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By Herbert A. Stein, John B. Murdock

AN analysis of perlite expansion furnaces must be based upon one consistent theory which explains how and why perlite does expand when heated. There is more than one such theory, so to establish a basis for the rest of this paper, the authors will outline one theory and the data that support it before going into the construction details of different furnaces. JOHN B. MURDOCK, Associate Member AIME, is President, and HERBERT A. STEIN is Secretary, of the Perlite Corp., Phoenix, Arizona. San Francisco Meeting, February 1949. TP 2736 H. Discussion of this paper (2 copies) may be sent to Transactions AIME before Feb. 28, 1950. Manuscript received Jan. 3, 1949. Why Perlite Expands: Perlite is known to contain some dissolved or combined fluid, probably water, which is lost when the material is heated to fusion. It is generally agreed that when particles of this volcanic glass are heated to fusion in such a way that vaporization of this water into steam takes place at the same time as the glass becomes soft, the steam puffs up each particle into a mass of glass foam. It is a simple matter to expand perlite under a blow torch for demonstration purposes, but in commercial installations, the problem is made more complicated by the necessity of making efficient use of both raw material and fuel, and producing an expanded aggregate conforming to close specifications for size distribution and density, using many different types of perlite rock. The ability of a given operation to fulfill these requirements depends upon the proper handling of four variables. They are: (1) the nature of the perlite rock used, (2) the heating time taken to get the perlite particle up to its highest temperature, (3) the size of the particle, and (4) the maximum temperature the particle reaches. Types of Perlite Rock: Perlite may be classified in many ways, but the characteristics most easily correlated with its behavior in furnaces are its softening temperature, its effective water content, and its "liveliness." Actually there is a close correlation among these three characteristics so it is possible to describe a perlite using any one of them. Lively perlites always have low softening temperatures and high effective water contents, whereas the deader perlites have higher softening temperatures and lower effective water contents. These softening temperatures run from 1400°F to above 2000°F and the effective water contents run from over 2 pct down to 0.2 pct. Included in the category of lively glasses are the green pitchstone from the Edgar claim in Superior, Ariz., the red pitchstone on the Animas highway south of Lordsburg, N. Mex., and a gray glass from Beatty, Nevada. Examples of intermediate perlites (in order of decreasing liveliness) are the Guzman-Lobb perlite with obsidian

Jan 1, 1951

By Herbert A. Stein, John B. Murdock

AN analysis of perlite expansion furnaces must be based upon one consistent theory which explains how and why perlite does expand when heated. There is more than one such theory, so to establish a basis for the rest of this paper, the authors will outline one theory and the data that support it before going into the construction details of different furnaces. JOHN B. MURDOCK, Associate Member AIME, is President, and HERBERT A. STEIN is Secretary, of the Perlite Corp., Phoenix, Arizona. San Francisco Meeting, February 1949. TP 2736 H. Discussion of this paper (2 copies) may be sent to Transactions AIME before Feb. 28, 1950. Manuscript received Jan. 3, 1949. Why Perlite Expands: Perlite is known to contain some dissolved or combined fluid, probably water, which is lost when the material is heated to fusion. It is generally agreed that when particles of this volcanic glass are heated to fusion in such a way that vaporization of this water into steam takes place at the same time as the glass becomes soft, the steam puffs up each particle into a mass of glass foam. It is a simple matter to expand perlite under a blow torch for demonstration purposes, but in commercial installations, the problem is made more complicated by the necessity of making efficient use of both raw material and fuel, and producing an expanded aggregate conforming to close specifications for size distribution and density, using many different types of perlite rock. The ability of a given operation to fulfill these requirements depends upon the proper handling of four variables. They are: (1) the nature of the perlite rock used, (2) the heating time taken to get the perlite particle up to its highest temperature, (3) the size of the particle, and (4) the maximum temperature the particle reaches. Types of Perlite Rock: Perlite may be classified in many ways, but the characteristics most easily correlated with its behavior in furnaces are its softening temperature, its effective water content, and its "liveliness." Actually there is a close correlation among these three characteristics so it is possible to describe a perlite using any one of them. Lively perlites always have low softening temperatures and high effective water contents, whereas the deader perlites have higher softening temperatures and lower effective water contents. These softening temperatures run from 1400°F to above 2000°F and the effective water contents run from over 2 pct down to 0.2 pct. Included in the category of lively glasses are the green pitchstone from the Edgar claim in Superior, Ariz., the red pitchstone on the Animas highway south of Lordsburg, N. Mex., and a gray glass from Beatty, Nevada. Examples of intermediate perlites (in order of decreasing liveliness) are the Guzman-Lobb perlite with obsidian

