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Metallurgical Thermochemistry.
Book reviews 0.
KU~ASCHEWIXCX and E. LL. EVANS : Metallurgical (Second Edition), Pergamon Presn, 1955, xiv + 410 pp. 55s.
Thermochemistry.
TIXE appearance of a second edition of “ Hetallurgical Thermochemistry ” is an indication of both the welldeserved auccew of ita predecessor and the continued inter& ln the practical applications of thermodynamics, especially in the field of process metallurgy. The basic. arrangement of the book haa not been altered, but it has been significantly revised and extended. The theoretical treatment in Chapter 1 (which still assumea a famlllarity with the elements of the subject) now includea a consideration of recent work on non-regular solutions and a section on &g-metal equilibria. The two following chapters, on experimental methods (with emphasis on calorimetry) and the estimation of thermodynamic data, have also been slightly enlarged. The main contribution to the new edition’s extra 42 pagee however, is the revision of the tabulated data which form Chapter 4. Together with the earlier one on experimental methode, this chapter is a forceful reminder that although the science of thermodynamics is exact, a precise measurement of the thermodynamic proper&~ of a By&em is often a matter of considerable diiBculty. Thus, aa the authors observe, a revised value does not always fall within the limits of accuracy assigned to the original one ; continued caution in the Wting of accuracy limita is therefore wise, especially since a value can often be useful despite a fairly large probable error. This compilation of data is compact and well-presented, and ita revision will serve to retain for the vohnne a leading position among works of reference in this field. It is not, however, the book’s only asset, an those actually engaged in the improvement and extension of the data of chemical thermodynamics will discover. The chapter on experimental techniques for example, should do much to eliminate inconsistencies of the type that the authora have had to face in preparing Chapter 4. The printing and binding are adequate+ and the price is modest. H. C. COWEN _
0.
KUBASCHEWSKI
and J.
A. CATTJZ~ALL: ThetmoPergamon Pmsa, 1956.
chemical Data of Alloy& vi +
198 pp.
455s.
Tms book ia a critical complication of data for a total of about 220 binary and ternary systems. It includes in addition to purely metallic systems the binaries formed by the transition metals with carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen. Some of the data are
included in “ Hetallurgical Thermochemistry,” but in the Present volume each system is dealt with in a separate section which contains, as far as possible, the partial and integral values of the enthalpy, entropy and free energy changes occurring throughout the system together with volume changes and latent heats of fusion and transformation. The data have been gathered from over 500 There sources, and include values reported up to 1055. la undoubtedly a real need for such a volume, especially in view of the rate at which information in this Held is now accumulating. Despite this activity however, the authors reveal many gaps and uncertainties in our present knowledge. The book will be of value mainly to research workers, who will be grateful that 80 much experience in the handling and assessment of such data liecl behind this compilation. The book is sstisfactorlly reasonably priced.
printed
and
bound,
and
H. C. COWEN
Combustion Processes. Edited by B. LEWIS, R. N. P~ME and II. S. TAYLOR. Volume 2 of the series of 12 _volumes on High Speed Aerodynamics and Jet Propulsion, Princeton University Press, London : Cumberlege. 1956. pp. xv + 862, with 16 plates. 84s. SINCE the end of the war a vast amount of work, experimental and theoretical, baa been done in the fleld of combustion. Outalde the universities the chief stimulus has been the tremendous technical developmenta of new engines for aircraft and rockets. The series which includes thii volume has been prepared in order to “ bring together in convenient, accurate and organized form the basic information that haa evolved in the last decade in the related fields of gas dynamica, aerodynamice, combustion and jet propulsion.” This volume seta out to treat aspecta of combustion p-sees other than physical measurementa in combustion (to which volume 9 of the series is devoted). There are 15 chapter13 grouped into six principal sections: 1. Thermodynamics of Combustion, 2. Chemical Kinetics of Combustion, 3. Flame Propagation in Gases, 4. Cornbustion of Liquids and Solids, 5. Detonation Proce~?s in Gams, Liquids and Solids, 6. Bnergy Production by Nuclear Reactions. Although the standard6 of the various u&ions differ, the wide scope attempted gives this book a ~uperfl&l attraction and libraries already embarked on pumha&ng thii series may not wish to omit one volume. But it is a book with serious weaknease~. Fi&ly,
out-of-date.
much of the work described in it is already The preface states that the first draft was
KU~ASCHEWIXCX and E. LL. EVANS : Metallurgical (Second Edition), Pergamon Presn, 1955, xiv + 410 pp. 55s.
