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CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
.
Progress In Scotland
Events have moved rapidly in. chemical science and Industry since the last annual meeting in Glasgow of the Society of Chemi- cal Industry. As already an- nounced in. "The Glasgow Herald," this sbesety, which is a national body with sections all over the country and in the
Dominions.
will hold its annual meeting th Glasgow in July this year. When the society last held its annual meeting Glasgow, in 1927, the Scottish chemical industries were endeavouring to regain normality after the war period, and it might to be amiss to survey some of the changes which have taken place since then.
The chemical industry of any country is many sided, and to make a comprehensive pronounce- LI ment regarding its advance decline would be misleading and Pro- fundamentally worthless. gress therefore must be computed for each individual branch of the industry.
HEAVY CHEMICALS The neavy chemical industry, while not a large contributor to the export trade of the country, serves us un index whereby to gauge the activities of the other Industries. The chief products are sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, uitic acid, fertilisers, soda ash. and explosives.
termed
Siner acids cannot be "endproducts." it one takes a broad view of chemica: idustry.
the demand and consequent pr«- duction depend on the activities of the industries utilising them. There would be little point in showing, "by yearly figures, the Huctuations in the production of acids during the period from 1922 to date, but it can be said that, at the moment, the tendency is 'towards Increased output due to increased activity in the consum- ing industries.
artinein
In the production of fertisers there has been a de- finite increase, and this may bể attributed to some extent to the more detailed information now available regarding the use of ter- tilisers. This increase! production " has been reflected in the increas- ed demand for acids.
THE LC.I. GROUP Heavy chemicals. like soda asti. caustic soda, soda crystals and blcarbonate of soda are not how manufactured to any extent in Scotland, nor have they been for many years, but in 1922 sodium cyanide was manufactured by the Cassel Cyanide Company at their Maryhill works. It may surprise" many to realise that it was ay recently as 1928 that Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., came into being. The Cassel Cyanide Company was incorporated, and, as most of the raw materials used by this company were brought from England, the manufacture of cyanide was discontinued in Scotland.
A great many other Scottish firms have been concerned in the formation of ICI. and perhaps the most important of these is Nobel's Explosives, Ltd., with their Works at Ardeer. Other factories engaged in the manufacture of explosives and allied products which are also merged. In LC.I,
are
the Regent Safety Fuse Factory (Linlithgow), Westquarter Detpuator Factory (Poimant). Roslin Gunpowder Works, R and T Jack. Ltd. (cotton doublers), and the Hydrochloric Acid Works 01 Alexander Walker and Co., Irvine These" works form part of the explosives group of LCL," and as a step towards further centralisation it has recently been decided to concentrate work, at Ardeer.
The formation of Imperial Chemical Industries. Ltd, is one of the most important events, in the chemical industry during the" period now under review. It has affected not only the explosive works, but now includes Scottish Dyes, Ltd., and practically all the important manufacturers of fer- tilisers are grouped in Scottish Agricultural Industries, Ltd which is an assoelated company' of LCL Whether this amaiga- mation has been in the best in terests of Scotland or not is a point which is too highly con- be discussed here, troversial to but it has been instrumental in transfering industries from Scat- land to England and vice versa.
There is one British chemical inchistry, apart from of shale -distillation, which is pre-eminent- ly Beottish. and that the manu- facture of bichromates. These tanning, dyeing, used in Chromium plating, chrome, steel manufacture, and, in the paint industry. So here again is s chemical industry dependent on ather Industries. - Scotland pro-
duces about 70 per cent, of "the British output of bichromates, and while the industry was not advanced much since 1023 it has net lost ground, and the quality or its products has been greatly Improved.
L.
OIL INDUSTRY -
The shale-oll Industry in Scot- land cannot be said to have un- dergone any marked change since 1022.
