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By V. Koump, T. F. Perzak, R. H. Tien

A series of experiments were carried out in which the rates of propagation of the liquidus and the eutectic fronts Mere measured during essentially one-dimensional freezing of Al-Cu alloys. The dimensions of the ingots were 3 by 5 by 6 in. Three different alloys containing 0.1, 4.5, and 17 pct Cu were used in these experitments. For each alloy the rate of heat removal was varied to give a total jreezing time in the range 3 to 30 min. The results of these measurements cowlpared favorably with the theoretical model of freezing of binary alloys with time-dependent surface temperature. IN engineering analysis of solidification of commercia1 steels and nonferrous alloys it is a common practice to assume that an alloy freezes by propagation of an isothermal solidification front, i.e., essentially as a pure metal. In two recent theoretical investigations'j2 the present authors explored the possibility of a more realistic approach to the problem of solidification of alloys. In the proposed model the freezing of an alloy is assumed to take place by propagation of two isothermal fronts, i.e., the liquidus front and the solidus (or eutectic) front. The region between the two fronts contains both liquid and solid and is referred to as the solid-liquid region. The width and the solid content of the solid-liquid region vary with alloy type, solute concentration, and cooling rate. For a given alloy system, initial concentration of solute, and the mode of heat removal, the proposed model yields the temperature distribution within the solid skin, temperature, solid fraction, and concentration distributions with the solid-liquid region, and the rates of propagation of the liquidus and the solidus fronts. This model is obviously of considerable practical importance in engineering analysis of solidification processes, since it gives a more realistic estimate of skin strength during solidification and a better estimate of the total freezing time. Before the new model can be used with confidence, however, it is necessary to test this model experimentally. The experimental testing of the proposed model is a relatively simple matter since the effects to be measured are large and a relatively simple experiment will suffice. The theoretical model predicts, for example, that during freezing of an alloy containing substitutional type solute (negligible diffusion in the solid during freezing) the solid-liquid region occupies an appreciable portion of the ingot, even at low concentration of solute.' Another prediction of the theo- V. KOUMP, formerly with U. S. Steel Corp., is now with Research and Development Center, Systems and Process Division, Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa. R. H. TlEN is Senior Scientist, Fundamental Research Laboratory, U. S. Steel Corp., Research Center, Monroe ville, Pa. T. F. PERZAK, formerly with U.S. Steel Corp., is now with Fiber Industries, Greenville, S. C. Manuscript submitted March 6, 1968. IMD retical model, easily verifiable by experiment, is that the rate of propagation of the solidus (or eutectic) front increases as the solidus front approaches the center of the slab. This prediction is contrary to well-known behavior of the solidification front during freezing of pure metals, where the rate of propagation of the solidification front decreases with time and freezing is completed at the lowest rate. A rather severe test of the proposed model is provided by comparison of theoretical predictions and experimental measurements of the effects of cooling rate and composition on the rates of propagation of the liquidus and the eutectic fronts. In order to test the soundness of the formulation and the method of solution of the problem of solidification of alloys a series of experiments were carried out in which the rates of propagation of the liquidus and the eutectic fronts were measured during essentially one-dimensional solidification of A1-Cu alloys. The A1-Cu system was chosen strictly as a matter of convenience. Three different alloys containing 0.1, 4.5, and 17 pct Cu were used in these experiments. For each alloy the rate of heat removal was varied to give the total freezing time in the range 3 to 30 min. The results of these measurements are compared with the predictions of the theoretical model of solidification of binary alloys, with time-dependent surface temperature.' Before the experiments described in this paper were undertaken, a serious attempt was made to utilize the measurements of previous investigators to test the theoretical model. In the course of this preliminary study a careful review was made of experiments of Pellini and coworkers3 and Doherty and Melf~rd.~ The measurements in Pellini's work were carried out using a steel containing at least four major components. Evaluation of the solid fraction-temperature relation for this steel (required in the theoretical model) is difficult and uncertain. Doherty and Melford, on the other hand, measured the solid fraction-temperature relation experimentally, but did not give sufficient data to explore the effects of composition and the cooling rates on solidification. Hence it was not possible to utilize these measurements to test our theoretical model. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD The experimental technique used in this investigation differs somewhat from the more conventional techniques employed in solidification studies. This technique was developed primarily to eliminate con-vective mixing in the molten metal caused by pouring of molten metal into the mold. In our experiments A1-Cu alloys were melted directly in the mold. The mold assembly used in solidification experiments is shown in Fig. 1. The mold was fabricated from *-in. stainless-steel sheet. The dimensions of

