Fresh water and electricity...from one Westinghouse super-factory Imagine a modern factory that can produce 500,000 kilowatts of electric power-and at thesametimetakewaterfromthe sea and make it drinkable at the rate of 50 million gallons a day. That's enough power and water for a population of half a million. No such super-factory exists anywhere in the world. Not yet. But a small-scale version of the Westinghouse system is being built by Burns and Roe, Inc. for an electric utility in the Canary Islands, Waste heat from the electric power turbines will c o n v e r t sea water to fresh by a flash distillation process, providing abundant eletricity water for industry, agriculture and home uses. And at a lower cost than now exists in many parts of the world. Westinghousecanbuildlargesuper-factoriesforelectricutilities in any coastal area. And as research continues, scientiests may find a practical way to harvest cnemicals from sea water in the same process. Arm yourself with facts about DuPont These booklets helped persuade some 700 new B.S. graduates tojoinusin1963. It was mostly a matter of getting facts. For example, if you want to start your career in a certain section of the country, you'll find that Du P o n t - w i t h facilities in 28 states--will to accommodate you. If you're interested in growth for what it can mean to you personally, you'll be interested to know that our sales have increased 750% expenditures are since a 1937. good You've p r o b a b l yh e a r d t h a t R & D ° f a company's future success, We spend $90 million a year on it, $60 million of which goes straight into "pioneering research"-the discovery of new scientific truths and new materials. Our booklets will answer most of your prelimary questions. Later-or even now if you w i s h - -we can talk specifics by letter, or face to face. Why not w r i t e u s o r s e n d o u r coupon? We'd liketoknowabout you. What's new at Bethlehem Steel? Looking for real opportunity? On the crest of South Mountain, in Bethlehem, Pa we have recently completed the industry's newest research aboratones, a $40-million investment aimed at making Bethlehem the leader in steel technology. And, at Burns harbor, Indiana, we're building a new plant at an imual investment of $250 million. It will incorporate the latest advances known to metalworking science. At Bethlehem Steel we have our sights set on continuous growth and modernization; onstant development of new and improved products. This means career opportunities for alert and aggressive college graduates . . . steel construction, and many other activities. ,insteelplantoperations,sales,researc You can get a copy of our booklet, " Careers with Bethlehem Steel and the Loop Course," at your Placement Office, or by sendingg a postcard to our Personnel Division, Bethlehem Pa. Spartan Engineer Volume 17 No. 4 May, 1964 FEATURES ENGINEERING EXPOSITION 14 MSU AT POONA 17 LIQUID AIR 22 A Report from Belleville High JETS Club DEPARTMENTS EDITORIAL 7 DEAN'S LETTER 9 ANNOUNCEMENTS 26 ADVERTISERS' INDEX 27 JOKES 28 False career starts are frustrating from both an achievement and an advance- ment viewpoint. Getting the right start the first time is often the most important step in your entire engineering career. You can make the right start at Collins and you'll be working with the top men in the field. The scope of our work — Data Processing, Space Communi- cations, Avionics, Microwave, Antenna Systems and HF, VHF and UHF communication — offer graduates every opportunity to follow areas of engi- neering which best suit individual interests and capabilities. Start your career out on the right foot by contacting your college placement office for full information. COLLINS RADIO COMPANY • Cedar Rapids, Iowa • Dallas, Texas • Newport Beach, California Another of your future's many facets atMonsanto With a company growing as fast as Monsanto (annual sales quadrupled to a hefty $1.2 billion in little m o r e t h a n a d e c a d e ) , design of new plants, equipment and systems has never been so important. Engineers are needed to apply their skills and knowledge...in known and unknown areas . . . to help us manufacture the new and improved products that move Monsanto a h e a d - 5 0 0 new products in the last 10 years. We can show you what this means in terms of increased professional opportunity ...how Monsanto's c o n t i n u i n 9 expansion affords more and interesting growing room for you. SeeyouePlacementDirector to arrange for an interview when we visit your campus soon. Or write today for o u r brochure, "Your Future and Monsanto," to Manager, Professional Recruiting, Dept. CM 64, Monsanto, St. Louis, Missouri 63166. An Equal Opportunity Employer Everything we learned from building 10,000 small gas turbine engines has been packed into this new 600-horsepower turboprop engine -and it shows! ou'd probably expect the Y world's largest manufacturer of small gas turbine engines to The fuel system of the TPE-331 consists of a fuel filter, single high- pressure pump, speed-governing turn out the world's finest small fuel control, manual shutoff valve, turboprop job. flow divider and fuel nozzles. And we have. JP-5 is the normal fuel, but this We call our new engine the engine will take all kinds of fuel, TPE-331. (The military version is ranging from AV-gas to light designated T-76.) It is a versatile diesel fuel. turbine capable of powering many If this new turboprop engine vehicles. Its 600-horsepower cate- sounds like something very special gory makes it particularly suitable to you, we've made our point. for the new generation of executive The TPE-331 is an excep- and militaryfixed-wingaircraft. tional engine. More specifically, our new prime It's the kind of a power propulsion engine is designed to fill the gap between reciprocating development you'd expect to come on performance than in a large from Garrett. For when it come: engines and larger turboprops. engine. Scaling down big engine And the reason we built it, is to turbine engines under 100 techniques is not the answer. horsepower... because both civil and military sources have asked for a simple, The TPE-331 has a specific fuel nigged, reliable, easy-to-maintain, consumption of .62 pound per economically-operated, light- shaft horsepower hour. Its weight turboprop engine. weight to power ratio is •45 pound per horsepower. Response rate from flight idle to full power is approximately 1/3 of a second. Single-casting turbine wheels are typical of the simple, rugged components of this new engine. The Garrett-AiResearch TPE- A two-stage centrifugal 331 more than fills the bill. compressor is driven by a Obviously, building such an 3-stage axial engine is a specialized art that turbine. demands experience, especially in Propeller drive miniaturization of controls, oil is through a pumps, and starter motors. 