Chemistry Project Abstract
EARLY SETTLERS' LIME KILN EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS
Presenters:
Kristina Bolt, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; crstltna@imsa.edu
Megan Dinkelman, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; blackcat@imsa.edu
Laura Freund, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; glynis@imsa.edu
Steven Lucy, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; stevenl@imsa.edu
Sue Massey, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; tchaik@imsa.edu
Christiana Taylor, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506; ctaylor@imsa.edu
Mentor:
David Gossman, Gossman Consulting, Inc., 45W962 Plank Road, Hampshire, IL 60140
Abstract:
Before the invention of the Portland cement seen today, homesteads in the Iowa wilderness made mortar from lime, wood ash, and water. They gathered samples of limestone from nearby and loaded them into caves used as kilns to fire the rock. One such kiln, found near Zwingle, IA, was re-fired, and samples were collected of red and white partially-burnt limestone, raw limestone, and wood ash. Through a process called “Loss on Ignition” (LOI), the efficiency of the kiln’s ability to turn limestone to lime was tested. This was accomplished by evaluating the mass lost as the remaining limestone in partially-burnt samples that were converted to lime in a muffle furnace. From this procedure, the efficiency of the lime kiln can be determined. In addition, remaining lime samples were combined with the wood ash and water to create a sample mortar.