SULFURIC A C I D Current Position and Outlook ALONZO WHITE III, Chief, Sulfuric Acid Unit, Chemicals Bureau, War Production Board, Washington, D. C. During the war the sulfuric acid production capacity has been greatly expanded. Now, as industry plans for reconversion and military cutbacks, the question arises, Do we really have an overexpanded sulfuric acid capacity? Our author, who has been close to the situation, discusses this and presents considerable information on current plant capacity T H E sulfuric acid industry can produce • annually approximately 10,500,000 short tons of sulfuric acid, 100% basis, but handles and distributes tonnages of acid far in excess of this figure. Many efforts have been made to resolve production and requirement figures for the industry and a general over-all summary was recently published b y the chief of the requirements section of War Production Board. Persons not directly connected with the War Production Board or the sulfuric acid industry have often requested the entire production, requirements, and distribution pattern, expecting to receive exact figures that could be used for current and longrange planning. Unfortunately, such a desirable program cannot be outlined with any degree of reality. The production equipment involved in the manufacture of sulfuric acid may be used to produce many different strengths of product under various sets of exacting conditions such that the total available supply of a given strength of acid requires fixing the conditions of operations of many acid works and the individual units contained within each works. Consequently a picture of the production, supply, and requirements pattern for sulfuric acid consists of necessity of a day by day knowledge of the conditions under which individual acid works are operating, demands made by consuming industry, and alternate methods of operation that could be adopted by the respective acid works in order to meet adequately demands for acids of specific strength. Following the industry day b y day develops an insight which permits easy conversational handling of the subject, but reduction to writing poses a real problem. Questions immediately arise as t o how far into the past the writer should delve in order to show the trend of events and how many of the multitudinous details so necessary to the solution of past, current, and future problems can successfully be incorporated and y e t preserve an air of simplicity. Before ' proceeding, it would
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be well to determine the type of product with which we are dealing when we consider sulfuric acid. 1. Sulfuric acid is not a one-purpose product. It finds application as a dehydrating agent, catatyst, active reactant in chemical processes, solvent, and absorbent. 2. Sulfuric acid is not a one-strength product. It is used in the process industries from very dilute concentrations for pH control of saline solutions to strong fuming acids used in the dye, explosives, and pharmaceutical industries. Standard marketed strengths are 60° Baume (77.67% H0SO4), 66° Baume (93.19% HSO4 and this is the strength acid which is maintained in the final tower of any contact absorption.system. The main differences evident between plants designed to produce the following strength acid, are the number of absorption towers and acid cooling facilities provided: 98% H2S04— one tower; 20% oleum—two towers; 40% oleum—three towers. This emphasizes that the exact nature of the equipment available as well as the rated production capacity must be known before the status of the plant can be definitely determined. The total output of a plant at a given strength of acid, however, depends entirely upon the conditions of operations. This point is one which contributes considerable confusion to the supply picture. For example, in the manufacture of 20% oleum the make-up water may be added to the system as water or as free water in acid below the strength of 20% oleum. As a definite amount of water is required to react with the S0 3 being produced, it is obvious that the quantity of acid made increases with the strength of drip acid used. (Drip acid is defined as the acid added to the absorption system to be fortified to higher strength.) Calculations show that the theoretical quantities of drip acid and fresh acid required to produce 100 parts of 20% oleum by weight (all figures basis 100% H2S04) are as follows: Strength of Drip Acid, % 77.67 93.19 98
% Drip Acid 29.845 54.768 68.900
