Search Documents

By John V. Beall

Given: One large, but dated open-pit copper mine and processing plants, down about one third in production capacity in decade because of declining ore grade. Solve for: Restoration of former peak capacity without further losses during period of reconstruction. That is the problem that Kennecott's Utah Cop- per Division began solving in 1963. Most of the work went to a task force of engineers, several of whom were plucked out of line jobs and assigned to the so-called "Expansion Project" for the duration. There was no doubt from the beginning that effective cooperation between Expansion Project engineers and operators was critical to success, and personnel was chosen accordingly. This foresight paid off. The Expansion Project is all but complete, and the Utah Copper Division is returning to its rated capacity of 300,000 tons per year of copper metal.

Jan 6, 1967

By John Birkinbine

Among the notable deposits of iron-ore, the Iron Mountain at Durango, Mexico, is prominent. But, although it has been noticed in records of travel and official reports for three centuries, the statements made concerning it have been so largely alloyed with improbabilities that general credence has not been given to data relating to the Cerro & Mercado, that being the name by which this remarkable mountain of ore is known. Location. Geographically, the mountain is centrally located, being situated immediately at the City of Durango, which is distant in direct lines (as the crow flies) as follows: From the Rio Grande River at El Paso, Texas, in the north, 510 miles; from the same stream at Laredo, Texas, in the northeast, 410 miles; from Tampico, in the east, 475 miles; from the City of Mexico in the southeast, 520 miles; from Mazatlan in the west, 110 miles. At El Paso, the standard-gauge Mexican Central Railroad, and at Laredo, the narrow-gauge Mexican National Railroad, enter Mexico. Tampico is a prominent Mexican port on the Gulf of Mexico, and Mazatlan occupies a similar position on the Gulf of California. To reach Durango from Laredo or Tampico, spurs of the Sierra Madre Mountains must be crossed, and between Mazatlan

Jan 1, 1885

By W. A. Forbes

by the combustion of this gas as it reached the air was a familiar sight in the days when open-top furnaces were in vogue. As blast-furnace practice progressed, however, involving the use of hot blast and the development of power from the gas, blast-furnace construction was modified to conserve this gas for heating hot-blast stoves, raising steam under boilers, and various miscellaneous purposes. When the use of blast-furnace gas was extended to the driving of gas engines, the necessity for thoroughly cleaning the gas became apparent., and soon the advantages of also properly cleaning the gas for use in stoves and udder boilers became more fully recognized.

Jan 10, 1913

By B. H. Bergstrom, D. D. Crabtree, C. L. Sollenberger

Experimental data is given for several natural minerals on the load required for the fracture of single specimens over a very wide size range. The experimental results are compared with published data, such as for coal specimens from 30 to 64 in. in size. Correlations of the specific energy (per unit mass) required for fracture with specimen size are given as functions of specimen shape and the experimentally observed load-size relationships. These correlations are discussed with reference to comminution theory. Comminution, through compression or impact, can result only if sufficient force, or energy, is applied to a specimen of a given size. The relation of specimen size to force requirements has not been adequately considered previously. For single particle fracture, it was previously shown 1 that the specific energy (energy, e, per unit mass, M) at fracture of single glass spheres was inversely proportional to the product size modulus, k, as indicated in the equation: e/M = C/k [1] This was found true not only for numerous glass specimens of the same nominal size but was true for all nominal sizes tested from 1/8 to 1 in. Also, it was observed that the smaller spheres required a greater specific energy at fracture than the larger spheres and consequently had a smaller product size modulus. However, the relationship giving the required fracture energy as a function of specimen size was not further elaborated upon. This paper will extend the development of the feed size effect on specific fracture energy for brittle materials. SPECIFIC ENERGY-FEED SlZE RELATIONSHIPS FROM PREVIOUS DATA For the particular glass spheres tested in the previously described experiments,' it can be shown, as on Fig. 1, that the specific energy varied inversely as the 4/3 power approximately of the feed size, F, in the span of nominal sizes ranging from 1/8 to 1 in. The load at which a 3-in. diam glass sphere (a crystal gazer's ball) was broken was within the range predicted by an extrapolation of this energy-feed size relationship. The product size distribution from this