Jan 1, 1969

By C. B. Alcock, R. G. Hudson

Sulfur pressure measurements above FeS in equilibrium with iron have been carried out by the Knudsen orifice method. A comparison is made of the weight loss of the cell per unit time obtained in the above experiments, that calculated from Richardson and Alcock's measurements of the S2 pressure above FeS in equilibrium with iron, and the dissociation constant for diatomic sulfur from spectroscopic and thermal data. EXTENSIVE equilibrium measurements have been made to determine the sulfur potentials of a great many systems of metallurgical interest.' In order to confirm their reliability, to supply data which may be of use in further thermodynamic calculations, and to establish the reliability of the Knudsen orifice in obtaining accurate thermodynamic values at high temperatures, the present investigation on the pressure of the gaseous species above FeS in equilibrium with iron has been carried out. The Knudsen orifice method has been used for these pressure measurements. Experimental The apparatus and general technique for this investigation are the same as that reported for the determination of the vapor pressure of silver.' To reduce the residual gas pressure in the evacuated chamber, a titanium getter, maintained at run temperature, was introducbed. Several types of Knudsen cells were used—platinum, zircon, and fused silica. The orifice in the zircon cell was fashioned with a small diamond wheel. The same precautions were used in this investigation as were employed in the work on Mo2S2.3 The FeS-Fe mixture was prepared by heating a sample of pure FeS,, supplied by K. K. Kelley of the Bureau of Mines, with excess iron powder, cp grade, obtained from the Fisher Scientific Co. These two substances were heated in a closed Armco iron crucible at 960°C, held in a vacuum of less than 10" mm Hg for 24 hr. The mass was then removed from the cell and ground in an agate mortar. In this form it was charged to the various Knudsen cells. Heating the Knudsen cell for an additional two days was sufficient to obtain constant rates of weight loss of the cell. The data obtained in this investigation are recorded in Table I. To establish whether or not a sulfide of iron is volatile at these temperatures, 0.7646 g of the FeS-Fe mixture, described above and containing 69.2 pet Fe, was placed in the zircon Knudsen cell. Run Nos. 103 to 109 were performed on it. After the completion of these runs, the total amount of iron left in the cell was obtained by chemical analysis. It contained 0.537 g Fe, compared to 0.529 g in the original charge. Thus, there was an apparent gain in iron of 1.5 pet. This is attributed to unknown experimental error, and the conclusion is that no sulfide of iron is volatile. The vapor pressure of pure iron4 is about one thousandth that of the sulfur pressure' at these temperatures. The vapor pressure of iron inside the Knudsen cell will be almost exactly that of pure iron, since in the iron-rich phase the percentage of sulfur is of the order of 0.025 pet.At this low percentage of sulfur Henry's law is probably obeyed by the sulfur. Thus, the iron will obey Raoult's law. In any event, the vapor pressure of iron will be lower than that of pure iron and, since the vapor pressure of pure iron is negligible compared to the pressure of sulfur, the weight loss of the cell due to the vaporization of iron should be negligible. Since neither iron nor FeS is volatile to an appreciable extent, the total weight loss of the cell must be due to the vaporization of sulfur. Discussion and Calculations On the assumption that S, is the only gaseous species present in appreciable quantity, its pressure

Jan 1, 1957

Jan 1, 1911

THE Institute conducts jointly with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Institute of Electrical Engineers, certain activities as listed below, and is joint owner with them of certain properties situated at 29 West 39th Street in New York City.

