Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Wednesday
November 29, 1978
Britain explores converted coal for fuel
By BRYAN SILCOCK
LONDON - The world’s oil and natural
gas reserves will run out in a generation or
so, hut there is enough coal to last for cen
turies. Thus Britain is currently promoting
research programs designed to transform
coal into gas and liquid fuels as well as into
chemicals, to be used either for energy or
as the basis for plastics, fertilizer and other
products now manufactured from petro
leum.
The fundamental breakthroughs in the
field took place long ago. German aircraft,
for example, flew on fuel converted from
coal as far back as World War II. But the
need in the near future will be for large-
scale techniques that are efficient without
being costly, and that is what preoccupies
British experts at the moment.
Six principal projects aimed at perfecting
coal technology are being planned or be
ginning to function here at present, and
they are expected to require a total expen
diture of some $250 million. They are a long
way from industrial application, but their
main purpose now is to prove the feasibility
of methods that have succeeded in the lab
oratory.
Some of these projects have been shaped
jointly by British and American scientists,
and it would have been logical to leave their
development to the United States, which
has immense resources for energy re
search. But Britain has decided to push
ahead, despite a heavy investment, for a
couple of reasons.
For one thing, the British are eager to be
out front in this domain rather than give an
edge to the United States. And secondly,
considering the troubles faced by the Car
ter administration in passing its energy
legislation, there are doubts here about
America’s ability to move rapidly into coal
technology.
Involved in the British projects are the
government, the coal industry and mine
workers, and their objective now is to build
pilot plants in which to perform practical
experiments in the conversion process.
The largest and perhaps most promising
of these plants, due to start operating at a
coal mine in northern England next spring,
will test a process known as fluidized-bed
combustion. The plant is being sponsored
by the International Energy Agency, with
costs shared by Britain, West Germany and
the United States.
The way this process works, coal is fed
into a bed of burning coal and ash that is
suspended, as it were, on a blast of air from
below so that it behaves almost like a liq
uid. By adding limestone to the bed, sul
phur can be trapped, whereby removing
the main pollutant produced by burning
coal.
The overwhelming advantage of
fluidized-bed combustion is that it can be
carried out in an installation significantly
smaller than a big modern power plant that
consumes coal dust in huge tubular struc
tures. This reduction in size means a reduc
tion in costs.
Great reductions in size and con
sequently cost can be achieved if the pro
cess operates under pressure, and the
study of this operation is one of the pur
poses of the forthcoming experiment. The
installation is modest, with an output of 18
megawatts, but plans are already being
drawn up for an 80-megawatt demonstra
tion plant.
Three of the other projects are focusing
on the liquification of coal to produce Syn
crude, which resembles crude oil. An ob
ject of these experiments is to improve the
ratio of hydrogen to carbon in the liquified
result. Because it is relatively poor in hy
drogen, coal yields less heat than oil when
used as fuel.
One plant being built will concentrate on
a process called liquid solvent extraction.
This consists of treating coal with a hot
solvent that produces a thick tarry solution,
which can then be “hydrogenated” to make
oil-like “coal liquids,” among them a form
of low-octane gasoline.
Another plant will do a similar job by
applying a gas rather than liquid solvent at
pressures and temperatures high enough to
“open up” the coal and extract its more
valuable constituents.
Yet another process known as pyrolysis,
which has been tried in the laboratory, con
sists of heating coal rapidly in hydrogen at
high pressure. The result is a mixture of
tars, oils and gas, the blend of which can be
controlled depending on the reactor condi
tions used.
In addition to these experiments in
liquification, a plant located in Scotland has
already had considerable success in pro
ducing synthetic natural gas from coal. The
gasifier involved in the process has at
tracted interest in the United States and
may be incorporated into a demonstration
installation to be constructed there with
Department of Energy funds.
Plans are also being made for a small
plant in which coal would be turned into
gas that could drive a turbine directly, cut
ting out the steam stage entirely.
With North Sea oil and gas flowing, these
projects and plans are not urgent, and
British scientists are working on schedules
that reach into the 1980s. They feel, there
fore, that they have a headstart against the
day when oil and gas supplies will begin to
dwindle - and they hope to be ready when
that day arrives.
(Silcock writes on science and technology
for the London Sunday Times, the British
weekly newspaper.)
by Jim Earle
3*.
Omf-ycwoTrate-
UH.FftSS
THE SALT.
.s -
*
Republicans jockey
for congressional slots
“I’LL ADMIT IT’S A HARD CONCEPT TO ACCEPT RIGHT OFF,
BUT IT WILL PUT AN END TO BONFIRES THAT TOPPLE!”