Jan 1, 1963

By C. A. Rowland, R. C. Nealey

Until recently there were very few dry grinding rod mills used. The early installations performed as anticipated. In the last seven years a number of dry grinding rod mills have been made, most of which have been used for grinding iron ore. The recent installations have not operated as anticipated in accordance with practices learned from wet rod milling. The paper does not establish any definite rules for the application of dry grinding rod mills but does attempt to establish some guidelines that can be followed. The paper reviews a number of flowsheets describing the problems encountered and some of the solutions found. Completely dried compared to partially dried feed is reviewed. Problems encountered in scaling up from pilot plant to production-size mills are described. Rod sizing, effect of rod length, rod bending, rod breakage, and rod tangling are discussed. While wet grinding rod mills have been used for 50 years to grind ores and make specifications sands, dry grinding rod mills have only recently come into significant use in the mineral industries. Among the materials now being processed in dry grinding rod mills are (1) lead sinter, lead slag, and limestone; (2) iron ore; (3) silica; (4) cement clinker; and (5) coke. Because the application of wet grinding rod mills was well understood at the time that dry grinding rod mills were introduced, the criteria and guidelines for selecting the former were carried over to the selection of the latter - in some cases with the anticipated results, but in many cases not. It is the purpose of this paper to describe, through a series of flowsheets, some of the recent problems encountered with dry grinding rod mills, to point out the solutions to these problems, and to set forth some guidelines for the selection and application of these mills. When dry grinding rod mills came into use, the following facts about their wet grinding counterparts were already well established: (1) The performance of large-sized mills can be accurately predicted from the performance of rod mills 5 or 6 ft in diameter. Wet grinding mills as large as 14 ft in diameter (inside shell) by 20 ft long with rods 19.5 ft long can operate satisfactorily.

Jan 1, 1970

By A. A. Brant

In this presentation, concepts of the formation and evolution of the universe, the earth, and the cyclic civilizations of man are broadly outlined. The 5 billion or more years of the universe and the 4% billion years of the earth are contrasted to the 5000 years of modern society and the 100 years of objective scientific breakthrough. THE UNIVERSE Let us start back as far as possible, to the beginnings of this universe, some 5 billion or more years ago. This is a time interval that can be crudely underestimated by the moon-earth tidal friction effects that have increased the length of the day by about 1/1000 second per century — from a 5 to 7 hour day to its present 24 — and have moved the moon away at 5 inches per year to its present 240,000 miles. The oldest stony meteorites from interplanetary space give an age dating of some 4.6 billion years, approximating the time of formation of our earth. Further, certain stars pulsate, the period of pulsation being related to their absolute brightness. Measuring apparent brightness and comparing, gives the distance away. Thus Hubble and Shapley of Harvard, from 1925 on, were able to show that the universe reached as far as our telescopes could scan. The Doppler shift of the hydrogen red lines could only mean that the nebulae, or galaxies, were moving away away at velocities increasing with their distances, by 180 km/sec velocity increase for every million light year's distance. In short, the universe is expanding like an exploded bomb. Comparing the velocity increase per million light year's distance again indicates a zero time of some 5 billion years' Thus it appears that this universe had a finite beginning. Physical measurements and present theories permit some picture of our universe's birth. We know since Einstein that many forms of energy are equivalent, e.g., mass, and electromagnetic radiation, aspects of which are heat and light. Now with expansion, radiation density or equivalent mass decreases as a length factor to the 4th power, while mass as matter decreases at a length factor cubed. The temperature in outer space is now perhaps 100° absolute and the radiation mass equivalent is but 1/1000 the rarefied interstellar gas densities. Decompressing the universe to a starting point, however, raises temperature more rapidly than mass density, and results in a high radiation mass energy fraction, which since it is proportional to temperature to the 4th power suggests a zero point temperature of several billion degrees, brighter than any sun. "Let there be light and there was light," according to Genesis 1-3. Now what further initial conditions must there be to explain the relative abundance of the elements in the universe, which by spectral analyses of the earth's crust, stony meteorites, and the sun and stars is surprisingly uniform throughout. Some 55% of all cosmic matter is hydrogen, some 44% is helium and only 1% is made up of all the heavier elements in much the same proportions as on earth. These latter decrease logarithmically in abundance up to atomic weight 100, then level out. This consistent abundance distribution of elements in the universe may be generally explained by taking at Time Zero a hot neutron gas of density about 10-3 grams per cc, at a temperature of several billion degrees Centigrade, with a high radiation energy fraction. Generally neutrons break down into positrons and electrons within about ten minutes, but at the initial high temperature and radiation pressure would recom-bine. However, with rapid expansion and decrease of temperature and pressure, the neutron disintegration would run uncompensated and aggregation would result from neutrons and protons uniting in different degrees of complexity. The total calculated element aggregation time would be about one hour while the temperature still remained above one billion degrees. The element abundances formed would depend on density of the nuclear gas, simplicity of the atom formed, and the neutron capture cross section. Thus a higher density

