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By C. R. Masson, M. L. Pearce

The nitrogen contents of seven specimens of iron and steel were determined by the three methods. Good agreement won generally observed between the results of the isotope -dilution and Kjeldahl determinations, tltzts establishing the reliability of the isotope -dilutzon technique. For some specimens, the vacuum-fusion values at 1650 °C were lower than the corresponding Kjeldahl values by up to 0.0015 pct absolute. These differences were eliminated for a specimen of "pure" iron by performing the vacuum-fusion analyses at 2100 ° to 2240 °C. The reason for this relatively high temperature required m the vaczium-fusion analyses is discussed. ThE determination of nitrogen in iron and steel has been the subject of numerous investigations and a concise review of the extensive literature in this field has recently appeared.' Two methods of analysis are most commonly employed, the vacuum -fusion and the chemical or Kjeldahl method. Except in special cases where the presence of certain alloying elements may present difficulties, both methods are generally regarded as applicable, although the vacuum-fusion method is more sensitive and is often preferred for samples of very low-nitrogen content. The method of isotope dilution, first employed for the determination of gases in metals by Kirshenbaum and Grosse,2 has recently been applied to the determination of nitrogen in iron and steel.3,4 The method is attractive in that it does not require the quantitative extraction of gas from the metal specimen. Staley and Svec3 modified the standard Kjeldahlpro-cedure by introducing, along with the steel sample, a measured amount of ammonium sulfate enriched in the isotope 15N. The nitrogen content was obtained by measuring the isotopic ratio 15N/14N in the resultant solution. The technique involved the distillation of nitrogen as ammonia from alkaline solution and subsequent oxidation of NH4+ in the distillate to gaseous nitrogen. The results for iron and steel samples of commercial origin were often in reasonable agreement with values quoted by the suppliers, although occasional marked discrepancies were observed, particularly with the results of vacuum-fusion analyses. Preliminary work in this laboratory4 on the determination of nitrogen by isotope-dilution in the gas phase yielded results for three samples which were significantly higher than the values obtained by vacuum-fusion. The present paper describes an extension of this work to a wider variety of samples. Analytical results by the Kjeldahl method are also reported. EXPERIMENTAL The technique employed for the isotope-dilution determinations was similar to that described elsewhere.4 Several minor modifications were made to the apparatus. These included the use of molybdenum instead of platinum-rhodium suspending wires when crucibles were degassed at temperatures above 1600°C. The circulatory system used previously for converting CO to CO2 was replaced by a single chamber, the walls of which were cooled directly in liquid nitrogen. Temperatures were measured with an optical pyrometer which had been recently calibrated and, as in the previous study, were minimum values obtained by sighting on the center bottom of the crucible. Temperatures obtained by sighting on the interior walls were always higher by 100' to 130°C with the design of crucible employed. Flat-bottomed crucibles exhibited an even larger temperature difference. To check the efficiency with which crucibles were degassed in the isotope-dilution apparatus, several experiments were done in the vacuum-fusion apparatus, suitably modified4 for isotope-dilution studies. Faster pumping speeds and higher degassing temperatures were possible, the latter due to the use of a generator with a higher power output (10 Kva at 398 kc per sec). In these experiments the combustion of CO was omitted and a correction4 was made for the contribution of CO to the ion current at m/e 28, used in determining the isotopic ratio R = l5NP4N. This correction did not seriously influence the re-

Jan 1, 1962

By F. W. Steadman, Charles S. Barrett

Deformation bands of surprising regularity are found in large-grained poly-crystalline copper after cold-rolling (Fig. I). Individual bands frequently are large enough to permit a determination of their orientation by means of etch pits and an optical goniometer. Measurements have been made on 21 areas in seven different grains, and these, combined with X-ray studies of nine single crystals that had been cold-rolled after mounting in a polycrystal-line block, have contributed to a better understanding of the preferred orientations in rolled copper just as similar studies have for rolled iron1 and brass.2,3 Particular attention was given to determining orientations that are stable during rolling and to the manner of fragmentation and rotation of unstable grains. The possible role of twinning was also carefully investigated. The texture of polycrystalline copper after cold-rolling is well established by the pole figures that have been plotted by Schmid and Staffelbach,4 Iweronowa and Schdanow,6 and Brick and Williamson,8 all of which are in substantial agreement. There has been some divergence in the list of individual "ideal" orientations that have been used to describe the texture by these observers and others," although the orientation (110) [II2]—that is, (110) parallel to the rolling plane and [TIP] parallel to the rolling direction—is generally recognized as the most prominent orientation and (112) [III] one of the lesser orientations. Other orientations have been given by some observers as (236) [535], (100) [00I], and (110) [00I]. The texture of copper has also been described as (I35) [533].6,7 The sum of these orientations provides a reasonable approximation to the complete pole figure, but it does not follow that these specific orientations are necessarily of fundamental significance, for the choice of indices is arbitrary, within limits. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of the ideal orientations in cold-rolled iron discloses continuous ranges of equally favored positions rather than definite positions of high stability,' and similarly Brick's observations in a single crystal of a brass2 suggest that all orientations in the range between (110) [II3] and (110) [II7] are about equally stable. Materials and Methods The material used was vacuum-cast electrolytic copper kindly supplied by L. L. Wyman, of the General Electric Co.* Slicec 1/2 in. thick and 21/2 in. square, cut from the ingot, were rolled with 50 per cent reduction per pass to final thicknesses between 0.02 and 0.04 in., and etched to develop cube-face etch pits suitable for goniometric work.8 The etch was light on some strips and deep in others.