Jan 1, 1946

By M. E. Fine

THE electrical conductivity (a) and the thermal conductivity (K) of metallic conductors, as demonstrated by Smith and Palmer1 and Hume-Rothery,2 are to a good approximation related by an empirical equation, K = A s T + B, in which T is the absolute temperature, and A and B are constants, the Lorenz constant and the lattice con- ductivity. Strictly speaking, the lattice conductivity is not a constant, but to some extent depends upon the electronic conductivity.3 By plotting K as a function of sT, this equation has been proved to a

Jan 1, 1951

By E. A. G. Colls

Discusses corrosion in Trail chemical plants producing ammonia, sulphuric, nitric and phosphoric acids, ammonium phosphates, sulphate and nitrate, together with miscellaneous allied material problems and their solution using erosion or corrosion proof materials. Conclusion, that for work of this nature, most costly material may well be cheapest in the long run.

Jan 4, 1950

By Alan J. Strauss

The Group IV elements germanium, tin, and lead form nine 1:1 compounds with the Group VI elements sulfur, selenium, and tellurium. This paper reviews the properties of the pseudobinary solid solutions formed by these compounds, including the extent of mutual solid solubility, temperature-composition phase diagrams, transport properties, deviations from stoichiometry, optical properties, and energy band structure. Particular emphasis is placed on the Pbl-xSnxTe and Pb1-xSn,Se alloys with rocksalt structure, because of current interest in these malerials for generating and detecting infrared ,radiation. ThE Group IV elements germanium, tin, and lead form nine 1:1 compounds with the Group VI elements sulfur, selenium, and tellurium. Some of the physical and electronic properties of these compounds, including their melting points1-8 and energy gaps,4'9-12 are listed in Table I. Four compounds (SnTe, PbS, PbSe, and PbTe) have the cubic rocksalt (Bl) structure. At room temperature GeTe has a rhombohedra1 structure closely related to the B1 structure, into which it is transformed at about 400°C. Four compounds (GeS, GeSe, SnS, and SnSe) have the orthorhombic B29 structure. In samples which have not been intentionally doped with impurities, the electrical conductivity is due primarily to electrons or holes produced by the ionization of donor or acceptor lattice defects associated with deviations from stoichiometry. Undoped samples of PbS, PbSe, and PbTe may be either n type or p type, depending on whether they contain excess lead or an excess of the Group VI element, respectively, but only p-type samples of the other compounds have been reported. This paper will review the properties of the pseudo-binary solid solutions formed by the nine 1:l compounds. The topics to be considered include the extent of mutual solid solubility, temperature-composition phase diagrams, transport properties, deviations from stoichiometry, optical properties, and band structure. Particular emphasis will be placed on the Pb]-xSnxTe and Pbl-xSnxSe alloys with B1 structure, which are promising materials for generating and detecting infrared radiation in the 8 to 14 µm atmospheric window and beyond. MUTUAL SOLID SOLUBILITY The extent of mutual solid solubility in the pseudo-binary systems has been investigated for fourteen of the eighteen ternary systems (in which the two terminal compounds have a common element) and for nine of the eighteen quaternary systems. In most cases, X-ray diffraction measurements made at room temperature were used to determine the structure and lattice parameter(s) of the phase(s) present in samples of various compositions prepared by freezing from the melt. In many investigations, including the extensive studies of Krebs and co-workers,13'14 the samples were annealed at elevated temperatures before X-ray measurements were made. In some cases, metallographic examination and thermal analysis have also been employed. The results for the ternary and quaternary systems are summarized in Tables II and III, respectively. (The original references should be consulted for the annealing temperatures.) The solubility of one compound in the other is at least 5 mol pct in all cases, and is often much larger. Complete solid solubility has been observed in all systems so far investigated in which the terminal compounds have the same structure, although in the PbS-PbTe system complete solubility is limited to elevated temperatures. Thus complete solid solubility occurs in five systems where both compounds have the B1 structure (SnTe-PbTe, PbS-PbSe, PbS-PbTe at temperatures above 805°C, PbSe-PbTe, and SnTe-PbSe) and in three where both compounds have the B29 structure (GeS-SnS. GeSe-~n~e-, and SnS-SnSe), as well as in two involving GeTe and a compound with B1 structure (GeTe-SnTe and GeTe-PbTe). On the basis of thermal analysis data, complete solid solubility at sufficiently high temperatures has also been reported for the GeSe-GeTe2 and SnS- pbS22 systems. This seems unlikely, however,

Jan 1, 1969

By E. E. White

I disagree with Mr. Brinsmade on serveral points, and I will discuss this remards under the same six topics which he has used.

