Hydrocarbon Processing - September 2022 - 57

History of the HPI
mum efficiency. The computer could
conduct these readings every 5 min, 24
hr a day (FIG. 4).86
The success of the computer system
led to the adoption of numerous installations
over the next several years. The
second RW-300 computer for the processing
industry was installed at Monsanto's
Chocolate Bayou, Texas (U.S.)
petrochemical plant in 1960, followed by
B. F. Goodrich's chemical plant in Calvert
City, Kentucky (U.S.). Several other installations
of the RW-300 occurred in the
early 1960s, including at BASF's plant in
Ludwigshafen, Germany; Gulf Oil Co.'s
catalytic cracking plant in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania (U.S.); Petroleum Chemicals'
ethylene plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana
(U.S.); among others.87
IBM introduced its first multi-purpose
industrial control system-the
IBM 1710-in March 1961. The computer-which
cost $111,000-$135,000
($1 MM-$1.27 MM today after adjusting
for inflation)-was used for a variety
of sampling and the interpretation of
data in the processing and manufacturing
industries, including quality control,
industrial process study and process optimization.88
The
system was first installed
at American Oil's Whiting refinery in
Indiana (U.S.) in 1961, followed by additional
installations at Standard Oil of
California's El Segundo refinery in Richmond,
California (U.S.) and DuPont's
acrylonitrile pilot plant in Gibbstown,
New Jersey (U.S.) in the same year.86,87
From the late 1950s to the early 1960s,
more than 40 computer control systems
were installed in the chemical and
petroleum sectors.87
Although initially
expensive, the use of computer systems
revolutionized hydrocarbon processing
operations and provided significant benefits
to operating personnel and plant
production. This period-later known
as the computer-integrated manufacturing
era for the hydrocarbon processing
industry-transitioned the refining and
chemical industries into a new computer
age. Computer systems would continue
to evolve over the next several decades,
providing new enhancements and benefits
along the way.
Rocket designs/fuels evolve, and
the space race begins. Production
of various fuels and gases have been instrumental
in the development of space
exploration and satellite technologies,
especially in the construction of artificial
satellites (e.g., Kevlar, invented in
the 1960s by DuPont, help protect satellites
in orbit from the harsh conditions of
space) and propulsion. Although the origins
of rocket propulsion go back several
centuries (the Chinese used tubes filled
with gunpowder-called " arrows of flying
fire " -to repel the Mongols during
the battle of Kai-Keng in 1232),89
modern
rocket propellant technology traces
its roots to the mid-1900s.
The era of modern rocketry began
with theories derived from the Russian
rocket scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.
His work Exploration of Outer Space by
Means of Rocket Devices-published in
1903-put forth the idea of both utilizing
rockets for space flight and using liquid
propellant for rocket propulsion.90
These ideas and his research on the subject
inspired future scientists that would
revolutionize rocket fuel development
over the next several decades. For this,
Tsiolkovsky is known as the father of
modern astronautics.
The first successful liquid-fueled rocket
test was conducted in 1926 by Robert
Goddard. Throughout his research, Goddard
discovered that using liquid fuel provided
more acceleration vs. other forms of
propulsion, such as gunpowder. His rocket
design had the combustion chamber
and nozzle at the top of a frame made up
of two vertical tubes, which would then
carry the liquid fuel (comprised of liquid
oxygen and gasoline) from the tanks at
the bottom to ignite the rocket.91,92
On March 16, 1926, in Auburn, Massachusetts
(U.S.), Goddard's rocket blasted
off the launchpad. The rocket flew for
2.5 sec and reached an altitude of 41 ft.91
The launch proved that liquid fuels could
be used to propel rockets, setting the stage
for the evolution of rocket engine designs,
which would eventually lead to the use of
satellites and space exploration.
Although Goddard's discovery was
revolutionary, he kept his findings mostly
secret. His work was barely known
until the U.S. Smithsonian published
his theory A Method of Reaching Extreme
Altitudes. However, several media
outlets openly mocked his theories. For
example, the New York Times dismissed
Goddard's theories as lacking basic
knowledge learned in high schools-the
publication printed a correction in July
1969 as the Apollo 11 mission launched
on its historic mission to the moon.91
In the late 1920s, the world's first largescale
experimental rocket program began
under the leadership of the German rocket
technology pioneer Fritz von Opel (nicknamed
Rocket Fritz) and other associates,
including Max Valier, who was one of the
founders of the German Spaceflight Society
(Verein für Raumschiffahrt).93
The
Opel RAK significantly advanced rocket
and aviation technology, especially in propulsion.
In 1928, the group developed its
first liquid-fueled rocket, which used benzol-a
coal-tar product consisting mainly
of benzene and toluene-as fuel and nitrogen
tetroxide as the oxidizer.93
The research and testing completed
on Opel RAK led to the development
of Germany's V-2 rocket, the world's
first long-range guided ballistic missile
powered by a liquid-propellant (liquid
oxygen and ethyl alcohol) rocket engine.
After WW2, several nations used the V-2
rocket technology to develop their own
military missile programs, as well as advance
space exploration. These initiatives
were supported by hydrocarbon processing
companies. For example, Air Products
was commissioned by the U.S. to build
plants that could supply large quantities
of liquid oxygen and nitrogen to support
the country's emerging missile and space
program.94
), Air ProdAfter
Russia successfully
launched Sputnik into space in 1957 (the
satellite used kerosene T-1 as a fuel and
liquid oxygen as an oxidizer 95
ucts was awarded a contract to supply liquid
hydrogen to the U.S. Air Force-and
later to NASA-to advance the country's
rocket technology to compete against the
Soviets during the Cold War and space
race. The U.S. eventually created Rocket
Propellant-1, which is a highly refined
form of kerosene and liquid oxygen.
These fuels aided the advancement of
rocket technology, leading humans to break
the boundaries of space and place satellites
into geosynchronous orbit, significantly
evolving the way the world communicates,
navigates and explores not only Earth but
the distant cosmos. These advancements
would not have been possible without the
fuels and products produced from the hydrocarbon
processing sector.
LITERATURE CITED
Complete literature cited available online at
www.HydrocarbonProcessing.com
Hydrocarbon Processing's Centennial Anniversary | SEPTEMBER 2022 57
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