The Colorado statesman., 1924-06-14


Hilary apparatus sections and shore section
ultimate installation calls for eighteen main
power units, four of which are 10000 horsepower
each. and fourteen of $4,000 horsepower each
-Four of the-latter fourteen and the four 3oooo
horsepower units being installed at the present
time, making Initial installation or 2ooooo
horsepower Each power unit consists of water
turbine of the Francis type in a vertical setting
with electrical generator above on the same SHAFT
The four 10000 horsepower turbines were man.
ufuctured by the William Cramp K Sons Ship
Engine Building company, and the generators Tor
same made by the Westinghouse Electric
Manufacturing company.
Five thousand men employed on the con-
structon of this project. They work in three
shifts, each shift working eight hours. This con-
struction camp Is in reality fair-slzed town. The
main concrete mixing plant is located on an island
in the middle Of the river. From here the con-
crete is hauled in large buckets on railroad cars
to any part of the job where 1t may be needed
Railroad tracks serve every available part OF the
work. In all more than twenty miles of track have
been laid for construction purposes. A co1struc-
tion bridge carrying railroad tracks as well as
tracks for huge travelling derricks had to be con-
structed. In order to build the formwork for the
concrete lumber yard sawm and layout plat
form had to be erected. The lumber used on the
job will run to millions of feet board measure"
The manufacture of destructive explosives from
nitrates taken from the air is a fascinating sub
ject especially in connection with the fact that the
same Iltrates easily be turned into harmless
and benefcent fertilizer. As IT stands today, Nj
trate Plant No. fix from the atmosphere the
ntrates required for the continuous supply of am
munlton for army Of 1250,000 men. In war
time the of ammunition is not an essential fea
ture.
But fertilizer be manufactured at Muscle
Shoals at peace-time prices? This seems to be an
unsettled question. Maj. j. X. Grain, ordnance
department, U. s. A., says this much-veXed
Shoals
project.
There is some doubt that fertilizer be pro-
duced by the process for which Muscle Shoals prop
compete with the products from other sources.
However this subject is engaging the attention of
scientists in both private and governmental employ
Promising results have been attained at the hXed
laboratory established by the War department
but turned to the control of the Department
expo riments in this field has War de-
partment Il oppose REIMBURSEMENT of the title to
the plants must be returned TO the control Of the
government in an effective condition to be utilized
the ntrol of persons who did not continue their
of the manufacture of fertilizers
Taking Nitrogen From Air.
"The raw materials employed in the manufactur-
ing process nitrogen, obtained from the air,
limestone, and coal, which is used in the form
of coke" says Major Grain. The first step is
to burn the limestone to lme which is an oxide of
culcium (CaO). This is then mixed with coke
(carbon) and the mixture is heated to very high
temperature in electric furnaces. The product thus
formed is a combination of calcium and carbon.
the familiar calcium carbide (CaC-2) which gen.
crates ucetylene when placed in water. The car
bide is run out of the furnaces in liquid state,
and after cooling and sodifying, is ground to a
fine powder.
1.-The next step is to add nitrogen to the carbide.
For this purpose practically pure nitrogen is need
ed There are several different methods of sep
arntng nitrogen from the oxygen of the air but the
la of re sir nTicitv
and cheapness is first to llqufy air and then to
separate the two gases by taking advantage of the
fact that the boiling points of the two liquid gases
are slightly different. Oxygen boils at 1925
degrees Centigrnde and nitrogen at 1855 de-
gress Centigrade.) The process Is very similar to
that used in separating mixtures of alcohol and
water.
1.-The actual fxaton of the nitrogen is now ac-
compshed by passing 1t over the finely ground
carbide heated to temperature of about 2,OOC
degrees Fahrenheit. reaction takes place under
these conditions and complex compound of cal
cium carbon, and nitrogen called cyanamide
(CaCN-2) is the result.
'rhe next step in the production of both ex
posives and fertilizer Is TO heat the cyanamide ir
large steel tanks with steam and water, which re
suits in the formation of ordinary ammonia.
"Ammonia can be readily changed into nitric
acid (HNO-3) and from this acid any desired nj
trogen compound for either agricultural or mil
tary purposes can be made. For fertillzers am
monium phosphate and ammonium sulphate are the
preferred forms; while for explosives there is
host of nitrogen products, dynamite, I. N T.. ant
many others.