Search Documents

By Cyril Smith

SEVERAL investigators, mainly concerned with the mechanical proper-ties of the alloys, have studied the so-called aluminum bronzes after various quenching and reheating treatments. Of these works, perhaps the most complete is that of Bouldoires,1 who studied changes of length, electrical conductivity, thermoelectric force, hardness and micro-structure oh tempering quenched alloys containing 5 to 20 per cent of aluminum, although the work of Carpenter and Edwards,2 Curry,3 Greenwood,4 Braesco,5 Matsuda;6,7 Grard8 and others has added much to our knowledge of the changes occurring during tempering. The so-called acicular ß decomposes on tempering at temperatures between 350° C. and the eutectoid, giving rise to a Widmanstätten structure of a needles in a matrix of d or fine a + d, associated with an increase in hardness and almost complete loss of ductility. Matsuda, studied the' eutectoid transformation by means of dilatation and electrical "conductivity measurements during cooling at different rates. He found that on cooling at the rate of 10° C. per minute there was a decrease in electrical resistance and in length instead of the usual increase which occurred with slow rates of cooling. On tempering the rapidly cooled samples, the increase commenced at about 400° C. and at 520° C. the resistance and length had reached the equilibrium values. These peculiarities he accounted for as being due to a transitional phase ß' being formed, ß having an electrical resistance and volume less than either ß or a + d.

Jan 1, 1933

By Selma Hermann

For the past century, the so-called aluminum bronzes have been assuming a role of ever-increasing importance in the metallurgical field. The last quarter of that century has marked many efforts to find alloying elements that would alleviate some of the undesirable qualities of the aluminum bronzes-for example, the heterogeneity of the alpha solid solution and the extreme hardness of the beta. Much of this work, however, has been rather haphazard-compositions and heat treatment are usually so much at variance as to make comparison impossible. It is the object of this research to study the effect of certain percentages of common alloying elements on aluminum bronzes of analogous compositions and heat treatments. It is hoped that the material gathered here will at least serve as a basis for further systematic study.

Jan 1, 1930

By C. W. Hill, G. P. Luckey

In a previous article1 preliminary experiments were described, indicating the possibilities of a quantitative spectroscopic method for the determination of small amounts of lead in copper, which would be accurate and rapid, and could be carried out in the refining plant by one not skilled in chemical analysis. The present paper deals with the development of the method in the factory, giving the details of apparatus and its standardization, and presenting a comparison of the accuracy of the method with that of the standard electrolytic determination. (For variations and other applications of the method, the reader is referred to the first article.) A carefully weighed sample (0.4 gm.) of the copper to be tested is placed in a cavity in a graphite positive electrode. An arc capable of

Jan 1, 1919

TWO recent developments in open hearth steelmaking have had a substantial impact on metallurgical practices and operating procedures. These are: (1) the use of oxygen roof lances for accelerating the refining reactions, and (2) the use of a spring-arch, basic roof for prolonging the life of the furnace. Although these practices can be used separately, they are generally used to complement each other in an effort to obtain minimum heat time consistent with an acceptable rate of wear of the refractory roof, walls and port ends. DECARBONIZATION BY OXYGEN INJECTION The use of oxygen to speed carbon elimination was perceived by Sir Henry Bessmer but its practical use in steelmaking could not be realized until processes were developed for the manufacture of low cost, tonnage oxygen. However, as early as 1922 Bigge1 obtained a patent covering the use of gaseous oxygen to speed decarbonization of a molten steel bath. At that time, oxygen was available only in bottles and at a cost of $240 per net ton. At the end of World War II the price of oxygen had dropped to $80 per net ton, and as a result, metallurgical oxygen (99.5 per cent began to come into widespread experimental use for decarbonization in open hearth and electric furnace shops.2-8 Even this price prevented oxygen's routine use for other than decarbonizing the bath in shops producing substantial quantities of steels containing less than 0.40 per cent carbon. Today, tonnage metallurgical oxygen can be manufactured for less than $15 per net ton, and commercial purity oxygen (95 per cent is reported to cost less than $5 per ton. Thus, it is not at all surprising to find many open hearth shops effectively using large quantities of oxygen to accelerate decarbonization. Equipment for Oxygen Injection. The oxygen may be injected by a lance pipe inserted through the wicket hole and pushed several inches into the steel bath, or by a water-cooled jet inserted through the back- wall, endwall, or roof, and immersed in the slag or set just a few inches above the slag. Oxygen at approximately 100 psi is piped directly to control stations adjacent to each furnace. The installations should include adequate safety devices such as fire checks and emergency valves,