Even then the competition of natural petroleum Was too strong, and the all industry was really being subsidised by the manufacture of ammonium 'sul- phate from the ammonia liberat- ed during the distillation of the shale. Then when ammonia was made from the nitrogen of the al-this last prop was weakened. It is probably true to say that the acual · amount of shale being dis- tilled now is about the same as formerly. though new mines are being opened at West Calder.
of shale.
the
There is, however, a change in the mothos of dealing with the crude oil obtained by distillation High boiling fractions which were previously used for lubricating purposes are now be- ing converted.. by modern me- thods. Into motor spirit which can be marketed profitably due to Government preference, on home petrol. Persian petroleum is refined at Grangemouth, where a "cracking plant" has been in- stalled to increase the amount of motor spirit. Another develop- ment in the ol Industry is the use that is now being made of the spent shale which has disfigured the Lothians. It is now being made into bricks, which are excellent for building purposes,
Calico printing and the ociated industries. dyeing and bleaching, nave dwindled in Scot- land for the simple reason that..... owing to increased foreign com- petition, it became necessary concentrate these industries the cotton-producing areu Lancashire. The diminution in these industries has had an ad-... verse effect on industries produċ- ing materials such 23 tannin
so
3.33-
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and mordants used by calico printers and dvers. A regards the actual manufacture of dyes, the position in Scotland must L.. regarded as satisfactory. Scot- tish Dyes, Ltd.. recently opened & large extension to their works at Grangemouth.
There are. Of course, otael chemical industries in Scotland,
such as paint and varnish manu- "' facture, the fermentation in- dustries, disinfectants and sheep dips. besides many more too numerous to mention, but since there has been no outstanding changes in these industries it might be of more use to mention new industries."
NEW ESTABLISHMENTS Since 1922 a new rubber firm has started the manufacture of motor tyres, and, after initial vicissitudes, appears to be pro gressing favourably. That. of course, can scarcely be regarded as a new industry, but a definitely new venture bas commenced at Leven, Fife. There enamelled metal ware for the chemical and foodstuffs industries is being pro- duced by enamelled Metal Pro- ducts Corporation. Ltd., in which the Scottish firm of Henry Bal- four and Co. is associated. This new industry is working ut full capacity,
Another new chemical, industry is the production of glass silk which has been established in Glasgow This product is the latest development in heat, and sound insulation. Taken all in all; the position of the chemical. industry in Scotland is probably not so bad as pessimists would have US believe. and when the members of the Society of Chemical Industry come to Glas- gow in July they will find that although some old industrial land- marks have gone new ones have taken their place.
The Tyler
Mr. Newlywed-Is the steak ready now, dear?
Mr. Newlywed-I'm sorry I'm so long, George, but it looked hopeless grilled, and it doesn't look much better fried, but if you'll be patient a little longer, I'll see what bolling does to it."
J
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HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 1935.
ENGINEERING AND
AND BUILDING
TWO TYPES OF
· LUBRICATION
.M....
Improved Methods
非
The high standard of efficiency and rellability attained by modern machines is to a very large ex- tent, due to improved methods of lubrication and increased know-
ledge concerning the properties of lubricants. It is usually · as- sumed that there are two distinct alm types of lubrication-Buid lübrication in which the surfaces are separated by a free-flowing layer of lubricant, and boundary lubrication, in which the aim is extremely thin and influenced by the cohesiva forces of surface attraction
Conditions governing quid aim lubricationsare well established
Notes From Everywhere
THE ATCO AUTOSCYTHE
On the majority of small est- ates there are rough areas cover- ed with coarse grass where the unevenness of the surface or the height of the grass precludes the use of a motor mower. Such areas are usually cut by hand with a scythe, but an ingenious Implement for 'dealing with work of this type has recently been in- troduced by Messrs. "Atco Motor Mowers, Whitworth Works. T- The tea-road, Birmingham, 9. use of this implement will not only run a very considerable saving in time on the work men- toned, but also enables marked economies to be effected wherever the use of a hand scythe is called
.for
Thus, it may be employed for moving rough grass on roadside verges, ar on any embankment which is not too steep for the operator to keep his footing: cut- tinx down heavy growths of weeds ori-waste spaces; and coarse grass in orchards, poultry pens, and other confined spaces It may also be
for mowing bracken or even heather on level or undulating heath land.
Excessive load, slow-running, or low-viscosity lubricant may reduce the thickness of the film to such an extent that Its continuity is interrupted by surface irregulari- tles ör "high spots." The may of lubricant, restrict the flow cause excessive temperature rise and possibly lead
employed to seizure. Some hold the opinion that can- ditions over the "high spots" area are those of boundary lu- brication and that the chemical properties of the lubricant and the nature of the bearing surfaces become predominant factors. The coefficient of friction for boundary lubrication may, however, exceed dis. and the fact that bearings do operate under, conditions in which surface irregularities in- terfere with the continuity of the film provides definite evidence that very little true boundary lu- brication can be present, and that either fuld 'Alm conditiona are being maintained in a modified form, or that some other reason must be given to account for the low coefficient of friction that makes operation possible,
The Autoscythe, consists essen- tially of a sickle-bar type of mcwer, "driven by an air-cooled motor, and mounted on a single wheel.