Jan 1, 1951

By Maurice C. Fetzer, Charles R. Austin

It has long been known that plain high-carbon steels may be susceptible to graphiti-zation below the A1 critical, but no data have been available to indicate what factors cause and tend to inhibit graphite formation. Two recent publicationsl,2 have shown that the factors controlling graphitization below the A1 are different from those operating above the A1 inversion where commercial graphitization of malleable iron begins. Furthermore, for plain high-carbon steels graphitization below the critical point does not appear to be related to ordinary chemical analyses. Many years ago it was recorded3 that the rate of graphitization at subeutectoid temperature is not a maximum just below the A1 critical, but at some lower temperature, which Austin and Norris have shown to be about 670°C. Indeed, work done in our laboratory has demonstrated that it is impossible to spheroidize certain steels in the temperature range of 650° to 710°C. without the formation of considerable amounts of graphite. However, if the temperature is maintained just below the A1 (720°C.) these same steels may be completely sphe-roidized at constant temperature. In previous studiesl,2,4 on I per cent plain carbon steels graphitization was encountered during prolonged tempering. The limited number of steels studied did not provide sufficiellt data to permit adequate study of the factors controlling this graphitization. Accordingly, a limited statistical investigation was undertaken, utilizing 18 steels of similar chemical analyses, furnished by four steel companies, who also supplied information regarding the history of manufacture. An extensive program of research is being carried out on these steels, including the effect of pretreatment and atmosphere on the nature and extent of graphitization, and the possible correlation of graphitization with such characteristic properties as hardenability, grain size and mechanical behavior. In the present paper discussion is restricted to a study of the correlation between graphitizing tendency at 670°C. after quenching from several temperatures above the critical, and (I) the minor variations in the chemistry of these steels of "similar" chemical composition, and (2) the deoxida-tion practice employed. The state of the lead bath, oxidized or protected from oxidation by charcoal, used in the tempering treatments is also considered. Materials Eighteen plain carbon steels of about I per cent carbon, and containing similar amounts of each of the other common elements usually found as impurities, were obtained in the form of rods % in, in diameter from four steel manufacturers. The analyses for ordinary and special elements of all the steels were made on the rod stock as received in the laboratory, and the re-

