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Sulfamic acid, a new industrial chemical
July. 1935.1
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practically all the rhizocaline and the second treatment did not promote rooting, even though the cutting absorbed the indole-3acetic acid. Cooper’s experiments with various other plants indicate that plants which do not root readily when treated-delicious apple cuttings, for example-are lacking in rhizocaline. The chemical nature of rhizocaline has not been discovered. R. H. 0. Fair to Use New Light Sources.-(Power Plant Vol. XLII, No. 6.) New light sources in the form of tubular fluorescent lamps will find their first large-scale outdoor application at California’s 1939 International Exposition, according The new lamps, announced by to 11:. P. Day, Vice-President. General Electric engineers, utilize invisible sunrays imprisoned within their walls to bombard chemical powders to produce cool light sources that duplicate all the pastel tints of the rainbow. Fluorescent powders compounded and especially heat-treated in the General Electric laboratories hold the secrets of high efficiency and color producing qualities of the new light sources. Within the lamp bulbs is a trace of mercury, a small amount of argon gas at low pressure, and a coating of fluorescent powders, selected and blended to produce the colored light desired. W’hen current is applied, the argon serves as a “starter” and in a fraction of a second a feeble blue light with a large component of invisible ultra-violet radiation is generated inside the tube. This radiation strikes the fluorescent coating and is re-radiated in the visible range of the spectrum. Each powder has its own characteristic wave band with which it responds to the ultra-violet, thus forming its own particular color of emitted light. San Francisco’s Fair will become a milestone in lighting progress by pointing the way to the future widespread use of this new lamp in hundreds of applications where both utility and decoration are of permanent importance. R. H. 0. California
Engineering,
Sulfamic Acid, a New Industrial Chemical.--M. E. CUPERY. (Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol. 30, No. 6.) Sulfamic acid, HSOSNHZ, is a strong inorganic acid in crystalline form. In a new production process, urea is first dissolved in excess cold sulfuric acid. Oleum of suitable sulfur trioxide strength is then added, and the reaction is allowed to proceed under controlled conditions. During the reaction carbon dioxide is evolved, and the sulfamic acid formed precipitates from the solution. The product is isolated by filtration and purified by recrystallization from water. Since the reagents used in the process are available in unlimited
CURRENT TOPICS.
[J. F. I.
quantities, it is now possible to produce the acid as a new industrial raw material. Sulfamic acid is a colorless, odorless, nonhygroscopic, crystalline product which may be handled and packaged commercially in a solid form. In aqueous solution it is highly ionized, forming strongly acidic solutions. Under ordinary conditions sulfamic acid is practically stable in water; at increased temperatures it is slowly hydrolyzed to ammonium acid sulfate. Similarly, alcoholysis yields ammonium alkyl sulfates. The salts of sulfamic acid are stable in neutral or alkaline solution, and such solutions may be evaporated with heating without hydrolysis of the amide group. One of the most promising potential industrial applications for sulfamic acid is the use of certain of its salts as flame-proofing agents for fabrics, paper, and other combustible material. By virtue of its unusual properties, the acid represents an important addition to the group of commercial acids represented by lactic, acetic, formic, tartaric, oxalic, and similar acids, and should be especially useful for applications in which a highly ionized nonvolatile acid is desired or where precipitation of insoluble salts must be avoided. R. H. 0. S&non PaSS Galloway Plant.-JAMES WILLIAMSON. (EngiFears that there may be a neering News Record, Vol. 120, No. 22.) large loss of young salmon in the turbines of the Bonneville power plant on the Columbia River do not find support in experience The problem of passing gained at hydroelectric plants in Scotland. smolts (salmon at the stage when they first decend to the sea) through water wheels was studied at the power stations in the Galloway Water Power Scheme on the River Dee in the southwest Provision for the ascent of salmon has been successof Scotland, fully met by fish ladders of the pool and orifice type with large restFor descent, most of the smolts are attracted ing pools at intervals. At one of the plants, which is typical, there is to the plant intakes. a variation of head between 90 and 115 feet, and there are vertical turbines with runners about 9 feet diameter space between blades Tests were made which about IO in. max. and speed of 214 r.p.m. showed no harm to the fish due to the rapid change of a few seconds from high pressure at the entrance to the turbine to partial vacuum In these, a special tank with observation windows at the outlet. was devised in which small fish were gradually subjected to increasing pressure up to IOO feet maximum head and a sudden release in After the station started two seconds to 15 feet of vacuum head. up very few dead or damaged fish could be found in the tail race. R. H. 0.