2-step reduction Manufacturing tolerances are gear box offset for precise and have a greater effect flexibility of aircraft design. ^ This year's Engineering Exposition is here. It is too late to enter any more exhibits. A toast! "To those who had the intestinal fortitude to take a whack at communications.'' This brick wall, laid across the success path of every engineer, is one of the toughest to surmount. Few engineers have the time or ability to delve into the art of explanation and communications. All of them need this knowledge. Oh, what a glorious day when the liberal arts major, who can't even repair a radio, will understand the theories of quantum mechanics. That day is here. Wandering through the Exposition, one sees many such theories and ideas put into layman terms and depicted by visual aids. All these people have worked long and hard to find the best method to speak their thoughts and communicate their knowledge. Raise your glasses high then, and let us pay merry, boisterous tribute to the conquerers the 1964 Engineering Exposition exhibitors. Very silently now, shall we pray together that there be more next year. Delco Means Opportunity to George Fitzgibbon • George Fitzgibbon is a Senior Experimental Chemist at Delco Radio. He's pictured here examin- ing silicon rectifier sub-assemblies for microscopic solder voids during the development stage. George received his BS in Chemistry from the University of Illinois prior to joining Delco Radio. As he puts it, " I found, at Delco, an opportunity to take part in a rapidly expanding silicon device de- velopment program. The work has proved to be challenging, and the people and facilities seem to stimulate your best efforts." The young graduate engineer at Delco will also find opportunity—and encouragement—to continue work on additional college credits. Since our incep- tion, we've always encouraged our engineers and scientists "to continue to learn and grow. Tuition Refund Program makes it possible for an eligible employee to be reimbursed for tuition costs of spare time courses studied at the university c college level. Both Purdue and Indiana Universities offer educational programs in Kokomo, and Purdue maintains an in-plant graduate training program for Delco employees. . Like George Fitzgibbon, you too may find chal- lenging and stimulating opportunities at Delco Radio, in such areas as silicon and germanium device de- velopment, ferrites, solid state diffusion, creative packaging of semiconductor products, development of laboratory equipment, reliability techniques, applications and manufacturing engineering. If your training and interests lie in anyofthese areas, why not explore the possibilities of joining this outstanding Delco—GM team inforgingthe future of electronics ? Watch for Delco interview dates on your campus, or write to Mr. C.D.Long- shore, Dept. 135A, Delco Radio Division, general Motors Corporation, Kokomo, Indiana. With that slogan we introduce to you the MSU Engineering Exposition for 1964. Engineers were responsible for changing yesterday's dreams into machines or systsms which work and think for us today. While Leonardo da Vinci predicted the airplane, Jules Verne proposed a submarine, and Dick Tracy popularized the wrist radio, these were all made workable and useful by engineers who were tired of riding a horse, rowing a boat, or getting busy signals on the dormitory telephone. These were dissatisfied engineers, and all good engineers are dis- satisfied. They saw that yesterday's best was not very good, they knew there must be a better way, and they improved on nature for man's benefit. May I invite you to our Engineering Exposition, where you, too, can learn how to become dissatisfied, how to be unhappy with today's best (even that new Monza) - and how we make many fine students dissatisfied, thereby turning them into some of the world's best engineers! Solve Design Problems, Reduce Machining with Shell Gored Malleable Castings Shell cores are most often used to create interior surfaces but, in addition, they can be utilized at other locations in a green sand casting to impart smoothness, provide closer tolerances, reduce machining, and solve a variety of design problems. Shell cores create surface finishes of 50 to 250 microinch rms. Thus, excellent detail can be obtained in Malleable castings for gear teeth, holes, dove-tails, mating surfaces and threads with this modern casting technique. The internal air passages and chambers in the pneumatic wrench handle, shown at right, are excellent examples of the amazingly complex details which can be created accurately and economically in Malleable castings with shell coring. They are produced—complete- ly finished except for tapping—in the basic casting. The advantages obtainable from shell coring in selected applications, combined with Malleable's high strength, ductility, easy machinability and reliable uniformity, make Malleable castings an outstanding choice for high-quality, low-cost parts. Send for your free copy of this 16-page "Malleable Engineering Data File." You will find it is an excel- lent reference piece. School's Out. you may be flying a supersonic jet...helping to keep Right now, graduation seems way off in the wild blue America's guard up. Or you may be in an Air Force yonder. but it's not too early to start planning. In the future, you'll look back o n decisions you make today laboratory, working to solve an intricate scientific or with satisfaction...or regret. technological problem. Doing jobs like these, you can hold your head high. In What can an Air Force c a r e e r m e a n t 0 y ° u i n tangible addition to being essential to your country, they're the gain?The°PPortunity to take on executive responsi- beginnings of a profession of dignity and purpose. bilities you might otherwise wait years to attain. And a For more information, see the Professor of Air Science. head-start into one of a wide range of possible careers if there is no AFROTC unit on your cam- in the exciting Aerospace Age. pus, contact your Air Force recruiter. AsanAirForce officer, for example, At the 1963 stockholders' meeting, Arjay R. Miller, President of Ford Motor Company, emphasized the Company's far-sighted recruit- ment program and its accent on developing management talent: "Obviously, our long-run future will be determined by the develop- ment of our management. Here, every one of us—at all levels of supervision—recognizes this as his most important function. Since 1946, the Company has recruited widely varied talent—talent that can be blended to give us the required combination of tight administration and creative scope. "Under a carefully conceived management development program, we try to recruit the best personnel available, both in training and experience. Once we get them, we have a program for giving them varied opportunities and increasing responsibility. This program is in force in all parts of the Company—in manufactur- ing, finance, styling, engineering and marketing. "The program is paying off. We have developed a real depth of management talent in the Company, and we are dedicated to seeing it continued and reinforced. Because of this, I feel not only very fortunate in being associated with this management group, but also very confident of its long-run success. We know our goals and how to achieve them." THE BELL TELEPHONE COMPANIES SALUTE: BOB BUCK When a new microwave transmission system was needed Bob joined Michigan Bell back in 1959. And after to connect Detroit, Flint, and Lansing, Bob Buck (B.S.E.E., introductory training, be established a mobile radio main- 1960) designed it. tenance system and helped improve Detroit's Maritime- Radio system—contributions that led to his latest step up! Bob has established quite an engineering reputation in Michigan Bell's Microwave Group during his two years Bob Buck, like many young engineers, is impatient to there. And to see that his talent was further developed, the make things happen for his company and himself. There company selected Bob to attend the Bell System Regional are few places where such restlessness is more welcomed Communications School in Chicago. or rewarded than in the fast-growing telephone business. Background on the Engineering Exposition So you're interested in en- s o c i e t i e s , and others. These gineering? You wonder what a exhibits are judged primarily on transistor is or what engineer- ing students learn at MSU. You practicality. Originality on the want to see some of the latest group r e c e i v e s 0 - 1 - points; developments from industry. If theoretical content 0-30, work- so, the 1964 Engineering Exposi- manship 0-40, and general im- tion is the place to be. pression 0-20 points. The Exposition is the enter- Traditionally, there is rivalry prise of the Engineering Coun- among the engineering depart- cil, the coordinating body for the ments for the D e a n ' s Trophy vaious engineering student or- which is given to that department g a n i z a t i o n s at MSU. It is having the best overall display. presented as a service to the Departmental displays, group of students and public and as a organizational displays, and the learning opportunity for both. individual student exhibits are The principal feature of the e l i g i b l e for this prize. Also Exposition is the student exhibits. judged on the point scale, 0-30 This presents a great challenge points are given for the over- of communication to the student. all effect, 0-30 for applicability How does he explain the opera- to its department's interest, 0- tion of a feedback system to his 20 for quality represenative of younger brother, parents, or the i n d i v i d u a l displays, and 0-20 professor of Anthropology? points for quality representative The individual's contest is of group organization displays. based more on theoretical know- I n d u s t r i a l e x h i b i t s are ledge than on the practical aspect sponsored by each of the en- of the project. The individual g i n e e r i n g departments to ex- entries will be judged on a point emplify the work being done in system of 0-20 points for origin- i n d u s t r y in their respective ality, 0-40 points for theoreti- branches of engineering. This cal content, 0-30 points for work- year, the National Aeronautics manship, and 0-10 points for the and S p a c e A g e n c y , Chrysler general impression. Corporation, Douglas A i r c raft T h e r e is a l s o a g r o u p or Company, Consumers P o w e r organization contest open to the Company, Ford Motor Company, e n g i n e e r i n g departments, and the A r g o n n e N a t i o n a l Laboratories are present. Exposition Weekend May 15-17 FORGINGS ELIMINATED REJECTS ON THIS EARTHMOVER HUB... and cut cost 16% Originally, this earthmover wheel hub was not a forging. Now it is forged in steel. Here's why . . . While reviewing costs of the original part, the earthmover manu- facturer discovered that: (1) Cost of the hub was too high; (2) rejection rates during machining were high because of voids and inclusions; and (3) hidden flaws required costly salvage operation. By converting to forged steel hubs, the manufacturer has saved 16%, has completely eliminated rejects and repairs of parts in process, has achieved 100% reliability of the part. Forgings have greater inherent reliability and strength because they: 1. Are SQlid, void-free metal 2. Have higher resistance to fatigue 3. Are strongest in withstanding impact and sudden load 4. Have high modulus of elasticity 5. Have low mechanical hysteresis 6. Have unique stress-oriented fiber structure MSU At Poona, India One would hardly expect to find undergraduate and graduate de- the administration and faculty to Michigan State University staff grees. An enrollment of 1300 effect desirable changes. members working one-hundred (which includes only the final The job of an American advisor miles southeast of Bombay, In- three years of a five year under- is complicated by the differences dia but this is the location of one graduate program) compares fa- in the engineering needs and in of our far-flung international ac- vorably with that at Michigan the educational system of India tivities. Since 1961 five engi- State's engineering college. compared to those of the United neering professors have repre- Technical education is one of States. This means that he should sented Michigan State as advisors the most important problems of not advocate changing the Indian and teachers at Engineering Col- a developing nation. Recognizing college to fit the image of a sim- lege, Poona. this, the Government of India ilar United States institution un- encouraged Engineering College, less the changes clearly fit the Poona, with a half-million pop- Poona and other progressive in- needs of India. Some aspects of ulation has had an illustrious his- stitutions to utilize assistance the problem are