The moisture content of the air varies from day to day at a single location and widely between different sections of the country. Corrections in drip calculations therefore must be made for each location. It is usually safe for practical purposes to assume a figure 5 to 20% lower ti»an the theoretical value. Even assuming that drip acid of the proper strength is available and practical fortification capacity has been determined, the actual available capacity is still in question for the following reasons: 1. Most units in good repair can be operated at 10 to 25% over rated capacity from sulfur. 2. Some units have been in operation for long periods of time without shutdowns for cleanouts and resistance has built up in the unit, forcing the capacity to 80 or 90% of rated capacity. 3. Demands for various grades of acid from the same unit may limit tonnage that can be turned out as 20% oleum. 4. Grade of drip acid available may contain impurities that will make product acid unsuitable for certain end uses, thereby limiting fortification. 5. There may be other units in the same works whose water balances can be worked out in conjunction with the unit in question, thus effecting increase in production of certain strength acids. There remain other pertinent factors such as increasing the 0O2 gas strength, balancing the acid temperature gradients by proportioning fortification feed between the separate towers of the absorption system, varying acid circulating rates, separating the air drying operations from the absorption system, and so on. Cooperation of Producers
The success experienced in filling everincreasing requirements for high strength acids is the result of exceptional cooperation and effort on the part of the sulfuric acid producers in changing methods of operations and adapting their facilities to the production of acids of grade and strength most beneficial to the over-all needs of the country. For example, one supplier having a 200 ton per day 40% oleum unit and two 20% oleum units was able to supply the Ordnance Department with 7,500 tons of 40% oleum per month and still maintain an internal acid balance on his works that would permit satisfaction of his own needs and those of his other customers. When increased 40% oleum was required for explosives manufacture, this company was requested to consider changes in its internal acid balance to provide additional 40% oleum production. As a result of changes in fortification procedures and the integrating of the 20% oleum production, the production of 40% oleum was increased to 13,000 tons per month without installation of additional equipment or affecting supply to other consumers. The flexibility offered by.the contact process is such that production limitations depend to a large extent upon the availability of the proper strength and grade of acid for fortification. This point leads
% Fresh Acid 70.155 45.232 31.100
Using these figures, a unit having a rated capacity of 200 tons 20% oleum per day, basis 100% H 2 S0 4 , fresh from sulfur could theoretically produce the following tonnages of 20% oleum basis 100% H2S04, using the given strengths of drip acid :
Strength of Drip
% . 67 9*. 19 98
Theoretical Total Production p*»r Day Ton» 285.1 44?. 2 643.1
ks the moisture present in the air must be removed by sulfuric acid in the drying tower before the air enters the sulfur burner and the drying acid kept up to strength by being recirculated over the 98% tower, the moisture from the air actually serves as diluting water (usually referred to as "made water"). This decreases the amount of drip acid that can be fortified. / O L U M E
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directly to the phase of the requirements picture which causes most confusion. The total demand for sulfuric acid does not by any means reflect the new production that is required. Of the H2S04 value supplied for TNT manufacture, approximately 95% is returned to the market as a recovered spent acid and may be used to fulfill requirements in the steel, petroleum, heavy chemical, and superphosphate fertilizer industries. "Alkylation Spent"
Acid supplied for the alkylation process of aviation gasoline manufacture results in an "alkylation spent" acid which may be (1) hydrolyzed to remove hydrocarbons present and concentrated for return to acid suppliers for fortification or to the superphosphate industry for consumption; (2) processed "as is" in a sulfuric acid decomposition unit and converted to fresh clean acid; or (3) mixed with oils or heavy sludges and disposed of by burning. The "alkylation spent" acid available for filling other requirements may range from 0 to 85 or 90% of the acidity value supplied, depending on the equipment available and method of handling at the refinery. Likewise, in the manufacture of isopropyl alcohol and many other organic compounds, a large portion of the H 2 S0 4 value entering the process is recovered as an "alcohol spent" acid or spent acid peculiar to the specific process. All these spent acids have limitations on their reuse. For example, TNT spent acid may be used as is or fortified for supply to the petroleum industry, but alkylation spent acid, because of the hydrocarbons present, cannot be fortified and supplied for TNT manufacture. Thus fortified acid produced on a single sulfuric acid unit may or may not be supplied for both TXT and aviation gasoline manufacture, depending upon which grade of acid is being fortified. Recovery Statistics
