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By B. M. Larsen, L. S. Darken

SOME years ago we collated all laboratory data then available to us on the distribution at equilibrium of manganese and of sulphur between metal and simple slags, and used the results in setting up an equation, which proved to be in accord with determinations of the distribution ratio of manganese and of sulphur between liquid steel and open-hearth slag, over a wide range of operating conditions. We now present an outline of our calculations and inferences on these two closely related questions, which are of especial importance because of the advisability of conserving manganese wherever possible. In general. our results show that in the open-hearth furnace equilibrium between metal and slag, with respect to both manganese and sulphur, is substantially attained during the finishing period of the heat, or in about a half hour to an hour after any additions were made. This implies that the end result will be identical whether manganese is added as alloy or metal to the liquid steel or as oxide to the slag. The proportion of total manganese retained by the steel is favored: (I) by use of the minimum amount of lime, consistent with other operating limitations, required to give a lime-silica ratio of about 2.4, which usually corresponds to a minimum practical slag volume; (2) by a high concentration in the slag of MnO relative to FeO; (3) by high operating temperature. Absorption of sulphur by the slag from the liquid metal is favored: (I) by large slag volume; (2-by a high concentration of active (or "free") lime and of manganese oxide dis) solved in the slag; (3) by low concentration of silica, iron oxide, and phosphate dissolved in the slag. DISTRIBUTION OF MANGANESE BETWEEN SLAG AND METAL AT EQUILIBRIUM On the basis that the distribution of manganese between liquid steel and slag is controlled by the reaction [FeO + Mn ;7± MnO + Fe [A] slag metal slag metal] the distribution at equilibrium, at a given temperature, is expressed by the equilibrium constant for this reaction, which is defined as [K" aFPI OFeO ? aMn] where a is the activity of the molecular species denoted by the subscript. The activity of each of the several components, although it is not known precisely, is approximately equal to the concentration of each component expressed as its mol fraction; that is, as the ratio of the number of mols of the given component to the total number of mols of all the molecular species present in the metal or slag, as the case may be. Moreover, since the activity, or concentration, of iron in the liquid metal is in fact substantially constant, the term aFe may he combined with K" to give a new constant K'. Making these changes.

Jan 1, 1942

By R. T. DeHoff

A new approach to the measurement of the size distribution of particulate structures imbedded in opaque bodies is developed. The method is based upon the assumption of a general two-parameter distribution curve, and the estimation of these two parameters from three well-known counting measurements made upon metallogvaphic sections. The total number of particles in the system is also a product of the analysis. Application of the method with the assumption of the logarithmiconorma1 disfribution function is developed in detail. A complete description of the geometry of a particulate structure requires the determination of the size distribution of particles. The problem of estimating the size distribution of particles of a particular phase in a multiphase system, or the grain-size distribution in a homogeneous system, has been approached by many investigators.'-'0 All of the solutions proposed by these investigators share the following characteristics. a) A minimum of several hundred particle sections in the microstructure must be examined, and some characteristic dimension recorded, such as area,3'5 intercept length,6"9 or diameter.1'2'4'10 b) The resulting data must undergo a series of fairly complex calculations to generate the empirical histogram which describes the size distribution in three dimensions. c) In order to manipulate the result, the histogram must be fitted to some assumed mathematical formula, using the attendant statistical procedures. d) With two notable exceptions,8,10 the particles must be spherical. The measurements and calculations involved are in general very tedious and time-consuming, with the logical result that much effort has been expended in the development of equipment which will perform these tasks automatically and semiautomati-cally.9,11-15 considerable success has been achieved in this area, but the equipment is in general expensive, and usually places stringent requirements On the quality of microstructure which can be reliably analyzed. In laboratories which do not possess such equip- ment, the analysis of geometry is usually limited to measuring total properties of the microstructures, such as volume fraction and interfacial area, because the measurements required are much simpler to make. The determination of size distributions rarely is undertaken. The development which is presented in this paper permits the estimation of size distributions of three-dimensional structures from the same simple counting measurements which are required to determine the surface area and volume fraction of the particulate structure, and one other counting measurement. The basic approach that is used is to assume a general mathematical form for the distribution, which is described by two parameters (as the normal distribution is described by assigning values to the mean and the standard deviation), and then estimate these two parameters from the results of the counting measurements. The introduction of a third counting measurement also permits the evaluation of the number of particles per unit volume, Nv.

