Diesel fuel combustion. In most cases, the articles are c o n c e r n e d with "what?** rather than with "so what?" or " w h a t next?" A paper entitled " F u t u r e of Combus tion Research" e n d s the series. Accord bons is almost greater than trie u n c e r ing to this paper, the future looks good Spotlight on Notation tainty of the facts," writes Cecil E . in terms of the challenge created b y t h e Boord in one of 2 0 articles that com vast a n d growing energy requirements N R C will s e e k best uses f o r prise Advances i n Chemistry Xo. 2 0 , of our civilization a n d the dwindling chemical n o t a t i o n systems "Literature of t h e Combustion of P e supply of fossil fuels. This latter fac troleum." This statement perhaps char tor requires highly intelligent u s e of C H E M I C A L N O T A T I O N SYSTEMS will get acterizes the present state of knowl these fuels: hence increased research a going over in a test program initiated edge of a complex field in which t h e will be necessary to improve t h e effi at Western Reserve University by the facts have piled u p faster than our u n ciency of engines. F o r the benefit of National Research Council's committee derstanding of them. T o pause a n d new researchers in this field more, p e r on codification, ciphering, and punched consider t h e state of knowledge of t h e haps, could have been said concerning card techniques. W R U and t h e com the goals of future combustion research combustion of petroleum is therefore mittee are working together to encode and t h e kinds of new knowledge r e worth while. and decode some 3O00 organic com In April 1956 at Dallas, Tex., t h e quired to reach these goals. This r e pounds from a recent issue of Chemical Division of Chemical Literature a n d viewer was pleased t o note, however, Abstracts. Western Reserve has a the enthusiastic endorsement of funda the Division of Petroleum Chemistry of one-year, $27,600 grant from t h e Na mental combustion research at a time the American Chemical Society held a tional Science Foundation to help sup when vigorous support of it b y the mili symposium w h o s e purpose was to port the work. gather a selective a n d up-to-date -in tary is being w i t h d r a w n hi. favor of Both professionally active chemists terpretation of t h e literature on t h e more glamorous pursuits. and advanced students will do t h e combustion of petroleum to a i d further Literature of t h e Combustion o f P e work, which will b e controlled care progress. T h e collected p a p e r s are p r e troleum. Advances in Chemistry fully to provide reliable performance sented in the above-named volume. A Series No. 20. 2 9 5 p a g e s . Special data. T h e NRC committee (headed by further aim, stated in the introduction Issue Sales Dept., American C h e m i J. S. Maclennan of American Cyanato this volumes was to provide informa cal Societv, 1155 16th. St., N . W . , mid) plans t o g e t opinions from the Washington 6, D. C . 1958. $5.00. tion useful to petroleum scientists, chemical profession at large on h o w Reviewed by Lloyd E . Line, Jr., E x younger scientists entering the field, chemical notation systems can b e used periment, Inc. and literature searchers. most effectively. Evaluation of the This book appears to b e a compre test program at W e s t e r n Reserve will b e guided b y t h e collected opinions. hensive presentation of the essential • Effects of nuclear r a d i a t i o n o n mili Over 10 years of continuing develop principles a n d facts concerning t h e tary specification paints were s t u d i e d ment and test have brought a t least combustion of petroleum, a n d t h e sig by the U. S. Air Force. They found two notation systems—Dyson a n d Wis- nificant Western literature seems to be that silicone-alkyd, alkyd, a n d phenolic w e s s e r - t o a high level of perfection, well reviewed down to about 1955. resin paints have satisfactory resistance Soviet literature is scarcely the N R C committee states. This work T h e to high dosages of gamma radiation. touched. Among the contributors there was sparked by the difficulties in as Tests and results a r e given in " T h e signing names to organic compounds. is a good balance between combustion Effects of Nuclear Radiation on Mili But the confusion h a s still n o t been scientists a n d combustion engineers, b e tary Specification Paints," by L. A. tween representatives of university a n d eliminated by the continuing efforts of Horrocks. Cost is $ 1 . 0 0 . Order P B both national and international nomen industry, a n d between investigators for 131599 from Office of Technical Serv clature committees, says the N R C t h e automotive industry a n d for t h e ices, U . S. D e p t . of Commerce, Wash military. committee. ington 25, D . C . T h e range of subjects is impressive. Today, notation systems promise to serve the chemical profession b y facili T h e reader will find excellent and welltating t h e recording of research results documented presentations of special and by speeding communication among ized knowledge on cool flames; funda chemists. But t h e N R C committee be mental principles of flammability a n d Science of High Explosives. ACS lieves that this general purpose of nota ignition; chemical reactor theory in TheMonograph No. 139. MELVIN A. COOK. combustion processes; kinetics of tion systems must be made more specific xv 4- 440 pages. Reinhold Publishing Corp., 430 Park Ave., New York 22, before their greatest use can be graphite oxidation; t h e roles of acety Ν. Υ., 1958. $22.50. realized. It hopes that the opinions lene and formaldehyde i n combustion; Describes detonation processes and re detonative a n d deflagrative combustion; and suggestio is offered by the chemi lated phenomena with theoretical interpre explosion limits a n d their use in explain tations. Also includes principles and ap cal profession wiV φ to clarify this i n g reaction mechanisms; droplet pro plications of blasting, demolition, shaped purpose. charges, fast particles, shock and blast duction, vaporization, and burning; wave propagation, and impact loading. flame propagation in premixed gases; Chemical Engineering Practice. Vol. 4. Petroleum Combustion e n g i n e knocking a n d its underlying Η Λ HOLD \V. CKEMEH. "vi +- 62f2 -f- xix pages. Academic Press, Inc., I l l Fifth "The * confusion a m o n g the theories- chemistry; surface ignition; combustion Ave., New York 3, Ν. Υ. 1958. $17.50. relating to t h e oxidation of hydrocar in aircraft gas Jurbine engines; a n d Topics include chemical potential as a cri-
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