Jan 1, 1964

By H. W. Weart, S. Sarian

The effect of temperature, impurities, and capillarity on the morphology of solid particles in a liquid matrix is investigated. For the NbC-liquid iron system, at least, it is found that those particles which are dissolving will assume a spherical shape; all others will take the equilibrium shape. An aniso-tropic-isotropic transition in the interfacial tension is observed at about 1725°C and is believed to be due to cooperative roughening of the interface on an atomic scale. The presence of boron as an impurity lowers the transition temperature. It is the purpose of this paper to present some observations on the shape of particles in a system consisting of solid particles of nonuniform size in a liquid matrix and to propose an explanation for these observations. Although qualitative only, these observations, which were made largely in the course of a study of particle-growth kinetics,' are presented separately to draw attention to them. They reveal the effect of particle size, temperature, and surface-active impurities on particle shape in the solid NbC-liquid iron system, and are unique in demonstrating for the first time the reversible effect of temperature and impurity concentration on the anisotropy of the energy of the solid-liquid interfaces involved. Some of the changes are readily demonstrated with the few particles whose shapes can be clearly shown in a single photomicrograph, but others are more subtle, and their recognition depends upon some experience and the study of a much larger sample. For this reason, a certain amount of judgment must be acknowledged to underlie their detection, but every effort was made to maintain proper scientific objectivity in evaluating the observations. The observations will be presented first, and then an explanation rationalizing them will be offered. Brief reminders of the relevant theories will be inserted into the discussion at the appropriate points. EXPERIMENTAL The observations were made of the shape of NbC particles dispersed in liquid iron. All specimens were prepared by pressing NbC powder and car- bony1 iron powder treated according to standard powder-metallurgical procedures. Except as noted, all specimens were heated to 1900°C for 1/2 hr. In investigating the effect of temperature, specimens were quenched from 1900°C to various lower temperatures, and held long enough (48 hr) to allow shape changes to be completed. Boron, in the form of amorphous powder, and oxygen, in the form of niobium oxide powder, were added as impurities to some specimens. Nitrogen was introduced into some specimens as an impurity by heat treating the samples under a partial pressure of nitrogen gas. Effect of Temperature. It was first observed that increasing temperature had a marked effect in rounding the corners and edges of the particles. At 1900°C the particles are all very nearly spherical and remain so even when the holding time is extended to 48 hr. As can be seen from Fig. 1, there is virtually no evidence of the presence of low-index planes. At 1300°C, however, most of the particles are prismatic with very slightly rounded edges and corners, Fig. 2. (In making these shape comparisons, attention should be focused on the larger particles, even though the smaller ones would be expected to be the first to change shape, owing to the shorter diffusion distances involved. The cause of the mixed particle shape will be explored later.) It was established that these structures are re-

Jan 1, 1965

By M. R. Tek, M. L. Katz

The flow of fluids in stratified porous systems, in which adjacent layers of the system are in communication over part or all of their common interface, in many instances involves crossflow between layers. A theoretical study has been made of the unsteady-state flow of slightly compressible fluids during depletion of bounded stratified porous systems. Consideration has been restricted to single-phase flow, with negligible capillary and gravity effects. Analytical expressions have been derived for pressure distribution and for (luxes at the producing face in two-layer systems with complete fluid communication between layers. These expressions occur in the form of double Fourier and Fourier-Bessel series. The method of extending the solution to any number of layers is demonstrated by deriving the equation for pressure distribution in a three-layer system. On the basis of the exact results for two-layer systems, certain generalizations regarding the behavior of stratified systems in general are presented. The performance of stratified systems, in terms of cumulative flux as a function of time, is shown to lie at all times between bounds established from single-layer theory. The upper bound is given by treating the system as a single layer with arithmetic average physical properties. The corresponding lower bound is the summation of the fluxes from each layer as treated individually. Variation in performance of stratified systems between the upper and lower bounds is determined by the extent to which crossflow occurs in the system. The principal parameters affecting the amount of crossflow are the vertical permeability of the system, the ratio of system thickness to "radius of drainage" and, for radial systems, the ratio of system thickness to interior radius. At very early times, the system performance is near the lower bound. As time and the radius of drainage increase, the per- formance tends toward the upper bound. INTRODUCTION One of the principal problems confronting the reservoir engineer today is the incorporation of the effect of reservoir heterogeneity into predictions of reservoir performance. The first part of this problem is the characterization of the actual reservoir heterogeneity in a mathematically useful manner.1, 2 It is then necessary to calculate the effect of this heterogeneity on the system performance. It is frequently possible to estimate this effect by comparison with the known behavior of an idealized system. One such idealized system is the stratified or "layer-cake" model. Many studies have been made of the behavior of stratified systems, from both a theoretical and experimental standpoint. The great majority of the theoretical studies have been concerned with systems of separated layers, with no fluid crossflow. Among the more noteworthy of such theoretical papers is that recently published by Lefkovits, et al,3 in which a comprehensive analysis was presented for the behavior of bounded stratified systems which are unconnected except at the wellbore. Three recent references have dealt with stratified systems including the effect of crossflow. Jacquard4 has presented mathematical derivations pertaining to depletion of two layer systems producing at constant rate. A doctoral dissertation by Katz5 contains analytical solutions and tables of results for pressure distribution and fluid flux during constant-terminal-pressure depletion of two-layer and three-layer systems with crossflow, together with tables of eigenvalues necessary in the computations. The dissertation also presents results from experimental studies of stratified systems using a heat-transfer analog model. This paper is largely based on the material in this dissertation. A third paper has been presented by Russell and Prats6 since completion of the work resented herein, containing mathematical derivations for and discussion of the behavior

