- Email: [email protected]
Alfred to analyze shale for gas resources
NEWS
PROCESSES
39
AND
PRODUCTS
Australian build cheap. fast ceramics kiln Australian scientists have designed a roller-hearth ceramics kiln estimated to cost about half as much as comparable fast-firing kilns. A prototipe IO m '(30feet] long kiln has been satisfactorily tested by the Division of Buildisng Research of the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CS(RCI. The CSIRO engineer supervising the project, Mr Max Murray, said the pilot kiln incorporates several innovation, notably Australian-designed rollers able to withstand sudden temperature changes and high-endurance plates to Carry ware through the kiln. Air is pumped in at the end of the kiln to help ~0011 the ware. The hot aCr produced is ducted to the entry point where it pre-heats the new ware. The Australian kiln shares the advantages of roller-hearth kilns over tunnel kilns: increased prodmuctivity, and more flexible operation. Roller-h.earth kilns can fire and cool cera’mic products such as tiles and pottery in an hour or less, about one-tenth of t,he time required by tunnel kilns. There is no need for costly 24dhour operation, and the kilns can be assembled and dismantled easily in an ordinary factory.
Mr Murray spent nine monthe designing rollers from a zircon refractory formulation that is strong at high temperatures an’d withstends rapid changes in temperature. Ingenious clutches allow each roller to be independ’ently driven without risk of jamming and fracturing. The plates which transport the ware thmrough the kiln are strong, light a’nd able to withstand ‘repeated heati’ng and cooling. A low-cost composition material produced from Australian materials (including magnesia, silica and alumina) has proved to have high endurance Firing tismes can be varied from 20 m(: nutes to five hours. In firing a ceramic body. there are up to seven stages when it undergoes physical and chemjcal changes, and can be damaged by temperature changes. Muoh of Mr Murray’s work has been to identify these stages and devise appropriate firing cycles. He said full-scale commercial version of the kiln using one-metre (3 feet) rollers would cost about SA60003A900o a metre. about half the cost of roijerhearth kilns used in other countries. (CSIRO Division of Building Research,
Graham Road, Australia)
HIGHETT.
Greenback introduces powder grade
Victoria
barium
3190,
ferrite
Greenback Industries has a new barium ferrite powder, RM-500 designed for high-energy ferrite magnets. The magnetically hard ferrite powder is formulated to permit direct use in the fabricator’s wet-milling operatioln. (C.R. Jetter Ferrite Sales ion, Greenback Industries, Greenback, Tenn. 37742).
New belt furnace dry exceptionally
and ProductInc., Box 63,
maintains hydrogen
atmosphere
BTU Engineering Colrporation has developed a belt furnace that achieves an amazingly low dewpoint of up to -78°F (-26°C) in a hydrolgen atmos,phere. The six-inch belt furnace is designed for brazing stainless steel, silver, coppersilver and exotic metals such as titanium, as used in implanted artificial heart units. Patented gas barriers at entrance and exit ends of the furnace protect hydrogen purity by preventing ambient air from penetrating the atmoslphere chamber. Three strategically iocated gas sample ports allow the user to obtain a profile of the atmosphere system to monitor and correct any deviation from a clean, dry atmosphere. A special belt mesh ensures that deiicate fixtures wimll ride in vertical position, without leanmg, throughout the furnace. The 72 inches of heated length is divided into four zones, each individually controlled by solid state, three-mode current proportioning controllers. The furnace is rated at 1150°C and has a control accuracy of *l/s%. Standard features include overheat protection, failsafe atmosphere control, and precision belt speed control. (BTU Engineering Corporatlion, Esquire Road, North Bil’lerica, Massachussetts 01862).
New
heat-stable
glaze
stain
The Ceramic Colours Division of Degussa, Frankfurt am Main, has developed a new heat-stable glaze stain of the Sa-V-Ti system which represents an alternative to the previous type 23 346; it bears the product designattion 23 479 yellow. The new glaze stain is not only purer and more brilliant in shade than its predecessor, giving a more intensive effect in many glazes, it is also cheaper. 23 479 is a highly versatile glaze Stalin. Tests with various frit glazes at firing temperatures of between 960 and 1.160 “C produced very good results. Its high degree of stability - it resists temperatures of up to 1,350”C makes the new glaze stain an interesting proposition for the split tile industry also (for raw glazes].