Jan 1, 1965

By F. W. Luerssen, J. F. Elliott

F LUSHING the early slag from a stationary open Fhearth having a high percentage of hot metal in its charge is necessary in order to remove silica from the system. The flush slag is strongly oxidizing and is somewhat acidic. It has, however, considerable capacity to extract phosphorus from the bath and it also removes considerable manganese. It seems probable that factors which control the distribution of phosphorus and manganese between slag and metal in the refining period also should be dominant in the flush and postflush periods. Several studies, as summarized elsewhere,1,2 support the viewpoint that conditions closely approaching equilibrium for these elements are rather readily established during the refining period. Over the years these studies have repeatedly demonstrated that 1—high slag v01ume, 2—low bath and slag temperature, 3—basic slag, and 4—strongly oxidizing slag favor rapid elimination of phosphorus from the bath to the slag. They also show that the following conditions favor retention of manganese in the bath: 1—low slag volume, 2—high bath and slag temperature, 3— basic slag, and 4—minimum oxidizing power of slag. When it is considered that the flush slag often carries as high as 75 pct of the manganese charged and only 25 to 60 pct of the phosphorus charged, it is evident that in removing silica much manganese is sacrificed but phosphorus removal is far from conplete. Because of overriding circumstances, this is accepted in most operations and actually it is considered to be inevitable. This may account for the fact that little attention has been paid to conditions affecting the elimination of phosphorus and manganese in the flush slag. A recent study of the behavior of various charge oxides has developed considerable information on the flush and postflush periods. Because the data are felt to be of general interest, they have been brought together and Presented in this paper. The object is to show the various factors in the flush and postflush periods which influence elimination of phosphorus and manganese. Physical Conditions During and After Flushing Physical conditions existing during the flush vary from plant to plant, from shop to shop, from furnace to furnace, and even from heat to heat. They are strongly influenced by the physical and chemical character of the charge oxide which is ordinarily necessary to provide sufficient oxidizing power early in the heat. Invariably the period is characterized by a vigorous reaction between the principal re-actants: the hot metal being added and the charge oxide. During the flush, it is probable that the slag acts to some extent as an oxidizer; but, because of the critical influence of the behavior of the charge oxid'e on flushing action, it seems apparent that the oxide itself is the dominant oxidizer. Fig. 1 shows the course of two heats which were selected as being typical of the group studied. Heat A was charged with 55 pet hot metal, based on the total metallics charged, and heat B had 57 pct hot metal. As indicated in Table I and Fig. 1, the melt-down slag, which is not usually voluminous and which is principally FeO, expands greatly in volume and will show rather high levels of SiO2, MnO, and P2O5 very soon after the beginning of the hot metal addition. Simultaneously, large volumes of CO are liberated which cause violent mixing of slag and metal. It is of interest to note that the time required to bring carbon down to a low level is very much longer than that required for the removal of silicon, manganese, or phosphorus. At the end of flush, carbon in the bath is still approximately 2 pct. When strongly reducing hot metal is brought into contact with strongly oxidizing conditions within the furnace! it is probable that the rate of mass transfer to the slag (and atmosphere) of silicon, manganese, phosphorus, and carbon initially depends principally on the rates at which the two participating phases are brought into contact That is, it depends on the nature of the various reactions. Later in the flush period, when the scrap is virtually all dissolved and the action of the bath has settled down to a steady and somewhat gentle boil, it is likely that other factors, such as the transfer of oxygen across the slag-metal interface, become dominant. The temperature of the slag-metal system is far from uniform. Heat is being driven by the flame down through the slag. Bubbling and surging of the metal also frequently brings portions of the bath in contact with the flame. At areas of contact between the ore and liquid metal, or slag and liquid metal, the oxidizing reactions generate much heat. On the other hand, scrap is being melted which tends to absorb large quantities of heat. Because the liquid bath is high in carbon, the steel scrap is brought into solution rapidly. This can proceed at a rather low temperature; and until much of the scrap has been taken into solution, the bath temperature would not be expected to increase appreciably. Consideration of these factors leads to the conclusion that during the flush period the slag should be rather hot and the bath relatively cold. Both observation and temperature measurements bear this out. Experimental Data The extended program of charge oxide evaluation permitted study of the widely varying conditions existing during the flushing period. Slag and metal analyses and bath temperatures reported herein (Tables I and 11) were obtained toward the latter portion of the work. Four different types of charge oxide, sinter, two types of hydraulic cement-bonded soft ores, and a pyrobonded agglomerate were used in the study. Although the heats reported were from only one 205 ton furnace, they show variations in flush slag analyses all the way from 25 pct FeO, which is typical with the use of a hard natural charge ore, to 45 pct FeO which resulted when a very poorly agglomerated fine ore was used. The physical behavior of the flushes showed a correspondingly wide variation from well controlled reactions to violent surges following periods of inac-

Jan 1, 1956

By William G. [Peryam], Bishop Ottey M., Fred E. Johnson

THE Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company is the largest copper producer in the Philippines, and the only one that makes a concentrate valuable principally for its copper; also, it has the only productive copper mine situated at considerable distance from the sea, and is the only one in the islands operating its own smelter. The Lepanto mine is in the Municipal District of Mankayan, sub-province of Benguet, near the heart of the Mountain Province of Northern Luzon. It is 165 km. from its shipping point at San Fernando, Province of La Union, on the shore of the China Sea. Elevations at the property range from 3200 to 4500 ft. The climate is very mild; temperatures are seldom below 50° or above 80°F. Annual rainfall approaches 170 in. and is mainly confined to a rainy season lasting from May to October. The months from December to April, inclusive, are usually extremely dry. This climatic pecularity entails the problems of landslides on the roads during the rainy season and water shortage during the dry season. The Mountain Trail, an improved rock-surfaced toll road maintained by the Commonwealth Government, gives access to the property. The 105 km. over this road may be traveled in about 4 ½ hr. during the dry season. Very few sections of the road are straight for more than 100 meters, and about one third of it is a one-way road controlled by gates. All freight for the property is delivered by the Manila Railroad Company to Bauang, La Union, 45 km. west of Baguio and at sea level, where it is picked up by freight trucks and hauled via Baguio to Lepanto. Granulated matte is hauled in bulk from Lepanto in four-ton lots on freight trucks to the storage bins at San Fernando. Freight rates from Bauang to the property amount to P8.00 per ton, and from the property to San Fernando the rate is P16.00 per ton. The company pays the road toll, P1.00 per truck, each way. THE CAMP The company maintains a modern camp, well separated from the mine and reduction plant. Comfortable and sanitary living quarters, water, and light, as well as free medical service are provided all employees. A hospital staffed by a doctor and two nurses takes care of all medical treatment. Considering recreational facilities of great importance, the company has provided two tennis courts, two basketball courts, and badminton courts for employees. Bowling alleys and a motion picture theater are operated by the company, the profits being expended for other recreational purposes. A moderate sized recreation hall serves for barrio dances, meetings,