By S. Le Fevre

The application of electricity to the mining and beneficiation of the magnetic iron ores of the Mineville, N. Y., district, on Lake Champlain, has resulted,in economies and enhanced quality of product, without which only a comparatively small quantity of the present output could be marketed. The output of the Witherbee, Sherman & Co. mines is about 700,000 tons per annum, and of this about four-fifths is treated by magnetic separation to increase the iron content and reduce the phosphorus. The use of electricity for the magnetic separation of the ore from the gangue is therefore of primary importance, and makes possible the application of electric power for mining and preparing the ore for concentration. The fact which speaks loudest in favor of the application of electricity is this: It is possible for about 25c. per ton of shipping ore to furnish all the power required to put the ore on cars. This includes mining a hard ore underground, from a depth of 900 ft., hoisting to surface, crushing to $ or 8 in. in size, and separating from the gangue. This also includes lights about the works, and all miscellaneous power, such as about the shops. The first plant for the generation of electric power for use at Mineville was completed in 1903, and was one of the first for the application of electricity to mining iron ore. This was a Nordberg compound condensing steam engine, direct connected to a 750-kw. alternating-current generator, 3,300 volts, 3 phase, 25 cycles. All the plants added later use the same current but with higher voltage. The map, Fig. 1, shows the power plants and the transmission system; Figs. 2 and 3 are views of the shaft houses and the mills. The power from the first plant was distributed to Mills 1 and 2, one 2,500 cu. ft. compressor, and to the Harmony hoist, which was driven by a 300-h.p. motor operating four 10-ft. drums. Our experience with the hoist covers largely the development of electric hoisting from 1903 to date, and in some cases improvements were worked out to satisfy our needs. The motor is still operating as installed, but the control apparatus has been radically changed several times. When installed, the iron re-

Jan 1, 1915

By B. H. Kear, S. M. Copley

A dynamic theory of precipitation hardening in alloys containing cohevenl, stvess-.free, ordered particles is developed. The yield stvess is predicted from the stress dependence of the plastic strain vale, which is related to a derived dislocation velocity-stress function. The theory is shown to predict the magnilude and temperature dependence of the yield stress of a commercial nickel-base superalloy as well as many details of its slip structure. GLEITER and Hornbogen have developed a theory of the yield stress in alloys hardened by coherent, stress-free ordered ptrticles based on the observation that dislocations (b = a/2 (110)) glide in pairs.' When a dislocation pair shears through an ordered particle, the glide motion of the leading dislocation is impeded since it must create antiphase boundary (APB), whereas the motion of the trailing dislocation is assisted because it annihilates APB produced by the first one. Taking into account the APB energy, the size, and spacing of the particles, G-H predict the observed yielding behavior in Ni/18.8 Cr/6.2 A1 alloys composed of a matrix phase y '(nickel-solid solution) and particles of y' (basically Ni3A1). The G-H theory, as well as all previous theories of hardening by coherent ordered particles, do not include the details of dislocation motion; the present dynamic theory is an attempt to overcome this limitation. In the dynamic theory, the yield stress is predicted from the stress dependence of the plastic strain rate, which is related to a derived dislocation velocity-stress function. This function can be evaluated if the structure of the alloy, the APB energy of the ordered phase, and the characteristic drag or frictional stresses of the matrix and precipitate phases are known. The theory is shown to account for the observed temperature dependence of the yield stress in a commercial nickel-base superalloy. 1) NICKEL-BASE SUPERALLOYS Although their compositions are complex, the nickel-base superalloys have remarkably simple structures. A detailed examination of the commercial superalloy