Thermochemistry.
TIXE appearance of a second edition of “ Hetallurgical Thermochemistry ” is an indication of both the welldeserved auccew of ita predecessor and the continued inter& ln the practical applications of thermodynamics, especially in the field of process metallurgy. The basic. arrangement of the book haa not been altered, but it has been significantly revised and extended. The theoretical treatment in Chapter 1 (which still assumea a famlllarity with the elements of the subject) now includea a consideration of recent work on non-regular solutions and a section on &g-metal equilibria. The two following chapters, on experimental methods (with emphasis on calorimetry) and the estimation of thermodynamic data, have also been slightly enlarged. The main contribution to the new edition’s extra 42 pagee however, is the revision of the tabulated data which form Chapter 4. Together with the earlier one on experimental methode, this chapter is a forceful reminder that although the science of thermodynamics is exact, a precise measurement of the thermodynamic proper&~ of a By&em is often a matter of considerable diiBculty. Thus, aa the authors observe, a revised value does not always fall within the limits of accuracy assigned to the original one ; continued caution in the Wting of accuracy limita is therefore wise, especially since a value can often be useful despite a fairly large probable error. This compilation of data is compact and well-presented, and ita revision will serve to retain for the vohnne a leading position among works of reference in this field. It is not, however, the book’s only asset, an those actually engaged in the improvement and extension of the data of chemical thermodynamics will discover. The chapter on experimental techniques for example, should do much to eliminate inconsistencies of the type that the authora have had to face in preparing Chapter 4. The printing and binding are adequate+ and the price is modest. H. C. COWEN _
0.
KUBASCHEWSKI
and J.
A. CATTJZ~ALL: ThetmoPergamon Pmsa, 1956.
chemical Data of Alloy& vi +
198 pp.
455s.
Tms book ia a critical complication of data for a total of about 220 binary and ternary systems. It includes in addition to purely metallic systems the binaries formed by the transition metals with carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen. Some of the data are
included in “ Hetallurgical Thermochemistry,” but in the Present volume each system is dealt with in a separate section which contains, as far as possible, the partial and integral values of the enthalpy, entropy and free energy changes occurring throughout the system together with volume changes and latent heats of fusion and transformation. The data have been gathered from over 500 There sources, and include values reported up to 1055. la undoubtedly a real need for such a volume, especially in view of the rate at which information in this Held is now accumulating. Despite this activity however, the authors reveal many gaps and uncertainties in our present knowledge. The book will be of value mainly to research workers, who will be grateful that 80 much experience in the handling and assessment of such data liecl behind this compilation. The book is sstisfactorlly reasonably priced.
printed
and
bound,
and
H. C. COWEN
Combustion Processes. Edited by B. LEWIS, R. N. P~ME and II. S. TAYLOR. Volume 2 of the series of 12 _volumes on High Speed Aerodynamics and Jet Propulsion, Princeton University Press, London : Cumberlege. 1956. pp. xv + 862, with 16 plates. 84s. SINCE the end of the war a vast amount of work, experimental and theoretical, baa been done in the fleld of combustion. Outalde the universities the chief stimulus has been the tremendous technical developmenta of new engines for aircraft and rockets. The series which includes thii volume has been prepared in order to “ bring together in convenient, accurate and organized form the basic information that haa evolved in the last decade in the related fields of gas dynamica, aerodynamice, combustion and jet propulsion.” This volume seta out to treat aspecta of combustion p-sees other than physical measurementa in combustion (to which volume 9 of the series is devoted). There are 15 chapter13 grouped into six principal sections: 1. Thermodynamics of Combustion, 2. Chemical Kinetics of Combustion, 3. Flame Propagation in Gases, 4. Cornbustion of Liquids and Solids, 5. Detonation Proce~?s in Gams, Liquids and Solids, 6. Bnergy Production by Nuclear Reactions. Although the standard6 of the various u&ions differ, the wide scope attempted gives this book a ~uperfl&l attraction and libraries already embarked on pumha&ng thii series may not wish to omit one volume. But it is a book with serious weaknease~. Fi&ly,
out-of-date.
much of the work described in it is already The preface states that the first draft was