Cooperative
study
on new
Erda’s Argonne National ration with three battery
batteries
Lab, in coopemanufacturers,
is studying future markets for the newly developed lithium-sulfur battery. These batteries use a lithium alloy and a metal sulfide as electrodes with a porous ceramic separator and ceramic insalutators. Such batteries are more powerful than lead-acid ‘batteries, but are more costly. Cooperating com’panies are Eagle-Picher Industries, Globe Union, and Gould.
Alfred to analyze shale for gas resources The Research Foundation at Alfred University has been awarded a $620.000 contsract by the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration to conduct preliminary studies relating to the development of natural gas resources in shale deposits of the eastern United States. The three-year contract calls for a detailed chemical and structural analysis of some 600 sam’ples of Appalachian shales foun’d in a lOOO-mile-long corridor stretching from northern Alabama to western New York. The tests are designed to iIdentify quantities of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur as indicators of hydrocarbon fuel content. Actual shale a,nalylsis will be carried out by the New York State College of Cerami’cs at Alfred. Appalachian shales contain a 140 triilion ft3 of natu’ral oas that could be produced by means if existing technology, accordino to ERDA estimates. An additional 145-trillion ft” may be recoverable through improved technology. The combined reserves edd up to as much as a 20-year supply of gae at current levels of American consumption.
Miniature
gage developed
A minature electric ~resistansce strain gage that can measure strains to 2000°F has been developed at Battelle, Coiumbus Labs. About the size af a nickel, it is applicable in the hostile environments of high temperature energy generation systems, space vehicles and hypersonic aircraft. Battelle developed an alloy wit,h unusually stable, predictable electrical properties that could be drawn into the fine wire used in the gage as well as a special bonding procedure to preclude failure of the material used to attach the gage. Previously, no gage would operate above 950” to 1200°F.
Alfred
to study
talc residues
Alfred University’s Research Foundation has been awarded a $3.000 grant by Windsor Minerals, Inc. to study means of reclaiming waste residues from the production of talc. Principal investigators will be William B. Crandall, the foundation’s managing director, and Milton A. Tuttle, professor of ceramic engineering. Their goal will be to determine whether talc residue can be reclaimed and added to other substances to create new and useful ceramic materials.
PROCESSES
39
AND
PRODUCTS
Australian build cheap. fast ceramics kiln Australian scientists have designed a roller-hearth ceramics kiln estimated to cost about half as much as comparable fast-firing kilns. A prototipe IO m '(30feet] long kiln has been satisfactorily tested by the Division of Buildisng Research of the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CS(RCI. The CSIRO engineer supervising the project, Mr Max Murray, said the pilot kiln incorporates several innovation, notably Australian-designed rollers able to withstand sudden temperature changes and high-endurance plates to Carry ware through the kiln. Air is pumped in at the end of the kiln to help ~0011 the ware. The hot aCr produced is ducted to the entry point where it pre-heats the new ware. The Australian kiln shares the advantages of roller-hearth kilns over tunnel kilns: increased prodmuctivity, and more flexible operation. Roller-h.earth kilns can fire and cool cera’mic products such as tiles and pottery in an hour or less, about one-tenth of t,he time required by tunnel kilns. There is no need for costly 24dhour operation, and the kilns can be assembled and dismantled easily in an ordinary factory.
Mr Murray spent nine monthe designing rollers from a zircon refractory formulation that is strong at high temperatures an’d withstends rapid changes in temperature. Ingenious clutches allow each roller to be independ’ently driven without risk of jamming and fracturing. The plates which transport the ware thmrough the kiln are strong, light a’nd able to withstand ‘repeated heati’ng and cooling. A low-cost composition material produced from Australian materials (including magnesia, silica and alumina) has proved to have high endurance Firing tismes can be varied from 20 m(: nutes to five hours. In firing a ceramic body. there are up to seven stages when it undergoes physical and chemjcal changes, and can be damaged by temperature changes. Muoh of Mr Murray’s work has been to identify these stages and devise appropriate firing cycles. He said full-scale commercial version of the kiln using one-metre (3 feet) rollers would cost about SA60003A900o a metre. about half the cost of roijerhearth kilns used in other countries. (CSIRO Division of Building Research,
Graham Road, Australia)
HIGHETT.
