symbolic shipments from sohio

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INDUSTRY Symbolic Shipments from Sohio First products from $17 million petrochemical plant go to customers; other units being pushed ONE CARLOAD EACH of aqua ammonia, urea-ammonia solutions, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate solutions were shipped to Sohio Chemical's customers in mid-December. First shipment of urea from the $17 million petrochemical plant at Lima, Ohio, is scheduled for February. While some products are being shipped, the bulk of production is going into storage for inventory so that the company can start full scale shipment schedules this month. Construction at the plant is still going on and will continue until early May when the carbon dioxide plant goes into production. Sohio says that Lima was a logical choice for the site of the chemical plant because of the ready availability of raw materials, good rail shipping facilities, and central location with re- spect to both agricultural and indus- trial markets for company products. Chemical products to be marketed through agricultural channels include anhydrous ammonia, aqua ammonia, ammoniating solutions, nitrogen solu- tions, urea fertilizer compounds, and feed grade urea. Sohio offers a selec- tion of 13 varying combinations of am- monia, ammonium nitrate, and urea in the Sohiogen and Sohiogro solution line. A major portion of Sohio products marketed through industrial channels include refrigeration-grade ammonia, aqua ammonia (A-grade), urea, and nitric acid 36° to 40° Bé. Ample storage facilities have been provided to enable Sohio to build up reserves of products before the start of peak season shipments, so that the company can increase substantially normal shipping capacity if necessary in critical high consumption periods. These storage facilities will assure an adequate supply for the fluctuating agricultural demand produced by vary- ing weather conditions. • Process Units. Sohio's petrochemi- cal plant consists of five process units, an office-headquarters building, a lab- oratory building, a locker building, a steam plant, and an electrical substa- χ ι uLcsa U.HJLLO CUC. aiiimuiiiu This is the ammonia section at Sohio's new $17 million petrochemical plant at Lima, Ohio. First units bave gone into production; others are being completed and full shipments are starting soon. Final units will be finished in May nitric acid, urea, solid carbon dioxide, and solutions blending. The syntnetic ammonia unit has been designed to use M. W. Kellogg's process of steam methane pressure re- forming. In general, this process in- troduces a number of design innova- tions to ammonia production. Unique to the process, Sohio points out, is a reforming step which results in 25 to 35% savings in compressor horsepower. A special quench-type reactor which allows optimum temperature control also contributes to improved ammonia yields and lower operating costs of the process. Kellogg also says that close control of temperature obtained in the reactor leads to longer catalyst life, lower maintenance cost, and higher conversion per pass. The 180-ton nitric acid unit, de- signed and built by Chemical & In- dustrial Corp., burns ammonia and ab- sorbs the oxides formed (in the pres- ence of a platinum-rhodium catalyst) under pressure of approximately 100 p.s.i.g. The 120-ton-per-day urea unit is the first to be built in the U. S. using the Swiss Inventa process developed and production-tested by Holzverzucker- ungs, A. G. (Hovag) of Ems, Switzer- land, an affiliated company of Inventa, 18 C&EN JAN. 2, 1956

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Page 1: Symbolic Shipments from Sohio

INDUSTRY

Symbolic Shipments from Sohio First products from $17 million petrochemical plant go to customers; other units being pushed

O N E CARLOAD EACH of aqua ammonia, urea-ammonia solutions, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate solutions were shipped to Sohio Chemical's customers in mid-December. First shipment of urea from the $17 million petrochemical plant at Lima, Ohio, is scheduled for February. While some products are

being shipped, the bulk of production is going into storage for inventory so that the company can start full scale shipment schedules this month.

Construction at the plant is still going on and will continue until early May when the carbon dioxide plant goes into production.

Sohio says that Lima was a logical choice for the site of the chemical plant because of the ready availability of raw materials, good rail shipping facilities, and central location with re­spect to both agricultural and indus­trial markets for company products.

Chemical products to be marketed through agricultural channels include anhydrous ammonia, aqua ammonia, ammoniating solutions, nitrogen solu­tions, urea fertilizer compounds, and feed grade urea. Sohio offers a selec­tion of 13 varying combinations of am­monia, ammonium nitrate, and urea in the Sohiogen and Sohiogro solution line.

A major portion of Sohio products marketed through industrial channels include refrigeration-grade ammonia, aqua ammonia (A-grade), urea, and nitric acid 36° to 40° Bé.

Ample storage facilities have been provided to enable Sohio to build up reserves of products before the start of peak season shipments, so that the company can increase substantially normal shipping capacity if necessary in critical high consumption periods. These storage facilities will assure an adequate supply for the fluctuating agricultural demand produced by vary­ing weather conditions.