Jan 1, 1968

By F. D. Rosi, C. H. Mathews

THE plastic properties of face-centered cubic metals below room temperature present a field of investigation which has not been extensively ex-plored. The work by Schmid and Boas1 has demonstrated the importance of temperature upon such properties as strain hardening and critical resolved shear stress. The work by Yamaguchi2 upon the shear stress as related to the number of slip bands accentuates the necessity for further experiments of a similar nature. The approach to a mechanical equation of state from the standpoint of thermal fluctuations and activation energies by Becker3 and more recently by Kauzmann4 further emphasizes the need for a quantitative and more comprehensive analysis of the dependence of fundamental plastic properties on temperature. The purpose of the present work was to investigate specifically: (1) The gross shape of the stress-strain curves at several temperatures, (2) the change in the critical shear stress as a function of temperature, and (3) the number and appearance of slip bands as a function of strain and temperature. Preparation of Specimens Single-crystal specimens of 99.996+ pct alumi-num, 1/2 in. in diam and 5 to 6 in. in length, were made by the Bridgman method of gradual solidification from the liquid state. The crystallographic orientation of the single crystals was determined from back-reflection, Laue X-ray photograms ac-cording to the method described by Greninger.6 In most specimens the Laue photograms showed double diffraction spots indicative of the lineage structure type of imperfection, discussed in great detail by Buerger.7 The angular spread of these spots was never observed to exceed 2". Most of the crystals were radiographed to insure against microporosity. In preparing the metal surface for optical microscopy, the following sequence of operations gave good results: The as-cast crystals were turned down in a lathe, 0.001 in. per cut, to obtain a 2.5 in. gauge length. The cold-worked layer resulting from this operation was removed chemically by etching with Tucker's reagent. Then the specimen was polished mechanically through 2/0 metallographic emery paper, after which it was etched again to remove the cold-worked layer resulting from the mechanical treatment. A 48-hr anneal at 580°C ±10°C followed so as to insure an essentially stress-free single crystal. After the annealing treatment, the specimen was electrolytically polished in a 2:l solution of methyl alcohol and concentrated nitric acid. With a current density of 10 amp per sq dm (decimeter) the time required to obtain a satisfactory surface varied from 10 to 12 min. The polish-ing was carried out for short periods of 2 min to avoid rapid deterioration of the solution as well as to enable the rotation of the specimen 180" for uniformity of polish. It was necessary to place the solution in a bath of dry ice in view of its explosive nature at room temperature. Etching of the electrolytically polished surface was accomplished by using the fuming etch-pit method recommended by Lacombe and Beaujard8 for high-purity aluminum. Method for Tensile Testing A modification of the loading equipment devised by Miller9 was used. In this apparatus, the specimen was suspended from a chain and gimbal arrangement (for axial loading) in a heavy steel framework connected at the bottom to a balanced 6:1 lever and bucket system. Loading of the specimen was accomplished by allowing sand to flow from a reservoir into the bucket suspended from the longer end of the lever-arm at a rate of approximately 3 lb per min. Strain measurements were made using the Baldwin SR-4, bonded, resistance-wire, strain gauge and an SR-4 portable strain indicator (type K), which permits a reading accuracy of 2 microinches per inch. For low-temperature study, the gauge was calibrated by measuring the elastic modulus of an annealed stainless steel rod, which is known to be independent of temperature."

Jan 1, 1951

By C. H. Herty, J. L. Keats

In the literature on the elimination of metalloids in basic open-hearth practice, there are a great many heats recorded in which excellent data on changes in slag and metal composition during refining are given, but in almost all of these heats either temperature data or weights and analysis of charge are unrecorded and observations on the physical characteristics of the slag are almost always lacking. With these points in mind, a test heat was made in which as complete data as possible on all the factors that affect the elimination of metalloids were obtained. The Test Heat The test heat was made in a standard 100-ton stationary furnace at the Lackawanna Steel Co., Lackawanna, N. Y., on January 17, 1922. The Charge—Scrap.—The scrap consisted entirely of rail-heat butts, selected from a number of heats made the week before the test. The average analysis of the scrap was calculated from the analysis of these heats and from the weight of scrap from each heat. Pig Iron.—Two ladles of pig iron were used in the charge and two samples were taken from each ladle as it was poured into the furnace. These four samples were composited for the average pig-iron sample. Other Materials.—Weights of dolomite, ore and spar were obtained by weighing a quantity of each just before the test and weighing the amount of each left after the heat was completed. The limestone. was weighed on the charging pans. Coal for recarburizing, ferromanganese, ferro-silicon and aluminum were weighed out as used. All these materials were carefully sampled before the test was begun. Coal consumption at the producers was obtained by getting the average capacity of the hoppers that fed the producers, and then counting the number of hoppers of coal used during the course of the heat. Products Steel.—The steel made was rolled into billets, the rolling properties being very satisfactory. The weight of steel was obtained by taking a