Jan 1, 1941

By Maurice C. Fetzer, Charles R. Austin

It has long been known that plain high-carbon steels may be susceptible to graphiti-zation below the A1 critical, but no data have been available to indicate what factors cause and tend to inhibit graphite formation. Two recent publicationsl,2 have shown that the factors controlling graphitization below the A1 are different from those operating above the A1 inversion where commercial graphitization of malleable iron begins. Furthermore, for plain high-carbon steels graphitization below the critical point does not appear to be related to ordinary chemical analyses. Many years ago it was recorded3 that the rate of graphitization at subeutectoid temperature is not a maximum just below the A1 critical, but at some lower temperature, which Austin and Norris have shown to be about 670°C. Indeed, work done in our laboratory has demonstrated that it is impossible to spheroidize certain steels in the temperature range of 650° to 710°C. without the formation of considerable amounts of graphite. However, if the temperature is maintained just below the A1 (720°C.) these same steels may be completely sphe-roidized at constant temperature. In previous studiesl,2,4 on I per cent plain carbon steels graphitization was encountered during prolonged tempering. The limited number of steels studied did not provide sufficiellt data to permit adequate study of the factors controlling this graphitization. Accordingly, a limited statistical investigation was undertaken, utilizing 18 steels of similar chemical analyses, furnished by four steel companies, who also supplied information regarding the history of manufacture. An extensive program of research is being carried out on these steels, including the effect of pretreatment and atmosphere on the nature and extent of graphitization, and the possible correlation of graphitization with such characteristic properties as hardenability, grain size and mechanical behavior. In the present paper discussion is restricted to a study of the correlation between graphitizing tendency at 670°C. after quenching from several temperatures above the critical, and (I) the minor variations in the chemistry of these steels of "similar" chemical composition, and (2) the deoxida-tion practice employed. The state of the lead bath, oxidized or protected from oxidation by charcoal, used in the tempering treatments is also considered. Materials Eighteen plain carbon steels of about I per cent carbon, and containing similar amounts of each of the other common elements usually found as impurities, were obtained in the form of rods % in, in diameter from four steel manufacturers. The analyses for ordinary and special elements of all the steels were made on the rod stock as received in the laboratory, and the re-

Jan 1, 1941

By J. K. Stanley

Iron-cobalt alloys in the range of 35-50 pct cobalt are of interest in the electrical industry because they possess the highest magnetic saturation of any magnetic material known. l1,2The magnetic saturation induction of the 35 pct alloy is 24,200 gausses, compared to 21,600 for pure iron (Fig I). This difference is significant in electrical apparatus, whcre weight or space is at a premium. Saturation values higher than that for iron can be attained up to about 70 pct CO hut economics restrict the use to as low a cobalt content as possible without sacrifice of saturation. Fig 2 shows the iron-cobalt equilibrium diagram. Up to the present time, two factors have retarded the use of iron-cobalt alloys in the electrical industry for magnetic purposes.? One is the high cost of cobalt ($I.50 per pound) and the other ig the inherent brittleness of the binary iron-cobalt alloys. Straight iron-cobalt alloys up to 25 pct cobalt are ductile and easy to process to thin sheet or strip by conventional methods of hot and cold rolling, but the alloys containing higher percentages of cobalt, including those for which the saturation magnetization is a maximum (35 to 40 pct), are increasingly brittle with increasing cobalt, at least up to 50 pct, and are consequently difficult to process, either hot or cold. Work by White and Rah13 indicated that iron-cobalt alloys could be made ductile by alloying with vanadium, and after quenching the alloys (vanadium up to about 4 pct) were found to he colt1 rollable to very thin gauges. With this as a background, we resumed our work on these alloys with the objective of developing methods for economical commercial production of wide strip. For this purpose we have concentrated on the 35 pct alloy in order to obtain the highest possible saturation value. Experiments were carried out on many alloy additions to the iron-cobalt alloys and on the response of these compositions to heat treatments. This work finally culminated in a commercially producible iron-cobalt alloy which has been named Hiperco.* Materials StudIEd and Procedur' Binary alloys of iron and cobalt in the range of 35 pct cobalt are difficult to hot work (by forging or rolling) without such additions as C, Mn, Si, V, Cr, Mo, W Or perhaps others. Another beneficial effect of such additions is that they increase to a greater or less extent the strangely low electrical resistivity of these alloys about 10 microohms per cm3