Jan 1, 1942

By Charles S. Barrett, F. W. Steadman

Deformation bands of surprising regularity are found in large-grained poly-crystalline copper after cold-rolling (Fig. I). Individual bands frequently are large enough to permit a determination of their orientation by means of etch pits and an optical goniometer. Measurements have been made on 21 areas in seven different grains, and these, combined with X-ray studies of nine single crystals that had been cold-rolled after mounting in a polycrystal-line block, have contributed to a better understanding of the preferred orientations in rolled copper just as similar studies have for rolled iron1 and brass.2,3 Particular attention was given to determining orientations that are stable during rolling and to the manner of fragmentation and rotation of unstable grains. The possible role of twinning was also carefully investigated. The texture of polycrystalline copper after cold-rolling is well established by the pole figures that have been plotted by Schmid and Staffelbach,4 Iweronowa and Schdanow,6 and Brick and Williamson,8 all of which are in substantial agreement. There has been some divergence in the list of individual "ideal" orientations that have been used to describe the texture by these observers and others," although the orientation (110) [II2]—that is, (110) parallel to the rolling plane and [TIP] parallel to the rolling direction—is generally recognized as the most prominent orientation and (112) [III] one of the lesser orientations. Other orientations have been given by some observers as (236) [535], (100) [00I], and (110) [00I]. The texture of copper has also been described as (I35) [533].6,7 The sum of these orientations provides a reasonable approximation to the complete pole figure, but it does not follow that these specific orientations are necessarily of fundamental significance, for the choice of indices is arbitrary, within limits. Furthermore, a detailed investigation of the ideal orientations in cold-rolled iron discloses continuous ranges of equally favored positions rather than definite positions of high stability,' and similarly Brick's observations in a single crystal of a brass2 suggest that all orientations in the range between (110) [II3] and (110) [II7] are about equally stable. Materials and Methods The material used was vacuum-cast electrolytic copper kindly supplied by L. L. Wyman, of the General Electric Co.* Slicec 1/2 in. thick and 21/2 in. square, cut from the ingot, were rolled with 50 per cent reduction per pass to final thicknesses between 0.02 and 0.04 in., and etched to develop cube-face etch pits suitable for goniometric work.8 The etch was light on some strips and deep in others.

Jan 1, 1942

By Thomas M. Turner

Open pit mining, always a demanding task, faces two relatively new problems today: (1) availability of equipment and (2) environmental restrictions. The modern dredge offers relief in both problem areas. Delivery on a major dredge might run 18 to 24 months rather than 60 months; and lowering of the water table is precluded, thus minimizing environmental objections. In addition, a lower first cost and potentially increased efficiency may offer real advantages to the miner who is forced away from his traditional mining methods. What are the objections to the use of a dredge in open pit mining? Perhaps first and foremost is the natural reluctance to change from a successful operation. Who can blame the miner who has developed expertise in the use of the dragline if he is reluctant to change to a new mining technique that requires new and different skills? A part of the same problem is the miners' desire to control the excavation visually in order to delineate sharply between overburden and matrix. This problem can be alleviated significantly by utilizing good boring data and a positive acquisition cutter. In the final analysis, however, if the miner is prohibited from dewatering the area, either he mines the deposit by dredge or not at all. There is little doubt that when the decision is made to remove overburden and/or matrix by dredge, the problems of delineating between overburden and matrix, creation of slimes, and development of mining plans to minimize double handling etc., will be addressed and solved. There are two broad categories of dredges: mechanical and hydraulic.

Jan 1, 1976

By Robert H. Richards

It has long been known to boiler makers and to the users of cylindrical pipes of many kinds that when a tube is exposed to internal fluid pressure the resolution of forces is such that the material of the walls of the tube is exposed to twice the stress in the direction tending to produce longitudinal rupture, as it is in the direction to produce circumferential fracture. By longitudinal fracture is meant the fracture by a rent parallel to the axis; by circumferential fracture is meant fracture by rents running round the cylinder. In consequence of this the makers of boilers always lay the fibre of their metal in direction round the boiler, and the same is true with the makers of gun-barrels. I have never seen any good and simple illustration of this law until I met with it in blowing glass. If a thin bubble of glass be blown out in a spherical form and then exploded it will be found that the particles tumble into totally irregular shapes, showing no special direction in the molecular structure of the material. If now a bubble of glass be blown out and so manipulated that it will take a cylindrical form (see accompanying illustration), and then be exploded, it will drop into ribbon-shaped pieces from end to end, and the only parts that will be found to differ from this form will be the two hemispherical ends which will remain whole, having a fringe of ribbons representing the line of their fracture from the cylinder. The main point of difference between this experiment and the

Jan 1, 1883

By J. A. Clum, R. W. Heins, T. D. Tiemann

The use of Na-montmorillonite clay hinders (Western Bentonite) in the pelletizing of iron ore concentrates is well established as is the idea that alternative binders must be found. 1-6 This note summarizes work done7 in evaluating a Wisconsin montmorillonite clay binder. The clay occurs in irregualr beds overlying the Prairie du Chien Dolomite and the St. Peters Sandstone near Hersey, St. Croix County. The raw Wisconsin clay contained 65% quartz and 35% clay minerals. The Na20to CaO ratio was 0.234. Suspension viscosity tests of the raw clay gave results only slightly better than water alone, even after treatment with activator materials. Sedimentation treatment reduced the quartz in the decantate to 5% after 240 min (four hours). Twenty minutes of sedimentation produced a decantate with 27.5% quartz which was found as effective as the 5% quartz decantate in pelletizing behavior. The 20 min decantate was used in subsequent tests. The decantate was filtered and dried at 110°(230°F). The minus 200 mesh portion of this was added directly to the magnetite concentrate. Pellets were made in a laboratory sized disc pelletizer from pastes consisting of ore concentrate, balling water (9%) and binder (clay, or clay + resins, or resins). The pastes were premixed in a Waring blender. The binders were: (1) 1% of a commercially used Western Bentonite; (2) 1 % or 3% of the Wisconsin clay (raw, or 20 min decantate); (3) 20 min decantate washed with activator solutions, (to exchange Na for Ca in the clay); (4) decantate with activator added in the balling water; (5) decantate with organic resins; (6) organic resins. Measurements of the 0.46 m (18 in.) Green Drop Number, the Dry Strength and the Fired Strength (fired at 1260°C (2300°F) for 30 min) were made. The dry and fired compressive strengths were determined on an Instron testing machine using a C-load cell and a F-load cell, respectively. The cross-head speed was 0.004 m/sec (0.1 in./min) for both. The results of each measurement were averaged for 15 pellets. A summary of those results is presented in [Table 1]. More detailed results and procedures are presented in another report.7 In addition to the effects on pellet strength due to various binders the effect of varying magnetite concentrate characteristics is noted in [Table l]. There, a few comparative data are shown for Cornwall, PA Magnetite, which has a generally liner particle size than the Black River Falls magnetite which was used for most of the tests.