Letters to the Editor
Band drill top show
‘Uppity’ old Ags
Editor:
As a member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie
Band from 1945 to 1949, I naturally feel it
is the greatest musical organization in exis
tence.
I have seen quite a number of half-time
performances by the band since 1949, but
the show put on last Saturday during the
TCU game surpassed anything I have ever
witnessed before. The complexity of the
drill and the precision with which it was
carried out was beautiful to watch and the
standing ovation and cheering from the
stands at the conclusion of this perform
ance makes me think I’m not alone in my
feelings.
I only hope the television cameras will
do justice to the Aggie Band this Friday in
Austin. In my humble opinion, the Band is
the best public relations medium our
school has, and it needs all the support and
exposure to the people of this state and
nation as is possible.
I’m mighty proud to say I was a member
of the Texas A&M band, and extend con
gratulations again on a sterling perform
ance last Saturday.
—Jim Simpson, ’49
Hallettsville, Tx.
Editor:
This past weekend, my roommate and I
had a opportunity to sit on the 50-yard line
in the west side armchair seats. We, of
course, took advantage of the opportunity.
While sitting in the middle of all the
wealthy alumni, we witnessed constant
criticism Texas A&M football team’s play.
Most of their comments showed, not only
their uppity, upper class attitude toward
things.
These people never seem to be happy.
First, they criticize one coach enough to
make his job unpleasant enough so that he
resigns. Now we get a “wide-open” coach,
just what everyone has always wanted, and
they still complain.
Why don’t these rich former students
with their superior football intellect go out
and buy a professional football team so we
will all have the pleasure of watching this
awesome team play Sunday afternoon in
Kyle Field.
—Dirk Novosa, ’79
Hurlie Collier, ’79
Bv CHERYL ARVIDSON
WASHINGTON — Conservative Re
publicans are riding high these days after
scoring some major wins in Senate races
made doubly sweet by a list of losers that
includes some of the chamber’s most un
swerving liberals.
It’s no surprise, then, that conservatives
are jockeying for places on the Senate
GOP leadership team that will be elected
when the 96th Congress convenes in
January.
Senate Republican Leader Howard
Baker has enough commitments from in
coming and current senators to assure
entire Senate leadership on both sides of
the aisle changed hands.
Sen. James McClure, R-Idaho, another
staunch conservative, is running for
chairman of the Republican Conference,
composed of all GOP senators. He is being
challenged by moderate Sen. Bob
Packwood of Oregon.
Politics
Freshman Sen. John Danforth of
Missouri has also indicated he will chal
lenge the more conservative Sen. John
Tower of Texas for chairmanship of the
Senate GOP Policy Committee. But
moderate Republicans are reportedly
pressuring Danforth to leave Tower alone
since there is no objection to his perform
ance in the policy committee job and it is
unlikely Tower could be unseated.
himself of re-election to the top leadership
job. But from there on down, the GOP is
bracing for spirited races that will prove
whether more moderate Republicans will
continue their dominance of chamber
strategy positions or be forced to yield to
the right.
Conservative Sen. Jesse Helms,
R-N.C., was rumored to be considering a
challenge of Baker but he has apparently
backed off, and his supporters are focusing
instead on the lesser leadership spots.
Instead, the moderates hope to con
vince Danforth to step into another race —
chairman of the Senate Republican Cam
paign Committee — and free them from a
serious dilemma. The campaign commit
tee post is an important job since it in
volves raising the funds and doling out the
dollars to incumbent GOP senators and
GOP challengers around the country.
The two announced candidates for the
committee chairmanship — Sens. Orrin
Hatch of Utah and John Heinz of Pennsyl
vania — offer moderates what could be
considered a “best of the worst” choice.
Vested interest
Where’s the ‘push’?
Conservative Sen. Harrison Schmitt,
R-N.M., has announced plans to challenge
the more moderate Sen. Ted Stevens of
Alaska for the second highest job, assistant
Republican leader. Stevens was first
elected to this slot two years ago when the
Editor:
On the weekend of Oct. 28, I visited
A&M for the Rice game. A friend intended
to deliver a vest to me for my brother to
wear in a wedding. The vet, however,
never reached me; it was lost somewhere
near the Quad.
It is part of a blue-grey suit. It was in a
small brown paper bag. On the bag was
John Stern’s address. It is vitally important
that I find this vest. If you find it, please
return it to Paula Bane, Dorm 1, 845-
2969.
Thank you.
—Maureen O’Brien
Austin, Tx.