Jan 1, 1915

By J. F. Stiehr, R. L. Sanford, T. L. Myers

This paper summarizes the development of a Directory of Computer Programs Applicable to US Mining Practices and Problems. The directory is funded by the US Bureau of Mines and includes a sampling of computer usage in operating and manufacturing companies, consulting firms, computer companies, research organizations, universities, and various US government agencies. General references to computer applications throughout the mining industry are discussed as well as the availability of programs to interested organizations or individuals.

Jan 9, 1979

By G. A. Wells

The consumption of barytes in certain paints, polyurethane foams, seamless flooring, glass, brake linings, plastisol gaskets for food containers, and in fluids used for gastrointestinal X-ray examinations relies on the unique properties of barium sulfate. There are no readily available mineral substitutes. Barytes are also the essential raw material for the manufacture of industrially important barium chemicals. High quality barite ore has become scarce throughout the world. Processing ore into quality end products is both capital and energy intensive. These factors have tended to limit availability and increase Prices which have encouraged the use of alternative or competitive materials and restricted market growth.

Jan 1, 1981

By Otis M. Clarke

The Eufaula bauxite-kaolin district in southeastern Alabama is an important source of raw material for the refractory industries in the United States. At the present time, five companies are mining and processing bauxite and kaolin from this district and a sixth company is holding substantial reserves. Mining operations are expanding, but finding new ore reserves is a major problem. The Geological Survey of Alabama sponsored geologic research in the Eufaula district to: (1) investigate the

Jan 1, 1973

By S. Stutz

Coal, like most other minerals, only exceptionally occurs in a sufficiently pare state to he directly available for general manufacturing purposes. And even where this is the case, the small coal or slack is usually more impure than the lump coal, as the slate, clay, etc., from the roof and bottom of the vein become mixed with it in the handling it undergoes. These impurities often exceed ten or more per cent. in addition to the impurities of the coal itself. The most common impurities of the coal are slate, or shale, clay, and sulphur. The latter occurs in different forms, but moat frequently as bisulphide of iron, or iron pyrites, and as sulphate of lime, or gypum. In both cases the impnrities add greatly to the amount of ash, and where they are present in considerable quantities the raw coal, and still more the coke made from it, is unfit for the manufacture of iron. Coke will coutain on an average at least fifty per cent. more ash and sulphur than the ram coal from which it is made. To the manufacturer of iron every additional per cent. of ash which his coal or coke contains is a source of additional expense, seemingly small, and yet very important in the aggregate. In the blast-furnace, for instance, the ash must be heated up to the melting-point, and, since it is composed largely of refractory substances, the consumption of carbon in melting it will be equal to at least one-half of its weight; that is, a certain part of tile coke is consumed for the melting and fluxing of the ash and is lost. Besides this, it is well enough known to the iron-master that coke containing lees ash makes the &lag or cinder more liquid and less incliner1 to stick to the walls of the furnace. Fuel containing much sulphur produces generally a white iron, poor in carbon, while from the same ore arrd flux, with a pure fuel, a good foundry iron might be obtained. The work of separating slate, sulphur, etd, from the coal has as yet only been successfully accomplished by the washing process. This process depends for its success on the differences in the specific