Jan 1, 1979

By Hans W. Schreiber

INTRODUCTION At the end of the day, the decision by the sponsor to proceed with a project and to seek financing, or the decision by the financier to grant financing are made on a judgmental basis. Cash flow projections, sensitivity and risk analysis, the innumerable ratios applied by the financier, the so-called feasibility study, etc. are all only tools, and the degree to which they affect decisions is as highly varied as are the personality differences and business conduct and outlooks of the persons who render the decision of "go or no-go". The independent consultant, then, is expected to provide an additional increment of credulity and/or reliability to the "tools" which others will use in reaching a decision; the consultant is really not in a position to directly recommend a "go or no-go". PROJECT FINANCE INGREDIENTS The project finance situation has basically three ingredients: - The project; - The inherent risks attendant with project failure; - The parties. The project, to be viable for financing, will have certain essential characteristics, namely: 1. Clear title or rights to the mineral; 2. Proven definition/establishment of mineral quantity; 3. Financial viability; 4. Physical access consistent with financial viability; 5. A market for the product at a price and for the quantity consistent with financial viability; 6. Transportation/shipping from the project facility to the market at a cost consistent with financial viability; 7. Availability and demonstrated expertise of the developer of the facility; 8. Demonstrated expertise of the operator of the facility; 9. Production processes do not involve unproven new technology; 10. Availability of management personnel; 11. The property and the facilities have value (and thus can be used as collateral); 12. Government approvals/support, as required, will have been obtained; 13. The political environment is essentially friendly and stable; 14. The owner(s) of the project have the financial, strength to make equity contributions consistent with total required investment capital and project risk; 15. Backing by credit support other than that of the financier (i.e. guarantees); The inherent risks of failure are (Nevitt, 2nd Edition); 1. Completion delays with consequent delays in the generation of revenue 2. Cost overruns 3. Technical failure 4. Financial failure of contractors 5. Government interference 6. Uninsured losses 7. Increased price or shortages of raw materials, supplies 8. Technical obsolescence 9. Loss of competitive position in the market place 10. Expropriation 11. Inadequate/poor management The parties directly or indirectly integral to the project financing are: - The mineral rights owner - The developer - The operator - The equity investor

Jan 1, 1985

By Arthur L. Christenson, Clarence E. Jackson

IN the establishment of the relationship between weldability and hardenability, two methods have been employed in correcting for the grain growth produced in the heat-affected zone: first, the hardenability calculated from chemical composition1 may be corrected to the grain size observed in an actual weld,2 or, second, a hardenability test may be made on the steel quenched from a temperature high enough to produce a grain size comparable to that found in the heat-affected zone.3 In order to obtain grain sizes in the end-quench hardenability bar comparable to those resulting in the base metal from the welding cycle, a quenching temperature of 2100°F. has been used. In studies of the end-quench hardenability specimen quenched from 2100°F. instead of from a lower temperature of 1700°F., it is important to ascertain the relative cooling rates for various distances along the bar. It is a question as to whether the cooling occurs at the same rate or whether there is any significant difference from the standard cooling-rate curve published by Jominy and confirmed by others.4,5 This paper reports experimental evidence concerning the effect of quenching temperature on the cooling rates in the end-quench hardenability test. The effect of quenching temperatures on cooling rates has been studied by a number of investigators.6,7 French has considered this effect from both theoretical and experimental aspects. In French's studies on complete quenching of spheres and rounds, an increase in the quenching temperature caused an increase in the cooling rate at 720°C. at the center of the specimen. The center cooling velocity also has been shown to be dependent upon the surface per unit volume for the type of specimens studied; the velocity of cooling increases with an increase in the surface per unit volume. Three methods of indicating the rapidity of cooling of a body of metal during a quenching operation have been proposed: I. The time it takes for the metal to cool from the quenching temperature to a temperature halfway between the quenching. temperature and the temperature of the quenching medium (half-temperature time): Grossmann, Asimow and Urban7 justify the use of this criterion by the fact that the half-temperature time includes the temperature and time of incubation as well as the zone of formation of pearlite and, further, the data so derived accord very closely with experimental values. 2. The time interval the metal remains in a given temperature range; for example,