Jan 1, 1926

Jan 2, 1953

By R. F. Hehemann, Darrell W. Smith

The kinetics of alloying- in W-5 rot pct Re powder compacts were investigated at temperature about the upper limit for the formation of the x phase, such that a single intermediate phase was involved in the process. The rates and directions of motion of the a-o and o-b interface were assessed as functions of tinze at the sintering teri7peraticve by quantitative izetallog-ralhic techtziques. The iiotion 01 these interjuces could be specified approxitnate1.y by u Parabolic )-ate law and deviations from this ,rate law were attribuled to a complex interaction between surface dif'fusion and volume diffusion during the initial stages of sintering. WHEN binary or more complex alloys are produced by sintering compacted blends of elemental powders, a complication is encountered which does not arise in the sintering of pure metals. In addition to concern for grain size and densification, the rate of inter diffusion of the component elements must be considered. The general problem of alloying during sintering has been treated by numerous investigators.'-7 These investigations have been concerned only with systems that form continuous series of solid solutions and a concentric-sphere diffusion model4 provides a useful description of homogenization in these stems.' Some controversy remains, however, over the contribution of surface and grain boundary diffusion to the homogenization process. Heckel% ePorts that homogenization can be described by volume diffusion at all temperatures, whereas other invetiators'' recognize the importance of surface and grain boundary diffusion, particularly at lower temperatures. Analysis of the homogenization process in partially miscible systems is complicated by the motion of the interfaces separating the individual phases. A simple analytical solution does not exist for such finite systems with spherical symmetry. It was the purpose of this work to examine the kinetics of the formation and dissolution of an intermediate phase in a binary system through an assessment of the motion of the interfaces separating this phase from the terminal solid solutions. PROCEDURE The W-Re system is an example of a partially miscible binary system and was selected for study because of its current importance in refractory-metal technology. The equilibrium phase diagram, Fig. 1, shows that the o phase will be formed by interdiffu-sion between tungsten and rhenium. At temperatures between approximately 2125" and 282O°C, the o phase will appear as the only intermediate phase in the diffusion system. In this work, a mixture of elemental powders containing 5 pct Re was employed. In such a mixture, the rhenium particles will be distributed randomly in a tungsten matrix. During sintering, a o-phase layer will form at the W-Re interface. The development and subsequent disappearance of the o phase are controlled by the relative rates and directions of motion of the 0-0 and a-p interfaces. The motion of these interfaces can be inferred from quantitative metallographic measurements of the average radii of the o shells surrounding rhenium particles. Elemental tungsten and rhenium powders of commercial purity were employed in these investigations. The rhenium powder was spheroidized from +200 mesh agglomerates by plasma-arc spraying and was then classified to yield a powder composed of essentially

Jan 1, 1967

By Wendell S. Williams

Single crystals of TIC doped with boron at high temperat~ires develop second-phase inclusions. The inclusions are in the form of lamellae lying parallel to {l 11 } planes of the Tic matrix and can be vevealed by etching [100] cleavage faces of the boron-doped Tic crystals. measurements of the critical resolved shear stress. t, of TIC crystals containing such inclusions showed that the ropid drop in t wilh increasing temperatu.ve found for pure Tic was greatly reduced. At 1600°C, the inclusion containing crystals had a value of t five limes that of pure Tic. The hardening effect also was found to inhibit hot pressing of TiC powders containing boron impurity. Thermochemical and crys-tallographic arguments suggest that the inclusions are TiB2. The boron content of the hardened carbide is a few tenths of 1 pct. TITANIUM carbide is noted for its high room-temperature hardness. However, measurements of the critical resolved shear stress, T, of single crystals of Tic at high temperatures have shown that t decreases exponentially with increasing temperature.' This temperature dependence of t is attributed to thermally activated dislocation mobility limited by a large Peierls stress.' In turn, this large Peierls stress is believed to be a consequence of strong co-valent and ionic binding in Tic. The rapid drop in 7 with increasing temperature, characteristic of pure Tic, is lessened by the introduction of second-phase inclusions. Exposure of Tic to boron at high temperatures produces such inclusions. A report of the influence of boron on t in Tic is presented, followed by a discussion of the nature and formation of boron-containing inclusions in Tic which are believed to be responsible for the hardening effect. I) CRITICAL RESOLVED SHEAR STRESS OF BORON-DOPED Tic CRYSTALS Tic single crystal boules grown by Union Carbide Corp., Linde Division, were doped with boron by placing them in a carbon crucible packed with boron powder and heating in a vacuum furnace to 2000°C for 1 hr. Samples 1 by 1 by 3 mm were cleaved from these doped boules. High-temperature compression tests' were made on these samples to determine the critical resolved shear stress as a function of temperature . The rapid drop in critical resolved shear stress found for pure Tic crystals' did not occur: tests indicated that the boron-doped crystals at 1600°C had values of T equal to those of pure Tic crystals heated to only 1100°C, Fig. 1. No difference in the shape of the individual stress-strain curves was produced by the boron doping, but the stress scale was multiplied by a large factor. The hardening effect of boron in Tic probably extends to temperatures lower than those used in the present work (1100°C minimum). At room temperature, however, the influence of boron is difficult to determine because the stress required for gross plastic flow in pure Tic is SO high that in practice fracture cccurs first. Microhardness is the only test that can give an indication of the yield stress in Tic at room temperature. such measurements were made5 on boron-doped Tic; the matrix had a hardness value

Jan 1, 1967

By J. S. Hegwer, P. M. Dunlap

An improved acid for the treatrrzent of sulfate-con-raining limestones and dolomites is described. The acid is designed to reduce he reprecipitation of dissolved calcium sulfate and the possibility of plugging permeable flow channels. In addition, this improved acid has a much lower reaction rate than that of regular acid; the advantages of a "retarded" acid are obtainable. Field testing of the acid has shown it suitable for use in sulfate-containing formations. Substantial improvements in productivity generally resulted. INTRODUCTION Acid treatments of limestones, dolomites and other formations bearing carbonate deposits are frequently unsuccessful when the calcareous formation contains sulfate, either as anhydrite (CaSO,) or gypsum (CaSO4. 2H2O). Preliminary dissolution in acid followed by redeposition of calcium sulfate appears to be a major factor contributing to poor well performance after acidizing. The precipitate is usually the gypsum form of calcium sulfate, but in higher temperature formations it may be anhydrite. The freshly precipitated crystals are nearly always very small and needle-like. They may occupy a gross volume many times that of the original anhydrite crystals and will obviously constitute an impediment to flow through newly enlarged flow channels. It is believed that the redeposition problem is most severe when anhydrite lines the fracture systems and large pores which supply the effective permeability of a formation. Microscopic inclusions of calcium sulfate also present large sulfate surface areas for dissolution in acid. In either case, great amounts of calcium sulfate may dissolve before the acid can be spent on formation carbonates. For regular spent acid (originally 15 per cent hydrochloric acid) the precipitate could be as much as 270 Ib gypsum/1000 gal acid. Two techniques have been applied by the industry for reducing sulfate plugging during acidizing. The method'.' commonly employed in the field is the attempted removal of a quantity of regular treating acid before it has reacted completely with the formation. This is practiced because the solubility of calcium sulfate is greater in a solution that is still acidic than in one which has been largely spent on the formation rock. The chance of precipitative plugging is therefore reduced if the withdrawal is successful. However, it is often impossible to get the acid out of the formation before precipitation occurs. A second possible method, which at first glance appears practical, involves addition to the acid of sequestering agents which form strong soluble complexes with calcium ions. These chemicals do increase the "solubility" of calcium sulfate in fresh acid, but to a lesser extent in spent acid. The sequestering agents have, therefore, proved unsatisfactory because the amount of sulfate eventually deposited from the spent acid may be greater than that from regular acid. Another logical approach to the problem of calcium sulfate reprecipitation is the prevention of the initial dissolution of calcium sulfate by the common ion effect. This may be accomplished by adding a soluble calcium salt to the fresh acid. The use of calcium salts in treating acids is not entirely new. An earlier suggested use of a soluble calcium salt in hydrochloric acid apparently failed to recognize the full extent to which the solubility of calcium sulfate could be suppressed. The present study extends this earlier work and adds certain improvements toward the development of a practical anti-anhydrite acid. LABORATORY DEVELOPMENT Calcium Sulfate Solubility Table 1 shows the results of a laboratory study performed to establish the effect of calcium chloride concentration on gypsum solubility. Because of the strong tendency of calcium sulfate to form supersaturated solutions, accurate solubilities are difficult to determine. These solubility data probably are reliable to within ± 15 per cent. The solubility of calcium sulfate in 15 weight per cent hydrochloric acid increases with increasing temperature. This trend is also followed in hydrochloric acid which cantains calcium chloride. This is contrary to the solubility behavior of calcium sulfate in water, wherein the solubility decreases with increasing temperature.

By A. G. Worthing

Black: Bodies.-In the ordinary conception, a black object is an opaque object that reflects but little of the light that is incident on it. This means naturally that such an object is a good absorber of luminous radiation. The black body; which is so closely connected with high-temperature measurements, represents the limit in blackness of all black objects. It is a body that not only absorbs all visible radiations but also all other radiations in the infra-red and the ultra-violet regions of the spectrum which are incident on it. No substance is known that is completely black; platinum black, one of the nearest if not the nearest representative of the ideal, reflects 1 per cent. or so of ordinary visible radiation. The closest approach to the ideal is a small opening in the wall of a relatively large opaque cavity. Any radiation incident on this black body will be almost completely absorbed if the relative dimensions are properly chosen no matter what the material may be. The great difference between the blackness of such a cavity and of lampblack, for instance, will be apparent to one who makes the simple test. Non-black Bodies.-The field of non-black bodies covers all real bodies. Their characteristics are extremely varied. So far as absorption of radiation-is concerned, these bodies range practically from the almost completely black, platinum-black, and lampblack, which absorb all but a fractional part of 1 per cent. or so of the incident radiation, by an infinite variety of steps to freshly polished silver, which ordinarily absorbs only a few per cent. The exact percentage absorbed depends not only on the nature of the incident radiation, but also on the temperature of the body, the condition of its surface, the angle of incidence, the nature of the surrounding medium, and on certain other less important conditions. As consequences of these varied characteristics, we have not only the differences of color of ordinary objects, but also the changes of color that any one object undergoes on heating or when lighted front various directions. This complexity of the phenomena, in a way, is responsible for the meagerness of knowledge, regarding materials at elevated temperatures. Measurement of High Temperatures.-Excepting in cases where the thermocouple or the gas thermometer are applicable, in which case the temperatures obtained are true temperatures regardless of-the material" studied, high, temperatures are almost always, if not always, determined from measurements of radiation. In fact, determinations of temperature from this latter point of view are often so much more convenient than the thermocouple and especially the gas-thermometer determinations that, in the region where all of these types of measurements may be made, the radiation measurements are often preferred. This is true even though the temperatures usually thus directly determined are not the actual temperatures, a consequence of the sources of the radiation being non-black bodies; in other words, a consequence of being concerned with iron, or glass, or tungsten instead of small openings leading to relatively large-cavities uniformly heated. Coordination of Experimental Results.-In order that data on iron, glass, tungsten, or other non-black bodies obtained in one laboratory, may be, correlated with similar data obtained elsewhere, temperatures must be expressed on a common scale. The true temperature scale is the natural scale for this purpose it is ordinarily the scale to which all other temperatures can be most directly reduced. When the measurements depend on the radiation, a knowledge of emissive powers repre-

