PRODUCTION Formaldehyde G r o w s A b r o a d Montecatini will build third air-oxidation formaldehyde plant using its patented process w
ITHIN a few months,
Montecatini
will build a 5 5 million pound per year formaldehyde plant a t Castellanza, Italy. This will b e t h e third unit to use the company's process for making the product by air-oxidation of methanol. Following development of the proc-
58
C&EN
MAY
2 6,
1958
ess by Ciulio Xatta at Milan Polytechnic Institute, and three years' operation of a pilot plant, Montecatini built a 25 million pound p e r year plant at this site near Milan in 1955. T h e following year it added a second plant with a yearly capacity o f 55 million pounds. The patented Montecatini process
makes a 37 f < ( b y weight) solution of formaldehvue, one of t h e common grades in t h e U. S. T h e catalyst, which Montecatini identifies only as "a special catalyst formed b y a mixture of metallic oxides," usually lasts more than a year, according to Montecatini. While in some cases t h e catalysts used in methanol oxidation plants in this country last as long, generally t h e life is considerably less, some producers say. The process also uses all heat produced in the converter. • How It Works. In t h e process, liquid methanol is injected into air which has been preheated in a heat exchanger that uses heat generated in the converter or reactor. T h e air-methanol mixture then goes to the converter, where a mineral oil is used as a thermostatic fluid. Excess heat produced
Now you can predict service life because Byers PVC Pipe Engineering brings a factual approach to piping system design
F A C T I 400 corrosion resistance ratings are available for Byers PVC Pipe
T h e ability of Byers P V C Pipe to handle various corrosive media is down in black and white. There a r e a number of tables available from Byers Engineering Service D e p a r t m e n t listing corrosion resistance ratings. Actual laboratory tests helped to determine these ratings. And we present them on a comparative basis with several metallic pipe materials. Since ratings appear only for 72°F a n d 140°F, these tables do not show all applicable ranges for Byers P V C Pipe. So if applications arise where you need more information, a t a specific t e m p e r a t u r e and concentration, check with us. Remember—as in metals—concentration, temperatures and stress influence corrosion rates of P V C . T y p e I P V C displays considerably greater corrosion resistance t h a n T y p e I I , which is best where high impact resistance is t h e prime consideration. More of this story is available from t h e Byers field service representative. Call him, soon. A . M. B y e r s Company, Clark B u i l d i n g , P i t t s b u r g h 2 2 , P e n n s y l v a n i a .
BYERS
PVC
PIPE
Resistance ratings are divided into four categories: E f o r excellent, G f o r good, L for limited, and U for unsatisfactory. In applications where PVC is rated as "good** and "limited" i t will still display considerable resistance, in most cases higher than that of metal p i p e materials.
Write our Engineering Service Department for copy of this new 32p a g e illustrated catalog on Byers PVC Pipe.
Slurry Dewateri ng Problem?
PRODUCTION
Stf->
DENVER designs
and manu-
factures
a complete
line of Disc Filters, Agitator-Type
Disc
Filters, Drum Filters, Package Filter Units and
complete
watering for
Sizes to 9' dia. x 12 Disc
de-
equipment
the
Write
Chemical
for Bulletin No. F9-B5
Process Industry.laboratory
Filtering
Test
Service
at
no
charge.
in the converter is recovered in a boiler to m a k e high-pressure steam. Gases leaving t h e converter are cooled in the heat exchanger and then are scrubbed counter-currently with water in a single, multistage absorption column in which die formaldehyde solution is recycled in t h e first two stages. The 37'Y product solution comes directly from die absorption column. T h e process yield is generally over 9 0 ' ' o n a stoichiometric basis. The product contains less than V'< (by weight) of formic acid. As a result, equipment to recover or distill unreacted methanol, a n d ion exchange columns for removing formic acid are not required. ( I n the U. S., an estimated 50'A of existing plants require ion exchange removal of formic acid.) • Economics. Montecatini says the simplified design a n d construction result generally in continuous operation cf the plant for 3 5 0 days per year.
Montecatini points to the low capital cost of a plant using the process. Overall cost of an assembled unit ready t o use, with a capacity of 5 5 million p o u n d s p e r year, is roughly $300,000 in Italy. This includes control a n d measuring instruments, flame-proof electrical equipment, and reserves for compressors a n d p u m p s , hut no storage tanks for methanol and formaldehyde. Published estimates for methanol oxidation p l a n t s in the U. S. are on a basis of $30,000 per 1 million pounds of annual capacity, which ranges from 25 t c 2 3 5 million p o u n d s . T h e Montecatini process requires 0.4 c u b i c foot of water a n d 0.O3 kw.-hr. of power p e r pound of formald e h y d e product. Steam is p r o d u c e d a t 280 p o u n d s per square inch gage a t a rate of 0.35 p o u n d per pound of product. Montecatini says its process o p erates completely automatically, r e quires only o n e man per shift.
1-400SEYENTEENTH ST. DENVER/ COLO.
PUMP Liquids Gases Slurries
}
WITHOUT CORROSION or
CONTAMINATION
Wavelike Motion of Steel Finger
Now-Slush Mold Polyethylene Forces Material Through Tubinq -Jt^KSul
Capacities
(JjriiiTlIB IfflBJPi
^'^ cc# P er m ' n * to 4.5 G. P.M.
Prices range from $ 6 O „ 0 0 tO depending on size $550.00 a n d accessories ^ Write for Catalog.
SIGMA/MOTOR, INC. 5 North Main St.
60
C&EN
Middleport, N . Y .
M A Y 2 6, 1 9 5 8
A process developed b y Allied's Semet Solvay Petrochemical Division n o w p u t s polyethylene into a molding field generally associated with vinyl plastisols. T h e fiek.: slush molding. Some advantages of t h e process, according to Allied a r e short runs, low pressures, a n d inexpensive molds. And it can be used t o make objects ranging from small toys to large pieces, such as t h e duck deeoy being made above. Process consists of pouring molten polyethylene into a split mold, allowing it to solidify a n d then pouring off any excess. A blend of h i g h a n d low molecular weight polyethylenes should be used, says Allied, so that t h e material will flow readily a n d still have good strength properties. Recommended: } viscosities of 5000 to 10,000 centipoises a t 300° F .