Jan 1, 1943

By H. A. Hancock, L. M. Pidgeon

Equilibrium carbon monoxide pressures were measured over the reaction between chromium oxide and a number of solid ferrochromium alloys in the composition range 0.4 to 4.8 pct C and 0 to 49 pct Fe. Measurements were also made for the carbides Cr23C6 and Cr7C3 which agreed well with previous investigations. Between 1050°and 1400°C the pvessures varied from 0.1 to 56 mm and increased markedly with the iron and carbon contents of the alloys. The data were used to estimate the activity of carbon in the alloys and to calculate the equilibrium conditions for the decarburization of a useful range of ferrochromium alloys. WHEN ferrochromium is produced by the reduction of chromite with carbon in an electric arc furnace it invariably contains up to 10 wt pct C. For many purposes such as the production of stainless steel, it is necessary that the carbon content be as low as from 0.02 to 0.05 pct. Thus an important part of the ferrochromium industry consists of the production of low carbon ferrochromium. The classical Bessemer steelmaking technique cannot be used to oxidize low carbon contents in chromium and ferrochromium alloys without also oxidizing the chromium. Recently a new commercial process2-4 has been introduced for oxidizing carbon from high chromium content alloys which consists of heating the solid alloy with such oxidizing agents as Cr2O3, Fe2O3, or SiO2 in a retort at reduced pressures. By maintaining the carbon monoxide pressure below the equilibrium value for the system, the carbon can be removed as carbon monoxide without oxidizing the chromium. The equilibrium conditions for the decarburization of solid chromium carbon alloys have been determined by Boericke5 who measured the carbon monoxide pressure over the reaction between the various chromium carbides and chromium oxide. A typical reaction is shown below. Cr23C6 + 2Cr2O3 =u 27Cr + 6CO [1] These values are not applicable to the decarburization of commercial ferrochromium alloys which invariably contain major amounts of iron. The present investigation was therefore undertaken to measure the change in the equilibrium carbon monoxide pressure brought about by additions of iron to the Cr-C-0 system, thus extending the work of Boericke into the region of the production of low carbon ferrochromium. MATERIALS AND METHOD Materials. Measurements were made on two carbides of chromium, Cr233C6 and Cr7C3, and fifteen Fe-Cr-C alloys. The chromium carbides were made

Jan 1, 1963

By John R. Anderson, Michael B. Bever

CARBON may affect the alloys of copper in several ways. Provided an alloying element does not oxidize preferentially, even minute quantities of carbon dissolved in liquid alloys of high copper content will form insoluble carbon oxide gases under oxidizing conditions. Gas porosity in castings of high-copper alloys can originate in this way. In certain alloys of low copper content carbon may have considerable solubility and may be an effective deoxidizer. In these alloys carbon will tend to suppress porosity. Carbon that is dissolved in the molten alloy is likely to be retained in the solidified metal. The effects of carbon on the physical properties of the metal are determined by the form in which it is present. Depending on the alloying elements and also on the cooling rate, carbon may precipitate as graphite, may form a carbide or may remain in solid solution on cooling. As solid copper does not dissolve a measurable amount of carbon, a carbon-bearing solid solution can occur only if the copper is alloyed with a large excess of an element that forms such a solution. The effect of graphite or of carbides on the properties of an alloy will depend on the size and distribution of the precipitated particles. As Hensel pointed out in discussion,1 the formation of an alloy carbide may interfere with the age-hardening properties of a copper alloy. One would also expect that the presence of carbides or of graphite will under certain conditions promote corrosion or high-temperature failure in nonferrous alloys. Since carbon has an effect on the soundness of castings and affects the structure and behavior of solid copper alloys, its solubility in the liquid alloys is of practical importance. The isothermal change of carbon solubility with alloy composition is of interest from a theoretical standpoint. The binary alloys of copper with manganese and with nickel are used industrially and serve as a base for more complex alloys. The solubility of carbon in each of these metals is known, but its solubility in their alloys has not been determined. EARLIER DATA The solubility of carbon in molten pure copper is about 0.0001 pct at 1100 °C and 0.0004 pct at 1475°C.1 Various authors2-6 have published data on the solubility of carbon in molten manganese. There is agreement on a value of about 6.7 pct in the temperature range 1217° to 1245°C. This solubility value corresponds to the formula Mn3C. It increases very little with increasing temperature. Corson7 states that carbon is soluble in copper-manganese alloys and that the

Jan 1, 1947

By R. J. Brison, O. F. Tangel

The development of a new method of mineral separation was sponsored by the International Salt Company, which requested Battelle Institute to investigate means for improving the quality and appearance of rock salt from the Company's Detroit mine. Although developed specifically for removing impurities from rock salt, the general method may be applicable to other separation problems. The principal impurities in rock salt from the Detroit mine are dolomite and anhydrite which represent 2 to 5 pct of the weight of the mined salt. In the size range from 1/4 to M in. (the range of primary interest in this project) the impurities are only partially liberated from the halite in normal production. Further size reduction to improve the liberation of impurities is not practicable in view of the market requirements for the coarse grades of rock salt. Laboratory separations in heavy liquids showed that, to improve the quality and appearance of the rock salt substantially, it would be necessary to remove not only free gangue particles but also a large proportion of the locked-in particles. Because rock salt is an inexpensive commodity, a low-cost process was required. Gravity methods were, of course, considered. The heavy-liquid separations indicated that a split at an effective specific gravity of 2.2 to 2.3 would be required. (The specific gravity of pure halite is 2.16.) Heavy-media separation was investigated but had the disadvantages that it was necessary both to operate with saturated brine and to dry the cleaned salt, and that the cleaned salt was darkened by the magnetite medium. Air tabling was tried but did not give the desired separation. It soon became apparent that established methods would not provide a satisfactory solution and work was undertaken on the development of a new process to solve the problem. PROCESS DEVELOPMENT Preliminary Experiments: At the start of the investigation, an analysis of the problem indicated that the diathermacy of rock salt—that is, its ability to transmit radiant heat—might form the basis for an efficient separation process. Under this theory, the impurities might be selectively heated by radiant heat. The particles could then be fed over a belt coated with a heat-sensitive substance so that the warm impure particles would adhere preferentially to the coating. After the initial experiments, made by heating the rock salt with an infrared lamp and separating the product on small sheets of resin-coated rubber, proved encouraging, a small continuous separation unit was set up. This comprised 1) a simple heating unit consisting of a vibrating feeder covered with aluminum foil and an infrared lamp mounted above the feeder and 2) a separation belt 6 in. wide and 36 in. long. A sketch of the device is shown in Fig. 1. Results with this apparatus confirmed the fact that a good separation was possible. It was apparent, however, that a considerable amount of experimental work would be needed to develop the scheme to a practical and economical process. The Process: Basically, the process consists of two main steps: 1) selective heating by radiation and 2) separation of the heated particles on a heat-sensitive surface. Because neither of these steps had previously been utilized commercially in mineral processing, it was necessary to do basic research on both aspects. Factors studied in the investigation included type of heat source, design of heating unit, design of separation belt, selection of heat-sensitive coating, removal of heated particles from the belt, contact between particles and coating, and maintenance of the heat-sensitive surface. Part of the experimental work was carried out on a small-scale unit consisting of the 36x6 in. belt and auxiliary apparatus, and part on a larger unit. For simplicity, discussion of work on both of these units is grouped together. SELECTIVE HEATING Radiant-Heat Source: The essential requirements for a radiant-heat source were 1) that the radiant heat be in a wave length range which is effectively absorbed by the impurities but not absorbed appreciably by the rock salt and 2) that it be dependable, practical, and economical. Selection of a heat source of suitable wave length range was one of the first considerations. It is well known that pure halite is highly transparent to radiant energy in wave lengths from 0.3 to 13 microns. However, the available data on infrared transmission by dolomite and anhydrite, particularly in the range below two microns, were not complete enough to serve as a reliable basis for selection of a heat source. Although it may have been possible to obtain sufficient data on infrared transmission and absorption to enable one to select the best heat source, a more direct procedure was used. This consisted simply of exposing the crude rock salt to each of several types of radiant-heat source on the small continuous separation device. The heat sources investigated, approximate source temperature used, and calculated wave length of maximum radiation are tabulated in Table I. Of the two types of tungsten-filament lamps investigated, both the short wave length photoflood lamps and the longer wave length infrared lamps were satisfactory from the standpoint of selectivity