Jan 9, 1919

By G. D. Bengough

CORROSION tests should be designed so as to facilitate as far as possible the interpretation of results, consequently factors which may affect the rate of corrosion should be controlled as far as practicable, and very full data should be given regarding the conditions of the test. Among the most important factors affecting the rate of corrosion is often the rate of supply f oxygen to the metal surface. It is essential therefore to understand the mechanism by which oxygen is transferred from the liquid surface to the surface of the metal. The work of Adeney and his coworkers has thrown much light on this mechanism. They have shown1 that the aeration of deaerated water and salt solutions proceeds much more rapidly than can be accounted for by mere diffusion, and have suggested that downward "streaming" takes place from the surface of the water, due mainly to an increase of density brought about by evaporation. The evaporation reduces the temperature of the surface layer, and also increases the concentration in the case f salt solutions. The effect of evaporation in facilitating the transfer of oxygen to a metal and increasing the corrosion f the metal was shown in some experiments due to Friend .2 He tested the corrosion f mild steel plates immersed in water in glass jars, a steady stream f air being drawn over the surface of the water in the jars. The air passing through half the number f jars was saturated with moisture, that passing through the others was dried with calcium chloride. He found that "in every case the water exposed to dry air was approximately twice as corrosive as that exposed to air saturated with water vapor."

Jan 1, 1929

By Edwin M. Chance

During the past 10 years, the safe and efficient lighting of the coal mines of this country has received an ever-increasing amount of attention. Several States have passed laws attempting to regulate the type of lamp to be used and the nature of the fuel to be burned, and the mining departments of coal-mining States have generally shown a keen and intelligent interest in this subject. The passage of the recent Employers' Liability Act in Pennsylvania has made it necessary for many coal-mining companies to take out liability insurance, and the companies underwriting such insurance have made it desirable for the insured to permit the use of none but illuminants of established worth. While these conditions have not obtained for a sufficient length of time to permit the statement that the illumination of coal mines by portable lamps has been standardized, still, considerable progress has been made and the direction of future practice in this branch of coal-mining technology is very evident. Under these conditions it seemed that a review of the methods now used in coalmine illumination, together with a brief consideration of the principles underlying these methods, might be of some interest. Miners' lamps may be divided into three classes: The open light, the electric cap lamp, and the flame safety lamp. It will be desirable to consider each of these classes separately, as each has properties peculiar to itself and one class is hardly comparable with another. In this country, without question, the open light is the most generally used of all miners' lamps. This fact is explained by the relative freedom of a large proportion of our mines from gaseous conditions, and by the admirable systems of ventilation installed in those that show a tendency toward such conditions. In the metal mines, the miner's candle has had and still has considerable vogue. Because of the small amount of ventilation usually supplied in metal mines, the freedom of the candle from any tendency to produce noxious gases or offensive odors, and the small amount of air it consumes, are valuable assets, while, because of the light color of the rocks in which workings are driven, the meager light is not a serious handicap.

Jan 1, 1918

By Spruille Braden

My attendance at this seventy-fifth Anniversary banquet of the A I M E is for me a homecoming, It means renewing associations with old friends, breathing again 'the invigorating mining atmosphere in which I was born and reared, and being among those who remember with affection and esteem the man from whom I inherited a name so intimately linked to-the mining profession Tonight, like a prodigal son strayed from mining into the far countries of diplomacy, I return, to eat and be merry over the fatted calf on this pleasurable occasion , While there is no riotous living in modern diplomacy, you are no doubt convinced that neither did I suffer a mighty famine in those far lands When I entered the Foreign Service, a few mining friends, viewing diplomats as sartorial perfectionists, or "striped pantsers" preoccupied with the art of cookie pushing, no doubt thought me a lost soul Conversely, some of my new colleagues at first looked upon me captiously and later as a reformed character, because they believed all miners to be rough customers, attired in muddy boots and given to direct action and equally direct or even explosive speech In point of fact, these two professions have much in common I do not have in mind the parallel cynicisms that "a miner is a liar with a hole in the ground" and "a diplomat a man sent abroad to lie for his country " I do

Jan 1, 1947