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By Walter O. Snelling

Discussion of the paper of WALTER 0. SNELLING, presented at the San Francisco meeting, September, 1915, and printed in Bulletin No. 100, April, 1915, pp. 695 to 704. A. C. McLAUGHLIN, San Francisco, Cal.-It seems to me that Mr. Snelling's work, if it is what it appears to be, is one of the most important contributions to petroleum technology that has been brought out iii the last 25 years. If his end products are what they seem to be, he has made a discovery, which, in my judgment, will revolutionize the petroleum industry. As to industrially carrying out these processes I do not think there is the slightest difficulty, for I have had some work recently where crude oils were handled successfully at a temperature of 750°F. and pressure of 750 lb. per square inch. WILLIAM A. WILLIAMS, San Francisco, Cal.-What metal did you use, Mr. McLaughlin? - A. C. McLAUGHLIN.-Ordinary seamless tubing, extra strong. WILLIAM A. WILLIAMS.-Tests were made in Dr. Rittman's experimental plant at Pittsburgh, upon samples of residuum furnished by Mr. Bell, the residuum being the remainder of the crude oil after the lighter fractions had been removed. After the material had been run through Dr. Rittman's plant, yields of from 43 to 58 per cent. of material, boiling under 150°C. were obtained. The distillate had a peculiar odor, due to the presence of benzene, toluene, and other unsaturated hydrocarbons. W. N. BEST, New York, N. Y.-What is the difference between the Rittman and the Snelling process or system? WILLIAM A. WILLIAMs.-The fundamental difference is that reactions take place under relatively higher temperatures and pressures and with none of the oil present in its original or liquid state, while the reactions secured by Mr. Snelling and other investigators have been from the liquids in the presence of some vapors. Under such conditions as Mr. Snelling operates, the temperatures and pressures used are limited and the flexibility in the control of these variables is extremely limited when compared with the Rittman process.

Jan 1, 1916

Jan 1, 1968

By G. St. J. Perrott

A study of certain fundamental characteristics of liquid-oxygen explosives has been made. A discussion is given of the factors affecting the life of the cartridge and the relation between explosive strength and oxygen content. The explosive properties of L.O.X. cartridges packed with a variety of lampblacks, gas blacks, and other materials have been experimentally determined by means of the ballistic pendulum, Bichel gage, and measurement of the rate of detonation. DURING the past year, the Bureau of Mines has carried on an investigation of liquid-oxygen explosives (L.O.X.) to supplement the work described in previous publications.' The present paper gives results of the first part of this work, which was a laboratory investigation of the properties of typical combustibles used in L.O.X., and the relation of these properties to the absorption and retention of oxygen by the explosives and their explosive characteristics. No attempt will be made to describe the development of liquid-oxygen explosives, because this phase of the subject has been well covered. The L.O.X. cartridge consists of a paper wrapper filled with an absorbent combustible material that is saturated with liquid oxygen by soaking it therein. After saturation, the cartridge is removed from the liquid and fired with fuse and cap, or electric detonator, in a manner

Jan 12, 1924

In any earth-moving operation, more profit may be earned or lost by equipment scheduling than by any other single facet of the project. Many now-defunct earth movers would have survived the cost-profit squeeze had they followed an efficient, cost saving, equipment scheduling program. The ideal program would have every item of the equipment fleet working all of the time. In practice this ideal situation is not possible. Several basic methods of equipment scheduling, with an infinite number of minor variations, are used. The first approach is the use of a "minimum equipment fleet," of which all items or equipment are scheduled each working shift.

Jan 10, 1967

Jan 1, 1967

For the use of those who prefer manila rope to wire rope for light hoisting and hauling, the Ingersoll-Rand Co. has brought out a new model Little Tugger Hoist which is designated No. 11. The square piston, reversible driving engine, automatic lubrication, inclosed gearing, rum release clutch and worm-operated band brake are essentially the same as in the No. 1 model which was introduced about two Years ago. The main differences are in the diameter and length of the drum, the width of the flanges and, necessarily, the main frame and overall dimensions. The new No. 11 Little Tugger has a hoisting drum 7 in. in diameter by 17 in. long with 5-in. flanges. This accommodates 300 ft. of 7/8 -in. manila, rope. The maximum capacity of this hoist is conservatively rated at 600 1b. The weight of the hoist itself is 358 lb. It is 21 ½ in. long, 31 ¼ in. wide and 23 in. high.