Jan 1, 1942

By W. M. Bertholf

IN 1945 tests were made in the coal washery of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation, at Pueblo, Colo., to determine the value of the Humphreys spiral. So far we have demonstrated that it is of definite value to us in rewashing a portion of our table middlings; and we are fairly certain that this is not necessarily the only place in which it can be used to advantage. Because of manpower and material shortages, experimental work has been discontinued for the present. Three of the spirals are being installed for use in rewashing the middlings, and testing and experimental work will proceed when this installation is completed. All evidence secured so far points to the fact that the spiral can make an effective separation of heavy material below 8-mesh; but that it is ineffective in removing larger, heavy material. This, of course, will limit its use to fine coal or a classified feed containing no heavy material larger than 8-mesh. In considering the results of our tests, it should be noted that the feed was our table middling, and that any real separation of this material is a "moral victory," as there is little material that could be properly called coal and practically no heavy rock, the consequence being that previous attempts to clean the middlings have not been at all successful. Several articles dealing with the spiral and its use in treating heavy minerals have already been published,1 but for the benefit of those who have not seen these we include a brief description of the spiral and of the way it operates, taken from Bulletin 4 of The Humphreys Investment Co.: The Humphreys Spiral Concentrator consists of a spiral conduit of modified semicircular cross section. Ore pulp is fed to the top and, as it flows downward, the heavier particles concentrate in a band along the inner side of the pulp stream (Fig. I). Outlets for removal of products are located at the lowest points in the cross section of the conduit. Wash water, added at the inner edge of the stream, flows outwardly across the concentrate band. The width of concentrate band removed at the outlets is controlled by adjustable splitters. Concentrate is usually removed from the upper portion of the spiral and middling from the lower portion. Tailing is discharged from the lower end. Tests are usually made in closed circuit, since this provides a maximum of information with a minimum amount of sample. Fig. 2 shows the spiral set up for closed-circuit testing, and gives a good idea of the general arrangement of such an installation. The small cyclone separator is used to provide clean wash water without introducing additional water into the circuit.

Jan 1, 1946

By Foster Fraas

INTRODUCTION THAT variations in the humidity of the air and in the moisture content of a mixture of broken solids being separated electrostatically cause trouble is not new.1 Much of the reputation for unreliability commonly ascribed to the electrostatic separation processes is probably due to this one factor alone. Some operators dry thoroughly before separating; and while this is good in many instances, there are others in which it is not the remedy for trouble. Some mixtures behave best in very dry air and with the mixtures fed to the separator while hot to reduce the adsorbed water content. On the other hand, an overdried mixture on coming to equilibrium with more humid air, has been known to take up moisture selectively on one family of particles, as of coal in the presence of slate and clay, and give sharper electrostatic separation. From these observations it is concluded that there is a permissible moisture content for a particle and also for the atmosphere surrounding it, if in equilibrium, at which the particle will have a conductivity or contact potential2-4 that is ideal for electrostatic separation. This permissible moisture content varies between a wide range of limits for the different materials that are separated and with the kind of electrostatic separating process used. Water can be present as a result of adsorption and condensation from the atmosphere, as an accumulation before or during mining, or as a residue from a previous process step. The water may exist as a liquid film or as an adsorbed layer of vapor. If the water exceeds permissible limits it must be removed. Its state determines the method. Drying by evaporation is necessary for adsorbed water, for part of the liquid-film water (that is, up to several percent of the dry weight), and for free water in the internal structure. Large water contents may be removed by drainage or filtration. At just what point mechanical removal should cease and drying by evaporation begin depends upon the method of mechanical removal and its cost. Particles can also be separated according to their differences in dielectric constant when suspended in a liquid of intermediate dielectric constant. Recovery of this liquid presents a similar problem. PERMISSIBLE MOISTURE The adsorbed moisture on the outer surface of minerals can be quickly removed or replaced. Accordingly, in speaking of adsorbed moisture contents, either that of the solid or that of the surrounding air may be considered, the two values being connected by a distribution coefficient which varies with the temperature. However, such a condition does not necessarily exist in processes where an initially dry material is suddenly introduced into an atmosphere having a partial pressure of water vapor or where a moist material is suddenly introduced into a dry atmosphere. Here the resultant differences in the