Jan 1, 1961

By C. D. Demond

IN reverberatory smelting, fuel is the chief item of expense, as it commonly is in processes using large percentages of it. Hence the most suitable supply is eagerly sought; that is, the supply which, in the end, yields the greatest net profit. The better grades are not infrequently bought, even at an advanced price, because they are apt to be decidedly more economical. High price, of itself, however, is no merit, for freight is generally the largest part of the cost of fuel, and the nearby supply may yield as high efficiency as that from a greater distance. If a poorer grade is reasonably good, and if its cost is low enough to more than offset the decreased technical efficiency, it is of course the more suitable. Any smelting, operation depends for both efficiency and economy on raising the furnace atmosphere considerably above the "critical" temperature; that is, above the temperature at which smelting is completed. If this temperature is not exceeded, smelting stops, no matter how much coal is burned; and the real value of a fuel depends on the number of degrees that the temperature is continuously kept above this point. For example, if one fuel maintains 2,500° F. and another only 2,100° F., while the "critical" temperature is 2,000° F., the first is worth at least five times as much as the second, although the increase above atmospheric temperature is only one-fifth more in one case than in the other. This "margin of temperature" above the smelting point is much more significant than the total number of heat units developed from the fuel. The case is parallel to that of water flowing from a pipe. The reservoir may contain a billion gallons of water; but, even though the fluid has come to the nozzle, not a drop will run out, where it can be of practical use, unless the level in the reservoir is higher than the nozzle; and the speed and volume of flow depend on how much higher the level is in the reservoir than at this point. If the temperature inn a furnace is not above the critical level there will be no slag to flow over the skimming plate, even though there are enough heat units to bring an unlimited quantity of charge up to the point of slag formation; and just as the value of a water supply for the purpose of putting out a fire depends largely on the effective head, so the difficulties of furnace management

Jan 8, 1914

By R. A. Kinzie

THE major operating costs in a cement plant are labor, power, and fuel. The opportunities and methods of savings in labor and power parallel other industries. Because our industry's use of fuel is large and its method of use is unique, the devices adapted for saving fuel are of interest. In normal practice the raw material in the form of a dry powder or a mud is fed to a rotating inclined cylinder where it is dried, calcined, and clinkered. In a Lepol kiln the raw material is rolled up into little balls with water in the nodulizer, fed to a traveling grate on which it is dried and partially calcined and tben to a short kiln where the process is finished. The more usual methods of saving heat have been the use of long kilns with chains in wet process plants and the use of waste heat boilers in dry plants (fig. 1). At the Santa Cruz plant we have used a Lepol system kiln and achieved a fuel 'economy of 4.7 gal per bbl of clinker or about 704,-000 Btu per bbl. This can be compared with our old kilns using the same fuel and raw material which consume 7.8 gal per bbl or 1,130,000 Btu per bbl. These are gross Btu and not the net figures usually used in reports of foreign companies. Our average consumption for 1948 was 708,000 Btu per bbl of Lepol clinker, based on cement sold, and oil purchased. The overall fuel consumption for 1948 was 6.61 gal per bbl. The Lepol system consists of a nodulizer, a grate, and a kiln. There is the usual accessory equipment which is similar to that used in other cement plants. The following description covers the equipment in operation at our plant. The nodulizer is a cylinder 8 ft 10 in. in diam by 18 ft long set on a slope of 1/2 in. per ft, and rotated at about 10 rpm. It is driven by a 50 hp wound rotor motor drawing about 9 kw. The inside of the shell is cleaned by a continuously operating scraper which draws 0.1 kw. The dry raw material is fed to the nodulizer where, being sprayed with water, it rolls into small spheres about 90 pct being between 1/2 and 1 in. in diam and containing about 15 pct water. The nodules fall on the traveling grate where the hot gas from the kiln is pulled down through the