CURRENT
TOPICS.
125
practically all the rhizocaline and the second treatment did not promote rooting, even though the cutting absorbed the indole-3acetic acid. Cooper’s experiments with various other plants indicate that plants which do not root readily when treated-delicious apple cuttings, for example-are lacking in rhizocaline. The chemical nature of rhizocaline has not been discovered. R. H. 0. Fair to Use New Light Sources.-(Power Plant Vol. XLII, No. 6.) New light sources in the form of tubular fluorescent lamps will find their first large-scale outdoor application at California’s 1939 International Exposition, according The new lamps, announced by to 11:. P. Day, Vice-President. General Electric engineers, utilize invisible sunrays imprisoned within their walls to bombard chemical powders to produce cool light sources that duplicate all the pastel tints of the rainbow. Fluorescent powders compounded and especially heat-treated in the General Electric laboratories hold the secrets of high efficiency and color producing qualities of the new light sources. Within the lamp bulbs is a trace of mercury, a small amount of argon gas at low pressure, and a coating of fluorescent powders, selected and blended to produce the colored light desired. W’hen current is applied, the argon serves as a “starter” and in a fraction of a second a feeble blue light with a large component of invisible ultra-violet radiation is generated inside the tube. This radiation strikes the fluorescent coating and is re-radiated in the visible range of the spectrum. Each powder has its own characteristic wave band with which it responds to the ultra-violet, thus forming its own particular color of emitted light. San Francisco’s Fair will become a milestone in lighting progress by pointing the way to the future widespread use of this new lamp in hundreds of applications where both utility and decoration are of permanent importance. R. H. 0. California
Engineering,
Sulfamic Acid, a New Industrial Chemical.--M. E. CUPERY. (Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol. 30, No. 6.) Sulfamic acid, HSOSNHZ, is a strong inorganic acid in crystalline form. In a new production process, urea is first dissolved in excess cold sulfuric acid. Oleum of suitable sulfur trioxide strength is then added, and the reaction is allowed to proceed under controlled conditions. During the reaction carbon dioxide is evolved, and the sulfamic acid formed precipitates from the solution. The product is isolated by filtration and purified by recrystallization from water. Since the reagents used in the process are available in unlimited
CURRENT TOPICS.
[J. F. I.
quantities, it is now possible to produce the acid as a new industrial raw material. Sulfamic acid is a colorless, odorless, nonhygroscopic, crystalline product which may be handled and packaged commercially in a solid form. In aqueous solution it is highly ionized, forming strongly acidic solutions. Under ordinary conditions sulfamic acid is practically stable in water; at increased temperatures it is slowly hydrolyzed to ammonium acid sulfate. Similarly, alcoholysis yields ammonium alkyl sulfates. The salts of sulfamic acid are stable in neutral or alkaline solution, and such solutions may be evaporated with heating without hydrolysis of the amide group. One of the most promising potential industrial applications for sulfamic acid is the use of certain of its salts as flame-proofing agents for fabrics, paper, and other combustible material. By virtue of its unusual properties, the acid represents an important addition to the group of commercial acids represented by lactic, acetic, formic, tartaric, oxalic, and similar acids, and should be especially useful for applications in which a highly ionized nonvolatile acid is desired or where precipitation of insoluble salts must be avoided. R. H. 0. S&non PaSS Galloway Plant.-JAMES WILLIAMSON. (EngiFears that there may be a neering News Record, Vol. 120, No. 22.) large loss of young salmon in the turbines of the Bonneville power plant on the Columbia River do not find support in experience The problem of passing gained at hydroelectric plants in Scotland. smolts (salmon at the stage when they first decend to the sea) through water wheels was studied at the power stations in the Galloway Water Power Scheme on the River Dee in the southwest Provision for the ascent of salmon has been successof Scotland, fully met by fish ladders of the pool and orifice type with large restFor descent, most of the smolts are attracted ing pools at intervals. At one of the plants, which is typical, there is to the plant intakes. a variation of head between 90 and 115 feet, and there are vertical turbines with runners about 9 feet diameter space between blades Tests were made which about IO in. max. and speed of 214 r.p.m. showed no harm to the fish due to the rapid change of a few seconds from high pressure at the entrance to the turbine to partial vacuum In these, a special tank with observation windows at the outlet. was devised in which small fish were gradually subjected to increasing pressure up to IOO feet maximum head and a sudden release in After the station started two seconds to 15 feet of vacuum head. up very few dead or damaged fish could be found in the tail race. R. H. 0.