Jan 1, 1964

By Nicasio del Castillo

INTRODUCTION The tax structure of foreign mining investment into the United States has a significant impact on the financing and the profitability of the operation. For these reasons, it is critical for the foreign investor to develop and implement a well planned tax strategy that will enable its venture to: (1) reduce its U.S. income tax liability (2) lower U.S. withholding taxes when funds are transferred from the United States, and (3) decrease or defer home country taxation on its U.S. earnings ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF INVESTMENT A threshold business and tax consideration is the form in which the investment is to be made. The most common alternatives include: forming or acquiring a U.S. mining corporation, directly establishing a branch mining operation, or entering into a joint venture or partnership with a U.S. mining company. U.S. Corporations The most common structure through which foreign mining companies engage in business in the United States is to form a U.S. mining corporation. Forming a U.S. Corporation. If the investor decides to establish a new U.S. corporation the organization is relatively simple. No distinctions are made in the United States between "public" and "private" forms of incorporation. Minimum share capital is not usually required and share capital may consist of shares with no par value. Since corporate law is the responsibility of the individual states, the foreign investor must choose a state in which to incorporate. If appreciated mining property is transferred to a corporation solely in exchange for stock or securities in that corporation, and the transferors have control of the corporation (defined as at least 80 percent of all voting shares and at least 80 percent of all other shares) immediately after the exchange, no gain or loss will be recognized. However, if the transferors receive cash or other mining properties in addition to stock, any resulting gain may, in certain situations, be taxed to the extent of the cash and the fair market value of other property received. Acquiring an Existing U.S. Corporation. Acquiring an existing U.S. mining corporation is not as straight-forward as forming a corporation. This alternative may be accomplished through either a stock or an asset acquisition. Generally, with a stock acquisition the purchaser inherits all of the business and tax attributes of the former mining corporation. If the investor is able to acquire mining assets, however, the purchaser will usually be able to avoid any unknown or hidden liabilities that could be attached to an existing corporation. Another principal advantage in acquiring assets is that the purchase price may be directly allocated to the acquired mines or other mineral-related assets with the result that the assets' depreciable base may be increased. Assuming the domestic seller and the foreign purchaser can agree, it is generally advisable to allocate the purchase price in the sales agreement to specific individual assets. From the foreign investor's standpoint, it is preferable to allocate the purchase price to depreciable assets such as buildings and equipment versus an allocation to mineral land holdings or intangibles such as goodwill, which are generally not depreciable. It is not uncommon, however, for a seller mining company being acquired to insist for tax reasons that the investor purchase shares rather than assets. If the foreign

Jan 1, 1985

By W. G. Matteson

THE origin of the salt domes of the Gulf coastal plain has been investigated by many of the most able geologists, but the problem cannot be said to have been satisfactorily solved. Since 1860, numerous theories have been presented, only to be discarded, at least in part, as more complete information revealed their fundamental weakness. Real progress toward solution dates from 1902, when Hill' advanced the theory of secondary deposition of the domal materials from saturated solutions of hot saline waters ascending from great depths under hydrostatic head along structural lines of weakness. Shortly thereafter, Harris,2 using Hill's hypothesis as a basis, explained the doming and pronounced uplift associated with these salt cores as the result of forces exerted by growing salt crystals. This was a marked advance over the ideas of Coste3 and Hager,4 since no. evidence of igneous intrusives, as they assumed to explain the uplifts, had been found associated with the domes. Harris5 developed his theory until it offered such apparently plausible explanations of so many details of dome phenomena that his hypothesis and conclusions received widespread acceptance, despite some serious objections, and today his theory, somewhat modified, is considered by many able investigators to be the best explanation of, the origin of these domes. The immense production of oil per acre, the recognition of the high lubricating quality of the oil, the development and recognition of the efficiency and advantages of oil-burning vessels, with the, subsequent

Jan 2, 1921

By H. M. St. John

Like every present-day manufacturer, the brass foundryman is faced with the necessity of reducing the cost of his finished product without impairing its appearance or quality. He must use every economy that the progress of art and science puts at his disposal and should also be alert to profit by any peculiarity in his own situation or the nature of his product that may give him an exceptional advantage. Much can be accomplished by the adoption of labor-saving equipment and improved methods of melting, molding and handling. Control of pouring temperature, study of defective castings and their causes, laboratory control of molding sand and core mixtures, the use of less expensive alloys, all contribute to the desired end. Assuming that the composition of the alloy is already as inexpensive as the character of the casting will permit, still further savings can be made by the intelligent purchase and utilization of the metals needed to produce the desired analysis. Functions of Secondary and Virgin Metals in Casting Brass It is no longer a general assumption among foundrymen that quality castings must be made from an "all virgin" mix. If suitable secondary metals can be obtained more cheaply it is wasteful to use any larger proportion of virgin metal than is required to produce castings of the desired properties. To follow such a course, however, imposes upon the foundryman a heavier obligation than was formerly the case, to make sure by test and inspection that his castings really are of the desired quality. So long as he used the most expensive grades of metal and his melting practice was reasonably correct he was not obliged to give much thought to the quality of the metal in the castings. If he is to use secondary metals he must, in order to retain the confidence of his customer, examine these metals very carefully before use, exercise scrupulous control over his melting and pouring conditions and examine his castings closely. These statements apply more particularly to the jobbing foundry. The foundry department in a manufacturing plant is in a somewhat

Jan 1, 1930

By J. D. Sudbury, J. E. Landers, D. A. Shock

The external corrosion of casing is one of the most important problems facing the present day production man. A 1953 NACE report' estimated the annual cost of casing corrosion at $2,200,000 in 22 fields studied. The fields represented only 10 per cent of the wells in the United States. It was significant that 77 per cent of the failures reported were due to external corrosion. A variety of means for combatting the casing corrosion problem have been discussed in papers such as the NACE survey' mentioned previously. No attempt to revicw these will be made in this paper. Thc scope of this paper has been limited to a discussion of the following major items: (I) an instrument for studying external electrolytic corrosion; (2) use of this instrument to determine the quantity of protective current required to prevent corrosion of casing; and (3) problem of accelerated external corrosion of the oil string at the base of the surface string. ELECTROCHEMICAL MECHANISM OF CORROSION It IS gcncrally belleved that one major cause of external corrosion is the existence of electrolytic cells operating between various formation waters. A theoretical discussion of the role of earth potentials in casing corrosion has been presented by L. de Witte and F. J. Radd.2 A brief picture of the electrolytic corrosion action between two differcnt formations (A and B) is presented in Fig. I. This picture is a review to many but is given to insure clarity. In the anode area, oxidation takes place as iron ions go into solution in formation A as a product of corrosion. In the cathode area. reduction takes place and hydrogen atoms are formed at the boundary between the pipe and formation B. The flow of electrons. as indicated. is into the pipe at the anode or corroding area and out of the pipe into the formation at the cathode. In order to conform with regulations of this journal, the flow of a conventional current (I! is also indicated in this sketch. All subsequent references will be to this so-called conventional current flow and will be indicated by the symbol (I). As this action takes place the layer of hydrogen developed on the cathode offers a resistance to the flow of current in the cell. It is said (hat the cathode has been polarized. This polarizing film can be rcmoved by addition of a so-called dcpolarizing agent which reacts with and removes this hydrogen film. Such an agent must be present in ordcr for this corrosion reaction to go at a rate sufficient to cause a severe corrosion problem. The two common depolarizing agents are: (I) oxy-sen. which readily reacts with hydro gen to form water, and (2) certain bacteria which use atomic hydrogen as part of their life process. It is not difficult to explain the presence of these agents. Oxygen may be present in some very shallow formations. Sulfate reducing bacteria are found to exist in nearly any ground where mud pits might be dug. THE CASING POTENTIAl-PROFILE Instrumentation A sketch of the equipment* uscd in determining casing potential profiles is shown in Fig. 2. The tool is run in the hole using a hoist truck with a three-conductor cable. This tool must be run with tubing and rods out of the hole and should be run with the flow line disconnected. By proper choice of electrode size it can be run in any size casing. The electrodes must be run in an open hole or a hole filled with oil. Measurements cannot be made while immersed in water. The tungsten carbide-tipped knives serve as the electrical robes and arc spaced 25 ft apart. The potential difference along a 25-ft section of casing is measured with a potentinmeter to an accuracy of about 5 mv. Current flowing in the pipe can then