• Process Units. Sohio's petrochemi­cal plant consists of five process units, an office-headquarters building, a lab­oratory building, a locker building, a steam plant, and an electrical substa-

χ ι uLcsa U.HJLLO C U C . a i i i m u i i i u

This is the ammonia section at Sohio's new $17 million petrochemical plant at Lima, Ohio. First units bave gone into production; others are being completed and full shipments are starting soon. Final units will be finished in May

nitric acid, urea, solid carbon dioxide, and solutions blending.

The syntnetic ammonia unit has been designed to use M. W. Kellogg's process of steam methane pressure re­forming. In general, this process in­troduces a number of design innova­tions to ammonia production. Unique to the process, Sohio points out, is a reforming step which results in 25 to 3 5 % savings in compressor horsepower. A special quench-type reactor which allows optimum temperature control also contributes to improved ammonia yields and lower operating costs of the process. Kellogg also says that close control of temperature obtained in the reactor leads to longer catalyst life, lower maintenance cost, and higher conversion per pass.

The 180-ton nitric acid unit, de­signed and built by Chemical & In­dustrial Corp., burns ammonia and ab­sorbs the oxides formed (in the pres­ence of a platinum-rhodium catalyst) under pressure of approximately 100 p.s.i.g.

The 120-ton-per-day urea unit is the first to be built in the U. S. using the Swiss Inventa process developed and production-tested by Holzverzucker-ungs, A. G. (Hovag) of Ems, Switzer­land, an affiliated company of Inventa,

1 8 C & E N J A N . 2, 1956

Page 2: Symbolic Shipments from Sohio

A. G. of Lucerne. Vulcan Copper à Supply's engineering division holds the license and rights for the U. S. and Canada on the process and was prime contractor on the job.

• Corrosion Overcome. The In­venta process is said to overcome two major difficulties which have plagued urea production in the past: extreme and rapid corrosion which takes place in the reactor where ammonia and carbon dioxide are combined under high temperature and pressure to form urea; and the difficulty of separating the unreacted carbon dioxide and am­monia (this is overcome by a recycle system developed by Vulcan engi­neers ).

Without use of lead or silver, the Hovag group selected materials for re­actor construction and technique of re­actor operation to combat corrosiveness. In the Sohio urea unit, the reactor is lined with an alloy developed by Hovag which should last from 10 to 15 years instead of requiring frequent replace­ment as has been the case with lead or silver.

Carbon dioxide not used in making urea goes to the dry ice plant for mak­ing into solid and liquid C02 .

In the ammonium nitrate-ammonia solutions plant, urea tail gas and am­monia purge gas from the urea and ammonia plants are introduced into the . neutralizer through submerged spargers. These gases supply approxi­mately 80% of the ammonia gas re­quired for neutralization. The balance is pure anhydrous liquid ammonia. If the virea plant is not operating, 100% ammonia will be used for neutraliza­tion. Nitric acid is added through spargers directly above the ammonia spargers. The resulting heat of reac­tion concentrates the solution to ap­proximately 83% ammonium nitrate.

This 83% ammonium nitrate over­flows from the neutralizer to an adjust­ing tank, in which liquid ammonia is added to adjust the ammonium nitrate from an acid condition to that of slightly alkaline. After this adjusting the liquid passes to run-down tank and is then pumped to storage and direct to the solution mixer.

Liquid anhydrous ammonia, 83% ammonium nitrate, and water are fed into a baffled mixer, the proportions of which depend on the desired ammoni-ated-ammonium nitrate solution re­quired.

Heat of solution is removed by a continuous recirculation of mixer efflu­ent stream.

Sohio points out that in this, its first venture into petrochemicals, past and future meet on a common ground. The most forward thinking on processes of chemical synthesis stands side-by-side with the old-fashioned shot-tower prin­ciple being used to form urea prills.

C & E N ' S R E V I E W A N D P R E V I E W

Reviewing the chemical and process industries, product-by-product, l&EC'S contributors to the January annual review issue see these as the high lights of 1955

• Big news in fertilizers continues to be ammonia—U. S. capacity in­creased by 433,000 tons in 1955, bringing total to over 4 million tons. And no end is in sight as new plants are being built and others are in the planning stages. . . . EDWIN C. KAPUSTA

• Synthetic detergent sales cop another 5% of the market, reaching 64 % of the total as compared with 59 % a year ago. Production of liquid syndets increased 3 0 % over 1954, reaching 6% of the total. Meanwhile new industrial uses continue to be found. . . . FOSTER D. SNELL

• Chemical suppliers to the paint industry enjoyed excellent markets in 1955. Paint sales probably totaled $1.5 billion. Above 'normal devel­opment activity was evident in three types of coatings: mastics, thixo-tropic paint, and electrical specialties. . . . HARRY BURRELL

• Petroleum will still be the nation's workhorse in 1975, notwithstanding nuclear advances by that time, one industry spokesman believes. Mean­while reserves grow with technical progress in exploration. . . . R. W. THOMAS, P. M, ARNOLD^ and ], W. L O Y

• The "infant" private synthetic rubber industry began its life under the most favorable circumstances possible. But growing pains were noted at once, with as much as 50% increases in plant capacity in some cases. Most exciting news from the industry was development of syn­thetic "natural." . . . G. B. KRANTZ and JOHN T. COX, JR.

• Polyethylene dominated news of the plastics industry in 1955. Not only were new processes brought to threshold of commercial production, but future plentiful supply has intensified efforts to create new markets. . . . E. E. MCSWEENEY and E. L. KROPA

• Readjustment and progress marked the pesticide industry last year. Indications are that when final figures are in, 1955 may be the second best year production-wise in the history of the industry. . . . L. S. HITCHNER

• Synthetic fibers and plastics may double the chemical industry within a decade* Requirements for such growth are not only for producing the polymers themselves, but also for processing, dyeing, and finishing of fibers and fabrics. . . . J. F. KRASNY and MILTON HARRIS

• Pulp and paper industry showed progress on all fronts: production, expansion of facilities, research and development, and human relations. One development with especially rapid growth is the use of plastics in or with paper. . . . R. B. HOBBS and W. T. JONES

J A N . 2, 1956 C&EN 1 9

THE

CHEMICAL W O R L

1956 1955

Page 3: Symbolic Shipments from Sohio

INDUSTRY

Cracking Agreement

Litigation between Houdry Process and Socony Mobil Oil involving certain catalytic cracking processes in petro­leum refining is being settled. Princi­pal processes involved are the Airlift Thermofor Catalytic Cracking (TCC) process and the Houdriflow Catalytic Cracking process.

Managements of the two companies have approved an agreement providing for amicable settlement of all issues existing between them.

Under terms of the agreement the two companies will exchange full and complete immunities in the field of moving-bed catalytic cracking for their own operations and for those of their respective licensees, and the right to receive, use, and pass on to licensees technical information and know-how owned or controlled before Dec. 31 by either company. The two companies will grant to each other for themselves and their present and future licensees an irrevocable nonexclusive royalty-free immunity under patent rights for cer­tain inventions in the field of moving-

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bed catalytic cracking made during a five-year period begirining Jan. 1.

In acquisition of certain patent rights and in settlement of patent claims, Socony Mobil will pay $3 million to Houdry. In addition, Socony will pay Houdry S 12.50 a barrel of licensed capacity for each paid-up license and 0.75 cents per barrel out of running royalties received, until such payments amount to S 12.50 per daHy barrel of capacity during the next five years for all new TCC licenses.

• Oroniie Chemical has been holding a special school for a group of 2 5 chem­ists, representing 18 western paint and chemical companies. This course was in the uses of Oronite Isophthalic which the company is placing in commercial production.

• Dow has been cited for its Saran Wrap television commercials at the an­nual 1955 Sylvania Television Awards presentation. The honor was a repeat for Dow, which was cited last year for its sponsorship of Medic.

• Pfizer and its employees are ensuring that the 100 members of the U. S. Olympic team participating in the Winter Games are fully protected medically. They have provided ample supplies of antibiotics, vitatiiiris, anu other products. In addition, the com­pany has donated enough funds to the Olympic Cornrrtittee to purchase all the first aid and surgical supplies needed.

• Schering says that more than $100,-000 worth of Meticorten and Metieor-telone was stolen in a weekend bur­glary' of its Chicago warehouse. The drugs were in bottles of 30 and 1O0 tablets. No other types of drugs were taken.

Mergers · . · ^ Borden has acquired capital stock of American Resinous Chemicals and Reslac Chemicals. The acquisitions, Borden says, were made to diversify its activity in thermoplastics. There will be no changes in management, operat­ing procedure, or personnel.

• Petrol ite Corp. has purchased Bareco Oil's wax business. Operations of the two companies and their facilities will be combined, and will do business at Bareco W a x Co., division of Petrolite.

^ American-Marietta has purchased Southern Cement. As a division of

| American-Marietta, Southern will con-I rinue operations under the direction of I its former management.

2 0 C&EN J A N . 2. 1956