Greenback introduces powder grade
Victoria
barium
3190,
ferrite
Greenback Industries has a new barium ferrite powder, RM-500 designed for high-energy ferrite magnets. The magnetically hard ferrite powder is formulated to permit direct use in the fabricator’s wet-milling operatioln. (C.R. Jetter Ferrite Sales ion, Greenback Industries, Greenback, Tenn. 37742).
New belt furnace dry exceptionally
and ProductInc., Box 63,
maintains hydrogen
atmosphere
BTU Engineering Colrporation has developed a belt furnace that achieves an amazingly low dewpoint of up to -78°F (-26°C) in a hydrolgen atmos,phere. The six-inch belt furnace is designed for brazing stainless steel, silver, coppersilver and exotic metals such as titanium, as used in implanted artificial heart units. Patented gas barriers at entrance and exit ends of the furnace protect hydrogen purity by preventing ambient air from penetrating the atmoslphere chamber. Three strategically iocated gas sample ports allow the user to obtain a profile of the atmosphere system to monitor and correct any deviation from a clean, dry atmosphere. A special belt mesh ensures that deiicate fixtures wimll ride in vertical position, without leanmg, throughout the furnace. The 72 inches of heated length is divided into four zones, each individually controlled by solid state, three-mode current proportioning controllers. The furnace is rated at 1150°C and has a control accuracy of *l/s%. Standard features include overheat protection, failsafe atmosphere control, and precision belt speed control. (BTU Engineering Corporatlion, Esquire Road, North Bil’lerica, Massachussetts 01862).
New
heat-stable
glaze
stain
The Ceramic Colours Division of Degussa, Frankfurt am Main, has developed a new heat-stable glaze stain of the Sa-V-Ti system which represents an alternative to the previous type 23 346; it bears the product designattion 23 479 yellow. The new glaze stain is not only purer and more brilliant in shade than its predecessor, giving a more intensive effect in many glazes, it is also cheaper. 23 479 is a highly versatile glaze Stalin. Tests with various frit glazes at firing temperatures of between 960 and 1.160 “C produced very good results. Its high degree of stability - it resists temperatures of up to 1,350”C makes the new glaze stain an interesting proposition for the split tile industry also (for raw glazes].
Cooperative
study
on new
Erda’s Argonne National ration with three battery
batteries
Lab, in coopemanufacturers,
is studying future markets for the newly developed lithium-sulfur battery. These batteries use a lithium alloy and a metal sulfide as electrodes with a porous ceramic separator and ceramic insalutators. Such batteries are more powerful than lead-acid ‘batteries, but are more costly. Cooperating com’panies are Eagle-Picher Industries, Globe Union, and Gould.
Alfred to analyze shale for gas resources The Research Foundation at Alfred University has been awarded a $620.000 contsract by the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration to conduct preliminary studies relating to the development of natural gas resources in shale deposits of the eastern United States. The three-year contract calls for a detailed chemical and structural analysis of some 600 sam’ples of Appalachian shales foun’d in a lOOO-mile-long corridor stretching from northern Alabama to western New York. The tests are designed to iIdentify quantities of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur as indicators of hydrocarbon fuel content. Actual shale a,nalylsis will be carried out by the New York State College of Cerami’cs at Alfred. Appalachian shales contain a 140 triilion ft3 of natu’ral oas that could be produced by means if existing technology, accordino to ERDA estimates. An additional 145-trillion ft” may be recoverable through improved technology. The combined reserves edd up to as much as a 20-year supply of gae at current levels of American consumption.
Miniature
gage developed
A minature electric ~resistansce strain gage that can measure strains to 2000°F has been developed at Battelle, Coiumbus Labs. About the size af a nickel, it is applicable in the hostile environments of high temperature energy generation systems, space vehicles and hypersonic aircraft. Battelle developed an alloy wit,h unusually stable, predictable electrical properties that could be drawn into the fine wire used in the gage as well as a special bonding procedure to preclude failure of the material used to attach the gage. Previously, no gage would operate above 950” to 1200°F.
Alfred
to study
talc residues
Alfred University’s Research Foundation has been awarded a $3.000 grant by Windsor Minerals, Inc. to study means of reclaiming waste residues from the production of talc. Principal investigators will be William B. Crandall, the foundation’s managing director, and Milton A. Tuttle, professor of ceramic engineering. Their goal will be to determine whether talc residue can be reclaimed and added to other substances to create new and useful ceramic materials.