Jan 1, 1947

By R. S. Moehlman

IN recent years, exploration and development by diamond drilling has become a popular attack on the problem of finding new ore shoots and developing extensions of known shoots. Diamond drilling has been used in recent years in extensive sampling of disseminated copper deposits, in preference to churn drilling. At the Harvard gold mine, near Jamestown, California, Philip R. Bradley, Jr., general superintendent, reports that: "The Harvard work was a singular example of the reliance that can be placed on diamond drilling in evaluating an ore body." Drilling at the Harvard mine will be discussed in a subsequent section of the paper. So popular has diamond drilling become, indeed, that many who have had slight experience with drilling are inclined to regard it as a cheap cure-all. This paper proposes to show some of the limitations on the application of drilling and some of the steps that should be followed in drilling programs to obtain reliable results. COST OF DRILLING Drilling has the advantage, over shaft sinking and drifting, of lower cost and greater speed. As compared with churn drilling, the advantage of bringing up a coherent sample instead of fine cuttings for a sample is obvious. Diamond drilling is generally more expensive, however, and more engineering effort is required in combining the average of core and sludge samples. Exploration of drift walls by hammer drills to a depth of less than 50 ft. is generally cheaper than diamond drilling, but beyond this depth the diamond drill is cheaper and more efficient. The principal factor in determining cost of drilling is the character of the ground drilled. Broken ground with many fissures is most expensive to drill. Hard ground is less of a problem with diamond drills than with ordinary machine drills. Hardness or softness affects only the speed of drilling. Caving, easily washed, sandy or clayey ground requires continual cementing and casing, which is the greatest cost problem. Thus, soft, incompetent ground is more costly to drill than hard, massive ground. Cost of drilling per foot in good to fair ground varies from less than $1 per foot, achieved in some districts in Ontario, the Mother Lode, and Missouri, to $5 per foot in many western states. In bad drilling ground, costs may range from $5 to $15 or more per foot, thus approaching the cost of drifting. Other factors that increase the cost per foot are: I. Short total length of hole drilled, so that the cost of moving in crews and equipment must be spread over a relatively few feet. 2. Cost of drilling per foot increases with depth beyond about 500 ft., as more time is consumed in pulling rods. 3. Cost of preparing drilling stations, getting air underground to stations, etc. 4. Inaccessibility and lack of water on the job make for higher costs.

Jan 1, 1946

By A. W. Fahrenwald

CELL depth has been for many years a controversial question in a flotation-machine performance. In the impeller type of machine, we are really talking about impeller submergence-i.e., the depth in the pulp at which the impeller is required to produce aeration. THE FLOTATION MACHINE A COMPRESSOR A flotation machine can be considered as an air compressor or blower in which the aeration mechanism takes in air under atmospheric pressure[t] (14.7 lb. per sq. in.) and blows it into the pulp (the pulp being the receiver) against a head of 14.7 plus cell depth in feet times 0.4333 lb. per sq. inch. In commercial machines the impeller is submerged in the pulp to depths ranging from about 2 ft. in the smaller machines to as much as 5 ft. in some of the larger ones. In the 2-ft. cell, the hydrostatic head on the impeller is (2 X 1.25 =) 2.50 ft. (assuming a pulp density of 1.25), equal to (2.50 X 0.4333 =) 1.078 lb. per sq. in. For the 5-ft. cell, the hydrostatic head against which the impeller must make air is (5 X 1.25 X 0.4333 =) 2.708 lb. per sq. inch. In the small 2-ft. machine, the volume reduction is (1.078 [-] 0.147 + 0.01078 =) 6.85 per cent and in the large, 5-ft. machine, the volume reduction is (2.708 [=] 0.147 + 0.02708 =) 15.5 per cent. It is obvious that for unit volume of free air intake the larger machine receives a lesser (8.65 per cent less) volume of aeration* than the smaller machine. The bubbles in escaping from the pulp expand and are greater in volume at the surface than at the moment of their formation in the pulp; 7.33 and 18.4 per cent larger, respectively, in the small and large machines. Just how this situation affects flotation is not known. It is interesting to note, however, that the bubbles are smaller in the zone of the coarsest particles and largest in the upper zones of the finer, more easily suspended mineral particles. It would seem that the relationship might be reversed advantageously. The deep cell is at a greater disadvantage in this respect than the shallow cell. Nothing, however, presumably can be done about this situation. The shallow cell is a partial corrective. Not only does the compression ratio of aeration increase with impeller submergence but the hydrostatic head against which the impeller must operate also increases. THE FLOTATION MACHINE AS A PUMP Since, in impeller machines that rely upon their own operation to produce aeration, pulp passes through the im-

Jan 1, 1946

By C. V. Millikan

Temperature measurement in wells is an old practice and geothermal gradients have been of interest to geologists for many years.le2 Their application to the operation of oil wells is a more recent practice. It has long been recognized that temperature anomalies occur in drilling and producing wells but thermometers that could obtain a satisfactory record of the anomalies were not available. The normal geothermal gradient is con-sidered as being about one degree Fahren-heit for each 60 ft. of depth.4 This "nor-mal " gradient varies in different areas, but whatever it may be in an area there is little variation from the surface to as deep as the : drill penetrates. The normal gradient is appreciably changed by gas expanding ; from the reservoir into the borehole or by the movement of fluid through a borehole : while drilling, producing, or circulating. It is the resulting anomalies and abnormal gradients from which conditions in wells can be interpreted. Some of the applications of such interpretations are locating the position of oil or gas sands, permeable strata in a reservoir zone, gas-oil contact, source of water, casing leaks, and the top of cement behind casing. Thermometers A thermometer for use in wells must be sensitive and have a low thermal lag. The sensitivity should permit recording 0.2OF. or less for differential temperatures although the actual temperature need not be more accurate than 1°F. The thermal lag should be as low as rugged construction will permit in order to allow surveys to be made in a minimum of time. Of the several kinds of thermometers, these requirements are most easily obtained with the vapor-pressure, expansion, and electric-resistance types. Thermometers for use in wells may be self-contained—that is, the complete instrument is lowered into the well and a record made of the temperature—or the thermal element only may be lowered into the well and the temperature recorded at the surface. The vapor-pressure and expansion types are more adaptable for a self-contained instrument while the electric-resistance thermometer is more suitable for surface recording of temperatures. The self-contained instrument can be run against high pressure on a single wire line with only one operator required. The instrument and its hoisting equipment is easily portable and can be mounted on a small car. The disadvantages are a somewhat greater thermal lag and the necessity of completing a run before any temperature or temperature anomaly is known. A surface-recording thermometer has the advantage of being somewhat more sensitive and of having a lower thermal lag. The Operator can see what anomalies are encountered and can immediately change the running conditions of the instrument or the well conditions in order to obtain the most