Jan 12, 1916

By J. J. Bowman, E. H. Dix

A LACK of experimental data illustrating the effect of composition, particularly in respect to impurities, on the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of aluminum-alloy die castings induced the authors and their associates to undertake a limited study of these relations. A number of commercial alloys and several experimental variations of a commercial alloy were used for the investigation. Mechanical property, growth, steam, paraffin, salt spray and atmospheric exposure tests were employed. This paper deals with the more accelerated tests and the results they have produced. It is concluded that a high-silicon alloy with all impurities except iron strictly limited to small amounts will develop an excellent resistance to corrosion and retain satisfactory mechanical properties and casting characteristics. As a direct result of this investigation an alloy of this character with superior corrosion resistance is now available commercially. In general, copper increases the strength and decreases the elongation and corrosion resistance. Tin reduces the mechanical properties and the resistance to corrosion. Iron reduces the elongation and, if excessively high, may adversely affect the tensile strength. Even excessively high iron contents do not affect the corrosion resistance, which is fortunate for the die caster as it is this element that is the most difficult to control. Nickel and zinc in limited amounts do not seem to affect the properties or corrosion resistance of at least the high-silicon alloy. Growth tests have confirmed the previous common belief that dimensional changes under either dry or wet conditions at 100° C. are too small to be of practical importance.

Jan 1, 1935

By F. H. McDowell

The increasing interest in the subject of electrical separation warrants the addition to what has already been written of a few lines covering the practical workings of the Tilly Foster mill under the direction of Mr. E. S. Moffat, General Manager. Since my last paper was presented to the Institute, Mr. S. P. Tomkins, the superintendent, has had thrust upon him for solution several problems complicated by the introduction of new conditions. 1. The richer portion of the lean ore dump, and that nearest the railroad track, having been worked up in 1890, the handling of the balance, including a largely increased amount of rock, could only be accomplished at an increased cost. 2. The tailings had accumulated close about the mill to such an extent that arrangements had to be perfected to move them further away.

Jan 1, 1893

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By A. N. Rogers

Jan 1, 1883

By K. A. Natarajan, S. C. Riemer, I. Iwasaki

The relative significance of corrosive and erosive wear in magnetic taconite grinding is examined. The influence of different types of aeration (nitrogen, air, and oxygen) on ball wear was established for mild steel and high carbon low alloy steel balls. Ball wear data from dry and wet grinding tests are compared with those obtained in the presence of an organic solvent that does not promote electrochemical corrosion. Marked ball grinding tests and electrochemical measurements involving ball material and magnetite electrodes indicate that contribution from oxygen toward wear (corrosive wear) is relatively small, and abrasive wear appears to be significant. Rheological properties of the slurry appear to have an important bearing on the abrasive wear of grinding balls.

Jan 1, 1985

By G. Reinberg, C. D. Clarke

Most underground mining operations are dependent on pumping installations to keep the mine unwatered. The reliability of such installations is obviously of paramount importance. The volume of water to be handled is often considerable, and the total head is relatively high. In these cases, both capital cost and operating expense of the pumping installations will become significant factors in overall mining costs. To insure reliability and to keep efficiencies, and hence operating costs, within acceptable limits it goes without saying that mechanical maintenance of a mine pumping installation must receive scrupulous attention at all times. Large mine pumping installations today almost invariably use multistage centrifugal pumps, since positive-displacement units would not be economically competitive except under very unusual conditions of small volume combined with extremely high heads. Centrifugal pump maintenance, under ideal circumstances, would be confined to parts subject to normal running water, i.e., bearing surfaces, stuffing box packing, and shaft sleeves. Under adverse conditions, however, metal may be lost from the wetted surfaces of a pump by erosive or corrosive action of the pumped fluid, and maintenance costs can easily attain enormous proportions.