Jan 1, 1951

By R. A. Kinzie

THE major operating costs in a cement plant are labor, power, and fuel. The opportunities and methods of savings in labor and power parallel other industries. Because our industry's use of fuel is large and its method of use is unique, the devices adapted for saving fuel are of interest. In normal practice the raw material in the form of a dry powder or a mud is fed to a rotating inclined cylinder where it is dried, calcined, and clinkered. In a Lepol kiln the raw material is rolled up into little balls with water in the nodulizer, fed to a traveling grate on which it is dried and partially calcined and tben to a short kiln where the process is finished. The more usual methods of saving heat have been the use of long kilns with chains in wet process plants and the use of waste heat boilers in dry plants (fig. 1). At the Santa Cruz plant we have used a Lepol system kiln and achieved a fuel 'economy of 4.7 gal per bbl of clinker or about 704,-000 Btu per bbl. This can be compared with our old kilns using the same fuel and raw material which consume 7.8 gal per bbl or 1,130,000 Btu per bbl. These are gross Btu and not the net figures usually used in reports of foreign companies. Our average consumption for 1948 was 708,000 Btu per bbl of Lepol clinker, based on cement sold, and oil purchased. The overall fuel consumption for 1948 was 6.61 gal per bbl. The Lepol system consists of a nodulizer, a grate, and a kiln. There is the usual accessory equipment which is similar to that used in other cement plants. The following description covers the equipment in operation at our plant. The nodulizer is a cylinder 8 ft 10 in. in diam by 18 ft long set on a slope of 1/2 in. per ft, and rotated at about 10 rpm. It is driven by a 50 hp wound rotor motor drawing about 9 kw. The inside of the shell is cleaned by a continuously operating scraper which draws 0.1 kw. The dry raw material is fed to the nodulizer where, being sprayed with water, it rolls into small spheres about 90 pct being between 1/2 and 1 in. in diam and containing about 15 pct water. The nodules fall on the traveling grate where the hot gas from the kiln is pulled down through the

Jan 1, 1951

By H. Fechtig, R. H. Buck, A. G. Guy

MULTIPHASE diffusion has been studied for many years in two-component systems1,2 and many of the experimental aspects are now fairly well understood.314 Although by no means all of the problems connected with the two-component case have been solved,' attention has recently been directed to the more complex situation involving three components. The pioneer work of Clark and Rhines6 yielded a qualitative picture of the types of behavior that can occur, and Clark7 has suggested conventions for describing the various phenomena. Kirkaldy and co-workers8,9 have made quantitative studies in several ternary systems and have offered explanations of the occurrence of isolated and nonisolated precipitates. At present, however, there is no comprehensive theory for the variety of phenomena observed in ternary, multiphase diffusion. By analogy with several studies that have been made of multiphase diffusion in the binary Cu-Zn system,2'10'11 a similar exploratory study was made of Cu-Zn-Ni alloys lying along the line in the ternary diagram from the point 80 Cu-20 Ni to the zinc corner of the diagram, Fig. 1. A principal question to be answered was whether initially plane interfaces would remain plane during the course of one-dimensional diffusion. The diffusion specimens studied are described in Table I. The five separate alloys from which they were made were melted in evacuated Vycor capsules from 99.9 pct purity copper, zinc, and nickel. Since some of the alloys were too brittle to be swaged, all of the alloys were used in the cast condition. To facilitate later homogenization, the molten alloys were solidified by plunging the capsule in water. Homogenization heat treatment was done at 720°C for 20 hr. The five nominal compositions in weight percent zinc and nickel, respectively, were: 37.5, 12.5; 44.0, 11.2; 50.0, 10.0; 55.0, 9.0; 65.0, 7.0. Ln Table I the alloys are identified only by their zinc content. Sandwich-type diffusion specimens were prepared by pressure welding disk specimens, each about 3 mm high by 10 mm in diameter. Welding was done in a special threaded vise which was heated at 500°C for about an hour in an atmosphere of flowing hydrogen. A measurement of the separation of the phase interfaces was made on a polished flat on the welded specimen, and then the specimen was sealed in an evacuated capsule and given the diffusion treatment shown in Table I. The diffused specimen was sectioned longitudinally

Jan 1, 1965

By David B. Brooks

Identified potential resources of lead and zinc are lower, relative to reserves, than the same ratio for other metals, Either there is little material below present grades or, if it exists, there are no data on it. The author examines both these factors in detail, and also introduces a third possibility. In their 1961 monograph, The Future Supply of the Major Metals, Bruce Netschert and Hans Landsberg noted that identified potential resources (that is, known but submarginal resources) of lead and zinc were much lower relative to reserves (that is, known and supermarginal resources) than was the same ratio for other metals.' Put another way, it seemed that for such metals as iron, manganese, copper, and aluminum, slightly more favorable economic conditions or modest advances in technology would greatly increase reserves by permitting the exploitation of vast quantities of leaner or deeper or otherwise less valuable mineral deposits. But for lead and zinc, Netschert and Landsberg concluded that either: "(1) there is relatively little material below present cutoff grades; [or] (2) such material exists, but for some reason there are no data.'12 This situation, which they called "the lead-zinc anomaly'' has been subsequently discussed by other authors. The purpose of this paper is to carry the discussion further by examining the evidence in favor of (1) and (2) and by advancing a third alternative. There are at least two reasons for devoting time to the lead-zinc anomaly. First, while it is unlikely that we shall have to turn to alternative lead or zinc resources in the near or middle-term future, the longer run resource picture for the two metals is not so certain.3 Both within the United States and for the world as a whole, new discoveries will have to come at a fair pace to keep up with growing rates of consumption. Thus, it is important to see whether there exist lower grade or nonconventional potential sources of two such useful metals that we could turn to at some time in the future. The second reason for studying the lead-zinc anomaly is also related to resource adequacy, but is of more general significance. Depending upon whether the anomaly is technologic, geochemical, spatial, or temporal in origin, we shall be able to draw some conclusions about the resource picture for other metals. Can we expect the apparent pattern of lead-zinc resources to be repeated? If so, will technologic advances in either exploration methods or mineral processing be able to alter the pattern? Or is the pattern unalterably set by geochemical distribution? Most important, are metals characterized by what seems to be an anomaly, different in any way from metals for which low-grade or nonconventional sources already have come to be exploited, as the porphyry deposits have for copper. In sum, investigation of the lead-zinc anomaly represents a case study combining both physical and economic aspects that may open up a neglected area in evaluating mineral resource adequacy. WHAT IS THE LEALLZINC ANOMALY? There are two dimensions to evaluations of the potential of any mineral resource? The first involves the degree of certainty that we ascribe to the estimate: how much do we know about the size of the resource as a result of geological mapping, exploration, and mine development? This dimension is expressed by the terms measured, indicated, and inferred reserves (and, if you wish, 'undiscovered reserves'), all of which terms carry with them the implication of exploitability under current cost-price conditions. The other dimension to evaluations of a mineral resource involves the economic limits of the estimate: how will the size of the resource vary with different (usually more favorable) cost-price conditions? (This economic dimension should be understood broadly to include all factors bearing on the cost-price relationship. In this sense it subsumes technology because any resource is exploitable at some cost; the role of technology is to bring cost down.) The latter dimension is expressed in the terms potential or sub-marginal 'ore,' and is logically quite independent of the former. For example, we have relatively good measurements of the tonnage of manganese in low-grade deposits in this country, though they are too lean to be considered reserves; on the other hand, we are much less certain of our measurements of new lead and zinc deposits in Missouri, though there is no question but that there is a sizable reserve. Thus, it may be uncommon but is not a contradiction to talk of measured submarginal ore or inferred potential ore.