Jan 1, 1941

By A. W. Fahrenwald

Cell depth has been for many years a controversial question in a flotation-machine performance. In the impeller type of machine, we are really talking about impeller submergence—i.e., the depth in the pulp at which the impeller is required to produce aeration. The Flotation Machine a Compressor A flotation machine can be considered as an air compressor or blower in which the aeration mechanism takes in air under atmospheric pressure† (14.7 Ib. per sq. in.) and blows it into the pulp (the pulp being the receiver) against a head of 14.7 plus cell depth in feet times 0.4333 lb. per sq. inch. In commercial machines the impeller is submerged in the pulp to depths ranging from about 2 ft. in the smaller machines to as much as 5 ft. in some of the larger ones. In the 2-ft. cell, the hydrostatic head on the impeller is (2 X 1.25 =) 2.50 ft. (assuming a pulp density of 1.25), equal to (2.50 X 0.4333 =) 1.078 Ib. per sq. in. For the 5-ft. cell, the hydrostatic head against which the impeller must make air is (5 X 1.25 X 0.4333 =) 2.708 Ib. per sq. inch. In the small 2-ft. machine, the volume reduction is (1.078 ÷ 0.147 + 0.01078 =) 6.85 per cent and in the large, 5-ft. machine, the volume reduction is (2.708 0.147 + 0.02708 =) 15.5 per cent. It is obvious that for unit volume of free air intake the larger machine receives a lesser (8.65 per cent less) volume of aeration* than the smaller machine. The bubbles in escaping from the pulp expand and are greater in volume at the surface than at the moment of their formation in the pulp; 7.33 and 18.4 per cent larger, respectively, in the small and large machines. Just how this situation affects flotation is not known. It is interesting to note, however, that the bubbles are smaller in the zone of the coarsest particles and largest in the upper zones of the her, more easily suspended mineral particles. It would seem that the relationship might be reversed advantageously. The deep cell is at a greater disadvantage in this respect than the shallow cell. Nothing, however, presumably can be done about this situation. The shallow cell is a partial corrective. Not only does the compression ratio of aeration increase with impeller submergence but the hydrostatic head against which the impeller must operate also increases. The Flotation Machine as a Pump Since, in impeller machines that rely upon their own operation to produce aeration, pulp Passes through the im-

Jan 1, 1947

By A. W. Fahrenwald

Cell depth has been for many years a controversial question in a flotation-machine performance. In the impeller type of machine, we are really talking about impeller submergence—i.e., the depth in the pulp at which the impeller is required to produce aeration. The Flotation Machine a Compressor A flotation machine can be considered as an air compressor or blower in which the aeration mechanism takes in air under atmospheric pressure† (14.7 Ib. per sq. in.) and blows it into the pulp (the pulp being the receiver) against a head of 14.7 plus cell depth in feet times 0.4333 lb. per sq. inch. In commercial machines the impeller is submerged in the pulp to depths ranging from about 2 ft. in the smaller machines to as much as 5 ft. in some of the larger ones. In the 2-ft. cell, the hydrostatic head on the impeller is (2 X 1.25 =) 2.50 ft. (assuming a pulp density of 1.25), equal to (2.50 X 0.4333 =) 1.078 Ib. per sq. in. For the 5-ft. cell, the hydrostatic head against which the impeller must make air is (5 X 1.25 X 0.4333 =) 2.708 Ib. per sq. inch. In the small 2-ft. machine, the volume reduction is (1.078 ÷ 0.147 + 0.01078 =) 6.85 per cent and in the large, 5-ft. machine, the volume reduction is (2.708 0.147 + 0.02708 =) 15.5 per cent. It is obvious that for unit volume of free air intake the larger machine receives a lesser (8.65 per cent less) volume of aeration* than the smaller machine. The bubbles in escaping from the pulp expand and are greater in volume at the surface than at the moment of their formation in the pulp; 7.33 and 18.4 per cent larger, respectively, in the small and large machines. Just how this situation affects flotation is not known. It is interesting to note, however, that the bubbles are smaller in the zone of the coarsest particles and largest in the upper zones of the her, more easily suspended mineral particles. It would seem that the relationship might be reversed advantageously. The deep cell is at a greater disadvantage in this respect than the shallow cell. Nothing, however, presumably can be done about this situation. The shallow cell is a partial corrective. Not only does the compression ratio of aeration increase with impeller submergence but the hydrostatic head against which the impeller must operate also increases. The Flotation Machine as a Pump Since, in impeller machines that rely upon their own operation to produce aeration, pulp Passes through the im-