Jan 1, 1948

By J. K. Stanley

Iron-cobalt alloys in the range of 35-50 pct cobalt are of interest in the electrical industry because they possess the highest magnetic saturation of any magnetic material known. l1,2The magnetic saturation induction of the 35 pct alloy is 24,200 gausses, compared to 21,600 for pure iron (Fig I). This difference is significant in electrical apparatus, whcre weight or space is at a premium. Saturation values higher than that for iron can be attained up to about 70 pct CO hut economics restrict the use to as low a cobalt content as possible without sacrifice of saturation. Fig 2 shows the iron-cobalt equilibrium diagram. Up to the present time, two factors have retarded the use of iron-cobalt alloys in the electrical industry for magnetic purposes.? One is the high cost of cobalt ($I.50 per pound) and the other ig the inherent brittleness of the binary iron-cobalt alloys. Straight iron-cobalt alloys up to 25 pct cobalt are ductile and easy to process to thin sheet or strip by conventional methods of hot and cold rolling, but the alloys containing higher percentages of cobalt, including those for which the saturation magnetization is a maximum (35 to 40 pct), are increasingly brittle with increasing cobalt, at least up to 50 pct, and are consequently difficult to process, either hot or cold. Work by White and Rah13 indicated that iron-cobalt alloys could be made ductile by alloying with vanadium, and after quenching the alloys (vanadium up to about 4 pct) were found to he colt1 rollable to very thin gauges. With this as a background, we resumed our work on these alloys with the objective of developing methods for economical commercial production of wide strip. For this purpose we have concentrated on the 35 pct alloy in order to obtain the highest possible saturation value. Experiments were carried out on many alloy additions to the iron-cobalt alloys and on the response of these compositions to heat treatments. This work finally culminated in a commercially producible iron-cobalt alloy which has been named Hiperco.* Materials StudIEd and Procedur' Binary alloys of iron and cobalt in the range of 35 pct cobalt are difficult to hot work (by forging or rolling) without such additions as C, Mn, Si, V, Cr, Mo, W Or perhaps others. Another beneficial effect of such additions is that they increase to a greater or less extent the strangely low electrical resistivity of these alloys about 10 microohms per cm3

Jan 1, 1948

By F. N. Rhines

STUDIES upon the sintering of metal powders, in the solid state, have led to the proposal that the surface energy of the powder particles provides the driving force that causes points of contact between pairs of particles to grow into broad welds which isolate the residual vacant space into pores that tend to spheroidize and gradually to diminish in total volume.' Investigators differ with regard to the mechanism of the movement of the metal, under the influence of surface energy, to accomplish these changes. One school asserts that there is a mass movement of the metal, referred to as a "viscous flow," while the other school prefers to view the movement as a self diffusion process, wherein individual atoms are, transferred without disturbance of the basic pattern of the crystal lattice. Extensive experimental studies upon the sintering of copper, conducted recently by A. J. Shaler,2 have been in- terpreted by their author as support for the viscous flow mechanism of transport, the theory of which was developed originally by J. Frenkel.3 Duplicating a portion of this work with minor changes, G. C. Kuczynski4 is led to the alternate view, namely, that the initial stages of sintering, at least, proceed as a self-diffusion process. Both of these investigations were designed to deal with an isolated unit of sintering, i.e., with the shrinkage of a single pore, or with the growth of a single point weld. It remains to ascertain the behavior of a typical metal powder compact composed of a large number of particles of varying size and sintering to a body with a multiplicity of pores. The observation of density changes alone during sintering is not sufficient in such a case; it is essential to know how the internal geometry of the compact changes. This has been the object of the present investigation, the results of which are used to support the self-diffusion mechanism of sintering. The present studies consist in the measurement of the number of pores as a function of size and time at temperature during the sintering of a copper compact made from a commercial copper powder lightly pressed and sintered in several different atmospheres. A brief survey was made also of the change in shape of the pores, under the influence of the same variables. All of this was done by direct observation with the microscope. Densities were measured on the same sample. It is found that, while the compact is exhibiting an overall shrink-