Jan 1, 1956

By D. B. Jugle, J. B. Darby

The equilibrium solubility limits of the transition elements Ti, V, Cr, Fe, and Co in liquid tin were determined in the temperature range from 827" to 1211°K. Since the equilibrium concentration of Ti, V, or Cr in liquid tin is moderately dilute in the temperature range investigated, the solubility data were employed to estimate the partial molar enthalpy and the partial molar excess entropy of solution for the three solutes in liquid tin. The reference state s for titanium or vanadium were selected relative to the solute in an intermetallic compound. The thermodynamic quantities for chromium were calculated relative to pure chromium. RECENT experiments1 have shown that the rate of solution of several transition elements in liquid aluminum can be qualitatively predicted from a knowledge of the temperature dependence of the solvent-rich liquidus. In order to extend the analysis to binary tin systems,' it was necessary to know the equilibrium solubility of several of the first-long-period transition elements in liquid tin. Since solubility data for the tin-rich portion of binary systems are meager, the present investigation was undertaken to determine the equilibrium solubility limit of Ti, V, Cr, Fe, and Co in liquid tin in the temperature range from 850" to 1200°K. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE A useful technique3 to determine the equilibrium solubility of a solute in a liquid-metal solvent consists essentially of placing a pure solute in contact with a pure solvent and allowing sufficient time for equilibrium to be attained at the temperature of interest. Subsequently, the solvent is removed and the equilibrium solute concentration in the solvent is determined by an appropriate analytical procedure. The technique can be applied very successfully to relatively simple systems such as the copper-germanium system.3 However, in many binary systems of transition elements with tin, several intermediate phases are known to exist and precipitation of the phases from solution, in solubility experiments, can lead to an erroneously large solubility. The difficulty was avoided in the present work by equilibration of the most solvent-rich intermediate phase with the pure solvent over a range of temperatures. The compounds employed in this investigation, and the temperature range over which each compound is in equilibrium with liquid tin are listed in Table I. No stable intermediate phases are reported in the chromium-tin system4 and, therefore, pure chromium was utilized as the solute. The stoichiometric compounds were prepared by arc-melting on a water-cooled copper hearth in a helium-argon atmosphere. The elemental tin employed in.this investigation was 99.998 pct pure, and typical lot analyses of the transition elements were reported elsewhere.' A sample of an appropriate solute, in the form of a button and in sufficient quantity to exceed the equilibrium solubility, and the pure tin solvent were placed in a high-purity recrystallized-alumina crucible. The crucible and contents were placed in a horizontal furnace under a high vacuum (10-6 torr) and held at temperature for periods varying between 24 and 72 hr. A water-cooled quench tank, partially filled with diffusion-pump oil, was attached close to one end of the

Jan 1, 1970

By Henry J. Welge

The approximate methods which are now in use for calculating oil displacement from reservoirs by gas-cycling or gravity-drainage at constant gas pressure, or by water flooding, make use of fundamental relationships derived by Leverett' and Buckley and Leverett.2 The mathematical equations needed are derived by applying Darcy's law to the flowing phases, and by material balance considerations. ln general, any treatment of this type gives. for any particular exploitation time considered, a plot of oil saturation against distance in the reser-voir. The oil recovery must then be obtained by integrating in some manner the area under the plot. A useful analytical method has been derived for computing the average saturation, and hence the oil recovery. Use of this method simplifies the calculations because it makes unnecessary any numerical integrations. and even the saturation distribution plots are not needed. A further advantage of the method is that knowledge of the relative permeabilities is required only for a limited and intermediate saturation range. In both the Buckley and Leverett method and the method discussed here, a linear sand section is assumed, and in the case of gas drive the gas pressure is assumed sufficiently constant both with respect to reservoir position and time so that changes in gas density. solubility, or reservoir volume factor are negligiklle. Thus, the exploitation contemplates oil displacement as by an immiscible phase. Examples are given to illustrate how the new method can be used. INTRODUCTION AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND This paper treats a simplified method for computing oil recovery when the oil is displaced, from the reservoir sand by a fluid which, within the limits of accuracy desired, can be assumed to be incompressible and immiscible with the oil. The method makes use of two basic relations originally developed for the case of water displacing oil. However, the case of gas displacing oil saturated with gas at a constant (or nearly constant) pressure may also be considered a displacement by an immiscible fluid. This is possible for the reason that the concentration of the gas in the oil never changes if tile pressure is fixed. consequently, any additional free gas must remain undissolved in the oil, and so must act essentially as an immiscible phase. For convenience, the cape of gas drive will be considered first. Both of the two basic relations needed refer to a linear reservoir, or one which may be somewhat idealized so that a constant cross-section is exposed to fluid flow. Further, the displacing phase is injected at one end, or face; of the reservoir, while the produced fluids are understood to emerge at one point only. which is the opposite face of the reservoir. As indicated in Fig. 1, the reservoir may he inclined by some angle 8. The first of the required equations may be derived by applying Darcy's law to both displacing and displaced phases, and subtracting the two equations. The result for water drive has been given previously, as Equation (13) of the reference by

Jan 1, 1952

By C. F. Tolman

In February 1913, Prof. L. C. Graton and Dr. Joseph Murdochl presented to the American Institute of Mining Engineers a notable contribution to economic geology under the title The Sulphide Ores of Copper. The value of the work was recognized by mine operators, and Mr. Graton was assisted in his plan to extend his investigations, by the organization of a commission to undertake a "secondary enrichment investigation." In this work he secured the cooperation of the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The report2 on the chemical phascs of the investigation has just been published. Incidental to investigations3 carried on in our laboratory of Economic

Jan 1, 1916

By Frederic Benard

THIS paper constitutes a preliminary report on experimental work done to date on the anode-furnace treatment of blister copper containing relatively high percentages of nickel. The investigation has not been completed but results obtained to date are considered of sufficient interest to warrant publication. Blister copper treated by the Ontario Refining Co. originates from the Copper Cliff smelter of The International Nickel Company of Canada, of which the former is a wholly-owned subsidiary. The blister as received contains from 0.50 to 1.50 per cent Ni, and in this respect differs from that treated by other refineries on this continent. During the anode-furnace treatment, only a portion of the nickel content is removed, and of the amount remaining in the anodes a varying percentage is found in the anode slimes. This necessitates a more extensive treatment than ordinary nickel-free material. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat roasting and leaching operations several times before the nickel content is low enough to permit the slimes to proceed to the doré furnace. This, besides increasing treatment charges, causes greater selenium stack losses and involves a longer tie-up of precious-metal values. Therefore this investigation was undertaken with the aim of determining the factors influencing the diversion of nickel into the anode sludge. From experience it was known that by keeping the nickel content of anodes at 0.55 to 0.60 per cent maximum a relatively satisfactory slime resulted. One avenue of attack therefore was developing improved elimination in the anode-furnace treatment so that the anode content mentioned above was not exceeded. Another angle was to improve the solubility, during electrolysis, of the nickel constituent in the anodes, thus decreasing the percentage diverted to slimes. It may be mentioned here that nickel dissolving electrochemically and entering the electolyte presents no difficulty from a treatment standpoint. Both of these approaches were studied and are discussed separately below.

Jan 1, 1938

By L. S. Darken

The manufacture and treatment of metals comprises operations whose effectiveness depends in large measure upon diffusion phenomena. The significance of such phenomena has, for a few simple cases, long been understood, but in more complex cases it has not been adequately recognized. This paper presents a mathematical analysis of some of the cases in which diffusion leads to the formation of a new phase within the metal, and this analysis provides a basis for interpreting quantitatively many apparently diverse experimental observations recorded in the literature, some of which are outlined in the following pages. OBservt1ons Recorded in Literature An outstanding instance is the general type of phenomenon in which diffusion of an element into an alloy is followed by a phase change, which most frequently is a reaction (precipitation) of the diffusing element with one or more components of the alloy to form a compound. Thus in certain alloys heated in contact with oxygen not only the usual oxide scale appears but, in addition, beneath the surface, a well-defined zone in which free oxide particles are dispersed with notabIe uniformity. This zone, commonly referred to as the subscale or zone of internal oxidation, is remarkable in that the visible boundary between it and the unaltered metal is usually sharp. Such a subscale, which appears to have been recognized first in oxidized copper alloys, has been described and studied by C. S. Smith,l by Rhines,2 and by Rhines, Johnson and Anderson;3 but it appears also in other alloys when they are exposed to conditions that bring about the precipitation of some compound, not necessarily an oxide. Another clear case of this same kind is the diffusion of carbon into a steel containing an element such as molybdenum, chromium, vanadium or tungsten, whose carbide is less soluble in iron than iron carbide, the result being that some part of that element is precipitated as a dispersed carbide. A similar phenomenon may occur on the welding of two alloys each of which contains one of a pair of elements that react to form a compound or a new phase of any sort. But in addition to the precipitation of a compound formed from the diffusing element, other effects may result merely from the presence of the diffusing element. For instance, if homogeneous austenite, nearly saturated with respect to carbon, is heated in contact with silicon in the absence of oxygen, one would expect to find, behind the several iron-silicon phases analogous to a scale, a zone of austenite containing dispersed carbide, because of the fact that silicon decreases the solubility of carbon in iron. As still another example, oxidation of an alloy may result in diffusion toward the surface of one or more of the constituents; for instance, during oxidation of a steel containing an element such as "copper, which is less prone to oxidation than iron, there is a notable enrichment of copper just beneath the scale-metal interface. AS an example of a yet more

Jan 1, 1942

By L. S. Darken

The manufacture and treatment of metals comprises operations whose effectiveness depends in large measure upon diffusion phenomena. The significance of such phenomena has, for a few simple cases, long been understood, but in more complex cases it has not been adequately recognized. This paper presents a mathematical analysis of some of the cases in which diffusion leads to the formation of a new phase within the metal, and this analysis provides a basis for interpreting quantitatively many apparently diverse experimental observations recorded in the literature, some of which are outlined in the following pages. OBservt1ons Recorded in Literature An outstanding instance is the general type of phenomenon in which diffusion of an element into an alloy is followed by a phase change, which most frequently is a reaction (precipitation) of the diffusing element with one or more components of the alloy to form a compound. Thus in certain alloys heated in contact with oxygen not only the usual oxide scale appears but, in addition, beneath the surface, a well-defined zone in which free oxide particles are dispersed with notabIe uniformity. This zone, commonly referred to as the subscale or zone of internal oxidation, is remarkable in that the visible boundary between it and the unaltered metal is usually sharp. Such a subscale, which appears to have been recognized first in oxidized copper alloys, has been described and studied by C. S. Smith,l by Rhines,2 and by Rhines, Johnson and Anderson;3 but it appears also in other alloys when they are exposed to conditions that bring about the precipitation of some compound, not necessarily an oxide. Another clear case of this same kind is the diffusion of carbon into a steel containing an element such as molybdenum, chromium, vanadium or tungsten, whose carbide is less soluble in iron than iron carbide, the result being that some part of that element is precipitated as a dispersed carbide. A similar phenomenon may occur on the welding of two alloys each of which contains one of a pair of elements that react to form a compound or a new phase of any sort. But in addition to the precipitation of a compound formed from the diffusing element, other effects may result merely from the presence of the diffusing element. For instance, if homogeneous austenite, nearly saturated with respect to carbon, is heated in contact with silicon in the absence of oxygen, one would expect to find, behind the several iron-silicon phases analogous to a scale, a zone of austenite containing dispersed carbide, because of the fact that silicon decreases the solubility of carbon in iron. As still another example, oxidation of an alloy may result in diffusion toward the surface of one or more of the constituents; for instance, during oxidation of a steel containing an element such as "copper, which is less prone to oxidation than iron, there is a notable enrichment of copper just beneath the scale-metal interface. AS an example of a yet more

Jan 1, 1942

By H. H. Rachford, D. W. Peaceman

A system of partial differential equations describing miscible displacement of fluids in porous media is derived The system takes into account the influence of gravity, the spatial distribution of permeability, diffusion, and fluid viscosities and densities. A numerical procedure for approximating solutions to the differential systems has been tested for a horizontal two-dimensional geometry. In end-to-end displacements of oil with less-viscous solvents, the numerical solutions exhibited fingering qualitatively similar to that observed in laboratory models. Small random spatial variations in permeability about the mean value are sufficient to initiate fingering. Quantitative comparisons of computed results with laboratory data show good agreement. INTRODUCTION Miscible flooding of oil by solvent is receiving increasing consideration for field use.1-4 Unfortunately, such floods potentially present severe problems in loss of recovery through the by-passing of oil by expensive solvent. Consequently, their economic evaluation requires sound techniques for predicting recovery. The purposes of this work are to present a finite-difference method for calculating the multidimensional displacement of oil by solvent and to investigate the validity of the method by comparing results of calculations with data from displacements in laboratory models.5 The formulation of the method to simulate the model experiments treats a case of limited scope in the description of solvent flooding in the reservoir. The model experiments were carried out with fluids that were assumed to form an incompressible, ideal, two-component system with constant diffusivity. Establishing the validity of the method even in its present form provides a major step toward the goal of quantitatively evaluating individual solvent flooding projects. First, it demonstrates the fea- sibility of calculating the course of displacements which are dominated by an inherent macroscopic instability, i.e., viscous fingering. In addition, the method provides almost the only practical means of examining the effect of the size and extent of reservoir inhomogeneities on the development and propagation of the fingers, taking into account the important influences of diffusion and gravitational segregation. It might be inferred that such studies cannot yield results of practical value because in displacements dominated by macroscopic instability the pattern of finger development and the resulting performance should depend critically on small variations in the geometric distribution of reservoir inhomogeneities. The present method offers the capability inherent in computational techniques of predicting performance reproducibly with any arbitrary distribution of reservoir properties and, as such, provides a means of evaluating the sensitivity of behavior to uncertainties in reservoir definition and, thus, assessing the reliability of prediction of performance. THE PHYSICAL PROBLEM DATA USED FOR QUANTITATIVE TESTS OF CALCULATIONS In this work, a calculation for treating the miscible-displacement process is tested by comparing calculated results with experimental data. The experiments chosen for comparison have been described in detail,5 and the quantitative features are summarized in a later section. Briefly, oil was flooded by solvent of equal density from a thin rectangular channel in Lucite packed with uniform Ottawa sand. Under these conditions, two-dimensional geometry is considered adequate to represent the process. Inasmuch as the present work is concerned with testing of the method by comparison with specific two-dimensional data, the system of equations presented in the succeeding section will be oriented to defining the physical system specifically. THE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS Suppose x, y to be a Cartesian co-ordinate system and define h(x, y) to be the height of a point above a horizontal reference plane. It will be assumed

By C. Gutiérrez

Flotation and adsorption studies of ilmenite with technical oleic acid, pure oleic acid, and mixtures of each of them with n-hexadecane have been conducted. From them it is concluded that the depression of ilmenite caused by a too long conditioning time is due to adsorption of the collector onto the fines produced by attrition in the conditioning cell, and that fuel oil is necessary for economic flotation of non-deslimed ilmenite ore. This beneficial effect of fuel oil is attributed to van der Waals forces, of the hydro-carbon chains.