KINÈTIC ACTION
11
It is propelled by the operator through a pair of spring handles, so that the rate of feed can be varied according to the nature of the work. It is stated that the machine will cut anv
vegetable growth within the cap- acity of the sickle fingers under almost
any ground conditions. and that with a standard three foot cutter bar,, the capacity. Is about 2 acres per day on normal work. A two-foot cutter-bar may be Atted required. The fuel consumption is 'about 1 gallon ner 10 hours werk. The complete ma- chine weighs 160 in.
L
NEWMAN-MILLIKEN
VALVE
The late Mr. H. M Martin maintained that lubrication was essentially a kinetic action, änd that breakdown of the viscous flow conditions must Inevitably, lead to seizure, and Stanton, in a paper read before the British As- sociation in 1927, stated that there was considerable evidence to show that the phenomenon of seizure coincided with the transier gate types, was introduced into the United States some ve tion from film to boundary lu- brication In that paper, however, years ago, and has since given
he
also drew results of some rather remark- able experiments with a special gas-heated Journal bearing appu- ratus designed by Jakeman for testing lubricants at temperatures higher than those attainable by,
the attention to
normal running.
A remarkably
simple valve, which appears to be free from the defects of either" the taper-plug
very successful service on pipe lines for a wide variety of pro- ducts, including petroleum deri- Yatives, acids, gases; and steam. The sole manufacturing and sell- ing rights outside the States for this valve, which is known as the Newman-Millken, have now been secured by Messrs. Newman, Hen- der and Company, Limited, Wood- chester, Gloucestershire.
In view of the complex char- acter of the problem and the in- consistent nature of experimental results, it is hardly surprising that thin film lubrication pro- parallel plug without any of the vides an interesting subject for usual forms of packing, sealing research.
TELEVISION SERVICE
The valve consists simply of a
being effected. entirely by means of a suitablé lubricant, which also ensures an entire absence of sticking.
A should is provided on the upper portion of the plug. regis- tering with 庭 corresponding shoulder machined in the valve body,
London, Jute 6. London's ant television station will be situated at the Alexandra, Palace, North London, 306 feet
SUBJECT TO VIBRATION above sea level, on which a 300- foot mast will be erected The The latter is solid at the top, combined height, it is considered. the plug being inserted througn should enable a high definition bottom opening closed by a television service to be provided screwed cover. A stiff spring is for the London area,
'Inserted in a central recess in the cover, making contact, with the The Baird and Marconi Tele-base of the plug and ensuring the vision Companies have been maintenance of a tight joint vited to tender for the necessary when the valve is located at a apparatus. Vision signals will be radiated on about 8.6 metres and point where it may be subject to
vibration. associated sound signals on 7.2 metres.- British Wirelui.
The Hero
"John, you must discharge the cook She was impertinent to me and threatened to throw me out of the kitchen.***
"The ideal I certainly shall dis- charge her. Na domestic can talk
Leakage is only possible to the outside of the valve casing past the plug stem, while leakage from one side to the other of the valve can only açcur either at the same point, round the body, or under the bottom of the plug. Each of these pointa, however, is effective- ly sealed by a viscous lubricant, under a pressuré "equal to.", or greater, then that of the liquid or gas controlled by the valve,
The valve is made in a variety.
to my wife like that (and notṛan- "of types and from various mater kwer, to me for it.”
lals to suit particular applications, but in all cases gives à full pipe
They're Like This" Apropos the stories of typists' I'm glad to hear you say that, blunders, an Edinburgh journalist John. Maggie is in the kitchen are openins. The stem on the once dictated to his typist, "Lord Morley is a doctrinaire."
now."
When he received the typescript = "All right, I'm going to the office, he was delighted to find that the and when you hear the telephone typist had made it:—“ Lord Morley® ring, you tell Maggie I want to „is a doctor. Ku Ar
speak to her."
plug is unusually large, and this, in conjunction with the contin tour, lubrication, precludes any possibility of the stem being twisted on. Very little head room is required, and there is no pocket
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at the head where water can ac cumulate with the possibility of damage by freezing. The valve opens and closes with a quarter turn.
giving a normal quick action, but if a slow action is re- quired, valves with a special form of port through the plug can be supplied, or a geared head can be substituted for the normal wrench handle.