If we follow 9,000 tons of H2S04, 100% basis supplied as 40% oleum for TNT manufacture, we find that 8,550 tons of TNT spent were available for other use. Of this quantity 3,000 tons were returned to the oleum suppliers for drip, 550 tons went to the steel industry, 1,000 tons to the heavy chemical industry, and 4,000 tons were shipped to another sulfuric acid plant, fortified and supplied for aviation gasoline. The steel and heavy chemical industry completely consumed the acid they received but 3,400 tons of alkylation spent were recovered by the petroleum refinery and found final consumption in superphosphate fertilizer. Thus a 200 tons per day unit equipped to produce 40% oleum producing 6,000 tons of H2SO4 per month from sulfur and dripping 3,000 tons of spent acid filled the following requirements: 1155
TNT Drip Chemicals Steels Petroleum Superphos phate Total
100% Tons 9,000 3,000 1.000 550 4.000
Basis. H3SO4
3.400 20.950
60° Baume
40% oleum 66° Baume 66° Baume 20% oleum
Times Acid Used Once Twice Twice Twice Twice Three times
Interesting geometrical progressions can be calculated for a sulfuric acid works which supplies the T N T and aviation gasoline industries if one works with the loss factors and make-up acid on 100% basis. The above distribution is simple and straightforward. However, in the in stance of an organic chemical works pro ducing a number of products each of which gives a spent acid which finds reuse within the plant in conjunction with fortification operations on three or four sulfuric acid units within the plant and in other works, the internal works acid balance is beautiful to behold. Additional examples could be given of tne complexity involved in the establish ment of supply and requirements figures and other pertinent factors. A huge staff of statisticians, attempting to resolve the sulfuric acid industry to a definite set of supply and requirements figures, would either bog down in the attempt, or compile a set of figures which would not serve the purpose for which they were desired, and thus be likely to create misconceptions of the actual conditions. Wartime TNT Demand With the entry of this country into the war period, a huge demand materialized for 40% oleum needed in T N T manufac ture. As there was very little installed capacity for 40% oleum, the Army was faced with either building from the ground up a large number of sulfuric acid plants equipped to produce 4 0 % oleum, or re questing the sulfuric acid industry to add oleum facilities to their existing plants and erect government plants only at locations where there were no suitable existing in dustrial units. An extensive survey of the industry was made and the latter choice elected as (a) causing the least dislocation of the industry by preventing excessive construction, (6) being the quickest method of obtaining the desired produc tion, (c) requiring the least outlay in funds by Government or industry, *r.fi (d) pre senting the best solution to the "spent acid' 1 disposal problem. One of the interesting problems which arose in connection with the manufacture of T N T concerned the disposal of the spent acid resulting from the operation. In the manufacture of T N T , sulfuric acid is not actually consumed but is used for its dehydrating value. Therefore, every ton of sulfuric acid, 100% basis, entering the
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operation a s 4 0 % oleum absorbs water and shows up a s weak sulfuric acid which has to be m o v e d off the works. Actually only about 9 5 % of the total acidity entering a T N T plant is available as spent acid, for about 5 % loss is experienced in handling and other operations performed by the acid before- it is finally concentrated for shipment. (The internal acid balance on an explosives works in itself makes an intricate a n d interesting story.) B y using established sulfuric acid plants for sources of 4 0 % oleum and returning to the sup pliers acidity value as spent acid, the Ord nance Department at one sweep eliminated a troublesome waste disposal problem and prevented the chaotic condition which would h a v e resulted if private production had been compelled t o c o m p e t e with large tonnages of government distress acid produced directly by new production facilities a n d dumped on the market. For all practical purposes there is only one other item of the basic explosives pro gram besides T N T which materially affects the sulfuric acid industry. In the manu facture of nitrocellulose for smokeless powder there is a loss of about half a pound of sulfuric acid for each pound of nitrocellulose produced. With the tre mendous smokeless powder production, the quantity of sulfuric acid consumed is considerable. The entire ordnance ex plosives program may be briefly summar ized as t w o distinct demands for sulfuric acid: large tonnages of 4 0 % oleum for T N T , a strength requirement, with very low H2SO4 disappearances; and large ton nages of 6 6 ° Baume acid or oleum for smokeless powder production, a n acidity and strength requirement, with complete H2SO4 disappearance. The first demand fell largely upon pri vate industry and in order to obtain an adequate acidity supply many consuming industries changed from the use of virgin acid to T N T spent acid with satisfactory results. With few exceptions the smoke less powder demand was satisfied b y new production or spent acid resulting from
Table I.