Aug 1, 1956

By James A. Barr

Phosphate rock is a natural rock containing one or more phosphate minerals usually calcium phosphate, of sufficient purity and quantity to permit its use, either directly or after beneficiation in the manufacture of commercial products.1 The principal minerals in phosphate rock have the apatite structure which may be represented by the type formula: Ca10(X2) (PO4)6 where X represents the hydroxyl group (OH), chlorine or fluorine, either singly or collectively. The calcium may be partly replaced by sodium, magnesium, and other positive ions such as manganese, strontium, lead, uranium, cerium, yttrium and other rare earths. The PO4 radical may be partly replaced by small quantities of UO4, AsO4, SiO4, CO3, SO4, or Vo4. A typical commercial rock is usually a calcium phosphate containing 3 to 4 pct fluorine, the major impurities being limonite or other iron oxides, clay, aluminum phosphates and silica as quartz sand. A little vanadium is present in most of the domestic rock deposits (except the Tennessee Brown Rock), according to Jacob, Hill, Marshall and Reynolds! A little uranium occurs in the Florida leached zone, as will be brought out later. The chemical analyses are reported as P205, or tricalcium phosphate Ca3(PO4)2, the latter often designated by the trade name BPL (bone phosphate of lime). Commercial analyses usually report iron and alumina as oxides, lime as CaO and silica or insoluble. Colony3 examined many samples of apatite, staffelite, dahlite and American phosphorites and concluded that all have identical X-ray diffraction patterns. The phosphates in the phosphate rock have very minute crystalline structures. The mineral apatite Ca3(F.Cl) (PO4) 3 is the principal primary source of the element phosphorus, and occurs widely distributed in igneous rocks but rarely in a minable mass. Only about 12 pct of the world production of phosphate rock comes from primary apatites; the remainder is derived from secondary phosphorites. These phosphorites have been formed by the alteration of sediments by solutions containing phosphoric acid. Such solutions have come from the weathering or leaching of igneous rock containing apatite, bone deposits of prehistoric animals, marine life or guano deposits. These phosphorites are mostly alterations of phosphatic limestones. The sedimentary phosphate deposits are of marine origin and may have been enriched by subsequent solution of the more soluble calcium carbonate by waters containing carbon dioxide, by physical concentration by wave action, and by redeposition of the dissolved phosphate ions. Uses of Phosphate Phosphorus is the spark of life and is the structure builder and one of the main elements of plant food (fertilizer). Without phosphorus, life cannot exist. A "complete" plant food[t] in addition to phosphorus compounds contains potash, which acts as a catalyst to convert nutrients to useful forms, nitrogen to supply the growth element and many minor elements. The cycle of supply of phosphorus is from the apatite to solution and soil, absorption of plant life, decay and return to the soil or by animal life feeding on the plants. With insufficient supply of phosphorus in vegetation, life is not prolific. If crops are removed from

Jan 1, 1960

By M. R. J. Wyllie, Michael A. Torcaso

With the continued deep drilling of today, increasing numbers of high pressure and high temperature gas-condensate reservoirs are being discovered. Correspondingly, the ranges of properties of gas-condensate reservoir fluids are also being increased. The literature1*'." contains several excellent reviews of the property ranges in presently known condensate reservoirs. When one examines these property ranges, it becomes apparent that the need for reliable data is great if the engineer is to evaluate properly or appraise a gas-condensate reservoir. It is the purpose of this paper to present phase-behavior data that will point out some of the important variables that influence recovery from gas-condensate reservoirs produced by pressure depletion. All these variables may be resolved into two major categories: the hydroc:arbon composition of the reservoir fluid and the physical properties of the reservoir. But the variables which we will consider are those which are usually determined from well tests shortly after discovery and are, consequently, readily available to the engineer. They are as follows: (1) the producing separator gas-stock-tank liquid ratio, (2) stock-tank liquid gravity, and (3) reservoir temperature. Laboratory depletion studies have been performed on several reservoir fluids to illustrate the effect of changes in the cronsidered variables upon ultimate recoveries. The deviation factors, Z, of a series of reservoir fluids were determined experimentally to illustrate their order of magnitude and their effect upon the calculation of in-place reserves existing at high pressurcs and temperatures. The procedures followed in conjunction with the performance of these studies and their associated calculations are illustrated in Fig. 1. For the purpose of this paper, the depletion recoveries are expressed only in terms of pcr cent of initial stock-tank liquid, with the abandonment pressure assumed to be 500 psig. VARIATION OF RECOVERY WITH INITIAL PRODUCING SEPARATOR GAS-STOCK-TANK LIQUID RATIO The producing separator gas-stock-tank liquid ratio has long been one of the principal criteria in assumptions and generalized correlations' used for the estimation of ultimate recovery from gas-condensate reservoirs. Fig. 2 presents a plot of the cumulative recovery of stock-tank liquid at abandonment as a function of the initial producing separator gas-stock-tank liquid ratio. The graphical illustration represents the results of 44 laboratory depletion studies performed on actual gas-condensate fluids. These data are presented not only to illustrate the general trend of ultimate recovery increase with initial producing ratio increase but to emphasize the considerable variation in possible recovery at any given producing ratio. Table 1 presents the properties of two actual reservoir fluids chosen to illustrate the approximate extremities of producing ratios for gas-condensate systems. The fluids designated as A and B exhibited initial producing ratios of 3,400 and 114,000 scf/bbl, respectively. Fig. 3 presents a graphical comparison of the cumulative stock-tank liquid recoveries, calculated from the well-stream compositions and produced volumes for each fluid during depletion. It is to be noted that Fluid A exhibited a recovery of only 16.5 per cent when produced to an assumed abandonment pressure of 500 psig while the corresponding recovery for Fluid B was calculated to be 62.2 per cent. This difference in recovery, which exemplifies the general trend of recovery increase with initial producing ratio increase, is readily explained by consid-