Readers’ Forum
Guest viewpoints, in addi
tion to Letters to the Editor,
are welcome. All pieces sub
mitted to Readers’ forum
should be:
Typed triple space
Limited to 60 characters per
Limited to 100 lines
Editor:
Once more the days of “The Push” have
started and anyone who has the time and
the strength is need to build the Class of
1982 Bonfire. Juniors and seniors are
needed to wire and direct work at the
stack. Sophomores and freshmen are
needed to work the pulley crews and haul
ing crews. If you can’t work as much as you
want, work as much as you can.
As Aggies we owe it to our fish and
our former students to raise every piece
of wood we can onto the stack; those who
have built and will build Bonfire deserve
and must receive any aid we can give.
Bonfire is a spark that’s turned to a
flame, even as our school has grown from a
tiny college to a modern university. Fel
low non-regs, the Corps can’t carry on the
tradition by itself. A strong back is ap
preciated no matter whose it is.
Last year, I worked on Bonfire for my
self. This year I’m working on it for my
friends in the Corps, my fish sister, my
father (class of ’53), my old buddies off-
campus, and my pride for my dorm. If
you’ve worked on Bonfire before you’ll
have your own reasons. Don’t quit now.
Aggies! The outhouse hasn’t burned yet.
—Max Triola, ’81
Writing the editor
The Battalion welcomes letters to
the editor on any subject. However,
to be acceptable for publication these
letters must meet certain criteria.
They should: .
V Not exceed 300 words or 1800
characters in length.
V Be neatly typed whenever
possible. Hand-written letters are
acceptable.
V Include the author’s name, ad
dress and telephone number for
verification.
Letters to the editor are printed as
a service to our readers. Publication
of a letter is never guaranteed. The
editorial staff reserves the right to
edit letters to remove grammatical er
rors and to avoid litigatioil.
Address letters to the editor to:
Letters to the Editor
, The Battalion
Room 216
Reed McDonald Building —-
College Station, Texas 77843
Hatch is an ultra-conservative, heavily
involved in right wing causes and closely
associated with Richard Viguerie whose
high-powered mail fund raising efforts
were vital in many of the conservative
victories this fell.
There’s fear in GOP circles that with
Hatch at the helm of the GOP campaign
committee, the Viguerie mail drives might
slip into institutional Senate GOP fund
raising, giving the Viguerie wing a degree
of legitimacy that makes the moderate Re
publicans shudder.
But the moderates have trouble, too,
with Heinz, who plowed some $3 million
of his ketchup and pickle fortune into his
own Senate race two years ago. Although
he is probably more acceptable to
moderates than Hatch, Heinz clearly has
an image problem.
Moderates could avoid this dilemma
entirely if somebody in the middle — spe
cifically Danforth — could be persuaded
to make it a three-way battle. The other
person who was looked to as a possible
compromise. Sen. Pete Domenici of New
Mexico, flirted with the idea of running for
the campaign committee chairmanship but
abandoned it last week.
Over on the House side, the leadership
will apparently see only one challenge, but
it too involves a power play from the right
wing of the Republican Party.
Rep. Thomas Kindness of Ohio says he
will challenge Rep. John Anderson of Il
linois for the chairmanship of the House
Republican Conference, the governing
body and research organization for all
GOP House members.
Top of the News
CAMPUS
Changes in shuttle bus routes
The campus shuttle bus system will reduce operations on Friday
due to the holiday. The Intra-Campus will not run and the other,
off-campus routes will run from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. The North
route will operate the regular number of buses,the East route will
have three buses and the South route two bses. The Holleman and
Anderson Parkway route will have one bus, and the 2818 circuit will
have one bus. A new intra-campus “Blue Route” will begin Monday.
Aggie Christmas season begins
Texas A&M University President Jarvis E. Miller will kick off the
Aggie Christmas season in ceremonies here today. The annual event
will feature a short concert by the Century Singers. Miller will give a
speech on “Christmas in Aggieland and Around the World” and the
lights will be turned on the Christmas tree. The ceremonies will be in
the Memorial Student Center Lounge at 7:30 p.m. A small reception
for the audience will be held after the ceremony in MSC room 201.
The presentation is being sponsored by the MSC Christmas Tree
Committee.
Reception for art award winners
ing av
;la at
Exhibition will be held at 6 p.m. today in the Memorial Student
Center Art Gallery. The exhibit, currently on display in the MSC
Gallery, will run tnrough Dec.3. Both the reception and exhibit are
open to the public free of charge.