Du Pont, Orchemical Div. American Cyanamid Co. Stauffer Chemical Co. National Le*»d Co. Consolidated Chemical Industries
Production Programs
In order more clearly to visualize the industry, Tables I and II list, respectively, the initial and current sulfuric acid con struction programs which were developed to meet explosives demands. Table III lists other locations of t h e recently con structed sulfuric acid plants and purposes for which they were built. Tables IV and V list the names and locations of all sul furic acid producers in the United States. During 1943, explosive production was curtailed to the extent that some private facilities were no longer needed in the 4 0 % oleum supply program. At this time acidity which had been going to ordnance as 4 0 % oleum and then t o industrial con sumption as spent acid, went directly to industry as virgin acid. The explosives program remained a t a reduced level until the autumn of 1944, at which time a new program was disclosed calling for greater explosives production than had ever be fore been contemplated. Investigation of 4 0 % oleum supply showed not only that additional 4 0 % facilities would be needed but that requirements for virgin acid had risen during the time the explosives pro gram was low, and additional acidity would have to be made available to utilize existing oleum facilities without curtailing virgin acid use essential to the war effort. With the increase in tempo of the war effort, the thousand and one demands for sulfuric acid took impetus and the supply situation showed signs of being short. Sensing the status of affairs, consumers began applying preference ratings on sulfuric acid. As the rating system had ' not been designed for application to a com modity such as sulfuric acid, the result was
Initial Contact Suliuric A c i d Construction Program
4 0 % Oleum Facilities Added to Existing Plants Name of company Location General Chemical Co. Buffalo, N . Y.«
Du Pont, Grasselli Div.
new production at ordnance-owned newly constructed sulfuric acid units located at Ordnance Works. Spent acid from ord nance-owned plants which was over and above smokeless powder demands was made available to m e e t the needs of private industry.
0 Cleveland, Ohio e Detroit, Mich. a Newell, Pa. E . St. Louis, 111. Chicago, 111.· Toledo, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Detroit, Mich. Wurtland, Ky. E . Chicago, ill. Deep water, N. J. Joliet, 111. Hammond, Ind. Sayreville, N. J. St. Louie, Mo.
Baton Rouge, La.
β
N e * Sulfuric Acid Plants Constructed to Produce 40% Oleum Name of company Location Ozark Chemical Defense Tulsa, Okla. e Corp. · Minnesota Mining.& Mfg. Co. Copley, Ohio E. St. Louis, Ill.e e American Zinc Smelting Co. Baltimore, Md. Davison Chemical Co. E. St. Louis, 111. Monsanto Chemical Co. Shreveport, La. Southern Acid & Sulfur Co. Kevil, Ky. Army Ordnance Dept.& Childersburg, Ala. Lawrence, Kans. Joliet, 111. Merrimac, Wis. Rosemont, Minn. Tyner, Tenn. Radford, Va. Army Ordnance Dept.& ([operated by General Chem ical, Mead ville Con* ) Meadville, Pa. Army Ordnance Dept.& (in connection with Tennes Copperhill, Tenn. see Copper Co.) Approximate new annual ton 930,000 tons * — nage (100% HiSOO .
Defense Plant Corp. funds used, b Army funds used.
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an increasing spiral of uprated preference ratings which could have only two results: complete breakdown of the rating system with resultant chaos, or elimination of the rating system by placing the commodity under allocation. The two results oc curred almost simultaneously when the rating system became unmanageable dur ing the latter part of November 1944, and sulfuric acid was placed under allocation subject to Order M-300 Schedule 74 effec tive December 1, 1944. The first few weeks of the allocation period saw the correction of the major part of the mal distribution caused by the rating system, and the distribution pattern for the indus try became fairly well established. For the period January through May 1945, notwithstanding increases in direct war programs over and above planned schedules, practically every need for sulfuric acid was met in full with the ex ception of total requests for superphos phate fertilizer manufacture. Even in this instance, 89.89c of the requests re ceived were satisfactorily filled. In all fairness, it must be pointed out that the total requests for this industry were not indicative of the maximum quantity of acid that could be consumed, as many re quests were influenced by suppliers' esti mates of probable deliveries. The story of the successful supply of the unprece dented demands made for sulfuric acid during the above period would, if told in detail, disclose remarkable cooperation by the suppliers with the War Production Board, in the scheduling of operations, production, and distribution into one com mon effort to make possible the over-all distribution of greatest benefit to the country as a whole. Table II. Current Contact Sulfuric Expansion Program Involving New Acidity Name of Company General Chemical Co. e
Location E. St. Louis, III. Chicago, 111. Newell, P a . Cleveland, Ohio E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Deep water, N. J. Co. E. Chicago, 111. Monsanto Chemical Co. E. St. Louis, 111. Stauffer Chemical Co. a Hammond, Ind. National Lead Co. St. Louis, Mo. Army Ordnance Dept.* Tyner, Tenn. Childerabuxg, Ala. Approximate new annual 550,000 tons, tonnage 100% H3SO4 β Defense Plant Corp. funds used. * Army funds used.
