Apr., 1 9 1 3
T H E JOlYRS.4L O F IAYDL-;STRI.lL AiYD E.\‘GI.\-EERI-\‘G
The present general scheme of operations in the process is as follows: The roaster gases pass first through a dust settler, which leaves them fairly clean, small amounts of dust seeming to produce no deleterious effect for a considerable time. From the dust chamber the gases pass t o the fore-chamber, where a certain amount of oil is introduced. Thence the gases go to the contact chamber, where additional oil is introduced. The relative amounts introduced a t the two places are adjusted by the temperature conditions which establish themselves in the contact chamber, the total amount being t h a t necessary t o burn out oxygen and reduce sulfur dioxide. The contact material i s made up from plaster of Paris, which is mixed with water containing a small amount of iron salts, allowed to set and then broken into lumps. The issuing gases containing free sulfur pass t o cooling and condensing apparatus, where the sulfur deposits. The principal chemical difficulties met have had to do with the poisoning of the contact material, owing t o deposition of flue dust thereon, high temperatures, and the presence of foreign substances The plant has been run for periods of I O t o I Z days upon the same charge of contact rflaterial, without loss of activity. THE IODINE INDUSTRY The ash of “tang” (sea-weed), which is now worked up for iodine in Norway, is shipped mainly to the iodine factories in England and Scotland. These factories, belonging to a trust, have depressed the price for sea-meed ash down t o z cents per kilogram (a few years ago the price was still 3 cents); as a consequence, the calcination of sea-weed has diminished considerably in Norway. There are three small and unimportant iodine factories in Norway. The plan now is t o erect a large modern iodine factory for working up 2 , 0 0 0 tons of sea-weed ash; this is intended to be entirely independent of the iodine trust, and is t o be operated on a cooperative basis, in order to give the producers of the ash a n opportunity t o participate in the profits. It is also planned t o manufacture norgine from sea-weed (norgine is a tungate of calcium, obtained by precipitating extracts from the sea-weed by milk of lime; i t is used as a n adhesive). THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS MANTLES Bohm, the author of “ Das Gasgliihlicht” (1905) and Die Fabrikation der Gliihkorper fur Gasgliihlicht” (19 I O ) , recently Gas Ltg., 121, 33, 100,181) a series of articles on published (1. the manufacture of mantles for incandescent gas lighting. Cuprammonium-cellulose, Chardonnet and viscose silks are all used for the manufacture of mantles; mantles of artificial silk combine the high and well-maintained illuminating power of ramie fiber with a great elasticity of the ash skeleton, and are now coming largely into use. Cotton mantles decrease in brilliancy after use, while those of ramie fiber are fairly constant. Cotton and ramie mantles must be washed before impregnation, in order to remove the fat and mineral matter, and t o accomplish this the following process is employed: the mantles are soaked over night in a z per cent. solution of nitric acid, and the following morning they are centrifuged, treated with a dilute solution of ammonia, and then thoroughly washed. They are next dried in a current of hot air, any imperfect ones being removed. The mantles are impregnated by being soaked in a z j t o 33 per cent. water solutiofi of thorium and cerium nitrates in the proportion of 99 : I , to which very small quantities of beryllium and magnesium nitrates are added to harden and impart strength to the ash skeleton. The soaking period varies from one to two minutes in the case of ramie or cotton mantles, and requires five hours for artificial silk mantles. The superfluous liquid is removed by passage through a wringing machine, and the quantity of salts left in the mantles may be varied by adjusting the rollers of the machine. The mantles are next dried a t a temperature not exceeding 30° C., for which purpose the cotton I‘
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and ramie mantles, which are cut into short lengths prior to impregnation, are stretched over glass cylinders, and the artificial silk mantles, which are impregnated in lengths, are run over wooden rollers. The upright mantles are next fitted with a sewn-on tulle head or with a patent head, and the latter is fixed by treating with a j o per cent. water solution of aluminum and magnesium nitrates. The asbestos loop is next sewed on; the inverted mantles are drawn together with impregnated cotton, to form the “spider,” and are then fastened on to the supporting ring. The mantle is shaped on a wooden shaper, and is then burned off by a Bunsen flame. The ash skeleton is dipped into a collodionizing solution, usually consisting of IOO parts of a 4 per cent. collodion solution, 40 parts of ethyl ether, 6.j parts of camphor, and 3.j parts of castor oil. After drying rapidly a t jo-60’ C., the mantles are trimmed to the right length, sorted out into different qualities, and the imperfect ones rejected. ~.
