INDUSTRIAL A X D ENGIXEERING CHEMISTRY
1076
is it easy to probe the extent of his general interests and hobbies, which are and have been as wide and varied as his technical interests. But a caller a t his home a t Lewiston, below the Niagara escarpment and looking down a t a spot on the river where commenced an old carry, may find himself regaled with a feast of historical and topographical lore on such topics as the history of the early French and English settlements and what constituted a desirable site for Indian villages; or to be shown furniture carpentered by “A. H.” from historic timbers salvaged from the demolition of some ancient and noted building in the village, or a handful of arrowheads that might rouse even Whitney’s envy. Always an active member of technical societies, he has served on the boards of the Electrochemical Society and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. In 1922, the legislature of the State of New York passed a law requiring a state license as a condition for the practice of professional engineering. There
Vol. 23, So. 9
was much uneasiness a t the time in respect of the motive, wisdom, and probable results of this requirement, and had the law been administered either on a political basis or in an inadequate’manner, events might have justified this uneasiness. Fortunately, its administration was placed in the hands of an extremely competent board; and the licensing of engineers in New York State has been an entire success and was rapidly accepted as being as desirable as licensing in medical and legal practice. A . H. Hooker was appointed to the original board as representing, geographically, western New York, and, technically, chemical engineering; has served continuously on the board since-a record he shares with one other member-and is now chairman. His heavy share in the board’s work has constituted an important service to the public, and a still more important one to his fellow engineers. F. A . LIDBURY
NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE Burning Characteristics of Smokeless Powder Editor of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: In the article by A. M. Ball [IND.ENG. CHEM.,23, 498-501 (1931) 1, a time-saving method of calculating explosion temperatures is presented, together with an interesting series of temperature calculations made by this method. It is admitted by the author that the chief value of such calculations is in giving useful relative results rather than reliable absolute values. In other words, the results are as good as the heat data from which they are calculated. Even aside from this consideration, however, the reliability of the temperature values themselves can be enhanced by correction of an error which, though not great, should be pointed out in the interests of mathematical accuracy and clear reasoning. Using the notation of the article referred to, if the sum of Q3 and Q4 is to be equated to Q. the heat liberated on complete oxidation of the powder in an oxygen-bomb calorimeter, then obviously 44 must equal the heat liberated on condensation of the water present in the “frozen” equilibrium mixture, plus the heat of oxidation of the hydrogen (to liquid water) and carbon monoxide. It may be noted in passing that the heat effect a t room temperature due to any shifting of the water-gas equilibrium is nil: CO
+ H20 (liq.)
-
298” K.
COz
+ HZ
i=
0 cal. (constant volume)
The author’s Equation 7 reads:
Q - Q3
= Q4 = 97[(COz’)
+ 29[(CO’)
- (COz)] +
- (CO)]
5?.5[(HzO‘) - (HzO)] + 18.9(CH4’) + 10.5(HzO’)
The primed quantities are those found after completion of the combustion process and the unprimed refer to the concentrations which satisfy the water-gas equilibrium a t the explosion temperature. It is evident that where the combustion is colnpleted in excess of oxygen,
Equation 7 becomes, then, = = 9i(CO) + 57.5[(Ha) - 1/z(HN03’)] - 29(CO) + 10.5[(HzO) + (Hz) - ‘/z(HNOa’)] + 40.2(HN03’) = SS(C0) 4-68[(H2) - ‘/a(HNOa’)] + 10.5(HzO) + 40.2(HNOa‘,)
Q
- Q3
Q4
(ia) This differs from the author’s Equation i a by the inclusion of thc term 10.5(H10). His values of Q 3 are thus too high. In the typical calculation given, 10.5(H~O)= 0.112 cal. Q3 = L:f C,dt = 1.129 - 0.112 = 1.017cal.
