THE CHEMICAL WORLD THIS WEEK CSrEN REPORT: A m e r i c a n C o k e a n d C o a l Chemicals Institute
No Increases Held Likely In Sulfuric Consumption R"5fE, Ν . Υ.— The Government cannot now permit any increase in sulfur consumption at>ove the 1950 consuming rate, although supply and demand estimates for 1955 would indicate that the sulfur problem is approaching a solution, the American Coke antd Coal Chemicals Institute was informed at its meeting here, April 21 and 22, by a representative of the National Production Authority. The speaker, J. G. McMullen, deputy chfcief o f the NPA inorganic and agricultural chemicals branch, said that actually our pr-ociuction of elemental sulfur is more than ample for United States needs, but it is essential that the requirements of friendly nations be taken care of out of domestic* pr-ocluction. Out of current production of 5,345,000 tons of mineral sulfur, some 1,275,000 tons are reported, leaving the United States with 4,070,000 tons for domestic needs, chaiefly sulfuric acid. As to future dis coveries of new sources for Frasch process suLlfur, the speaker said the indications are lhat it will play a less important part.
Sulfuric acid, which is extremely sensitive to changes in business conditions, accounts for about 80% of s'llfur consumption. An indication of the importance of the chemical will be seen in the fact that more than one half of the actions taken by the NPA chemicals division involve sulfur. Despite the 9 0 % restriction on sulfur uses, consumption is approximately the same as the 1950 rate. Coal Correlation Studies. A research program for correlating the chemical and physical properties of coal and coal blends so that the "expansion behavior" of coal during carbonization can b e predicted, was discussed by E. S. Pettyjohn, director of the Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago. A minimum amount of expansion is de sirable in the formation of metallurgical coke. The object is to limit expansion also to avoid excessive damage to coke-oven \ν;ΐ1Κ.
One reason for this is the present cost of ovens, »?ow as much as $130,000 per oven. Without the by-product recovery facilities, the cost may run from $75,000 to $85,000.
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CHEMICAL
European Gas Manufacture. Recent European developments i n gas manufac ture were taken up at the meeting b y L. L . Newman, fuels a n d explosives division, Bureau of Mines. In Germany most of t h e industrial gas is obtained from coal dis tillation although growth o f both coke and gas are limited in the absence of steel i n dustry expansion, N e w methods are being sought employing cheaper fuels. One interesting n e w development is represented b y a gasification unit wherein the combustion chamber i s said to b e t h e outgrowth of the V - l buzz bomb. Kxperiments with this idea have been conducted at the bureau. The n e w Lurgi system also was described, as w e l l as the fiuidized g a s operation at the old Badisch plant in Germany. Fuel ία fiuidized form is getting attention in England through t h e Imperial Chemical Industries' fiuidized coal gasifi cation process. An improved method is under construction at Wilton for t h e ICI. T h e depth of the fuel bed i s receiving more study abroad, especially in England. In discussing t h e Lurgi system, t h e speaker said that operation is conducted at high pressures. The rate of flow through the fuel beds is decreased; hence, there is less lifting of tie fuel bed along with re duction in costs. T h e process allows t h e recovery of more methane, and the yield of gas is around 475 B.t.u. Benzene Costs. High costs of benzene and some other coal chemicals were dis cussed b y Joseph F. Parsons, Monsanto Chemical, who appeared on the program in place of Clayton A. Wolfe o f that com pany. Benzene from petroleum at present is costing from 45 to 55 cents per gallon, which is much higher than by-product benzene, and there may be a gradual lowering of these quotations, the speaker thought, as new facilities come into pro duction. Much research is being conducted by manufacturers with interest in chemicals upon which to build benzene-based prod ucts. Benzene derivatives range from phenol to salicylic. In styrene, essential material in synthetic rubber and poly styrene resins, new uses are being found all the time. Styrene will polymerize with everything except "cats." Benzene, which sold some years ago at 15 cents per gallon, is now 30 to 3 9 cents as a coke-oven by-product- Owing t o keen competition, however, it may not be always possible to advance derivatives such as phenol and styrene correspondingly. T h e speaker was sure that coke-oven interests did not want to s e e benzene price itself out of t h e plastics market. During informal discussion following a luncheon at the Westchester Country Club, where the meeting "was held, it w a s stated that some 3 0 million gallons of foreign benzene w e r e being imported an nually, most of w h i c h i s British motor grade. T o this the tanker freight rate of 3 cents has to b e added, bringing t h e landed cost to 40 cents a gallon.
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ENGINEERING
NEWS
