Thomas, Sidney Gilchrist

Thomas, Sidney Gilchrist

▪ British metallurgist
born April 16, 1850, London, Eng.
died Feb. 1, 1885, Paris, Fr.

      British metallurgist and inventor who discovered (1875) a method for eliminating phosphorus (a major impurity in some iron ores) in the Bessemer converter. The method is now called the Thomas-Gilchrist process, the Thomas process, or the basic process.

      Thomas was preparing to matriculate in medicine at London University when his father died. Abandoning his plans, he instead took a job, briefly, as a classics teacher and then as a junior clerk in the police courts. He remained in this position until 1879, when his process first proved commercially viable.

      Thomas studied applied chemistry and metallurgy at the Royal School of Mines while working as a clerk. By 1875 he had determined that the key to phosphorus removal in the Bessemer converter was the use of a lining composed of a strong basic substance (such as burned limestone) with which the phosphorus could combine and be eliminated in slag. With the aid of his cousin, Percy Gilchrist, Thomas was able to experiment and perfect his product; he applied for a patent in 1877. In the years that followed, Thomas was able to give up his menial job in the police courts and devote time and attention to other problems that interested him. The years in the dank courts had taken their toll, however, and his health failed.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Thomas, Sidney Gilchrist — ► (1850 85) Técnico británico. Inventó un procedimiento de eliminación del fósforo contenido en el hierro en el convertidor Bessemer …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Sidney Gilchrist Thomas — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Thomas. Sidney Thomas Sidney Gilchrist Thomas (Canonbury à côté de Londres 16 avril 185 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sidney Gilchrist Thomas — Infobox Scientist name = Sidney Gilchrist Thomas box width = image width =150px caption = Sidney Gilchrist Thomas birth date = April 16, 1850 birth place = Canonbury, London death date = February 1, 1885 death place = residence = citizenship =… …   Wikipedia

  • Thomas — Thomas, Albert Thomas, André Antoine Thomas, Ch. L. Ambroise Thomas, Dylan Thomas, Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, Theodore * * * (as used in expressions) Adès, Thomas …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • thomas — (1625 1709) frère du préc.; poète dramatique français; auteur d un Dictionnaire des arts et des sciences (1694) et d un Dictionnaire géographique et historique (1708). Acad. fr. (1685). Thomas (1875 1955) frère du préc., écrivain allemand. Son… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Sidney Thomas — Sidney Gilchrist Thomas (* 16. April 1850 in Canonbury (London); † 1. Februar 1885 in Paris) war ein bedeutender britischer Metallurg. Sidney Thomas erfuhr eine humanistische Ausbildung und wurde zunächst Gerichtsschreiber. In seiner Freizeit… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gilchrist — is a surname of Scottish origin, having originated in Islay. According to several genealogy websites, it literally means servant of Christ. Some variations known to exist are Gillecrist , Gilcreest , Gilcrest , and Gilcress . Gilchrist may refer… …   Wikipedia

  • Gilchrist — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Sommaire 1 Patronyme 1.1 Prénom 1.2 P …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Thomas — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom.  Pour l’article homophone, voir Tomas. Thomas est un nom propre qui peut désigner : Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Gilchrist, Percy — ▪ British metallurgist born Dec. 27, 1851, Lyme Regis, Dorset, Eng. died Dec. 16, 1935, England       metallurgist who, with his better known cousin Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, devised in 1876–77 a process (thereafter widely used in Europe) of… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”