Jan 1, 1951

By I. R. Kramer, P. D. Gorsuch, D. L. Newhouse

Although many methods have been suggested for the calculation of tensile strength and yield point from chemical composition, their usefulness has been limited to a particular cooling rate or section size. Further limitations have been imposed by failure to take into account many of the alloying elements that exert a considerable influence on the tensile strength or yield point. These systems, nevertheless, have filled an important need in many instances. The value of a system for the calculation of the tensile properties from the chemical composition and cooling rate is that it permits the prediction of the effect of alloying elements and heat-treatment on the mechanical properties, so that more efficient use of alloying elements may be made. Furthermore, it aids in the choice of steel for a given application aid tends to decrease the number of steels that otherwise would have to be tested. It is the purpose of this work to present a method of calculating tensile strength and yield point from the chemical composition and to suggest a method of correlating the tensile-strength and yield-point factors and cooling rate. Steelmakers have been interested for many years in the calculation of the tensile strength of hot-rolled steels. Quest and Washburn' summarize several of the attempts that have been made to devise formulas. They show the inadequacy of each of these formulas and present one of their own. It is apparent from their work that a simple additive equation of the type TS = A + BX + Cy + DZ + . . . , where A, B, C, D, etc. are experimentally determined constants and x, y, z, etc., are the percentages of alloying elements present in the steel, is not adequate to analyze fully the situation encountered in the calculation of tensile strength. For example, it was found that the difference between the calculated and observed values became progressively greater as the carbon and manganese contents were increased. Therefore, the effect of manganese was given as a function of the carbon content. Grossmann, in his work on the harden-ability of quenched steels, and Walter, in his method of calculation of tensile strength of normalized steels, present two cases in which multiplying factors were successfully used to express the combined effect of alloying elements. The factors in both cases were obtained from the fractional increase in hardenability or tensile strength with increase of alloy content. Yield point often is more important in design than tensile strength. For quenched and tempered steels a linear correlation exists between yield 2nd tensile strength.4 This is not true, however, for normalized

Jan 1, 1948

By P. D. Gorsuch, I. R. Kramer, D. L. Newhouse

Although many methods have been suggested for the calculation of tensile strength and yield point from chemical composition, their usefulness has been limited to a particular cooling rate or section size. Further limitations have been imposed by failure to take into account many of the alloying elements that exert a considerable influence on the tensile strength or yield point. These systems, nevertheless, have filled an important need in many instances. The value of a system for the calculation of the tensile properties from the chemical composition and cooling rate is that it permits the prediction of the effect of alloying elements and heat-treatment on the mechanical properties, so that more efficient use of alloying elements may be made. Furthermore, it aids in the choice of steel for a given application aid tends to decrease the number of steels that otherwise would have to be tested. It is the purpose of this work to present a method of calculating tensile strength and yield point from the chemical composition and to suggest a method of correlating the tensile-strength and yield-point factors and cooling rate. Steelmakers have been interested for many years in the calculation of the tensile strength of hot-rolled steels. Quest and Washburn' summarize several of the attempts that have been made to devise formulas. They show the inadequacy of each of these formulas and present one of their own. It is apparent from their work that a simple additive equation of the type TS = A + BX + Cy + DZ + . . . , where A, B, C, D, etc. are experimentally determined constants and x, y, z, etc., are the percentages of alloying elements present in the steel, is not adequate to analyze fully the situation encountered in the calculation of tensile strength. For example, it was found that the difference between the calculated and observed values became progressively greater as the carbon and manganese contents were increased. Therefore, the effect of manganese was given as a function of the carbon content. Grossmann, in his work on the harden-ability of quenched steels, and Walter, in his method of calculation of tensile strength of normalized steels, present two cases in which multiplying factors were successfully used to express the combined effect of alloying elements. The factors in both cases were obtained from the fractional increase in hardenability or tensile strength with increase of alloy content. Yield point often is more important in design than tensile strength. For quenched and tempered steels a linear correlation exists between yield 2nd tensile strength.4 This is not true, however, for normalized

Jan 1, 1948

By R. F. Mehl, C. S. Barrett, A. H. Geisler

THE mechanism by which the super-saturated solid solution of 20 per cent silver in aluminum decomposes has been reported in two previous publications. 1,2 The analysis of streaks in Laue photograms showed that thin platelike particles (the so-called Guinier-Preston aggregates) form upon {111} matrix planes in the early state of decomposition.1 The size of these particles is larger, the higher the temperature at which they form in accordance with nucleation theory;3 at all temperatures they increase in size with aging.2 When they have grown thick enough to afford three-dimensional diffraction, powder X-ray photograms show that the structure is not that of the equilibrium precipitate y but that of a transition lattice ?'. