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Dust from blast furnaces
742
CURRENT TOPICS.
[J. F. I.
the fertilizer consumed is used west of the Rocky Mountains, and freight rates to eastern points would be prohibitive. The freight rate per unit of K20 on the dried and ground kelp would amount to about $2, on the kelp char to about $I, and on the high-grade chloride to about 6o cents. No figures for freight rates via the Panama Canal are available. Attempts to transplant kelp from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast have so far been unsuccessful, as no suitable localities have been found, and the prospect of success of such a project is not considered promising. Dust from Blast Furnaces. A . W . STOCKWrT (U. S. Bureau of M i n e s ) . - - T h e recovery of potash as a by-product in the manufacture of pig-iron was first investigated by R. G. Wysor, at the plant of the Bethlehem Steel Company. Dust settling in the stove and boiler passes was collected, and was found to contain nearly IO per cent. of K20. Investigation showed that the potash recovered from this dust was only a small proportion of the total in the charge, being less than 2 per cent., and that 67 per cent. of the potash was lost in the primary washers and in the stack gases. Experiments with electrical precipitation proved that practically all of the dust could be precipitated successfully. A plant for collecting the dust is now being erected at a 4oo-ton furnace at the Bethlehem Steel Company's plant at Lebanon, Pa., and another plant is to be built in Alabama at an early date. Mr. W y s o r states : " I venture to predict that in the future dry cleaning will be adopted in many blast-furnace plants, and that many thousands of tons of potash, hitherto wasted, will be reclaimed." Mr. Charles Catlett has said: " It is easy to rem.ove the fumes and dust from the gases without interfering in any way with the operation of the furnace. The investment would be moderate, and the cost of operation of the potash-recovery plant low, while the gases would be improved for use in the stoves." An investigation is being made to determine the t.otal amount of K 2 0 lost in the dust of all the furnaces in the United States, but the figures are not yet available. Probably, however, the amount recoverable will exceed the total requirements of the country. Without taking into account the indirect advantage of cleaner gas for use in the stoves and gas engines, it may be safely stated that potash can be obtained from this source at a price that will enable it to compete successfully against the German potash under all conditions. The iron industry, like the cement industry, is situated near the principal centres of demand f.or fertilizers, and should receive every inducement from the Government to erect plants for the recovery of potash, as it seems probable that these two industries could be made capable of permanently supplying the entire potash requirements .of the country at a price that would encourage the more extended use of potash as a fertilizer, and thus increase the food supply.
CURRENT TOPICS.
[J. F. I.
the fertilizer consumed is used west of the Rocky Mountains, and freight rates to eastern points would be prohibitive. The freight rate per unit of K20 on the dried and ground kelp would amount to about $2, on the kelp char to about $I, and on the high-grade chloride to about 6o cents. No figures for freight rates via the Panama Canal are available. Attempts to transplant kelp from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast have so far been unsuccessful, as no suitable localities have been found, and the prospect of success of such a project is not considered promising. Dust from Blast Furnaces. A . W . STOCKWrT (U. S. Bureau of M i n e s ) . - - T h e recovery of potash as a by-product in the manufacture of pig-iron was first investigated by R. G. Wysor, at the plant of the Bethlehem Steel Company. Dust settling in the stove and boiler passes was collected, and was found to contain nearly IO per cent. of K20. Investigation showed that the potash recovered from this dust was only a small proportion of the total in the charge, being less than 2 per cent., and that 67 per cent. of the potash was lost in the primary washers and in the stack gases. Experiments with electrical precipitation proved that practically all of the dust could be precipitated successfully. A plant for collecting the dust is now being erected at a 4oo-ton furnace at the Bethlehem Steel Company's plant at Lebanon, Pa., and another plant is to be built in Alabama at an early date. Mr. W y s o r states : " I venture to predict that in the future dry cleaning will be adopted in many blast-furnace plants, and that many thousands of tons of potash, hitherto wasted, will be reclaimed." Mr. Charles Catlett has said: " It is easy to rem.ove the fumes and dust from the gases without interfering in any way with the operation of the furnace. The investment would be moderate, and the cost of operation of the potash-recovery plant low, while the gases would be improved for use in the stoves." An investigation is being made to determine the t.otal amount of K 2 0 lost in the dust of all the furnaces in the United States, but the figures are not yet available. Probably, however, the amount recoverable will exceed the total requirements of the country. Without taking into account the indirect advantage of cleaner gas for use in the stoves and gas engines, it may be safely stated that potash can be obtained from this source at a price that will enable it to compete successfully against the German potash under all conditions. The iron industry, like the cement industry, is situated near the principal centres of demand f.or fertilizers, and should receive every inducement from the Government to erect plants for the recovery of potash, as it seems probable that these two industries could be made capable of permanently supplying the entire potash requirements .of the country at a price that would encourage the more extended use of potash as a fertilizer, and thus increase the food supply.