discussed in the tory as a center for the fearsome and advice available from na- following paragraphs. Marathas who once controlled tions more technically advanced. India has an area of 1.2 mil- much of India. Poona was also Such help is now being given lion square miles, one-third the the scene of the final defeat of India by Great Britain, West Ger- area of the United States, and a the Marathas at the hands of the many, the Soviet Union, and the population of 460 million making British in 1817. Because of its United States. The United States it the second most populous coun- 2000 foot altitude and the pro- effort is being administered by try (after China) with one-seventh tection of the Western Ghats (the the Agency for International De- the world's total population. It is range of mountains along India's velopment through contracts with a nation of villages with 70% of coast) its climate is much more several of America's outstanding the people engaged in agriculture Pleasant than that of Bombay. The Universities. and more goods carried by bul- British capitalized on this su- lock cart than by truck and rail. perior climate by establishing In 1961 Michigan State Univer- The average annual wage is here the monsoon residence of the sity accepted a contract to pro- around sixty dollars. Even among Governor of Bombay, a large vide engineering professors to white collar workers an income army cantonment, and an excel- serve as advisors and teachers above fifty dolllars a month is lent track for h o r s e r a c i n g . These for selected departments at En- rare. Common labor earns have been continued since inde- gineering College, Poona. This 947 Good t r a n around thirty cents a day for up pendence in 1 ' s - project is being directed by Dean to ten hours work! Food, cloth- portation has encouraged rapid J. D. Ryder through Prof. John ing, and shelter are quite inex- industrializaion in the last dec- U. Jeffries, campus coordinator pensive but little money is left ade. Branches of industries based for International Programs in en- for anything else. Manufactured in the United States, Germany, gineering. Initially a lone pro- items, particularly those having italy, Holland, Sw eden, Japan fessor, Loren B. Almy, was sent imported components, are very and other countries give Poona to Civil Engineering. The group costly, In spite of this, producers a cosmopolitan atmosphere, now c o n s i s t s of Maurice S. of automobiles, appliances, etc. College of Engineering, Poona Gjesdahl, Mechanical; Melvin A. cannot meet the demand. (For ex- is located on the northwest side Thomas, Electrical; Ian O. Ebert, ample, the waiting period for a of the city at the confluence of Electrical Communications; and motor scooter is over four years the Mula and Mutha rivers and David O. Van Strien, Civil. Pro- even though it costs twice as straddlesthehighwayto Bom- fessor Almy has since completed much as in the United States!) bay. Founded in 1854, just one his assignment and has returned The inability of industry to year earlier thano M i chi an g State to the United States. Activities meet the demand can utlimately University, it is n e of the oldest of this group range from consult- be traced to the shortage of for- engineering colleges in India. ing with government officials on eign exchange. Restrictions on broad goals for technical edu- the importation of foreign goods Over the many who years later it bhas eCam graduated e out- cation to advising an individual i n c r e a s e s the demand for in- standingengineerisso its reputa- student on a research project or digenous products but the be- tion for exellen on his plans for overseas grad- ginning, low-production factories c e is well es- uate are unable to meet the demand. tablished. Departments of Civil, of thestudy. The greatest portion These industries are unable to Electrical, Mechanical, Electri- veloping m o d e rbeen time has used in de- n courses and expand enough to quickly meet cal Communications, and Metal- the demand because such expan- lurgical Engineering now grant laboratories and in working with sion almost always requires ma- from the high regard for a If one were to make some chines and m a t e r i a l s from college degree and the prac- comparative observations at the abroad! In this protected market tice of assigning the limited college level the following would the emphasis is more on quantity number of college " s e a t s " generally be noted: production than on quality. Engi- strictly on the basis of sec- 1. Indian college buildings are neering designs are supplied by ondary school "marks". more austere and less well parent companies abroad and al- The first two years of the five lighted than ours. Class- most no changes are made from year university degree program rooms and laboratories are year to year. Engineers thus do are often taken at an institution not so well equipped. little reserach and design but are other than that for the final three 2. Emphasis is still on mem- hired primarily for supervisory years. Students accepted by En- orization at this level. and production work. Except for gineering C o l l e g e , Poona must There is little class parti- A g r i c u l t u r a l , Architectural, have had top marks in the two cipation by the student and Civil, and Railway engineers year interscience program con- almost no homework prob- there is a deficiency of engineer- centrating on humanities, sci- lems. ing jobs. Eventually, increasing ence, and mathematics. In the 3. Class attendance and disci- product competition at home and final three years the student pline is often poor. the desire to sell inforeign mar- spends many more hours per kets will force manufacturers to 4. There are no periodic ex- week in class than do our stu- aminations or quizzes. An do more engineering. The edu- dents. Almost all the subjects cational program for engineers end-of-year examination taken are related to his spe- administered by examiners must allow for this as well as cialty — no humanities or lib- for present requirements. For selected from outside the eral arts type courses are of- institution determines the many years though the emphasis fered these years. must be on more mundane things grade for the entire year. than guided missiles or rockets to the moonl Indian education, which is pat- terned on the British system, differs in many respects from ours. Prior to college the stu- dent spends eleven years in pri- mary and secondary schools. Five more years must be spent by the engineering student to get his B. E. degree. Advanced de- grees require two more years for a Masters and a further two or three years for a Ph.D. In comparing the primary and secondary schools to American grade and high schools several things are apparent: 1. There is more emphasis on languages. This is because India is a land of many languages. Each student go- ing on to higher education must know three languages: His local language which is g e n e r a l l y used in lower schools; Hindi which is the national language; and Eng- lish which is essential for science and is generally the medium of instruction in colleges and universities. 