METAL INDUSTRIES
EXHIBITION
An International exhibition de- voted to the products and require- ments of the metal industries is to be held in the Boekikan (Com- mercia; Museum), Osaka, Japan. We understand that this will be the largest at its kind so far held in Japan, and the exhibits will in- cinde raw and refined materials and minerals, castings, forgings, rolled. extruded, pated and welded products, and plant, equipment, and tools used in the mining and metallurgical. Industries, The exhibition, which is being held under the joint auspices of the proprietors of the Nikkäń
heat-treated,
Kogro Shinbun-sha
Daily Industrial News), and cf Messrs.. Agne, Okamoto, bear Kobe, publishers: of Kinzoku (Journal of Metals), has received the backing of the Department of Commerce and Industry, and of several other Japanese Govern- ment Departments and technical and other institutions. As already
·ŝtated, it is internationa! In char- acter," and business and "trading #organisations and industrial firms from all countries are invited to parteipate.
During the period
of the exhibition a metallurgical congress is to be held, and such subjects as the growth of cast- iron as the result of heating at elevated temperatures, the heat- treatment or bronze. gup- metal, and high-tin bronze, the microstructure of aluminium, and its alloys, and hardness testing. are to be discussed,
HEAVY OIL ENGINES
Whether the airless-injection engine will ultimately become as formidable a rival to the petrol engine, in the air as it is on the roads is dimcult to say: The results so far obtained with air- craft oll engines of British design have been disappointing, and lit- tle more success appears to have attended the efforts of American designers, although a World's non-refuelling endurance record was secured with a Packard Diesel engine in May. 1931. Consider- ably more progress has, however, .. been made in Germany, where Messrs. Junkers Motorenbau G.m.b.H., cr Dessau, have been unremitting in their efforts to de- velop a suitable heavy-oll engine. Actually, oll engines of this make have already been installed in large numbers in the Deutsche Luft Hansa service, and It is significant that licences for their manufacture have been taken out both in France and in England. The Arst heavy-oil sero engine was constructed by Messrs, Jun- kers as early as 1917, but an over- land Dight was not made until ∙1929. A considerable step forward was made in 1931, when one of the Luft-Hansa trame machines was fitted with a 720-hp. engine, while in 1932, a machine fitted with one of these engines was put into regular service on the Berlin- Amsterdam route. In the follow- ing year, a number of heavy-oll engined machines were put into service of the main German air- line routes In 1934, the largest German land machine, the Jun- kéts G. 98, fitted with four 750- h.p. engines, was produced, and also a triple-engined machine, the Junkers JU 52, with 559-h.p. -en-
gines,
"A Big Job Do you make life-size enlarge. ments from snapshots?" asked the giri
"Certainly, miss," answered the photographer. "That's our special- ty."
“Well," said girl, “let's see what you can go with this picture of the Grand Canyon."
CLYDE FIRM'S BIG ORDER
New Valves For The Majestic
What is undoubtedly the largest reducing this leakage, and it was valve conversion contract on record ultimately decided to fit a Cock- has been placed with Mesars Cock-burn-MacNicoll improved high-lift burns, Ltd.. Cardonald, Glasgow. double safety valve of Sin, diame- the valve
the specialists, by
ter. The in, double safety valves Cunard-White Star Line to supply have a discarea of approximately 47 patent safety valves for the one-third of the triple safety Majestic.
valves, and the smaller double chest and smaller diameter of valve, as compared with the triple ftting." all tended to reduce distor¬ tion.
While the French liner Norman- dle and the Cunard-White Star liner Queen Mary are still under construction, the Majestic, which is much smaller than either of those vessels, has the distinction of being the world's largest liner in service.
WIS
Built by Messrs Blohm and Voss. Hamburg, in 1931, the Majestic, originally named Bismarck, handed over to this country in ac- cordance with war reparation ar- rangements. She is 915ft. long and has a beam of 100ft., while, her gross tonnage i√ 58,599. She has four screws actuated by turbines. taking steam from 48 water-tube bollers working at a pressure of 2401b, per square inch On each of these bollers, there was originally a triple safety valve, 4jin, diameter,
of
German design and make. These valves, which are massive pieces of mechanism, are to be re- placed by Glyde-built valves.
