represent the second largest investment for auxiliary equipment. The actual cost is greatly influenced by the size of the installation, location indoors or outdoors, type of fuel fired, and the pressure and temperature level.

Cost data, Bauman emphasizes, must be compiled and correlated with thor­oughness and care. At the same time, constant attention must be paid to the changing costs of equipment, materials, and labor.

Left to right: Frank W. McCurry, vice president in charge of manufacturing and re­search for Derby Oil, and his two sons, Thomas and Spence, plus John Baker, Derby engineer. They all assisted in the Wisconsin Oil Industry demonstration this year

"Worlds Greatest Oil Hobby" Technical hobby of updating a model refinery pro­

vides aid in keeping apace with the modern oil industry

p RANK W. MCCURRY'S miniature rehxi-•*· ery is an aid in keeping abreast witb t he oil industry. McCurry, vice presi­dent i n charge of manufacturing and research for Derby Oil, spends a life time hobby on rebuilding the miniature refinery in an effort to keep it modern and representative of the oil industry of today.

In designing the model refinery, Mc­Curry uses glass wherever possible £or maximum audio vision. By this design, many chemical and physical properties of oil can be shown that can not b e shown in the operation of a large refinery.

This technical hobby of McCurry's known as the "World's Greatest Oil Hobby" has been used as an educa­tional feature in many high schools, colleges, and civic meetings throughout the country. It was one of the many features in the Hall of Science at the National Petroleum Exhibit in Tulsa. The Wisconsin Oil Industry Committee used it this year in connection with the Milwaukee State Fair where it is esti­mated that 500,000 people saw the refinery in operation. Moreover, it was used in the general assembly meeting at Friends University, Wichita, Kan.: at the Farm Bureau Leadership Train­ing School at Oklahoma A&M, Still­water, Okla.; and at the Ozark Empire Oil Mens Club in connection with the Ozark Empire State Fair, Springfield, Miss. A large number of schools, bov

scout troops, and other groups have also visited die refinery, says McCurry.

McCurry's model unit includes a drilling oil well, a flowing oil well, and a scale model Horton pontoon floating roof tank for storage of the oil. A mass of pipe line motor driven pumps trans­fer the oil from the well to the refinery where the oil is heated to proper tem­peratures as it passes through electri­cally heated horizontal pipe stills and a petro-chem type vertical pipe still. The oil then passes on into specially designed fractionating columns or bub­ble towers which are equipped with take-off trays and lines for making dif­ferent products. It also includes a working model catalytic cracking unit with an actual air lift catalyst circula­tion similar to the large unit.

Next in line comes a syn-tower, a gasoline stabilizer, a debutanizer, and a de-ethanizer, all specially designed glass fractionating towers operated to show how synthetic gasoline, butane, propane, and L.P.G. are made. When the model unit is set up on the table it is approximately 10 feet high and 40 feet long.

Including all the pumps, lines, com­pressors, blowers, heaters, generator flasks, cylinder, burets, bubble tower, drilling rigs, condensors, and tanks, the model is designed in such manner that it can be dismantled and packed in in­dividual foam rubber lined cases for shipping.

Crushing Strength of Carbon Black Beads Determined

A method for deterrnining the crush­ing strength of carbon black beads has been developed by Columbian Carbon. The method employs a Christian Becker analytical balance manufactured by the Torsion Balance Co.

Method consists in crushing single carbon black beads between micro­scope slide glasses arranged so that the pressure required can be determined accurately. A single bead is put in the center of a glass slide supported on one p a n of the balance and accurately counterpoised by a small glass flask on the other pan. A second glass slide is arranged just above the first one and parallel to it in such a way that any slight weight added to the flask will bring the two glass slides in contact with t h e bead under test. Water is measured into the flask from an analyti­cal bure t and the breaking point of the bead is accurately determined by meas­uring or weighing the added water.

In practice, beads are screened and those held on 30 mesh are tested. Five from each lot are broken and breaking strength recorded as the average of five values.

If anomalous values appear in the course of a day's operation, repeat tests a re made of 10 beads as checks.

PURE REAGENT

CHEMICALS

Matheson, Coleman & Bell Reagent Chemicals include practically all the items used in research and analytical work. The Reagent Inorganic Chemi­cals carry upon the label a statement showing the maxi­mum limits of impurities al­lowed. The Reagent Organic Chemicals are manufactured to pass the specifications shown in our price list.

Complete stocks of MC&B items are carried at our East Ruther­ford and Norwood Plants.

Our new catalog listing 3911 Reagent Chemicals, Biological Stains, Chemical Indicators and Solutions will be sent to you upon request

,1^1, MATHESON COLEMAN & BELL·

EAST' RUTHERFORD,; NEW JERSEY ; / - « .NÔSWOQD (ÇlNCINNATIkJO'HtO

DIVISION Or THE MATHESON COMPANY, INC.

V O L U M E 32. NO. 43 · · O C T O B E R 2 B. 1954 4287