2. Mathematics and science m a t e r i a l is introduced earlier, more time is de- voted to it, and subjects ad- vance faster. 3. More emphasis is placed upon memorization and the ability to reproduce lecture material - - less on experi- mentation and reasoning 4. Discipline, respect for the teacher, and seriousness of attitude are greater. Part of this s e r i o u s n e s s stems Some feel that poor discipline is largely caused by this "ex- ternal" examination. Since the instructor has no control over the course grade, he may not be taken too seriously. This is e s - pecially true if he deviates from material listed in the syllabus and known to be on previous years examinations! When examination time approaches, students stop coming to classes so they can spend their entire time cramming with the help of purchased copies of previous years examinations and often are coached by a paid tutoring service! Indian universities have no big spectator sports program such as our football and basketball. Instead there is lively partici- pation in cricket, rowing, bad- minton, tennis, and other out- door sports. Every student at Engineering College, Poona is a member of the boat club. The rowing team is nationally known. Table tennis, carroms, bridge, and chess are indoor games that attract great interest and gen- erate many trophys. The average student is in better physical trim than his American counterpart Probably because bicycles are the chief mode of transporta- tion.N o students and almost no staff have automobiles. In the foregoing, more em- Phasis has been placed on differ- ences than on t h e Predominant similarities. The Indian student is just as aware of the challenges of the modern world, just as decided to freedom as and his country, and just anxious to make his c o n t r i bution to man- kind. If anything, these feelings are stronger because t h e evi- dence of need surround him more oppressively and only re- cently has his country become free. The members of the Michi- gan State university advisory group have been impressed by the ability and d e d i cation of the Indian officials, administrators, and faculty we have met. With such leadership currentprob- lems will be overcome and In- dian need have no f e a r f o r the future. Friendliness toward America and Americans everywhere. is clearly Further, seen exchangees of students, tors, faculty, administra- and government officials at all levels willl help erase remain- ing misconceptions and help our together twogroupcountrieswork for a better world. When you drill • tap • form • mill • shape what do you all in 22 seconds... use for oil? That's the kind of problem a sales engineer here at American Oil comes up against. It actually happened to Bob's a mechanical engineer. Yet, he mighthavebeen Bob Turley when the Schwinn Bicycle Company asked working for us if he were a metallurgist,chemist,math- him what oil he'd recommend for this complicated metal ematician or physicist. Petroleum takes on amultitudeof cutting problem. He had the answer—one of our special uses and requires people of every skill. For informatio cutting oils—he solved the problem, and made the sale. regarding a career in sales engineering or other field Bob's a graduate of Purdue—and the American Oil write to C. L. Wells, Room 1036, American Oil company Company Sales Engineering School. He knows machines 910 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, 111.ZIPCode60680 and oils. He's our "outside" man with the inside track on lubricants. And, he likes meeting people. That's why he's a sales engineer, combining two fields into a suc- cessful career. 20 Is it news that a leading maker of spacecraft alloys had a hand in dolling up Mildred Kinnes potting shed? Itisn'tr e a l | y surprising that a single U.S. corporation pro- Union Carbide also leads in the production of polyethylene, vided the metal for the outer skin of Mercury space capsules. and makes plastics for packaging, housewares, and floor cov- erings. It liquefies gases, including oxygen and hydrogen that It''s perfectly natural t o b e c a l l e d i n o n t h a t k i n d o f a i ° b w h e n will power rockets to the moon. In carbon products, it has been you l ead the nation in developing a line of alloys that resist extrememheat,wear and corrosion. called on for the largest graphite shapes ever made. It is the largest producer of dry-cell batteries, marketed to millions You'd also expect that a leading producer of petrochemi- under the trade mark "Eveready." And it is involved in more cals could develp a new base for latex paint-called "Ucar" atomic energy activities than any other private enterprise. latex--since paint m a k e r s a r e among its biggest customers, Now Mildred Kinne can paint r i g h t o v e r a c h a l k y surface with- In fact, few other corporations are so deeply involved in so many different skills and activities that will affect the out priming. It's dry in minutes. And her potting shed will look technical and production capabilities of our next like new for many New England summers and winters, But it might indeed be surprising if both these skills It's already making things a great deal easier for were possessed by the same company. Unless that company were Union Carbide. Mildred Kinne. Belleville High School JETS Report on Making Liquid Air The Junior Engineering Tech- air to e n t e r the expansion which would solidify in our pipes, nical Society of Belleville High ( f i g u r e lc). The e x p a n s i o n a desiccant chamber (figure 2a) School explored the field of Cryo- chamber consisted of 6 3-foot was made. This consisted of a genics by designing, building and square metal sheets welded to- large steel cylinder 18 inches operating a liquid air cryostat. gether. This was insulated by long and 4 inches in diameter, By undertaking this project, we 6 inches of styrofoam and in- The walls of the chamber were hoped to further our understand- cased in a plywood box. A drain- 1/4 inch to insure