Jan 1, 1881

By S. W. Churchill

A digital computer was used to obtain an exact numerical solution for the transient behavior of the insulation and earth adjacent to an isothermal, submerged flat surface for a single set of parametric values. Comparison of the computed results with analytical solutions for limiting conditions revealed that a complete and general solution for all parametric values could be constructed from these limiting solutions. Complete and general solutions for insulated spheres and cylinders can also be constructed from limiting solutions. The procedure is illustrated in part for an insulated spherical tank. The heat flow was found to fall rapidly to a pseudo-steady state; after some time, it then decreased slowly to zero for a flat plate and cylinder, and to a low steady-state rate for a sphere. The accumulative heat flow during the initial falling-rate period may be a significant fraction of the heat flow during the entire first year. INTRODUCTION Underground storage of liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas has received considerable recent attention. The rate of heat flow from the earth to the storage cavity and the resulting temperature field in the earth are important factors in the technical and economic evaluation of such storage facilities. The objective of this paper is to indicate how complete solutions can be developed for the transient flux and temperature field for various geometrical configurations. The representative properties and dimensions, and the resulting parameters utilized in the illustrative results, are indicated in Table 1. The results presented herein are for dry earth. The effect of the latent heat of solidification of water in the soiI will be described in a subsequent paper. The temperature field in the insulation and earth is determined by energy balances, boundary conditions and initial conditions. The physical problem can be described mathematically with virtually no idealizations insofar as physical properties are known. It appears possible to solve the equations by numerical integration on a high-speed digital computer for any geometrical configuration and conditions. For complex situations, however, the computations are expensive and the results are highly specific. Analytical solutions have been developed for a few simple but important geometrical configurations and conditions, including one-dimensional heat transfer from (or to) earth at an initially uniform temperature to (or from) flat plates, spheres and circular cylinders. The solution for an insulated flat plate has also been derived but is in the form of a slowly converging series involving taklated functions. It was planned to use a computing machine to evaluate this series for a number of representative conditions. However, upon examination of the results of preliminary computations it was discovered that a complete, general and accurate solution could be developed by interpolation between several much simpler solutions for limiting conditions. This technique then was used to develop a a complete solution for an insulated sphere. The equations presented herein are derived in Carslaw and Jaegerl and other books on applied mathematics, or they are simple extensions of these previous results. Hence, all derivations are omitted. Emphasis is instead placed on the results and their

By I. Hawke, K. Barron

I. Hawkes (Postgraduate School in Mining, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England) — The photoelastic stressmeter is proving to be a very practical tool for 'in-situ' measurements in the fields of civil and mining engineering and Barron's article has therefore come at a very opportune time, supplementing as it does, the considerable amount of laboratory and field data which is being accumulated.1,2,3 There are however several points relating the application of Barron's conclusions to the practical use of the meter which require further elucidation. EASE OF READING If the photoelastic stressmeter is to have a wide application, the fringe orders must be easily measured. The system adopted by the writer and his colleagues at Sheffield for the uniaxial stress case is to read the fringe order at the 45 point, 0.20 in. from the center (11/4 in. diam meter). This procedure has been recommended because the fringes not at this point form a very distinct 'eye' which is obvious even to those who have had little experience with photoelastic fringe patterns. Barron points out that this point can also be used up to a stress ratio of 0.33 and in practice this is normally done. In biaxial fields above a ratio of 0.33 the 'eye' is no longer apparent and the fringe order must be ascertained at some other point. The writer and his colleagues experimented at various points and finally chose a point at a distance 0.175 in. (11/4 in. diam meter) on the minor stress axis and fixed this point on the meter by inserting a collar of this diameter. This procedure enables the 'eye' technique to be used for uniaxial stresses as the 'eye' falls outside the collar; any other technique for biaxial patterns would require lines to be engraved on the meter itself and reading difficulties would be experienced by all but the most highly trained. It is interesting to point out that in a great many field applications ranging from underground pillars to building foundation piles the stresses measured have been uniaxial. In such cases, reading the fringe order has been simple even for unskilled persons. SENSITIVITY The photoelastic stressmeter acts as an inclusion, and as such its theoretical behavior is as described by Barron's mathematical analysis. When considering its practical application, however, it must be remembered that rocks and concrete are not mathematically ideal substances. The theory relates the fringe order in the meter to the stresses and the E (Young's Modulus) and the µ (Poisson's Ratio) values of the surrounding material. There is of course no unique E or µ value for rocks or concrete. These values change both with stress level and time load application sometimes to the order of 300%. We at Sheffield have very accurately calibrated the photoelastic stressmeter in a wide range of materials and have also measured the average E values for these materials. The results prove that the meter sensitivity

Jan 1, 1965

By F. H. Buttner, E. R. Funk, H. Udin

A. P. Greenough (University College, swansea, Great Britain)—I have recently made some experiments on the deformation of silver wire at high temperature in an atmosphere of oxygen-free nitrogen. The observa-tions which 1 made confirm the main conclusion of this paper, that the most satisfactory mechanism so far suggested to explain the deformation which takes place