Table III.
Sulfur Dioxide for Explosives
For purposes of analysis, satisfactory re sults can be obtained by considering ex plosives as TNT and smokeless powder. During May 1945, industry supplied for T N T manufacture approximately 190,000 tons 100% basis HjS0 4 , as 40% oleum. (This quantity was, of course, considerably augmented by ordnance-owned and -oper ated oleum facilities. The acidity pro duced on these facilities, however, does not enter the TNT analysis, as will be brought out later.) Let us assume that the May delivery of 40% oleum by industry for TNT is a maximum and use this figure as a basis. (The May figure is not the maximum but the assumption will serve for the purpose at hand.) Of the 190,000 tons of 100% H2SO4, delivered by industry, 95% or 180,500 tons of 100% II2SO4 were returned to industry as spent acid, making the ac tual consumption of industry acid for TNT equal to 9,500 tons of H2SO4. Accord ingly, a complete cessation of TNT opera tions would not result in a tremendous tonnage of acid being released to the mar ket, but release only approximately 9,500 tons additional of H2SO4 monthly. As complete stoppage of TNT production is so remote that it can be temporarily dis regarded, it is evident that the likely course of a gradual reduction in T N T manufacture will have an almost negligible effect in providing additional H2SO4 to the market. What will occur as T N T production subsides is that the acid which was used twice will be used only once,
Contact Sulfuric A c i d Plants Recently Expanded or Constructed—Not Included in Tables I and II
Name of Company Standard Whse., Phosphate & Acid Works Davison Chemical Co. Northern Chemical Industries Stauffer Chemical Co. General Chemical Co." Consolidated Chemical Industries Southern Acid & Sulfur Co. Blockson Chemical Co. Garfield Chemical & Mfg. Co. Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. 0
With V-E Day, adjustments which ma terially eased the sulfuric acid situation were made in war programs. Immedi ately numerous inquiries were received from individuals and companies desirous of knowing for postwar planning purposes the effect upon industry of a drastic cur tailment in explosives manufacture which would normally be expected to accompany V-J Day. Any attempt to prophesy con ditions that will exist in the period prior to or immediately following V-J Day would be crystal gazing. An analysis of decreasing war demands, however, may be logically pursued and may be of definite value for planning purposes.
Location Baltimore, Md. Baltimore, Md. Searsport, Maine Dominguez, Calif. Front Royal, Va. Denver, Colo. Richmond, Calif. Port Chicago, Calif. Houston, Tex. Baton Rouge, La. Beaumont, Tex. Port Arthur, Tex. Joliet, III. Salt Lake City, Utah Cincinnati, Ohio Approximate annual tonnage
Defense Plant Corp. funds used.
T o Supply Petroleum Superphosphate Superphosphate Petroleum Rayon Petroleum
Phosphates Petroleum and metallurgical Superphosphate 900,000 tons (100% HtSO«)
passing directly from the supplier to con suming industry. There is no bugaboo to be feared in the form of tremendous ton nages of acid released as a result of decline of TNT operations. In the manufacture of nitrocellulose re quired in producing smokeless powder approximately half a pound of sulfuric is lost for each pound of nitrocellulose made. This constitutes the largest consumption of sulfuric acid in the explosives industry. Private industry, for all practical pur poses, does not enter this program. Ord nance-owned and -operated sulfuric acid plants produce sufficient acidity to meet the smokeless powder requirements. Some of this acidity is produced directly as vir gin acid for smokeless consumption and some is supplied as spent acid resulting from ordnance-produced acid at TNT establishments. In fact, ordnance pro duction has met these demands and pro vided approximately 15,000 to 20,000 tons of H2SO4 monthly as spent acid for sale to industry. Nine Ordnance Plants
At first sight it might appear that reduc tions in smokeless powder manufacture would merely result in curtailment of ordnance sulfuric acid facilities and have little effect upon industry. In a few locations this would be true, but on the whole a slightly more involved situation exists. Of the nine ordnance sulfuric acid plants, four are located at TNT works, four at smokeless powder plants, and one at a works making both products. Re ductions of smokeless activities at one of the four works having sulfuric acid facili ties might well be taken care of by a reduc tion in sulfuric manufacture at the plant site. On the other hand, sulfuric acid produced over and above smokeless re quirements might be supplied to other works for TNT manufacture, thus reduc ing oleum required from industry but re quiring the disposal of a like quantity of spent acid to industry. This, in effect, would amount to the operation of ordnance facilities to produce acid for sale. Where smokeless powder requirements have been supplied from sulfuric units located at TNT works, a reduction in smokeless pow der production would result in additional quantities of spent sulfuric acid being available for disposal to the industrial market. This condition will undoubtedly exist, as a balanced ratio between TNT and smokeless powder can hardly be ex pected to continue. Accordingly increas ing amounts of ordnance spent acid can be expected as the explosives programs gradu ally decrease, for ordnance production of sulfuric acid, being most economical for T N T manufacture, will in all probability be continued wherever possible. This procedure will cause the greatest effect on the sulfuric acid industry resulting from cutbacks in explosives manufacture. Indications are that there will be a
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gradual conversion of some industries to peacetime activities from now until V-J Day, at which time extensive changes are anticipated. Some of the conversions will result in slight increases in sulfuric acid usage. Steel, for instance, will consume more acid for pickling purposes when the manufacture of thin sheet is resumed. The superphosphate fertilizer r ;ustry is capable of consumption of considerably more acid than is currently being consumed.
Table IV.
Sulfuric Acid—Private Chamber Plants Location
Company Alabama American Agricultural Chemical Co. Home Guaiio Co. Standard Chemical Co. Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co.
Montgomery Dothan Troy Dothan Mobile Wylam
Arizona Phelps Dodge Corp.
Douglas
Connecticut U. S. Rubber Co.
Naugatuck
Florida American Agricultural Chemical Co. Armour Fertilizer Co. Tennessee Corp. Wilson & Toomer Fertilizer Co. Georgia American Agricultural Chemical Co. Armour Fertilizer Works (Armour plant) ( M or ris plant) Cotton States Fertilizer Co. Empire State Fertilizer Co. Georgia Fertilizer Co. International Mining & Chemical Co. Pelham Phosphate Co. Iioyster Guano Co. Southern Fertilizer &. Chemical Co. Southern States Phosphate & Fertilizer Co. Virginia-Carolina Chemical
'&"
Illinois American Agricultural Chemical Co. American Zinc Lead & Smelting Armour Fertilizer Works Hegeler Zinc Co. Mathieson «fc Hegeler Zinc Co. Wilson & Co. (Central Chemical Div.) Indiana E. I. d u Pont de Nemours & Co. Louisiana Armour Fertilizer Works Swift & Co. Virginia-Carolina Chemical
New Jersey American Agricultural Chemical Co. American Cy ana mid Co. Armour Fertilizer Works Du Pont Du Pont
• Carteret Linden Carteret Grasselli Paulsboro
New York American Agricultural Buffalo Chemical Co. Buffalo Central Chemical Co.
Jacksonville
North Caiolina Acme Fertilizer Co. Wilmington Armour Fertilizer Works Greensboro Navassa Swift &. Co. Wilmington Virginia-Carolina Chemical Durham Co. Sel ma Wadesboro Navassa Ohio American Agricultural St. Bernard Chemical Co. Sandusky Armour Fertilizer Works Canton Du Pont Cleveland Lockland Niles General Chemical Co. Cleveland Farraore Fertilizer Co. Columbus Smith Agricultural Chemical Co. American Agricultural Cleveland Chemical Co. Pennsylvania American Cyanamid Co. Erie American Zinc & Chemical Langeloth Co. Donora American Steel & Wire Co. Du Pont Newcastle Philadelphia Pennsylvania Salt Mfg. Co. Natrona Philadelphia
Savannah Albany Atlanta Columbus Macon Athens Valdosta Columbus Pel ha m Macon Savannah Savannah Augusta Rome Savannah St. Louis Chicago Hts. Danville La Salle Calumet City E. Chicago New Orleans Harvey
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Company
Jackson Jackson Fertilizer Co. International Mining & Tupelo Chemical Montana Anaconda Copper Mining Anaconda Co.
