Background
Herman Frasch was born on December 23, 1831 in Gaildorf, Wiirtemberg, Germany, of Lutheran parentage. His father, Johannes Frasch, was mayor of the town.
Herman Frasch was born on December 23, 1831 in Gaildorf, Wiirtemberg, Germany, of Lutheran parentage. His father, Johannes Frasch, was mayor of the town.
Herman Frasch came to America in 1868, took a position in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, and through private studies interested himself in chemistry, which he visioned was destined to play an important role in the development of his adopted country.
Becoming interested in the petroleum industry he removed to Cleveland about 1877, opened a chemical laboratory, and devoted himself principally to the problem of refining petroleum. In this undertaking he obtained his first patent in December 1877.
In 1885 he moved to London, Ontario, and organized the Empire Oil Company. At this time he made his most important contributions to the refining of petroleum oils, and devised his efficient and economical method of desulfurizing crude petroleum oils.
The value of the highly offensive Canadian and Ohio oils, which hitherto had been used only for fuel purposes, was enhanced to such an extent as to place these refined oils on a parity with standard grades of Pennsylvania illuminating oils.
The Frasch process for desulfurizing crude oils is based upon the reaction between a metallic oxide, especially that of copper, and the sulfur compounds contained in crude oils, whereby stable copper sulfides are formed. The method is relatively inexpensive, since it includes the recovery of copper oxide, which may be used repeatedly.
Between 1887 and 1894 twenty-one American patents were issued to Frasch dealing with the refining of Canadian and similar petroleum oils. These patents, and the Empire Oil Company as well, were subsequently purchased by the Standard Oil Company, and the firm’s refineries throughout the country were promptly equipped and operated under the Frasch method.
During these years Frasch secured numerous patents on subjects entirely foreign to the petroleum industry. These included patents on processes for producing white lead directly from galena, for making sodium carbonate from salt by the ammonia process, for making elements for thermal electrical generators, and for manufacturing carbon for electric-light carbons.
Although the value of Frasch’s method for refining sulfur-bearing crude oils was inestimable, raising the value of such oil from fourteen cents a barrel to one dollar, it was overshadowed by his later inventions bearing upon sulfur mining. In this work his first patent was granted October 20, 1891.
The process which he developed involved melting the sulfur in the mine by means of superheated water forced down into the mine through a pipe, allowing for the discharge of the molten sulfur through an inner tube.
By this means the sulfur could be poured into huge bins and made ready for shipment. His experiments extended through many years and involved large expenditures of money, but were strikingly successful.
The Union Sulphur Company worked the sulfur deposits in Louisiana and was soon able to wrest the control of the world’s supply of sulfur from the Anglo-Sicilian Company which hitherto had enjoyed practically a monopoly of the business.
Prior to the development of the Louisiana mines, the United States produced less than five-tenths of one per cent, of the sulfur consumed within its boundaries. After Frasch’s process came into use, the United States exported large quantities of sulfur.
He died in Paris, France, on May 1, 1914, after a long illness.
Quotations: As Frasch himself said about the first demonstration of the first Frasch Process: "We had melted the mineral in the ground and brought it to the surface as liquid. "
Herman Frasch was a quiet, unassuming man, but by his boldness of conception and courage, and by his energy and perseverance, he brought to realization the daring dreams of his genius.
Herman Frasch was married twice. His first wife was Romalda Berks, whose Dutch forebears had settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania. After her death in 1869, he was married again to Elizabeth Blee of Cleveland.