Jan 1, 1968

By A. A. Venghiattis

A rational approach to the selection of the appropriate perforator to use in each specific zone of an oil well is presented. The criteria presently in use for this choice bear little resemblance with actual down-hole condilions. These environmental conditions affect the elastic properties of rocks. One of these elastic properties, acoustic velocity, is suggested as the leading parameter to adopt for the choice of a perforator because, being currently measured in the natural location of the formation, it takes into account all of the effects of compaction, saturation, temperature, etc., which are overlooked in the laboratory. Equations and curves in relation with this suggestion are given to allow the prediction of the depth of perforation of bullets and shaped charges when an acoustic log has been run in the zone to be perforated. INTRODUCTION When an oil company has to decide on the perforator to choose for a completion job, I wonder if it is really understood that, to date, there is no rational way of selecting the right perforator on the basis of what it will do down-hole. This situation stems from the fact that the many varieties of existing perforators, bullets or shaped charges, are promoted on the basis of their performance in the laboratory, but very little is said on how this performance will be affected by subsurface conditions such as the combination of high overburden pressure and high temperature, for example. The purpose of this paper is to show the limitations of the existing ways of evaluating the performance of perforators, to show that performances obtained in laboratories cannot be extended to down-hole conditions because the elastic properties of rocks are affected by these conditions and, finally, to suggest and justify the use of the acoustic velocity of rocks, as the parameter to utilize for the anticipation of the performance of a perforator in true down-hole environment. EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF A PERFORATOR It is natural, of course, to judge the performance of a perforator from the size of the hole it makes in a predetermined target. Considering that the ultimate target for an oilwell perforator is the oil-bearing formation preceded in most cases by a layer of cement and by the wall of a steel casing, the difficulties begin with the choice of an adequate experimental target material. For obvious reasons of convenience, the first choice that came to the mind of perforator designers was mild steel. This is a reasonable choice for the comparison of two perforators in first approximation. Mild steel is commercially available in a rather consistent state and quality, and is comparatively inexpensive. The trouble with mild steel is that it represents a yardstick very much contracted; minute variations in depth of penetration or hole diameter and shape may be significant though difficult to measure. The penetration of projectiles in steel being a function of the Brinell hardness of the steel (Gabeaud, O'Neill, Grun-wood, Poboril, et al), it is often difficult to decide whether to attribute a small difference in penetration to a variation on the target hardness or to an actual variation on the efficiency of the projectile. Another target material which has been widely used for testing the efficiency of bullets or shaped charges in an effort to represent a formation—a mineral target as opposed to an all-steel target—is cement cast in steel containers. This type of target, although offering a larger scale for measuring penetrations, proved so unreliable because of its poor repeatability that it had to be abandoned by most designers. The drawbacks of these target materials, and particularly their complete lack of similarity with an oil-bearing formation, became so evident that a more realistic target arrangement was sought until a tacit agreement was reached between customers and designers of oilwell perforators on a testing target of the type shown on Fig. 1. This became almost a necessity about seven years ago because of the introduction of a new parameter in the evaluation of the efficiency of a perforator, the well flow index (WFI). The WFI is the ratio (under predetermined and constant conditions of ambiance, pressure and temperature) of the permeability to a ceitain grade of kerosene of the target core (usually Berea sandstone) after verforation. to its vermeabilitv before perforation. The value of this index ;or the present state if the perforation technique varies from 0 to 2.5, the good perforators presently available rating somewhere around 2.0 and the poor ones around 0.8, There is no doubt that, to date, the WFI type of test is by far the most significant one for comparing perforators. It is obvious that a demonstration of a perforator

