The U.S. Valve Industry in World War II(2)

AIDING THOSE WHO FUELED THE MACHINES

The valve industry helped the petroleum industry by providing flow control for the upgraded cracking processes that allowed the higher 100-octane output. In addition, the valve industry also helped provide the piping systems that created two more war-winning chemicals—Toluene for explosives and Butadiene for synthetic rubber.

Toluene is the most important ingredient in the making of TNT, the American explosive of choice during the war. Increased capacity and processes at American Toluene plants ensured the war production conveyor belt of bombs and shells would be an endless one.

Before hostilities began, American steel wheels were gripped by tires made of imported natural rubber, most of it from the East Indies. As war clouds gathered into a raging storm in the Pacific, the United States needed an alternative to natural rubber, and it needed huge quantities in a short amount of time. American chemists perfected the development of synthetic rubber on a massive scale by increasing the output of Butadiene, a petroleum byproduct, which is the key ingredient in synthetic rubber. Now, thousands of planes and vehicles would have abundant supplies of high-quality tires and other rubber goods.

any attribute our superior air power during the war to Octane 100.

Refinery upgrades and expansions increased the output of high octane

gasoline that fueled the allies air power in World War II

The budding pre-war petrochemical industry grew up virtually overnight, producing vital chemicals that helped to ensure victory. Every one of the new plants needed an abundance of valves in all types and sizes. During the war years, the valve industry was handed fluid process variables they had not seen before in the form of higher temperatures, unusual corrosion effects and ultra-high (for the time) pressures. These new challenges resulted in the creation of new alloys and new valve designs that still serve industry today.

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