ON SOME DEVELOPMENTS I N THE MINERAL OIL INDUSTRY At a recent meeting of the Chemische Gesellschaft am Rigaschen Polytechnischen Institut, J. Hirsch presented a paper on the mineral oil industry, the following account of which appeared in C‘lzemiker-Zeitung, 1913, No. 19, 198. By means of modern rectification apparatus, benzines are nombeing obtained which boil within a range of less than I O O C.; the demand for benzines of low specific gravity has induced refiners in Europe t o effect more satisfactory condensing arrangements; and, in Austria, the gases developed in winning petroleum are caught and condensed. Benzine products possessing a boiling point of between 130O and 180’ C., and a flash-point of over 30° C. A.-P., are now finding use in varnish manufacture, replacing spirits of turpentine and rosin oil. The burning oil industry of Europe has had much to contend with, for a t the inception of the industry the lamps on the market were only suitable for burning iZmerican kerosene. and consequently there was much prejudice against the European product. However, by stronger heating and more abundant admission of air these complaints were remedied. I t was also ascertained t h a t the American oils could be duplicated by suitable methods of refining, by treatment a t elevated temperatures with large amounts of sulfuric acid as monohydrate and with acids containing 20 per cent. anhydride. Treatment of the distillates with liquid sulfurous acid according t o Edeleanu’s patented process, was also found t o be satisfactory. However, Hirsch states t h a t i t has been found t h a t the cost of the products resulting from these methods of refining, is high. Experiments t o replace caustic soda by caustic lime and t o make the refining process a continuous one, have not met with success. Hirsch states t h a t the European petroleum industry is especially grateful to Ludwig Nobel for the introduction of methods of transportation (tank-wagons, tank-steamers, etc.), and t o Victor Ragosin, who was the first t o demonstrate the value of the residues for the manufacture of lubricants. I n producing lubricants from paraffin-free residues, decomposition must be carefully guarded against i n the distillation; while, in the case of paraffin oils, a small amount of decomposition is desirable, for i t accelerates the crystallization of the wax. The paraffin oils deposit the paraffin almost completely a t I O O to I j o C. A preliminary separation of the crude paraffin is now conducted i n filter presses constructed for a pressure up to I j atmospheres. It has been found in Russian practice t h a t the crude paraffin leaves the presses with a melting point of C., as i t contains 50 per cent. of oil. I11 freeing t h e ’ w a x from oil, i t has been found t h a t filter pressing according to the process of Nietsch and Winterstein, saves considerable time over the older methods of hydraulic-pressing and sweating. After refining the paraffin with acid and alkali, i t is now bleached by treatment with “ Hydrosilicate. ” Nuch progress has been
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T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y
made in the construction of special machinery for the production and treatment of paraffin, and the author makes mention of some of the important European manufacturers. THE WORLD’S PETROLEUM OUTPUT I N 1912 Petroleum Review notes that the world’s petroleum production continues to increase, t h e 1912output being as follows in barrels: United S t a t e s . , .................... 219,000,000 63,000,000 Russia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,000,000 Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,000,000 Dutch Indies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roumania. ........................ 12,500,000 Galicia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,000,000 British India. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500,000 Other countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,000,000 Total, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349,000,000 Total in 191 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335,500,000
THE PROGRESS O F PAPERMAKING I N 1912 The report of Mr. A. D. Little t o the American Paper and Pulp Association on the “Progress of Papermaking in 1912” appeared in Paper, IO, No. 1 1 , 35. The number of scientific papers bearing upon the paper and pulp industry which appeared during the year was only 127, and of these comparatively few had t o do with important new developments or were otherwise notable. Especially significant was the recent conference of over fifty paper manufacturers, representatives of testing laboratories, and others interested in paper specifications, which was called on January 24, by Dr. Stratton, of the Bureau of Standards, for the purpose of establishing a better understanding between the manufacturers and the Government officials who have the purchase of paper under their charge. It seems evident, hlr. Little observes, t h a t the Government by the careful testing of deliveries furnished under its paper specifications has attained a two-fold result: First, a better and more uniform supply of paper; and, second, the protection of those manufacturers who have honestly endeavored t o meet the specifications from the unfair competition of less conscientious