Pensacola Pierce Jacksonville East Tampa
Shreveport Maryland American Agricultural Chemical Co. Baltimore Baugh Chemical Co. Davison Chemical Co. E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. Royeter Guano Co. Std. Whse., Phosphate & Acid Works Massachusetts American Agricultural North Weymouth Chemical Co. Michigan American Agricultural Chemical Co. Detroit Detroit Chemical Works Gulf port Fertilizer Co.
As shown in Tables I, II, and III, there have been constructed in the past few years approximately 2,380,000 annual tons of new acid capacity. Current with this expansion, rayon, petroleum, steel, superphosphate, and other industries have expanded, creating greater demands for sulfuric acid. Industries which have been prevented from expanding during the war period are planning on increased operations when restrictions are lifted and many of these require sulfuric acid. A good
Gulf port
South Carolina Charleston American Agricultural Chemical Co. Columbia Anderson Fertilizer Co. Anderson Merchants Phosphate & Fertilizer Co. Charleston Planters Fertilizer & Phosphate Co. Roys ter Guano Co. Virginia-Carolina Chemical Greenville Co. Tennessee Armour Fertilizer Works Nashville Tennessee Cora. Copperhill Virginia-Carolina Chemical Memphis Co. Texas Houston Armour Fertilizer Works Virginia American Agricultural Chemical Co. Alexandria Robertson Chemical Corp. Norfolk Roys ter Guano C o . . Lynchburg Virginia-Carolina Chemical Piners Point Co. Richmond West Virginia United Zinc Smelting Mounds ville
CHEMICAL
number of sulfuric acid units were old and in poor condition at the beginning of the war period. These plants have been operated at maximum capacity for the past few years and are in such condition that some of them will undoubtedly be closed down for economic reasons at the close of the war period. Viewed with perspective, the sulfuric acid industry as a whole does not appear to have overexpanded with respect to ultimate peacetime economy. The disposition and use of ordnance-owned acid plants are, of course, a subject to be considered at a later date when such plants become available for other use. It is realized that many important and pertinent factors concerning the sulfuric acid industry have been omitted or glossed over lightly, and the subject has been treated in the light of a decreasing munitions program while at present the program is on the increase. It was not intended that this article should be an exhaustive treatise of the industry, but merely a thumbnail sketch of the situation and, as such, may be useful in evaluating conditions.
Table V .
Sulfuric Acid—Private Contact Plante
Company
Location Alabama
D u Pont Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. Arizona Apache Powder Co. Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co. California American Smelting &. Refining Co. General Chemical Co. Stauffer Chemical Co.
Mineral Springs (Watson) East Birmingham Douglas Morenci Selby El Segundo Port Chicago Stege Vernon Torrance Dominquez Richmond
General Chemical Co. Colorado General Chemical Co. Denver Connecticut U. S. Rubber Co. Naugatuck Delaware General Chemical Co. Claymont Florida Phosphate Mining Co. Nichols U. S. Phosphoric Co. (Tennessee Corp.) East Tampa Illinois American Zinc Co. Fairmount City American Cyanamid & Joliet Chemical Co. Blockson Chemical Co. Chicago General Chemica' Co. East St. Louis Monsanto Chemical New Jersey Zinc Co. Depue Indiana D u Pont E . Chicago Standard Oil Co. of Indiana Whiting Stauffer Chemical Co. Hammond Kentucky D u Pont Wurtland Louisiana Cities Service Co. Lake Charles Consolidated Chemical Industries Baton Rouge Southern Acid & Sulfur Co. Shreveport Maine Northern Chemical Industries Searsport
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Table V (Continued)
Navy Sets U p Office of Research and Inventions
Company
Location Maryland Davison Chemical Co. Baltimore Standard Wholesale Phosphate Co. Massachusetts Everett Monsanto Chemical Co. Michigan Detroit D u Pont General Chemical Co. Michigan Alkali Co. Missouri Joplin Atlas Powder Co. National Lead Co. S t . Louis New Jersey American Cyanamid & Chemical Co. Bound Brook Linden D u Pont Deepwater GraseeUi General Chemical Co. Edgewater National Lead Co. Sayreville Standard Oil Co. of N. J. Linden New York Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester General Chemical Co. Buffalo North Carolina Virginia-Carolina Chemical Narvassa Co. Ohi< Cleveland Du Pont Toledo General Chemical Co. Cleveland Minnesota Mining Akron Royster Guano Co. Toledo Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. Cincinnati Oklahoma National Zinc Co. Bartlesville Ozark Chemical Co. Tulsa Ozark Chemical Defense Corp. Tulsa Pennsylvania Philadelphia . Atlantic Refining