has been the more recent progress in the United States synthetic ammonia production that oven cyanamide is no longer our cheapest unit of nitrogen. I n the face of these figures there should be no justification in operating Muscle Shoals to produce cyanamide, a process wasteful in power, producing a material limited in its consumption through its revertive action on soluble phosphoric acid, and possessing a questionable agricultural value through its toxic qualities after soil application, causing alleged inhibition of the plant growth. Furthermore, Germany with its 450,000 tons of AaberRoseh nitrogen, 70,000 tons of cyanamide nitrogen, G0,000 tons of by-product nitrogen, and other sources, totaling now about 600,000 tons of fixed nitrogen is, with England, France, Italy, and Japan, expanding along the synthetic ammonia process rather than through t,he cyanamide process. Recently Germany iriereascd its cyanamide plant a t Piesteritz, by 10 per cent, using i t for phospliorus productions. At present hut half tlic cyanamide capacity is act.ually producing, the increase being along synthetic ammonia processes. Surely in the face of this evidence our legislators will not f : d to see the trend of the expaiision and realize that electric power is too expensive for nitrogen fixation, esl~eciallgwlieii power can he sold at a good protit and its use in nitrogen fisation cannot hope t.o compede nitli cheap coal. Possibly some phosphorus process could be adopted at >Iusele Shoals and, with equipment changes and proper power costs, under private control, we could utilize the present plsnt. Rut as it stands at present, as a source of cheap ammonia it is out of the picture. Intelligent legislation, with the coliperation of the industry, and a full understanding of its economic needs, should aim to promole, not discourage, research; oncourage, not throttle, progress; protect, not tlireaten, the very life of the industry through unwise subsidized competition with its citizenship.
1138
I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
A strong fertilizer industry is an insurance of profitable agricultural operations in time of peace, and a national asset in time of war. Costly experience has proved this fact. It would be a great misfortune to disrupt such an industry, now making such progress toward nitrogen independence, serving millions of satisfied customers with a commodity relatively lower than any agricultural supply he buys and much lower than any he sells. We all recognize the unsound economics of producing more food when there is already an overproduction. No one suggests that the Government produce more food and cheaper food, just as it is uneconomic for the Government to suggest an overproduction of fertilizers when they are already cheap. The present industry has a capacity of a t least 10 million tons, and could easily extend this to 12 million if tbe demand so required and the materials were available. Muscle Shoals only adds to the burden of a n industry already suffering from overproduction. The following balance sheet is an attempt to account for the nitrogen used, produced, and imported by the United States: Nitrogen Balance S h e e t for United S t a t e s Agriculture 1927 PRODUCTION
Tons
715,000 13,000 2,840,000 350,000 100,000 45,000 153,000
Tons N 147,290 13,000 163,684 28,000 7,400 2,600 5,800
Expressed as sulfate ammonia Synthetic ammonia Cottonseed meal Packing-house tankage Nitrogenous tankage Wet and dry fish scrap Humus, garbage, rough ammoniates
Vol. 20, No. 11
nitrogen independence, such independence as Germany was able to obtain in less than ten years. Synthetic Anhydrous Ammonia During the past year very important work has been done which indicates that synthetic ammonia, in the form of 25 per cent ammonia liquor, can be used in mixed fertilizers in place of all or a part of sulfate of ammonia. The mineral ammonia, as usually supplied in our average 3 per cent ammonia fertilizer, can, under the present formulating ratios, be secured from liquid ammonia. Several thousand tons have been so made the past year, and several of the large companies are equipping their plants to take advantage of the important economy when the new Hopewell product is available. The use of this material is limited by the acidity of the superphosphate. KO gypsum is formed; curing takes place quicker and with less of the objectionable cementing. Properly handled, there is no reversion of phosphoric acid, such as would occur when the same amount of lime was used. General use of this material in 6,000,000 tons of mixed fertilizers might absorb 90,000 tons of synthetic nitrogen. Mixed Fertilizers