Behind the decision to make this conversion from German to British valves 'lies an interesting story.
ORIGINAL DIFFICULTIES
After the vessel had been in the White Star service for some time the late Mr. Blake, who was the superintending engineer for the White Star Line at Southampton, a found that there was a very large. amount of steam being wasted through the feathering of the safety valves.
It will be appreciated that a. safety valve is a most delicate piece. of mechanism. It is only the sur- plus steam pressure that causes the valve to open. At the blow-off point, which is frequently the working prossure or the red line, as It is termed, the valve is in a state of balance, so that if there is the slightest distortion in the seating. leakage obviously occurs.
It is most desirable that the blow-off pressure of the safety valves should be some 5 per cent. higher than the working pressure or red line so as to allow the extra pressure to reduce any distortion as far as possible. This is being done now particularly with higher pressures
W
On the Majestic Mr. Black touna; after "careful investigation, that over 100 tons of water per 24 hours was being lost through leakage of these German safety valves. The amdunt 'of off necessary to evaporate this amount of water is approximately 10 tons per 24 hours, Apart from this, the evaporators from time to time had to make up the water loss, again using fuel.
CLYDE VALVÉ TESTED 14 Mr. Blake then consulted Cock- burns, Ltd., of Cardonald, as to the possibility of stopping or at least
This 3-inch double valve was then fitted and an accumulation trial was carried out under the auspices of the Board of Trade to see that the valve could discharge all the steam that the boiler could gen- erate without the steam pressure exceeding 10 per cent, of the work. ̈ing or blow-off pressure. This trial
was quite satisfactory.
During 'subsequent voyages the vulve was kept under strict obser- ab- vation and appeared to be solutely tight. Mr. Blake then con- sidered what he should do with the remaining 47 German safety valves. It was ultimately decided to use thể German boxes or chests, blank off the centre valve seat, and fit Cockburn-MacNicoll Improved high-lift safety valves and seats to the wing valves, with new springs of square section steel as against the original round section spring of... German make. This alteration was duly effected on the 47 German safety valves, and the vessel has been sailing for some years with with this conversion.
the
LEAKAGE LESSENED During this period while leakage was lessened there was still a very considerable leakage, but at the same time the 3-inch double valve remained consistently, tight. If the triple chest there is a long fat bridge which accomodates the valve seating. It can readily be appreciated that distortion takes place in this long flat surface.
It has now been decided to sub- stitute 3-inch "double cast steel Cockburn - MacNicoll Improved high-lift safety valves for the ori ginal 47 German safety valves. When this is effected, there should be no further loss of steam through the safety valves beyond that which of necessity must occur when the valve functions in, its safety capacity that is, the pre- rention of the bursting of the boiler from over-pressure,
It is interesting to note that Cockburn - MacNicoll high-lift safety valves are
Improved also fitted on, all the boilers of the Ger- man liner Bremen.
The Cunard-White Star liner Queen Mary is being fitted with safety valves of Messrs Cockburns' design, which goes to show that in the design and manufacturing of such ingenious pieces of mechanism safety valves the Clyde is supreme as it is in the other branches of the marine engineer- ing Industry.
23
THE TAIKOO DOCKYARD & ENGINEERING
#
COMPANY OF HONGKONG, LIMITED.
BUILDERS OF ALL CLASSSES OF SHIPS. BUILDERS OF RECIPROCATING STEAM ENGINES. BUILDERS OF MARINE AND LAND BOILERS. BUILDERS OF TURBINE MACHINERY
Under License From Messrs Patsons.. BUILDERS OF DIESEL ENGINES
Under Special License From Messrs Sulzer Bros., Winterthur.
Licensed To Manufacture Lanz Perlit Iron, Specially Suitable For Internal Combustion Engine Working Parts.
DOCK & SLIPWAYS.
FOR DOCKING VERY LARGE," AS WELL AS SMALLER VESSELS,
ON ANY TIDE.
ALL CLASSES OF SHIP, ENGINE AND BOILER
REPAIRS AND
EXTENSIVE
WELDING, BOTH ELECTRICAL AND OXY-
·ACETYLENE SKILFULLY AND PROMPTLY CARRIED OUT.
BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, Agents,
HONG KONG, CHINA & JAPAN.
TEL ADDRES: “PATECOBOOK." Horo, Kona, "Taarnóng: 80211.
CALL FEARS NUKSIAL OWE * OVER
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