STATE
Sweeny plant in full operation
Phillips Petroleum Co.’s new ethylene plant near Sweeny, Texas,
which will produce 1 billion pounds per year, was completed in the
third quarter of 1978 and is in full operation, a Phillips official in
Bartlesville, Okla., said Tuesday. The plant at Phillips’ refining and
petrochemical complex nearly doubles the company’s yearly ethylene
output to 2.2 billion pounds, said L. H. Johnstone, executive vice
president for the chemicals group.
Hughes case motion denied
A Texas federal judge has refused a California request that a case to
determine the legal residence of the late billionaire Howard Hughes
be moved to Colorado. District Judge Monday said he would hear
the case in Austin. Attorneys for the state of California, which also is
claiming the western state was Hughes domicile, had asked Roberts to
move the case to the neutral site of Colorado. Texas and California
both claim Hughes was a resident and want to collect taxes on the
late tycoon’s vast estate.
A series of memorial services both religious and secular began Mon
day and were to continue through much of the week for slain San Fran
cisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. A memo
rial Mass was held for Moscone at St. Marh’s Cathredal Monday.
Rosary services were set for Wednesday at 8 p.m. and the funeral was
scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m. Memorial services for Milk began
Monday at the Gay Community Center and were followed by a
memorial march from the city’s Castro district to the steps of City
Hall where participants held a silent vigil. Information on burial
services for Milk was not immediately available.
Brother of Ray arrested
A brother of James Earl Ray scheduled to testify in Washington this
week before a House panel investigating the assassination of the Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in St. Louis Monday night. He is
suspected of burglary and assault. Police said John Larry Ray, 45, was
arrested a short time after a man entered a south side home and
scuffled with three men before fleeing. Ray and his brother, Jerry Ray,
were among several witnesses called to testify this week before a
House committee in Washington looking into the assassination of
King, for which James Earl Ray pleaded guilty and is serving a prison
sentence.
WORLD
Survivors still in Guyana
The State Department said Tuesday it did not expect any survivors
of the People’s Temple to be flown from Guyana to Charleston Air
Force Base Tuesday, where FBI agents are waiting to question them
in the murder of U.S. Rep. Leo J. Ryan, D-Calif. Lydon said the
Guyanese government has authorized seven persons to leave Guyana
and they are expected to fly out commercially. But he gave no indica
tion when the group would fly out or what its U.S. destination would
be.
WEATHER
Fair skies with a high in the mid 60’s and a low in the lower
40’s. Winds are southerly at 5-10 mph.
NATION
Mayor’s memorial services continue
The Battalion
LETTERS POLICY MEMBER
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are Texas Press Association
subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The Southwest Journalism Congress
editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does Editor Kim Tyson
not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be , ’ * j* * T . M i.
signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone Managing Editor LlZ NeWUfl
number for verification. Assistant Managing Editor .Andy Williams
Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Sports Editor David Bogg®
McDonM Building ’ College City Editor ’! Jamie Aitken
Represented nationally by National Educational Adver- Campus Editor StCVC LCC
tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los News Editors Debbie Parsons,
Angeles. .• Beth Calhoun
The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from Staff Writers Karen Rogers, Mark
September through May except during exam and holiday Patterson Scott Pendleton,
periods and the summer, when it is published on Tuesday ^ u
through Thursday. Sean Fett V’ Michelle Scudder,
Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per Diane Blake, Lee Roy Leschpef
school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates furnished J r -> Dillard Stone
on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Reed Cartoonist Doug Graham
McDonald Building. College Station, Texas 77843. r-J n
United Press International is entitled exclusively to the ^ ^ T Ill ^ CunnillS,
use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Lynn Bianco
Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. FOCUS Section editor Gary Welch
Second-Class postage paid at College Station. TX 77843.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are
those of the editor or of the writer of the
article and are not necessarily those of the
University administration or the Board of
Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-
supporting enterprise operated by students
as a university and community newspaper.
Editorial policy is determined by the editor.
“w;
Black
“IF
wou 1 cl
Ton
host <
series
tion), ’
a teei
York <
OctoL
secom
Ameri
Wed n
tion it
KAMI
The
produ
that
nareo
interv
spreac
Wli
have
organ i
days a
ing is r
con t r<
Peoph
makin
tions.
come i
Mor
of the
com mi
neigh 1:
mark el
saw pi
New Jt
In an
s
wi
de
gr<
wl
cal
th<
Sai
Da
loc
de
ing
pai
WIL
Govern
first Re]
nor of T
dent Ca
ready t(
Clem
publica
winter i
ence M
Repub1
who woi
former |
former i
“The
cent fav
Clemenl
before I
A
Li<
60,
or
ex
wc
lec
AV