Jan 1, 1947

By C. V. Millikan

Temperature measurement in wells is an old practice and geothermal gradients have been of interest to geologists for many years.le2 Their application to the operation of oil wells is a more recent practice. It has long been recognized that temperature anomalies occur in drilling and producing wells but thermometers that could obtain a satisfactory record of the anomalies were not available. The normal geothermal gradient is con-sidered as being about one degree Fahren-heit for each 60 ft. of depth.4 This "nor-mal " gradient varies in different areas, but whatever it may be in an area there is little variation from the surface to as deep as the : drill penetrates. The normal gradient is appreciably changed by gas expanding ; from the reservoir into the borehole or by the movement of fluid through a borehole : while drilling, producing, or circulating. It is the resulting anomalies and abnormal gradients from which conditions in wells can be interpreted. Some of the applications of such interpretations are locating the position of oil or gas sands, permeable strata in a reservoir zone, gas-oil contact, source of water, casing leaks, and the top of cement behind casing. Thermometers A thermometer for use in wells must be sensitive and have a low thermal lag. The sensitivity should permit recording 0.2OF. or less for differential temperatures although the actual temperature need not be more accurate than 1°F. The thermal lag should be as low as rugged construction will permit in order to allow surveys to be made in a minimum of time. Of the several kinds of thermometers, these requirements are most easily obtained with the vapor-pressure, expansion, and electric-resistance types. Thermometers for use in wells may be self-contained—that is, the complete instrument is lowered into the well and a record made of the temperature—or the thermal element only may be lowered into the well and the temperature recorded at the surface. The vapor-pressure and expansion types are more adaptable for a self-contained instrument while the electric-resistance thermometer is more suitable for surface recording of temperatures. The self-contained instrument can be run against high pressure on a single wire line with only one operator required. The instrument and its hoisting equipment is easily portable and can be mounted on a small car. The disadvantages are a somewhat greater thermal lag and the necessity of completing a run before any temperature or temperature anomaly is known. A surface-recording thermometer has the advantage of being somewhat more sensitive and of having a lower thermal lag. The Operator can see what anomalies are encountered and can immediately change the running conditions of the instrument or the well conditions in order to obtain the most

Jan 1, 1941

By A. G. Guy

IN the course of a research on steady-state diffusion it became necessary to make diffusion calculations for a finite solid. This problem was found to be sufficiently different from the corresponding problem for the semi-infinite solid for an entirely new approach to be necessary in obtaining a useful solution. The assumption of an exponential variation of the diffusion coefficient with concentration' was no longer a practical necessity, so that the new solution offered the possibility of handling diffusion in semi-infinite solids for arbitrary variations of the diffusion coefficient with concentration. In discussing the principle on which this method of calculation is based, it is convenient to consider the relatively simple problem of one dimensional diffusion into a matrix that initially contains none of the diffusing substance. The solution of the set- ond Fick Law,?C/?t=D0?2C/?x2, for diffusion into a semi-infinite solid is3 C/C=1-F(x/2vD0t [1] where C is the concentration of the diffusing substance at a depth x cm below the surface after dif- A. G. GUY, Member AIME, and M. GOLOMB are Professor of Metollurgicol Engineering and Professor of Mathematics, respectively, Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind., A. S. YUE, formerly with Purdue University, is now with the Research Laboratory, Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich. TP 4505E. Manuscript, July 18,1956. fusion has occurred for t seconds; C, is the concentration of the diffusing substance at the surface of the matrix; Do is the diffusion constant, expressed in sq cm per sec; and + represents the Gauss error function. The corresponding solution for diffusion into a finite solid of thickness, 1, is conveniently written for the change in concentration, C+, at a point midway through the matrix and for times, t, great enough for the following equation to be used4 c1/2/C1=(1/2-2/?e-?2D0t/l2) [2] In Eqs. 1 and 2 the diffusion coefficient is represented by the symbol Do (rather than by D) to emphasize that these equations are valid only for constant values of D. To understand how these equations can be modified to take account of actual variations of D, such as that shown in Fig. 1, first consider the fact that for a given time of diffusion theconcentration at a given point is determined, not by the D value alone, but by the ratio x/vD0 in Eq. 1 and by a similar ratio, l2/D0 in Eq. 2. Even though in fact D varies, it is possible to keep this ratio constant by using a special coordinate system, x,, that varies with D in the appropriate manner. The necessary character of this special coordinate system can be easily visualized by imagining that

Jan 1, 1958

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 W. M. Bertholf

In 1945 tests were made in the coal washery of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation, at Pueblo, Colo., to determine the value of the Humphreys spiral. So far we have demonstrated that it is of definite value to us in rewashing a portion of our table middlings; and we are fairly certain that this is not necessarily the only place in which it can be used to advantage. Because of manpower and material shortages, experimental work has been discontinued for the present. Three of the spirals are being installed for use in rewashing the middlings, and testing and experimental work will proceed when this installation is completed. All evidence secured so far points to the fact that the spiral call make an effective separation of heavy material below 8-mesh; but that it is ineffective in removing larger, heavy material. This, of course, will limit its use to fine coal or a classified feed containing no heavy material larger than 8-mesh. In considering the results of our tests, it should be noted that the feed was our table middling, and that any real separation of this material is a "moral victory)" as there is little material that could be properly called coal and practically no heavy rock, the consequence being that previous attempts to clean the middlings have not been at all successful. Several articles dealing with the spiral and its use in treating heavy minerals have already been published,' but for the benefit of those who have not seen these we include a brief description of the spiral and of the way it operates, taken from Bulletin 4 of The Humphreys Investment Co.: The Humphreys Spiral Concentrator consists of a spiral conduit of modified semicircular cross section. Ore pulp is fed to the top and, as it flows downward, the heavier particles concentrate in a band along the inner side of the pulp stream (Fig. I). Outlets for removal of products are located at the lowest points in the cross section of the conduit. Wash water, added at the inner edge of the stream, flows outwardly across the concentrate band. The width of concentrate band removed at the outlets is controlled by adjustable splitters. Concentrate is usually removed from the upper portion of the spiral and middling from the lower portion. Tailing is discharged from the lower end. Tests are usually made in closed circuit, since this provides a maximum of information with a minimum amount of sample. Fig. 2 shows the spiral set up for closed-circuit testing, and gives a good idea of the general arrangement of such an installation. The small cyclone separator is used to provide clean wash water without introducing additional water into the circuit.