Jan 1, 1953

By Michael A. Toole, O&apos

INTRODUCTION The tremendous capital investment required to produce a low grade ore deposit demands a reliable answer to the question: "How much does it cost to drill a well to produce the uranium that geologists have indicated is there in the ground?" However, you will find the answers given will be many and varied, depending on whether they come from the operating company, the drilling contractor, a geologist, a reservoir engineer, purchasing agent, or whoever. Each generally considers only a limited area of the total operation. The operating company usually depends upon the drilling contractors, service companies, and consultants to supply expertise. Because it is often difficult to see the "whole picture" or even to agree upon what the "whole picture" is, planning a well program and its costs is often done piecemeal. Frequently, costs "saved" in one area of the program are needlessly spent in another, because the effect of one area upon the other was overlooked. Since the drilling fluid is such an influential part of the drilling program, it should be given utmost consideration when planning the overall program. As W. D. Lacabanne wrote in 1954: "The drilling fluid system is understandably called the heart of the rotary oil drilling rig. Any other type of rotary rig.... should benefit by the incorporation of mud fluids in the drilling scheme." And G. R. Gray mentions that "The driller recognizes the drilling fluid as one of the useful tools available to solve drilling problems." However, in minerals drilling, only in recent years has the drilling fluid been considered as more than a tool to get through special problem areas. Although there are many similarities between drilling for oil and gas and drilling for minerals, the differences in the drilling equipment used justifies designing specific fluids for the minerals drilling industry. NL Baroid/NL Industries, Inc. has been a leader in introducing such fluids and in providing technical know-how to the minerals drilling industry. The purpose of this paper is: (1) to discuss the selection of drilling fluids to meet specific drilling conditions during both exploration and production and (2) to show the interrelationship among factors present in the exploration and production phases that influence total well costs. DRILLING FLUIDS FOR DRILLING PROBLEMS The drilling fluid is a tool that can be used to improve drilling performance by improving hole cutting, cleaning, stability, and formation productivity. Properly formulated and maintained drilling fluids enable the drilling operation to be carried out with increased efficiency and lower total (overall) costs. However, it should be noted that not all drilling problems can be solved by even the most carefully prepared and maintained drilling fluids. Of the many possible drilling problems encountered in a well before reaching target depth, this paper will discuss only those most likely to be present in the shallow [61 to 610 m (200 to 2000 ft)] drilling operations in South Texas. LOST CIRCULATION Loss of circulation is the most common problem encountered in drilling. Because the losses occur under varied conditions, it is often difficult to determine the exact causes. "Lost circulation" or "lost returns" means the partial or complete loss of drilling fluid to voids in the formation. "Loss of water" while drilling with water may take place into any permeable section and should be distinguished from "water loss" or filtration of fluid through the filter cake of mud solids laid down on a permeable formation. "Loss of water" can frequently be stopped by the addition of colloidal sized clay particles such as high yield bentonites, whereas "water loss" may be controlled with organic polymers. Subsurface conditions that lead to loss of circulation can be classified as: (1) natural fractures, (2) induced fractures, (3) unconsolidated or highly permeable formations (loose gravel), and (4) cavernous formations (crevices and channels). Loss of circulation may occur whenever the borehole pressure exceeds the formation pressure. The greater the differential pressure, the more likely it is that circulation may be lost. To stop loss of whole mud, voids must be bridged so that a filter cake can be laid down on the permeable section. The plugging material must be of the proper size and shape to offer greater resistance to the fluid flow around it than the flow up the annulus. A plugging composition that satisfies these requirements may not be able to be handled by the small rig pump available.

