The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1915-05-28

neering work. both in chemical anc
mechanical lines.
In the fall OF 1912 he came 10 Co
lumbia university 20 DO the work
which got for him. IN June. 1914. the
degree OF doctor Of philosophy The
research work for this degree was car
ried out in the industrial laboratories
OF Hayemeyer hall. Columbia, Under
the direction OF Prot ST. C. WhilaAeT-
The results OF these Investigations
we're published IN the May ana June.
1914 numbers OF the Journal OF Indus
trial and Engineering Chemistry, anu
we're upon the subject -Ihermokeac-
lions in Carbureting Water Gas In
this research work was laid the toun-
dation for the work which led 20 his
discoveries. This piece # research
vas so much praised that he was
asked TO take position vita the Unit
"a states bureau OF mines a. Pitts
burgh as chemical engineer After
accepting this position he continued
10 study the problem Of obtaining
larger yields OF gasoline in the tistn-
lation OF crude Oil
He found that AZ the laboratories
in Pittsburgh there was not the kind
OF apparatus that was required for
The work which he had in mind The
work which BE had done in studying
the thermal reactions in the carburet-
ing OF water gas required q special
piece OF apparatus. and this had been
designed and built in the laboratories
in Havemeyer hall. so that IL Was de-
sirable that in the continuance OF his
researches he be able 10 use this aP-
parafus. Through the courtesy Of the
university authorities he was able 10
take Up his investigation for the bu
reau OF mines 10 one oil the private
laboratories OF the department OF
chemistry. where he could make use
Of the apparatus which be had for
merry used as a graduate Itudent
While his experimental distillation
apparatus is not large enough 10 be
called factory size. il is much larger
than the ordinary laboratory size. and
he vas enabled 20 get results which
gave indications that the process vas
feasible on a commercial scale
Doctor Rittman Is modest in his
claims and desires 10 have time 10
perfect his processes In larger size
units before making any statements
as 10 the cost Of the production
The apparatus which has been used
in all Of the experimental work is prac-
tically the same as that used In the
research which won for him mis- Ph. ID.
from Columbia university last June.
The oil. which may be a crude oil. and
which BY the ordinary process OF dis
ullation might yield no gasoline at all.
Is introduced into the apparatus By
feeding device which controls the rate
at which IL is led into the furnace
Besides crude oil Il Is possible to use
residues which remain from former
Oscillations by the old process. and
even the oils from the California oil
fields which yield practically no gaso-
line As the oil enters the top q the
furnace IL comes in contact with
mass OF hot steel balls which vapor.
izes the oil The furnace itself. into
which the oil vapor next passes. Is
simply a piece OF iron pipe heated By
an electric current which passes
through a coil OF resistance wire sur.
rounding the pipe but separated from
/ II by asbestos
What actually takes place in the
distillation process is no doubt
/ breaking down Of the larger and more
complex molecules OF the oil used. into
the gasoline moleoule or the benzol
molecule as the case may be. This
process is technically known as crack.
\ ing" the oil
Tie foreign patents which Doctor
Rittman IS taking out vin. OF course.
be his own personal property The
entire rights 81 the American patents
wi" be vested in the public. however.
and he win receive no compensation
] except his salary