and
The temperature result calculated from this is about 200 degrees lower than that from the uncorrected value of Q 3 . . If all the nitrogen be converted to nitric acid on combustion of the powder in the oxygen-bomb calorimeter, then of course ‘/z(HXOa’) = (Nz) = ‘/z atom (N) in powder and Equation 7a may be expressed differently. However, no evidence is given for this complete conversion. It may be noted that Equation 7a may be expressed in the following manner also:
Q - Qs = 68[(CO)
+ (Hz)] + 10.5(HzO) + 6.2(HN03‘) ( i b )
This is only another way of expressing the zero heat effect a t room temperature of the water-gas reaction. It indicates that when the powder is exploded in a closed container, the heat liberated falls short of that liberated on combustion of the powder in excess of oxygen. The difference depends largely on the sum of the carbon monoxide and hydrogen concentrations. This sum is independent of the water-gas equilibrium and can be calculated very simply from the ultimate composition of the powder, for, since
C. G. DUNKLE
(CO’) = 0 (H“’) =
n
(cH;I) =- 0 (CO) (Con) = (COZ’) = atoms C in 1 gram powder 1/2(HiY03’) = ‘ / z atom H in 1 gram (HzO) (Ha) = (H2O’) powder
+ +
+
Box 271 N. J. July 17, 1931 WHARTON,
.. , . . . . . . . . . . .
September, 1931
I N D U S T R I A L A X D ENGINEERING C H E M I S T R Y
Editor of Industrial and Engiiieering Chemistry: The writer wishes to thank Mr. Dunkle for pointing out the error in Equation 7a and in the burning-temperature values calculated from it, As Mr, Dunkle calculates the col-rection, it amounts to about 200 degrees in the typical calculation. Since the amount of water formed in the combustion of all the powders considered varies only within quite narrow limits, a deduction of 200 degrees from each of the calculated temperatures should put them within the limit of error set in the original article. The relative values of the burning temperatures of the various pow-
1077
ders are therefore unaffected by this correction. The compositions Of the gases are changed only very slightly with this change of temperature. The simplification in the labor of numerical calculation afforded by Mr. Dunkle’s Equation 7 b will be appreciated by anyone who has to calculate a number of burning temperatures. A. M. BALL HERCULES EXPERIMENTAL ST.4TlON WILMINGTON,
DEL,
j U i y 28, 1931
BOOK REVIEWS Algebraic Charts. BY EDGARDEHN. 6 charts. Nomographic Press, 509 Fifth Ave., hTewYork, N. Y., 1930. Price, bound, $1.50; paper, $1.00. Nomography, as its name implies, is the art of drafting laws. The laws of that branch of logic to which the ancients gave the name of algebra are well established. By means of these laws, algebraic problems can be solved more or less readily by elementary analytical methods. Elementary methods are found wanting, though, when a problem finds symbolism in the form of. simultaneous quadratics involving two unknowns. A way out is through the nomographic process, by graphic algebra. This art of picturing symbolic logic can be extended indefinitely, including equations of any degree whatsoever, with as many variables as you please. These pictures demonstrate that algebraic expressions group themselves in definite family relationships, and thus we have families of so-called curves representing those of the ilk straight line, circular, parabolic, hyperbolic, exponential, and logarithmic, as well as numerous cadets or offshoots. It is not a new art. The French and Germans have always delighted in it. Newton was aware of it, and in his time one Thomas Baker published a treatise, entitled “The Geometrical Key, or the Gate of Equations Unlocked.” But if not new, neither is it exact. The results obtained, even under the most favorable circumstances, are only approximate. This approximation to actual values becomes vocal when one subjects to the graphic art individual problems in linears, quadratics, cubics, and quartics. When on a chart of normal dimensions is crowded a large algebraic family of varying coefficients, as is done here, and one has to cut and try, like a mathematical seamstress on a chart that resembles a woman’s dress pattern, the process becomes confusing and tiresome. It were less laborious, we think, to brush up on the higher algebra and then solve our problems in cubics and quartics by the oldfashioned analytical methods. . . And typographically the book is marred and the reader bothered by finding the charts and directions for using them otherwise than on facing pages.GEORGEA. WARDLAW The Soil and the Microbe. An Introduction to the Study of the Microscopic Population of the Soil and Its Role in Soil Processes and Plant Growth. BY S. A. WAKSMANAND R. L. STARKEY. 260 pages, 85 figures, and 56 tables. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 1931. Price, $3.50. This text is well written in a clear, lucid, and interesting style. The material is organized in a logical manner and is nicely illustrated with a series of aptly chosen figures. Most of the illustrations have been taken from original publications rather than from other tests. A small selected list of references a t the end of each chapter is, for the most part, general treatises rather than original publications of research. Unfortunately, adequate references are not given to many of the figures and tahles which are copied from original research publications. The subject matter deals largely with the chemical transformations of the organic and inorganic materials in the soil as these transformations are brought about by microorganisms. The necessary background of the soil constitution and conditions, as well as a general discussion of microbic life, is included in the first chapters of the book. The microbiology of the soil is not treated in as great detail, however, as might be implied from the title. Methods of culturing and adequate descriptions of the cultural, morphological, and physiological characteristics of even
the more important soil microorganisms have been omitted in many instances. For the most part the authors have treated of material with which they are thoroughly familiar from an experimental standpoint. The result in most sections is an authentic presentation which is often lacking in texts. A few exceptions to this general statement are found, however-e. g., in the section on the nodule bacteria of the leguminous plants, certain ideas which are not strictly accurate have been copied from the older papers. This text should prove useful to the advanced student and research worker in soils as well as to those interested in the more general phases of plant growth or microbiological transformations.-I. L. BALDWIN
An Introduction to Biochemistry.
BY ROGERJ. WILLIAMS. 501 pp. Illustrated. D. Van Nostrand Co., inc., New xiv York, 1931. Price, $4.00. The author notes that “perhaps the’most pressing need for a broader treatment of biochemistry comes from those students whose training is to be primarily in the field of chemistry. . . . Specialization has become so narrow that one may take a doctorate degree in organic chemistry and yet be ignorant of the most rudimentary facts relating to the chemistry of organisms. . . . There is an emphatic need in a well-rounded chemical curriculum for a t least one course dealing with ‘the chemistry of organisms.’ ” It was to supply a text for such a course that the present volume was written. The author presupposes that the student will have already had an adequate course in organic chemistry and notes that a foundation course in general biology would be extremely desirable. Following an orientation chapter where the eighteen major phyla of living organisms are listed and briefly discussed and where the relationships of biochemistry to biology and to chemistry are considered, the book is divided into six sections: I, The Composition of Organisms; 11, The Nutritional Requirements of Organisms; 111, Mechanisms Used by Organisms in General for Promoting and Regulating Chemical Changes; IV, The Metabolism of Single Cells; V, Metabolism in Green Seed Plants; and VI, Metabolism in Mammals. The first section contains eight chapters dealing with cell structure, inorganic constituents, carbohydrates (34 pages), fats and related compounds (15 pages), proteins (26 pages), colloidal systems (28 pages), miscellaneous organic constituents (23 pages), and the essential characteristics of living matter (5 pages). The second section contains four chapters dealing, respectively, with the nutritional requirements of bacteria and fungi, green plants, the lower animals, and the mammals. The third section contains only two chapters, dealing with permeability and enzyme action. The fourth section likewise contains two chapters in which the metabolism of bacteria and yeasts, protozoa, fertilized egg cells, and isolated tissue cells are discussed. The fifth section, containing three chapters, covers the metabolism of seeds, leaves, and the movement of materials, and general metabolism and excretion in green plants. The last section of eight chapters, dealing with mammals, considers temperature regulation, metabolic rate, digestion and absorption, intermediate carbohydrate metabolism, intermediate fat and lipoid metabolism, intermediate protein metabolism, metabolism of miscellaneous food constituents and excretion. The book closes with 57 “suggested laboratory experiments” (33 pages) and a 22-page subject index. There is no question in the mind of the reviewer that there is
+