Jan 1, 1947

By W. M. Bertholf

In 1945 tests were made in the coal washery of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation, at Pueblo, Colo., to determine the value of the Humphreys spiral. So far we have demonstrated that it is of definite value to us in rewashing a portion of our table middlings; and we are fairly certain that this is not necessarily the only place in which it can be used to advantage. Because of manpower and material shortages, experimental work has been discontinued for the present. Three of the spirals are being installed for use in rewashing the middlings, and testing and experimental work will proceed when this installation is completed. All evidence secured so far points to the fact that the spiral call make an effective separation of heavy material below 8-mesh; but that it is ineffective in removing larger, heavy material. This, of course, will limit its use to fine coal or a classified feed containing no heavy material larger than 8-mesh. In considering the results of our tests, it should be noted that the feed was our table middling, and that any real separation of this material is a "moral victory)" as there is little material that could be properly called coal and practically no heavy rock, the consequence being that previous attempts to clean the middlings have not been at all successful. Several articles dealing with the spiral and its use in treating heavy minerals have already been published,' but for the benefit of those who have not seen these we include a brief description of the spiral and of the way it operates, taken from Bulletin 4 of The Humphreys Investment Co.: The Humphreys Spiral Concentrator consists of a spiral conduit of modified semicircular cross section. Ore pulp is fed to the top and, as it flows downward, the heavier particles concentrate in a band along the inner side of the pulp stream (Fig. I). Outlets for removal of products are located at the lowest points in the cross section of the conduit. Wash water, added at the inner edge of the stream, flows outwardly across the concentrate band. The width of concentrate band removed at the outlets is controlled by adjustable splitters. Concentrate is usually removed from the upper portion of the spiral and middling from the lower portion. Tailing is discharged from the lower end. Tests are usually made in closed circuit, since this provides a maximum of information with a minimum amount of sample. Fig. 2 shows the spiral set up for closed-circuit testing, and gives a good idea of the general arrangement of such an installation. The small cyclone separator is used to provide clean wash water without introducing additional water into the circuit.

Jan 1, 1947

By Foster Fraas

That variations in the humidity of the air and in the moisture content of a mixture of broken solids being separated electrostatically cause trouble is not new.' Much of the reputation for unreliability commonly ascribed to the electrostatic separation processes is probably due to this one factor alone. Some operators dry thoroughly before separating; and while this is good in many instances, there are others in which it is not the remedy for trouble. Some mixtures behave best in very dry air and with the mixtures fed to the separator while hot to reduce the adsorbed water content. On the other hand, an overdried mixture on coming to equilibrium with more humid air, has been known to take up moisture selectively on one family of particles, as of coal in the presence of slate and clay, and give sharper electrostatic separation. From these observations it is concluded that there is a permissible moisture content for a particle and also for the atmosphere surrounding it, if in equilibrium, at which the particle will have a conductivity or cntact potential2-4 that is ideal for electrostatic separation. This permissible moisture content varies between a wide range of limits for the different materials that are are and with the kind of electrostatic separating process used. Water can be present as a result of adsorption and condensation from the atmosphere, as an accumulation before or during mining, or as a residue from a previous process step. The water may exist as a liquid film or as an adsorbed layer of vapor. If the water exceeds permissible limits it must be removed. Its state determines the method. Drying by evaporation is necessary for adsorbed water, for part of the liquid-film water (that is, up to several percent of the dry weight), and for free water in the internal structure. Large water contents may be removed by drainage Or filtration. At just what point mechanical removal should cease and drying by evaporation begin depends upon the method of mechanical removal and its cost. Particles can also be separated according to their differences in dielectric constant when suspended in a liquid of intermediate dielectric constant. Recovery of this liquid presents a a problem' Permissible Moisture The adsorbed moisture on the outer surface of minerals can be quickly removed or replaced. Accordingly, in speaking of adsorbed moisture contents, either that of the solid or that of the surrounding air may be considered, the two values being connected by a distribution coefficient which varies with the temperature. However, such a condition does not necessarily exist in processes where an initially dry material is suddenly introduced into an atmosphere having a partial pressure of water vapor or where a moist material is suddenly introduced into a dry atmosphere. Here the resultant differences in the

Jan 1, 1949

By T. V. Philip, R. E. Lenhart

When commercial silicon iron sheets of varying magnetic quality are isothermally annealed at high temperatures, extremely large grains develop in the material having good magnetic properties. These grains are of the (110) [001] orientation and are formed by secondary recrystallization. The primary driving force for this secondary recrystallization is grain boundary free energy. For the secondary grains, activation energies of 103 kcal per mole for nucleation, and of 75.5 kcal per mole for growth, were obtained. The activation energy for nucleation of the secondary grains is consistent with a model involving redistribution of a precipitate acting as the primary grain growth inhibitor. SINGLY oriented silicon iron sheet was first produced in 1935.1 The material as commercially produced today has a very highly developed preferred orientation or texture; up to 95 pct of the grains are crystallographically oriented with their (110) planes in the plane of the sheet and their [loo] directions parallel to the rolling direction. This texture, usually written as (110) [00l], is referred to as the "GOSS" or the "cube-on-edge" texture. Because the magnetic properties of this material are superior to those of the nonoriented sheets in the direction of rolling, the oriented silicon iron has acquired tremendous industrial importance especially in the manufacture of transformer cores and other electrical equipment. The commercially produced material is essentially an iron-silicon alloy containing about 3 1/4 pct Si with minor impurities totaling less than 0.15 pct. The silicon steel heat is melted in the open hearth or electric furnace. The ingots are hot rolled, with or without being slabbed, to strips of 0.100 to 0.080 in. thickness. They are then cold reduced to an intermediate thickness, recrystallized, cold reduced to final thickness, decarburized, and finally annealed at a high temperature. During this high-temperature anneal, extremely large grains with the cube-on-edge texture are produced in the sheet. Several papers have appeared in the literature2-10 relating to the production of the Goss-textured material. Most of these describe the textures produced on cold rolling and on subsequent annealing of single crystal or polycrystalline silicon iron. May and Turnbull11,12 have recently shown the necessity of a second-phase dispersed impurity in the material for the production of the Goss texture. However, none of these papers describes in detail the nucleation and growth kinetics of the (110) [001] grains during the final high-temperature anneal.* The present work, therefore, is an attempt to understand the nucleation and growth kinetics of the cube-on-edge grains in the silicon iron sheet during the final high-temperature anneal.