safety at 1000 ing in the practical application ing valve was welded in the bot- psi. To seal the cylinder 1/8 of cryogenics. This task began tom of the expansion chamber inch thick plates were inserted in February 1963 and after much allowing any liquid air to drain in the ends and welded. The research and experimentation off. The Joule-Thompson valve chamber was first tested at 2000 successful results were obtained previously mentioned was located psi before being installed in our on March 28, 1964. inside the expansion unit. The system. It would filter out any MATERIALS AND METHODS cool air which did not liquify in The liquid air cryostat is based water vapor in the lines by one on the theory that when air ex- the expansion unit was sent back of two methods. The first method pands it cools. To obtain liquid to the compressor in hope that is based on centrifugal force as air, low temperature and high this would cool down the com- the air at 1000 psi enters the pressure are needed. In the first pressor. This machine, as ex- side of the chamber near the attempt, the apparatus was de- plained above, ran for 12 hours bottom and is forced to take a signed and contructedas in figure before shut down was necessary. sharp turn through the chamfier, 1. A compressor, which pumps After much experimentation thus forcing any droplets of water 5.5 cubic feet of air at 1000 psi with the a b o v e method, we to fall to the bottom. The_upper was donated to our organization realized that modifications were half of the chamber, which is by the R. B. Richardson Company. necessary. The results of these filled with silica gol, is separated This c o m p r e s s o r , made by modifications can be readily seen from the first by a fine screen. Ingersoll-Rand, operates on 220 in the displayed cryostat (figure By passing air through these volts, three-phase current. The 2). The principle ideas behind the fine granules, any water which air, compressed to 1000 psi, was modifications were to decrease was not eliminated by the first fed into a coil, 120 feet long the surface area and to propor- stage of the desiccant chamber located in a deep freeze full of tion the size to the output of the would be absorbed by the silican ice water (figure pa). The pur- compressor. gel. Also, any oil or carbon pose of this was to cool the com- Using the same compressor we deposits would be stopped from pressed air from '50° C to 0° C. again compressed the air to 1000 f u r t h e r t r a v e ltbroughthe From here the air was put into system. These tiny granule can- a heat exchange, the necleus of psi unit.and Thisfed wasit ainto newa introduction pre-cooling not be used for morethan15 the cryostat. This consisted of hours effectively. Theymustbe 3/8 inch OD high pressure cop- into our system. It consisted of baked to restore their absorb- per tubing threaded through 11/4 120 feet of coils 3/8 inch OD ing properties. inch OD copper tubing. These high pressure copper tubing in- coils were incased in 3 inches side of a 3 0 -g a l l o n oil drum to The compressed air. being of zonalite insulation inside of a direct the air from t h e f a n o n t o cooled to 0° C and freeofany 4 x 8 x 1 foot plywood box. This impurities, such as water and enabled air which had been cooled the coils. From here the com- oil, was ready to besentthrough by previous cycles toreclrculate pressed air was then put into the heat exchange.Throughin- over the incoming air (figure lb). sulated tubing (fiber glass wool) Finally, the cool compressed air the deep freeze the com- the compressed air entered a was expanded by a steel Joule- pressed air was at 0C which newly designed heat exchange Thompson valve, allowing the lower (figure 2b) 8 Still based on the was much than in our t h e o r y previously discussed previous arrangement. To deal (figure lb). the newheatex- with impurities, mainly water?' change was made more compact. This was accomplished by run- ning the threaded tubing (now only 3/4 inch OD tubing) in a paral- lel sequence instead of a coil, thus cutting down the volume of the heat exchange to one-third of its original size. By doing this, we were able to reduce heat transfer between the heat ex- change and the air. Finally, the compressed air (1000 psi) at an ultra-cold temperature (-155° C) reached the Joule-Thompson valve (needle valve) and was al- lowed to expand into a new ex- pansion chamber, (figure 2c). Our previous expansion unit was a three foot cube, but more cal- culations and discussion on the matter proved this to be quite wrong. Thus, we introduced into our system a smaller expansion chamber. This new chamber was a segment of copper tubing 3 1/2 inches in diamter and 12 inches in length. It is sealed at both ends with copper caps brazed to the tubing. A baffle plate was also installed in this compact chamber to direct the expanding air to the bottom of the chamber instead of allowing it to rush out the escape valve. There was no need for high pressure tubing to be installed here, as the 1000 Psi would diminish to a mere 40 psi once inside the expansion chamber. It was suggested that a safety valve be installed in the expansion chamber to keep the pressure from building up and going over 60 psi. This was done, along w i t h t h e installation of a pressure gauge, both coming off of the expansion chamber. It should be noted here that they are wood located box, inthus onereducing oblong ply- the transfer of heat from t h e a i r the box. the entire b o x w a s into in- sulated with a rockwool and styrofoam to a thickness of 4 inches on all sides. Finally, a small needle valve located on the plvwood b o x the allows outsidetheofliquid air to flow. To see if our s y s t e m was functionning according to theory, that is, whether it was at the correct temperature and pres- sure, pressure gauges and thermocouples were introduced in the system. graduated to A Pressure 1500 psi was gauge in- stalled immediately after the pre-cooling unit as well as one graduated to 100 psi on the ex- couples, p a n s i o nofc h a mt hbee r . Tc ho pe rpm e ro-- constantan type, were another system, showing no s i g n s of to encounter more difficulties new idea in our modified system. fatigue, operated 16 1/2 hours This time the ice deposits we C o n v e n t i o n a l thermometers without stopping. All valves and had feared might develop in the could not be used at these cold pipes were wrapped in fiber- 120 feet of tubing in the freezer temperatures. glass insulation to prevent gains became a reality. By wrapping the in heat into the system. Starting tubing in