By W. A. Bruce

This paper presents the essentials of a mathematical method of studying the pressure behavior of an oil reservoir as the fluids are withdrawn. Methods are shown Whereby the behavior of a reservoir can be used to predict the future relationship between withdrawals and pressure. The oil reservoir is considered as a small part of a large porous continuum, which contains for the most part water. The expansion of this water resulting from a decrease of pressure in the oil zone causes a movement of water that is an important factor in the relationship between fluid withdrawals and reservoir pressure. Examples are given to illustrate the methods of pressure prediction for a circular reservoir containing undersaturated crude, the pressure distribution over a field that has a uniform production rate, the effect of a fault line near a field, the mutual interference of near-by fields, and the perturbing influence of a gas cap. Applications of the analysis to well-spacing problems are shown. Introduction The pressure-prediction methods to be described here are based upon the conception of an oil pool as a small part of a large porous continuum, containing for the most part water. The formation containing this water may be thought of as extending over an area of many square miles and having one or more small bodies of oil or gas trapped in high spots or reservoirs. It will be treated as having the genera1 aspect of a thin, flat sheet with an over-all tilt to the horizontal and with numerous small high spots, tight zones, and irregularities This porous continuum will be treated as being much more extensive than the oil or gas zones, but will be recognized as terminating at such large boundaries as a general fault, outcrop, unconformity, or pinch-out. Throughout the greater part of this limited porous continuum it is likely that there is a hydraulic connection. If this is true, the removal of fluid in one place will cause a disturbance that eventually will travel to all parts of the continuum. This picture has led to the recognition of water as the major fluid in the porous continuum and in many cases the expansive nature of this water as the main driving force producing the oil. The next step is the solution of the general problem of compressible liquid behavior in porous media. The works of Hurst I and Muskat2 introduced the idea of using heat-flow mathematics to consider the problem of compressible liquid flow in a porous medium. Before their reports, it had been thought sufficient to use the incompressible fluid-flow work of S1ichter.3 Law Muskat4 pointed out in detail how far the incompressible-fluirl assumption, deviated from fact even for water, of which the compressibility is about 3 X 10-6 volumes per unit volume per pound per square inch. He showed that this deviation increased with increases of distance. For example, the incompressible-fluid formula might show good agreement with the

Jan 1, 1943

By W. A. Bruce

This paper presents the essentials of a mathematical method of studying the pressure behavior of an oil reservoir as the fluids are withdrawn. Methods are shown Whereby the behavior of a reservoir can be used to predict the future relationship between withdrawals and pressure. The oil reservoir is considered as a small part of a large porous continuum, which contains for the most part water. The expansion of this water resulting from a decrease of pressure in the oil zone causes a movement of water that is an important factor in the relationship between fluid withdrawals and reservoir pressure. Examples are given to illustrate the methods of pressure prediction for a circular reservoir containing undersaturated crude, the pressure distribution over a field that has a uniform production rate, the effect of a fault line near a field, the mutual interference of near-by fields, and the perturbing influence of a gas cap. Applications of the analysis to well-spacing problems are shown. Introduction The pressure-prediction methods to be described here are based upon the conception of an oil pool as a small part of a large porous continuum, containing for the most part water. The formation containing this water may be thought of as extending over an area of many square miles and having one or more small bodies of oil or gas trapped in high spots or reservoirs. It will be treated as having the genera1 aspect of a thin, flat sheet with an over-all tilt to the horizontal and with numerous small high spots, tight zones, and irregularities This porous continuum will be treated as being much more extensive than the oil or gas zones, but will be recognized as terminating at such large boundaries as a general fault, outcrop, unconformity, or pinch-out. Throughout the greater part of this limited porous continuum it is likely that there is a hydraulic connection. If this is true, the removal of fluid in one place will cause a disturbance that eventually will travel to all parts of the continuum. This picture has led to the recognition of water as the major fluid in the porous continuum and in many cases the expansive nature of this water as the main driving force producing the oil. The next step is the solution of the general problem of compressible liquid behavior in porous media. The works of Hurst I and Muskat2 introduced the idea of using heat-flow mathematics to consider the problem of compressible liquid flow in a porous medium. Before their reports, it had been thought sufficient to use the incompressible fluid-flow work of S1ichter.3 Law Muskat4 pointed out in detail how far the incompressible-fluirl assumption, deviated from fact even for water, of which the compressibility is about 3 X 10-6 volumes per unit volume per pound per square inch. He showed that this deviation increased with increases of distance. For example, the incompressible-fluid formula might show good agreement with the

Jan 1, 1943

By Robert F. Mehl

THE purpose of a symposium, I take it, is to gather together a group interested in a common intellectual field, in order to exchange views, and to appraise the state of knowledge. Symposia are the more successful, the greater the activity in the chosen field and the wider the range of applicability of the information gained. From time to time, as emphasis changes from one field of research to another, a given subject may enjoy popularity and later retire into a scientific somnolence, for fashions change even among engineers and scientists. The subject of this symposium, however, enjoys the advantages of wide applicability and of high current interest and productivity in results. It is a timely subject for a symposium; with much new information, surely metallurgical engineers should now devote an increasing attention to its application to practice. In beginning the symposium, I shall attempt briefly to appraise our basic knowledge in the field, to survey instances of practical usefulness, and to suggest where new work might be most productive of useful results. There are many examples of direct practical application of diffusion knowledge, and it is the purpose of the several papers in this symposium to review these. In this introduction I shall attempt to take a broad view, which, while it will but poorly serve the engineer in the solution of any given problem, may perhaps be of some use in assessing the state of knowledge in this field. RATE OF DIFFUSION Liquid Metals The process of diffusion among liquid metals, of gases in liquid or solid metals, or among solid metals, is ubiquitous, to say the least. The manufacture of alloys by the intermelting of metals, the addition of ferroalloys to molten steel, the deoxidation of molten alloys, all involve diffusion in the liquid state. The oxidation of molten copper for purposes of purification, the unsought oxidation of alloys generally during melting and casting, the reaction of liquid steel with oxidizing slags in the open-hearth furnace, the absorption of nitrogen by liquid steel, particularly in the bessemer furnace, all operate by the diffusion of gases in liquid metals. These processes have not been studied much from the viewpoint of rates of diffusion. Alloys are made by melting metals with stirring and with allowance of time for mixing (which is diffusion) but I know of no studies that seem to define the necessary times, and though in only very rare cases can faulty properties of the finished castings be ascribed to inadequate mixing, and though certainly in most cases, with stirring, the rate of diffusion is adequate to give sufficient mixing, a more quantitative treatment would be good to have. It is not wholly certain that thorough and sufficient mixing is at all times attained, for I suspect that ferroalloy additions to steel, and that additions of aluminum to steel as a deoxidizer, especially in the sampling of steels

Jan 1, 1944