Jan 1, 1962

By Arthur F. Taggart

Tins paper proposes two units (believed to be new) for designating, respectively, capacity and efficiency for primary and intermediate crushers. CAPACITY Operators know that the tonnage of rock that can be put through a particular crusher in a give time depends primarily upon the crusher setting (open setting for jaw and primary gyratory types; closed setting for cones and rolls), and secondarily on the lithological character of the feed, its maximum size, the amount of fines that it carries, its moisture content, and the method of feeding. The proposed capacity formula states a relationship between all of these factors in one empirical equation, as follows: TR = TR80KK'K" [I] in which Ts, called "reduction tons per hour" is the new capacity unit; T = tons of feed per hour requiring crushing; R80 = "80-per cent reduction ratio"; and K, K', and K" are constants that approximate quantitatively lithological character, moisture content and method of feeding, respectively. T is the hourly weight of material in the feed that is coarser than the coarsest discharge of the crusher. (For marked departures from the normal specific gravity range - 2.5 to 2.7 - T should. be adjusted to corresponding volumes.) In the crushers under consideration, discharge from the crushing zone is limited by the minimum dimension of a particle. Passage of the particle through a square-mesh screen is limited by its intermediate dimension. Sheppard1 has shown that the ratio of maximum: intermediate: minimum average dimensions of broken rock fragments may be taken as about 1.5 : 1 : 0.6 for nonslabby rocks such as are normally crushed, while for slabby rocks, such as thin-bedded sedimentaries, foliated schists and gneisses, and the blocky metamorphics, the ratio is of the average order I.3:I:0.3, with the possibility of an even smaller relative value for the thickness. Gaudin2 finds the corresponding ratio for 150 + 200-mesh pyrite to be 1.4: 1 : 0.6. The hourly tonnage of crusher-plant feed, therefore, should be diminished by the amount thereof that would pass a square-mesh screen of which the aperture is S times the crusher setting, where S is a shape factor with the value 1.7 for rocks that break exceptionally cubic; 2 for ores and rocks that exhibit no appreciable tendency to slabbiness; and 2.5 to 3, or, in exceptional cases, even larger, when the tendency to slabbiness is marked. R80 is the quotient of the theoretical square-mesh aperture that would pass 80 per cent of the feed, divided by the aperture that would pass 80 per cent of the product. It is best determined from screen tests.

Jan 1, 1941

By C. P. Proctor, E. D. Hummer, J. A. Younkins

COMPARATIVELY little has been published relating practical experience with the control of the solid content of washery water systems that must be "closed." A "closed" system is one that for some reason may not be cleaned by the emission of any effluent of high solid content to be replaced by clean water in order to hold the solid content of the waste water within reasonable bounds for efficient washing. It is the purpose of this paper to describe practical experience with such a water system and to present data that it is hoped may be of some use to those who are faced with a similar problem. The washery clarification system described comprises three thickeners and three filters, and although it is admitted that each of the fields of water settling and thickening and filtration offers a wide scope for investigation, the authors are not attempting to present the answers to these problems but to set down the results of some experience along these lines, making no claims as to the ultimate solution of the problems in hand. The subject of water clarification has vast ramifications; for example, the science of flocculation as applied to water settling and filtering opens up fields of wide possibilities of which as yet little is known. A comparatively recent entry into the field of water treatment, which may offer possibilities of practical application, is the use of "wetting" agents such as "Aerosol." GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF WATER SYSTEM So that the reader may obtain a comprehensive picture of the factors concerned in the control of a closed water system, it is necessary to give a brief description of the washing plant that is serviced by the water system to be described in the following pages. As we are not primarily concerned with the washing plant in detail, only a brief description of the flow of coal as it relates to the water system will be given here. For a more detailed account of this type of washer, the reader is referred to earlier papers.1.2 The washer, which handles 0 to 4-in. raw coal (750 tons per hour) is an American Rheolaveur plant of two complements; the coarse coal or sealed discharge plant and the fine coal or free discharge plant. The sealed discharge plant (Fig. r) consists of twin 48-in. primary launders, each having two washing boxes, supplemented by one 32-in. rewash launder, which also has two washing boxes. "Push" water for washing and conveying coal in these launders is supplied from a constant-head tank under pressure head of 10 ½ ft. at the point of introduction at the feed end of the launder. This tank also supplies water for upward or vertical currents used in the Rheolaveur or washing boxes. Each box discharges into a sealed boot elevator (Fig. I).

Jan 1, 1942