bidders. Some progress was made at the conference toward greater uniformity of methods, and it was decided t o hold similar meetings each year. Further researches by Raitt into the papermaking qualities of bamboo amply confirm the general opinion of fiber experts t o t h e effect t h a t bamboo is particularly well adapted t o the requirements of the industry and should become a n important source of paper stock. Raitt concludes t h a t the sulfate process is best adapted t o t h e reduction of bamboo, and t h a t 80 per cent. of the Indian bamboo stand is made up of species available for paper-making. H e estimates t h a t a mill, producing 10,000 tons of bamboo pulp per year would require for a continuous supply of raw material a bamboo area of ten t o twenty-two square miles. Remington and others again called attention to the merits of Adansonia fiber as ‘a stock for the manufacture of especially strong papers; the ultimate fibers resemble those of manila hemp. Von Possanner, after studying fibers from the German colonies, reports t h a t Ponzolzia hyfioleuca yields 5 8 per cent. of unbleached fiber which is long and supple, and resembles, in some respects, both linen and cotton. Beadle and Stevens obtained results on treating Heydchzunz coronarium which indicate t h a t this tropical plant has promising possibilities; the fiber is stated t o be equal in strength t o t h e best pure manila. The utilization of the pith and fiber of waste sugar cane, after extraction of the sugar, is being developed along altogether new lines by the United Fruit Company. Notable examples of the utilization of waste material are to be found in the new mills of the West Virginia Pulp and Paper
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Company a t Covington, Va., for the manufacture of board of excellent quality from rossing waste; and a t the mill of the Southern Wood Distillates and Fiber Company a t Bogalusa, La., for the manufacture of board from waste wood by a new process involving treatment of the cooked waste under heavy crushing rollers. The series of papers by Zacharias which appeared in sixteen numbers of Pafiier-fabrikant had, for their subject matter, t h e boiling and steaming processes for making brown mechanical wood pulp. These articles lead to the conclusion t h a t boards made from boiled wood pulp show a decided advantage over steamed wood pulp board in tensile strength, resistance to folding, liability to tear, etc., and exhibit a greater stretch. An important study into the causes of the yellow discoloration of paper has been made by Schoeller. Papers containing mechanical wood pulp discolor very readily with age, and papers containing straw and esparto are likewise subject to discoloration. Chemical wood pulp turns yellow to a less extent, while t h e paper made entirely from rags suffers slight discoloration. The coloring may be due to destruction of the ultramarine or other blue color used, or to actual yellowing of some component of paper. However, the most important cause of discoloration is the rosin size. A RECORD O F INDUSTRIAL GROWTH THE SEMI-CENTEXXIAL OF THE FARBWERKE VORM. MEISTER LUCIUS & B R ~ ~ N I N AT G HOCHST A/M, GERMANY
On January 4, 1913,the Farbwerke vorm. Xeister Lucius & Briining celebrated its semi-centennial, The history of this great firm is a record of the development of German chemical industry; the account which is given below is taken from Die Chemische Industrie, 36, 7 0 . In 1862,two chemists and two merchants organized a firm for the manufacture of t a r colors, and the plant was started the following year with five workmen, one clerk, and one chemist. One boiler of 3 H. P. supplied the power. Fuchsin, anilin blue, alkali blue, aldehyde green, methyl violet, methyl green, and malachite green were the first products. In 1869,the manufacture of alizarine was taken up. In 1878, new buildings were erected for the manufacture of azo-dyes, and two years later the firm was formed into a n Actien-Gesellschaft. In 1883, the manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations was started with antipyrine; in 1892, Koch’s tuberculin and Behring’s diphtheria serum were prepared and marketed; and in 1898 t h e manufacture of synthetic indigo was begun. The number of types of dyes and colors manufactured twenty-five years are manuago amounted t o 1700-1800; to-day about 11,000 factured. Salvarsan is another product of the concern. I n 1888,the steam engines had a total horse-power of 1840; to-day 30,000H. P. are required. The increase in personnel is shown in the following table: Year 1888 1860 Workmen., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Foremen.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Chemists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 7 Engineers and other technical m e n . . . . . . . 9 Office force, excluding agencies.. . . . . . . . . . . 86
1912 7680 374 307 74 61 1
In 1912, 8.6 million marks were paid in wages, and 5.2 million marks in salaries and bonuses. There is a pension fund, and benefit foundations have also been established. THE LECITHIN AND ALBUMIN INDUSTRY Lecithin became important industrially when Danilewsky discovered in 1895 that, when administered t o growing animals, i t was capable of stimulating their growth. It is now looked upon as the most valuable brain and nerve food y e t discovered;.
