Newspapers / The Echo (Pisgah Forest, … / Dec. 1, 1954, edition 1 / Page 11
Part of The Echo (Pisgah Forest, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
dissolve the salt. The brine is then pumped through a pipeline to the plant where it is puri fied, ammoniated and mixed with the carbon di oxide in large towers. The resulting crude sodium bicarbonate is cal cined to light soda ash and bagged or shipped in bulk in railroad hopper cars. Some of it is further treated at the plant with milk of lime to make caustic soda. Olin Matheison’s ammonia plant at Lake Charles is one of the most modern and efficient in the country. Ammonia is made from natural gas, steam and air. It is shipped in tank cars, and part of it is further processed at the plant to make nitric acid and sodium nitrate. Typical of the industrial importance of the pro ducts of the Lake Charles plant is soda ash. This product has such wide use in industry that its rate of consumption has long been recognized as a major measurement of industrial activity. The largest single consumer is the glass industry, where soda ash is an essential ingredient of the glass formula. Another large consumer is the chemical industry itself, which uses an enormous tonnage of soda ash in the manufacture of other chemicals. Important quantities of soda ash are also used in the manufacture or processing of detergents, pulp and paper, textiles, soap, iron and steel, aluminum and other non-ferrous metals. Another product, caustic soda, is used in large quantities in the production of rayon, in the manu facture of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, in tex tile processing, manufacture of soda pulp for writ ing and book papers, soap making, refining gas oline and lubricating oils, manufacture of plastics and resins, and reclaiming scrap rubber. Caustic is also used in industrial cleaning preprations of various kinds and wherever the action of a strong alkali is needed. Each pound of rayon that is pro duced requires approximately one pound of caus tic. Ammonia is the principal source of nitrogen for the manufacture of synthetic fertilizers. In ad dition it is used as a refrigerant and in the manu facture of a host of synthetics, including plastics and some of the new man-made fibers. Sodium nitrate is widely used in industry in the manufacture of explosives, pigment colors, porce lain enamel, matches, glass, red lead, dyestuff in termediates, metal fluxes, heat treating salts, drain pipe cleaners and boiler cleaners, and for the preservation of foods. In the agricultural field, it is an important fertilizer chemical.
The Echo (Pisgah Forest, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 1, 1954, edition 1
11
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75