Co. Reynolds Atlas Powder Co. Philadelphia D u Pont Newell General Chemical Co. Philadelphia Chas. Lennig & Co. Pal mer ton New Jersey Zinc Co. Pittsburgh Coke & Iron Co. Neville Island Pennsylvania Salt Mfg. Co. Natrona Philadelphia St. Joseph Lead Co. Joseph town L. Sonneborn & Sons (Doughterty Plant) Petrolia C. K. Williams & Co. Raston Pennsylvania Salt Mfg. Co. Cornwells Heights Rhode Island Rumford Chemical Works Rumford Tennessee Tennessee Corp. Isabella Texas American Smelting & Refining Corp. Corpus Christi Carbide & Carbon Chemicals Corp. Texas City Consolidated Chemical Fort Worth Industries Houston Gulf Refining Co. Port Arthur Southern Acid & Sulfur Co. Beaumont Port Arthur Utah American Smelting & Refining Co. Garfield Virginia General Chemical Co. Pulaski Smith-Douglas Norfolk Virginia Chemical Co. (American Cyanamid) Piney River General Chemical Co. Front Royal Washington D u Pont D u Pont West Virginia Carbide & Carbon Chemicals Corp. So. Charleston Wisconsin Barksdale D u Pont Cuba City Vinegar Hill Zinc Co. Wyoming Standard Oil Co. of Indiana Casper
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JK NEW Office of Research and Inventions ^ * to guide navy research activities has* been established b y the Nav^y Department, under the direct supervision of the Secretary of the NTavy. The office was created by merging the Naval Research Laboratory, tne Special Devices Division of Bureau of Aeronautic*, t h e Office of Research and Development, a n d the Office of Patents and Inventions. Rear Admiral Harold G, Bowen, U.S.N., who was director o f the Office of Patents and Inventions, and was associated with the development of radar and high-pressure, high-temperature steam propulsion for naval vessels, w i l l head the new office. Captain Luis de Florez, U.S.N.R., director of the Special Devices Division of the Bureau of Aeronautics and winner of the Collier trophy in 1Ô44, will b e assistant chief of the new office. Captain d e Florez began his professional career in chemical e>n.çiiieeriiu work with W. A. Hall in 1912, and has been engaged since 1913 in desig^n, construction, and operation of cracking plants for oil refineries in the United States and abroad, and as consultant for Arthur D . Little, Inc., Standard Oil, Vacuixm Oil, a n d other important oil companies. His inventions include the d e Florez cracking process, temperature-control system, a n d vertical furnace. The office i s authorized by t h e Secretary of the N a v y and Chief of N a v a l Operations to continue a n d to instigate such experimentation as is necessary t o maintain the superiority of American naval weapons. I t will assist in the adaptation to naval needs of jet propulsion, rockets, gas turbines, and numerous weapons and techniques still in a secret category, and will Rear Adir». H. G. Bowen
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JULY
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deal with all chemical engineering projects for the Navy. Secretary Forrestal, pointing out the importance of naval research after as well as during the war. said : Wars are fought primarily with weapons which are developed before the fighting began. Experience demonstrates that a nation at war usually does not have time to push through a new line of fundamental research and then apply that research before the outcome of trie war is decided. Research requires time. Application of its result requires additional time. Wars, long as they are, m o v e much more swiftly than the research processes. During a war a nation usually has time only to improve and adapt weapons, the fundamentals of whicn were evolved during the preceding years of peace. I t follows, therefore, that if a nation is to be scientifically prepared, its preparedness must be worked out in peacetime. Holder of key engineering posts in a 44year span of naval duty, Rear Admiral Bowen was awarded the Newcomen Medal by the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia last year for his work on high-pressurehigh-temperature steam. He has been cited by the Secretary of the Navy for outstanding services in the development of radar while chief of the Bureau of Engineering and later as director of the Naval Research Laboratory. For his contribution to the safe and rapid training of combat pilots and crews, Captain de Florez received the Robert J. Collier trophy in December 1944, given annually by the National Aeronautics Association for the greatest achievement in American aviation. Captain de Florez was recently awarded the Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious" leadership of the Special Devices Division of the Bureau of Aeronautics. Capt. Luis de Florez
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