Jan 1, 1979

By S. K. Tarby, A. E. Rathke

A series of 0.21 pci carbon steel melts was processed under conditions which sinzulated industrial vacuum degassing practices. The results indicated that the efliciency of carbon deoxidation was not significantly increased by vacuunz degassing at chamber pressures below 100 torr. The two common phenomena of vacuu?rz carbon deoxidation, i.e.,an unaccountable carbon loss and nonequilibrium deoxidation, were observed in this study. Oxygen from adsorbed and chenzically combined water of certain refractory structures was probably responsible for the unaccourttable carbon drop. The nonequzlibrium deoxida-tion phenomenon was adequalely correlated by a bubble nucleation )mechanism. Although the major limiting factor in oxygen removal from these melts contained in alumina crucibles could not be eslablished with certainty, there was some evidence that melt-refractory interactions were not the most imp-portant limiting factor. CONSIDERABLE attention has been given to the use of carbon in conjunction with vacuum degassing* as a deoxidation technique. An advantage of utilizing the reaction: for deoxidation purposes is that the reaction product is gaseous and hence can be effectively removed from the melt. The pressure dependency of Eq. [I] is illustrated by the expression for the thermodynamic equilibrium constant, K: where pco is the partial pressure of carbon monoxide, and hc and ho are, respectively, the Henrian activities of carbon and oxygen in molten steel. The thermodynamic aspects of the C-0 reaction in molten Fe-C-0 alloys have been investigated extensively. Theoretical predictions based on Eq. [2] indicate that, at the chamber pressures reached in most vacuum degassing units, carbon is the most effective deoxidizer that can be obtained. ~ornak' has compared industrial values of carbon and oxygen contents with values calculated from theory, and has shown that on a commercial basis vacuum carbon deoxidation has not achieved the degree of success that is predicted from theoretical considerations of the C-0 reaction. The use of industrial units to determine the reason for this deviation is limited by economics and the difficulty in controlling critical process variables. Therefore laboratory-sized experiments in this area should yield valuable information. Investigations on vacuum carbon deoxidation have been made in experiments conducted under vacuum induction melting conditions where pressures in the low micron range, long treatment times, exposure to highly dynamic vacuum conditions, and relatively quiescent bath conditions have been maintained. Inve~ti~ators~~~ utilizing vacuum induction melting for the production of high-purity iron by carbon deoxidation have concluded that, under high vacuum conditions, melt-refractory interactions constantly supply oxygen to the melt. Thus, it has been suggested that refractory dissociation rather than the C-0 reaction establishes the lowest possible oxygen content of a melt. Thomas and Moreau4 and Bennett, Protheroe, and ward5 have studied carbon deoxidation of Fe-C alloys melted in magnesia crucibles under reduced pressures. The results of both studies differed considerably from those predicted by theory, and the limiting factor for lower oxygen contents was attributed to melt-refractory interactions. Because the refractory material used in both investigations was magnesia, no quantitative measure of crucible reaction could be made and the amount of carbon consumed during treatment was utilized as an indirect indication of the extent of crucible reaction. Studies concerned with the determination of the minimum oxygen content attainable in pure iron and Fe-C alloy material vacuum-induction-melted in various crucible materials have also been conducted."' The suitability of a crucible refractory for use under vacuum conditions appears to depend upon the major refractory constituent, the amount and type of impurity oxides, and the composition of the melt. Meadowcroft and Elliott9 have presented a theoretical review of the type and extent of various refractory reactions which should be considered in vacuum refining. ~eadowcroft'~ considered the vacuum degassing process to be dependent upon the "carbon boil" and has proposed that a part of the difference between the experimental and theoretical results for vacuum carbon deoxidation may be explained by the fact that the pco term in Eq. [2] is not the chamber pressure. Instead, the pressure necessary for carbon monoxide

Jan 1, 1970

By Richard A. Sheppard

Zeolites-crystalline hydrated aluminosilicates of the alkalis and alkaline earths-are important rock-forming constituents in sedimentary rocks and are potentially valuable industrial minerals. They have a framework structure that encloses interconnected cavities occupied by the relatively large cations and water molecules. The cations, chiefly sodium, potassium, and calcium, and the water have considerable freedom of movement within the structure and give the zeolite their cation- exchange and reversible-dehydration properties. Some zeolites have essential contents of barium, strontium, or magnesium. The basic structure

Jan 1, 1975

By Lawrence Adler

For openings in bedded rocks, analyzed by simple beam theory, it has been shown that roof loads can be shifted from one support to another.' This transfer is effected by controlling the relative deflection of adjacent supports. If this action is used to reduce loads in the props or bolts and increase them in the ribs or pillars, it could be productive of economies averaging 30 pct. Such savings can be realized by: 1) using smaller artifical supports such as props and bolts, and 2) increasing loads in the rib to induce eventual failure for longwall caving. Since the rib is relatively load-insensitive, it provides a natural load sink. However, caution must be used in applying such permissive deflections, for while the supports are being handled properly, the stresses in the roof itself are very sensitive to such manipulations.'

Jan 5, 1960