hot cloths we were able By u s i n g the s c h e m a t i c at 0 millivolts (O° C) the system to warm the tubing and blow out diagram (figure 3), the basic decreased in temperature until the ice. Finally at 2:30 a.m. we theory of thermocouples can 4.9 millivolts were reached. At were able to start up the cryo- easily be seen. When u n l i k e this point the system remained stat. With the help of the dry ice metals are allowed to come in constant. After much calculation bath we obtained 1 1/2 pints of contact with two surfaces of con- and debate, it was concluded that liquid air in about 9 hours. trasting temperatures a w e a k this was the reading at which Many experiments were made electric current is produced. Our liquification t o o k place. This to determine the characteristics two sources of heat were an ice proved to be the answer as 1 1/2 and uses of liquid air. In all bath and the 3/8 inch tubing car- pints of liquid air were obtained six experiments were tried when rying cold, compressed air. To after the cryostat for four hours this report was written. We will measure this weak current two at 4.9. Later we realized that our continue to do experimentation volt-meters scaled in milli-volts voltmeter was not s e n s i t i v e as long as time permits. were used. This simple, yet ef- enough to read the millivolts. In the first experiment, a rub- fective method, was used before ber eraser was supended in the and after the Joule-Thompson The following Monday we again liquid air for approximately 30 valve. According to milli-volts ran the cryostat. Although we did seconds and then shattered with vs. temperature charts, a read- not get liquid air this time, we the rap of a hammer. Other ing of 5.28 milli-volts designated did e n c o u n t e r a unique ex- articles such as carrots and a temperature of -183° C, which perience. The pipe leading from cork were shattered in the same was needed to produce liquid air. the c o m p r e s s o r to the p r e - manner giving us our first idea cooling coils literally peeled like as to how cold this liquid really a banana at 1000 psi. This break was. RESULTS in the line was a result of the Our first attempt at build- copper tubing being heated and Next came a balloon experi- ing the cryostat failed as a result vibrated by the c o m p r e s s o r . ment. This consisted of placing of many mistakes in calculations, Since the copper tubing could liquid air in a pyrex test tube but the experience we gained not take both abuses for a long, and sealing it with a balloon. proved to be a priceless item. period of time, we have changed Thus, after 2 minutes the bal- Our second modified cryostat this tubing periodically since then loon had inflated to its capacity. proved a success. Starting the to insure safety. Seeing that our To determine how much this long involved process at 10:00 compressor was taking a beating liquid air expanded a controlled a.m., March 26, 1964, we ran as a result of long hours of expansion experiment was made,. our compressor between 1000 running, we decied to shut down. This was done by letting the psl and 12000 psi for fifteen expanding liquid air bubble up hours. The pre-cooling unit was On Friday, April 10, we again into a 1000 ml flask filled with a success from the start as it ran our cryostat in hopes of water and turned upside: down in cooled the hot compressed air obtaining more liquid air for from 150° C down to room tem- a pan of water until allofthe perature of 20° C. This enabled f u r t h e r experimentation. To water in flask had been force the freezer to perform more ef- speed up the production of liquid out by the incoming air/ 3ml ficiently as it cooled the com- air, we ran the compressed air of liquid air in a test tube ex- pressed air to 1° C. Then the c o m i n g f r o m the desiccant panded producing 2350 mlofair, air e n t e r e d the desccant chamber into 50 feet of 3/8 Thus liquid air and air volumes chamber and the water was re- inch OD copper tubing submerged were in the ratio of over 1:75 moved. D r a i n i n g this vessel in a dry ice bath. We felt since respectively. every hour a greenish, milky we had produced liquid air al- solution was filtered out of the ready, the only problem which To see how good a fuel liquid system. This consisted of water, lay before us was to speed up air makes (oxidizing agent), we oil, carbon, and impurities from the production. We did not in- put 10 ml of liquidairina the copper tubing. clude this part in our system as pyrex test tube and connected it was only installed as a time the test tube to the stemofa saving device and was not neces- lit smoking pipe bymeansof The heat exchange lowered the sary in producing liquid air. rubber tubing. As theliquidair temperature of the system to 4.8 boiled off it went to the pipe millivolts. This we considered Starting at 6:00 p.m., Friday producing a f o u r foot flame a major achievement as our new night, our problems seemed to originating from thepotofthe heat exchange proved its ef- come as fast we could solve pipe. ficiency. No leaks were found in them. First, c a r b o n deposits Another experimentwhichwe the system, thus assuring us bet- developed in the lines all the ter things in the future runnings tried was a mercury hammer, way to the freezer. This was We felt that by running it the caused by oil coming from the This consisted of dippingastick first day we had cooled the in- compressor. After blowing out into a dish of mercury. After sulation The next day, March these lines and cleaning them p o u r i n g liquid air over the 27, work began at 8:00 a.m The with methylene chloride, we again mercury, the mercury became started the system running only a solid with the stick submerged in it. ANNOUNCEMENTS As of May 18, subscriptions for the 64-65 publishing year of the SPARTAN ENGINEER may be obtained at 144 or 116 Engineering Bldg. Rate: $1.00. Students wishing to apply jor art, photo- graphy, proofreading, and layout work during the 64-65 year should leave letter of application in the SPARTAN ENGINEER mailbox in Room 116 \ THE ADVERTISER'S INDEX Advertiser Page Advertiser page AMERICAN T E L E P H O N E & T E L E G R A P H 13 GARRETT CORP 6 ASPHALT INSTITUTE 27 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO Back Cover BETHLEHEM STEEL 2 KODAK Inside Back Cover COLLINS 4 MALLEABLE FOUNDERS 10 DELCO RADIO 8 MONSANTO 5 DROP FORGING ASSOCIATION 16 STANDARD OIL 20 DU PONT 1 UNION CARBIDE 21 FORD MOTOR CO 12 U. S. AIR FORCE 11 WESTINGHOUSE Inside Front Cover O p e r a is where a man is stabbed in the back and instead of