Document mp2MpxZ9m5DKxxod38bMbrEmO

yV if Gr a h a m Ed g a r DIRECTOR O F R E SE AR CH Et h y l Ga s o l i n e , Co r p o r a t i o n Ch r y s l e r Bu i l d i n g 135Ea st ;12Ii>St r eet N e w Yo r k ' August 1, 1934 Dr Willard P Machle, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cinc innati, Ohio Dear Dr. Machle: 1 have discussed your letter of July 24th at .some length with Mr* Walter. The 'problem, of cleaning tanks is one which I think we '.'.dll, eventually, have to face* So far, vie have actually cleaned only one tank namely^ one of the Standard of Louisiana tanks which had been in service for a long time. On this tank, when all the fluid had been sucked out that could he removed, there was apparently an excess weight over the original calibration of 2,400 pounds. Yihat 'as done was to. fill the tank with gasoline repeatedly and suck it out into the main gasoline storage This resulted in anspparent excess weight of about 1,000 pounds which was allowed to remain' in the tank. Kow much of this thousand pounds was actually sludge is not easy to determine* At present, our field representatives have instructions to clean no tanks without specific instructions from the Hey,' York office. I am writing Mr Schaefer to get his ideas on the subject. It is my belief that the procedure which will have to be followed if a real cleaning is done is to wash, with gasoline, thoroughly, then remove the gaso line by washing and steaming, then, possibly, send in a man suitably clothed and equipped with a mask to get out the residual material* Meanwhile, vie are starting experiments designed to minimize the formation of sludge Yfe have found that a coating of glycerine above the fluid almost.entire ly prevents sludge in at least small scale operation and we are in process of putting 1/2'* of glycerine over two installations, one new and one old. At the end of six months, say, we expect to check the amount of sludge which has been formed in these installations* Yhen I hear from Mr* Schaefer, I will write you again, end, perhaps, we can come to some sort of an agreement as to what procedure should be followed and what precautions are necessary N20499