The Germans have prepared several mixtures under the trade name of “Nitrophoska,” using Dorr process phosphoric acid and combinations of their synthetic compounds. About -- 150,000 tons were sold in Germany in 1927-28, and 3000 tons consumed in the United States. I n making the Nitrophoska Total... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367,674 Tons Tons N the diammonium salt and potassium salts are run into a hot Exported : 157,000 Sulfate ammonia 32,342 solution of ammonium nitrate. 405,000 Cottonseed meal 28,512 60,854 In but one of the five grades have they appeared to give Consumed in any consideration to the approved planefood ratios of the stock feeds: 1,895,000 Cottonseed meal 109,152 332,500 Packing-house United States agronomists-namely, their No. 1, 15-30-15, tankage 26,600 135,752 ratio 1-2-1. The reason is obvious. Except the 15-30-15, Used in other we can duplicate the analysis, if practical and desirable, using industries: 138,000 Sulfate ammonia 28 428 13,000 Synthetic ammonia 13:OOO (A) 41,428 238,034 --___-__--urea, nitrate of potash, Ammo-Phos, and Trona potash. Balance left for agriculture (B). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129,640 With our domestic material we can easily produce a 12-24-12, CONSUMPTION (STOCKF B S DEXCLUDBD) ~ ratio 1-2-1, a triple 4-84; or a 10-30-10, ratio 1-3-1, a Tons %N Tons N triple 3-10-3, each standard grades. 336 958 Mixed fertilizers in N. E. states 4 13,478 Farmers are not accustomed to the use of these concen700’000 Mixed fertilizers in Middle states 2 14,000 3,870:OOO Mixed fertilizers in Southern states 2.7 104,490 trated products and are slow to adopt new ideas; yet the 655,000 Mixed fertilizers in Middle West states 2 13,100 evidence shows that the trade is absorbing a substantial 2,600 130,000 Mixed fertilizers in Western states 2 ----tonnage. When the merits of these mixtures are better 5,691,958 147,668 understood, and agricultural implements are designed to 80,000 Sulfate ammonia top dressers 20.6 16,480 15.5 24,800 160 000 Chilean nitrate top dressers distribute them properly, the demand will increase from 18:300 Calaum hitrate top dressers 15.5 2,836 330,000 Cottonseed meal top dressers and mixed 5 . 7 6 19,008 year to year. --There is an increasing production of liquid phosphoric 63,124 6,280,258 --acid, abroad and in the United States. With greater proCpnsumption in agriculture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210,792 120,000 Consumption in other industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . duction will come cheaper costs. The phosphoric acid now --going into concentrated superphosphate has a potential value 330,792 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . as a future source (combined with cheaper synthetic amLess tonnage made in U. S. and used in agriculture and other in171,068 dustries (A and B),...................................... monia) of ammoniated phosphates. 159,724 The chemists of our Department of Agriculture are carrying 161,068 Shortage in U. S. (mineral nitrogen) on some very interesting work in producing various conIMPORTS Tons centrated compounds of ammonia, phosphoric acid, and % N 1 6 . 5 116,053 748,742 potash, studying their hygroscopicity, alone and in com15.5 2,836 18,300 bination with other concentrated compounds. Of special 20.6 22,434 109,000 3,120 26 12,000 interest is the treatment of ground rock with nitric oxide from 20.6 3,493 17,150 1.850 7.4 tankage 25 000 synthetic ammonia in the presence of water. This produces 13 1,430 11:OOO So. Am. packing-house blood 7.4 2,664 a mixture of ammonium and calcium nitrates and phosphates 36 000 Nitrogenous tankage 1,927 27 7’139 Ammonium chloride with nearly all of the phosphoric acid in dicalcic form. Also 36 1,960 6:600 Ammonium nitrate 184 46 400 Urea the treatment of potash, distillery waste in saturated form, 11,815 I tons) Visible nitrate stocks 7-1-26(18,466 tons) ; 72,000 with nitric oxide and subsequent neutralization with amMiscellaneous materials . . . . . . . . . 171,266 monia, produces a salt testing 19 per cent nitrogen and 27 Total.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . per cent KzO. So far the work has been purely scientific These figures indicate, even with the potential capacity with very little attention to the commercial value of the at Muscle Shoals a reality, that we are still a long way from process.
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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
November, 1928
Fertilizers of the Future The direct synthetic process offers greater promise of cheaper nitrogen than any other process, and new compounds will no doubt continue to appear from Germany. Recently we have heard of Nitrochalk from England, a low-grade ammonia product. Their action in combination with other materials must be acceptable to the manufacturers and soil chemists. They must remain under storage and in packages in good dry drilling condition. Their nitrogen must be in a combination that will not damage crops, especially a t the germination period. When these combinations are made and the nitrogenphosphoric unit costs are about the same as in regular compounds, then the production of these compounds mill become of great importance to the producers and consumers.
