The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-03-29
Wood Waste
Uses Found
industrial Vista
Is Broudened

pert described at the National
Farm Chemurgie conference We'd
nesday new charcoal process OF
manufacturing steel which. ne
said, would utilize millions Of
tons OF wood waste in the north
west and aid in development OF a
steel industry on the Pacific
coast.
John W. Gellert. watertown,
Wis, plant manager for American
Casting service. said the process.
on which patents have not been
published. had been perfected by
DR.. Stevan Ruzicka. Belgrade,
Yugoslavia, chemist. Gellert spoke
at the opening session Of the con-
ference's annual three-day meet
ing.
The process. he said, will per-
nit manufacture in the United
States of Swedish-type ste el,
which requires cheap fuel for blast
furnaces. in contrast to electric
furnaces.
"Solves Problem"
Electric furnace steel, he said,
does not have the same reputa-
ton and sales appeal. due to the
high cost of production and the
lower quality, compared to the
Swedish-type.
"Ruzicka's process solves the
problem of the lack in the United
States of metsllurgieal coke of
correct composition for manufac-
turing swedish-type steel" he
said.
This process is fitted peculi-
arily for development In the
northwest because it substitutes
for coke made from coal, a pro-
cessed charcoal made from wood |
waste, sawdust, tree tops and
stumps, of which the northwest |
has perhaps 100000 tons.
Basis For Alloys
Swedish-type steel, which is
made by the charcoal process and
brings the highest prices. is used
for scientific instruments, tools
and springs. Produced in guam
titles, it coulG be used for armor-
plating"
He said charcoal iron is the
basis for many steel alloys, and,
should the process prove as prac-
teal as some experts predict, it
will form the basis for new cleo
tro metallurgical and electro
chemical industries in the north
west and provide a new and per-
haps important use for wood
waste.
Lists Raw Materials
Charcoal iron production in the
United States now represents only
about per cent of all iron made
here. Its production in quantity
has been impossible because our
commercial charcoal is too brit
tie and tends to pulverize under
pressure.
The new Ruzicka process over
comes all these difficulties" he
said. For raw materials, DR..
Ruzicka proposes to utilize waste
lumber from either sawmills or
cut-over timber land. Hardwoods
give the largest yields of char
coal and acetic acid, although
Douglas fir is entirely acceptable.
Involves Three Steps
THE process involves three es-
sential steps: First, destructive
distillation of wood, with recovery
of by-products; second, pulveriz-
ing of charcoal and mixing with
by-products: and, third, final cox
ing, with further recovery of by
products, especially gases"
He said ii had been estimated
the cost of a ton of finished coke
would be approximately about 81
per short ton. Using .426 ton per
ton Of pig. compared with cost
of s2.51 by using coke from coal.
thus representing a sewing Of 81
cents.
Contains Less Ash
He said that due to the fact this
new coke from hardwood wastes
contains less ash, there would be
an additional saving amounting to
a final cost Of about S1.064 per
ton of pig iron.
These savings" he said, ARE
an important factor in the devel-
opment of steel industry on the
West coast"