Jan 1, 1978

By E. R. Parker, E. A. Smith

Metallurgists and engineers have always been interested in the mechanism of high-speed deformation because metals are rapidly deformed in various applica-tions and manufacturing processes. The deformation of metals by impact loads has recently engaged the attention of a number of investigators. Many of their results have not been disclosed but some of the published investigations1-8 have shown that the tensile strength, yield strength and elongation generally increase with increasing strain rate. The investigation reported herein is an attempt to determine the reason for this increase in strength and elongation. found to depend upon the strain rate. In the bars broken at high speeds, the slip bands appear to be more numerous. This might account for the higher strength as well as the greater elongation. Experimental Procedure Single crystals of copper (approximately 99.98 per cent) were made in graphite molds by the conventional method of lowering the mold out of the hot zone of a hydrogen furnace at a rate of one inch per hour. Solidification progressed from the bottom upward, forming a single crystal. The crystals were about 0.30 in. in diameter and 4 in. long. They were

Jan 1, 1944

By C. H. Jr. Herty

THE removal of sulfur from steel has been studied by many investigators, but the quantitative relationships between the factors involved have not been determined. This is undoubtedly due to the number of variables encountered in practice, an attempt to study any one reaction or relation being affected by other reactions the relative importance of which cannot be estimated. The factors that affect the extent of removal of sulfur in the basic open-hearth process are generally considered to be: 1. Basicity of the slag: (a) Iron oxides in the slag; (b) carbon in the metal, or carbide in the slag; (c) temperature. These factors affect the reactions: FeS + CaO = CaS + FeO FeS + CaO + C = CaS + CO + Fe. 2. Amount of sulfur in the gas. 3. Amount of manganese in the metal. The factors which affect the rate of removal of sulfur include, in addition to these 4. Fluidity of the slag: (a) Normal changes in fluidity with temperature; (b) changes in fluidity because of the addition of special reagents such as fluorspar. 5. Agitation of the bath.

Jan 3, 1925

By E. A. Smith, E. R. Parker

Metallurgists and engineers have always been interested in the mechanism of high-speed deformation because metals are rapidly deformed in various applica-tions and manufacturing processes. The deformation of metals by impact loads has recently engaged the attention of a number of investigators. Many of their results have not been disclosed but some of the published investigations1-8 have shown that the tensile strength, yield strength and elongation generally increase with increasing strain rate. The investigation reported herein is an attempt to determine the reason for this increase in strength and elongation. found to depend upon the strain rate. In the bars broken at high speeds, the slip bands appear to be more numerous. This might account for the higher strength as well as the greater elongation. Experimental Procedure Single crystals of copper (approximately 99.98 per cent) were made in graphite molds by the conventional method of lowering the mold out of the hot zone of a hydrogen furnace at a rate of one inch per hour. Solidification progressed from the bottom upward, forming a single crystal. The crystals were about 0.30 in. in diameter and 4 in. long. They were

Jan 1, 1944

By Reuben B. Ellestad, Fremont F. Clarke

In the early days of the lithium industry most of the production was from lepidolite, zinnwaldite, and amblygonite. Nearly all the early extraction processes described in the literature involve heating the finely ground mineral with sulphuric or hydrochloric acid. On subsequent water leaching most of the bases present in the mineral (especially aluminum) are dissolved as sulphates. As a result, the leach solution required extensive chemical purification before the lithium could be precipitated as carbonate. Following the remarkable growth of the lithium industry to its present size, zinnwaldite and amblygonite ores must be considered of minor importance only. Attention is now focused on spodumene, abundant enough in North America to be a major source of supply, and there are important supplies of lepidolite and petalite in Africa. The extraction processes described below all apply to spodumene, although several will also operate on other lithium minerals, such as petalite. Base Exchange with Alkali Sulphates: A distinct advance was made with the disclosures of Wadman and von Girsewalt. In these methods the finely ground silicate ore (spodumene or lepidolite) is intimately mixed with an excess of alkali sulphate (usually K2S04) in at least a 1 to 1 proportion, and the mixture was heated to a relatively high temperature. Base exchange results, with the formation of lithium sulphate. A water leach dissolves the lithium sulphate, together with the excess potassium sulphate. Successful operation of this type of process requires very thorough grinding and mixing, as well as careful temperature control. The use of K,SO, is objectionable from cost considerations since purification of lithium carbonate re- quires the use of potassium carbonate, if the K2S04 is to be recovered and recycled. The lower solubility of K,SO, as compared with Na,SO, is also objectionable, since it limits the concentration of the Li,SO, solution to be precipitated by K,CO,. Early laboratory-scale investigation of this process by Lithium Corp. was not encouraging

Nov 1, 1955