bleeding to death, he sings. A woman went to a doctor to complain about her husbands de- lusions. "It's t e r r i b l e , " she com- plained. "All the time he thinks he is a refrigerator." "Well," consoled the medical man, that isn't too bad. Quite a harmless delusion, I'd say." "The delusion I don't mind, doctor. But when he sleeps with his mouth open, the little light keeps me awake." A young engineer got a job in a remote mining camp. On his first day off, he approached his boss and asked: "Say, boss, what Father: "When Abe Lincoln do you do around here for amuse- was your age, he was making his ment?" own living." The boss replied, "Well all of Son: "Yes, and when he was us usually watch Sam, the cook, your age, he was President." drink a gallon of whiskey, gaso- line, and red pepper juice. It's the funniest thing you ever saw. Why don't you come along?" The young engineer was ob- The farmer was "assisting" viously shocked. "No thanks," at the birth of his latest child- he said, "I don't go for that he was holding the lamp. When kind of amusement." the doctor delivered three fine "Well," answered the boss "I babies, the farmer suddenly left sure wish you'd come. We really the room. need six men for this thing." "Come back with the lamp!" man yelled the doctor. "Why i s th "Nope," was the reply. "Ain't a t ? " asked the new comin' back Docl It's the light man. that's attractin' them." " S ° m e of t h e b °y s h a v e to hold Sam. He doesn't go for that kind of amusement either." After McNair designs it, Kelly has to manufacture it detail what we have to do to multiply McNair's working in the broad s p e c t r u mo f engineers and scientists we con- model by x, a number chosen by the marketing people. To stantlyseek,wecanusemorem a n u f acturing engineers like make the production-run machines work not merely as well Edward joseph Kelly (right six y e a r s o u t of T u f t s t h i s June). Mark wel the distinction as McNair's hand-built one, but better. To decide which between Kelly's responsi- parts we should buy and which we should make. To specify bility and that of his opponent in the debate pictured. Out the tooling for the parts we make. To specify also the tools of it upon completion of their differing assignments will for assembly and inspection. To design the fabrication proc- come a photographic inforamtion storage and retrieval esses. Better than just designing the processes, to see the devicethatwillbearour"Recordak"trademark, well known need for a process which no previous manufacturing engineer in banking and other businesses. had realized was needed and which happens to make the Dave McNair hasd e t e r m i n e d h o wt h e mechanical, optical, product an irresistible bargain for the ultimate user and a andelectricalcomponentsandsubassemblies have to work money-maker for us. andfittogetherfortheequipment to do its job. He has We need that kind of manufacturing engineer so that we comeupwithaworkingm o d e l - Management likes it. EnterKelly.His task: to tell us exactly down to the last can teach him how to run a big business. Advancement in a Big Company: How it Works pendent companies. Since each de- Q. Yes, but just how often do these partment is responsible for its own opportunities arise? success, each man's share of author- ity and responsibility is pinpointed. A. To give you some idea, 25 percent Believe me, outstanding performance of G-E's gross sales last year came is recognized, and rewarded. from products that were unknown only five or ten years ago. These new products range from electric tooth Q. Can you tell me what the "promo- brushes and silicone rubber com- tional ladder" is at General Electric? pounds to atomic reactors and inter- planetary space probes. This chang- ing Company needs men with ambi- A. We regard each man individually. tion and energy and talent who aren't Whether you join us on a training program or are placed in a specific afraid of a big job—who welcome the position opening, you'll first have to challenge of helping to start new prove your ability to handle a job. businesses like these. Demonstrate • Charles K. Rieger joined General Etec- Once you've done that, you'll be given your ability—whether to handle com- tric's Technical Marketing Program after more responsibility, more difficult plex technical problems or to manage earning a BSEE at the University of Mis- projects—work that's important to people, and you won't have long to souri in 1936. Following sales engineering the success of your organization and wait for opportunities to fit your assignments in motor, defense and home your personal development. Your abil- needs. laundry operations, he became manager of the Heating Device and Fan Division in ity will create a "promotional ladder" 1947. Other Consumer-industry management of your own. Q. How does General Electric help positions followed. In 1953 he was elected me prepare myself for advancement a vice president, one of the youngest men opportunity? Q. Will my development be confined ever named a Company officer. Mr. Rieger to whatever department I start in? A. Programs in Engineering, Manu- became Vice President, Marketing Services in 1959 and was appointed to his present facturing or Technical Marketing give position in 1961. He is responsible for all A. Not at all! Here's where "big com- you valuable on-the-job training. We the operations of some six divisions com- pany" scope works to broaden your have Company-conducted courses to posed of 23 product operations oriented career outlook. Industry, and General improve your professional ability no primarily toward the Electric Utility market. Electric particularly, is constantly matter where you begin. UnderTui- changing —adapting to market the tion Refund or Advanced Degree Pro fruits of research, reorganizing to grams you can continue your formal Q. How can I be sure of getting the maintain proper alignment with our education. Throughout your career recognition I feel I'm capable of earn- customers, creating new operations with General Electric you'll receive ing in a big company like G.E.? to handle large projects. All this rep- frequent appraisals to help your self- resents opportunity beyond the limits development. Your advancement will A. We learned long ago we couldn't of any single department. be largely up to you. afford to let capable people get lost. That was one of the reasons why G.E. was decentralized into more than a hundred autonomous operating de- partments. These operations develop, engineer, manufacture and market products much as if they were inde-