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With this increasing supply of acceptable products, already a surplus in one or two countries, radical changes in the agriculture of the United States and the rest of the world are bound to come. As the cost is lowered the marketing area will expand and eventually the standard of living of the entire world mill be raised. Instead of nitrogen starvation, we will have an era of nitrogen prosperity. One of our leading scientists has stated that we may find out how bacteria annex nitrogen from the air without a catalytic agent, high pressures, or high temperatures, and be able to duplicate the process. The impossible becomes possible through creative chemistry. It may be in the future ages that nation’s wealth will be measured in terms of its nitrogen production instead of its gold. At present we hear of the electric age. Perhaps the next one will be the nitrogen age.
Economic Status of the By-product Coking Industry with Reference to the Nitrogen Situation’ C. J. Ramsburg2 THEKOPPERS COMPANY, PITTSBURGH, PA.
STUDY of the economic status of by-product nitrogen in its broadest aspects must involve a study of the status of the by-product coking industry. Byproduct nitrogen cannot be isolated from the industry that is responsible for its production and upon whose prosperity its continued production depends. Therefore this paper will discuss the by-product coking industry, how it helps the country in time of war, and how it advances the cause of health and prosperity in time of peace. The past development] present position, and future prospects of by-product nitrogen can best be understood with a discussion of the by-product coking industry as a background. Development and Present Magnitude of By-product Coking
A
time made possible by advances in design and operation. At the plant of the Carnegie Steel Co., Clairton, Pa., the largest coke plant in the world, there are 1482 by-product ovens, producing nearly 8 million tons of coke per year, or over four times the entire production of by-product coke in 1903. Figure 1 shows an early by-product coke plant, and Figure 2 is a view of a new plant of the most modern design. During the past fifteen years by-product ovens have been responsible for more and more of the total coke production. As shown in Table I by-product coke production in 1913 amounted to 12,714,700 tons, or 27.5 per cent of the total. In 1927 the production amounted to 43,884,726 tons, or 86.2 per cent of the total. During the first six months of 1928 by-product coke has increased to 91.2 per cent. Figure 3 is a graph of by-product, beehive, and total coke production for the period 1905 to 1927. Table I1 is a summary of the coke industry for 1927. During that year, 63,224,400 net tons of coal were charged Ramsburg to by-product ovens, or over 12 per cent of the bituminous coal produced.
The by-product coking industry has reached its present economical and technical position only through unremitting scientific research and constant, aggressive application of modern technical and economic principles. The Becker oven, introduced by The Koppers Company in C. J . 1922, is an example of the application of scientific principles to coke-oven design. The success of this oven is evidenced by the fact that there are now in operation or under construction in the United States 2774 ovens of this type, with an annual coal carbonizing capacity of 24,450,000 tons. The first by-product coke ovens in the United States were constructed a t Syracuse, N. Y., in 1893, a battery of 12 ovens. Twenty-five years ago there were 1956 by-product ovens in operation. They produced 1,882,394 tons of coke, or 7.4 per cent of the total coke produced in that year. The average production per oven was 962.4 tons, or a t the rate of 2.64 tons per day. Modern by-product ovens have been constructed t o produce nearly 25 tons of coke per day, the increase being due both t o larger size of ovens and to the decreased coking 1
Presented under the title “By-Product Nitrogen.” The Roppers Company.
* Vice president,
Table I-Coke YEAR 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927
BEEHIVE Net tons 33,584,830 23,335,971 27,508,255 35,464,224 33,167,548 30,480,605 19,042,936 20,511,092 5,538,042 8,573,467 19,379,870 10,286,037 11,354,784 12,488,951 7,004,000
Production in t h e United S t a t e s P E R CENT OF TOTAL Beehive By-product
B Y - P R O D L ~ T TOTAL Net tons Net tons 12,714,700 46,299,530 11,219,943 34,555,914 14,072,898 41,581,150 19,069,361 54,533,585 22,439,280 55,606328 25,997,580 56,478,185 25,137,621 44,180,557 30,833,951 51,345,043 19,749,580 25,287,622 28,550345 37,124,012 37,597,664 56,977,534 33,983,568 44,269,605 39,912,159 51,266,943 56,865,537 44,376,586 43,884,726 50,888,728
72.5 67.5 66.1 6.50 59.6 54.0 43.1 40.0 21.9 23.1 34.0 23.2 22.2 22.0 13.8
27.5 32.5 33.9 35.0 40.4 46.0 56.9 60.0 73.1 76.9 66.0 76.8 77.8 78.0
86.2
Table 111 gives the amount and value of by-products sold, and of the by-product coke produced in 1927. This impres-
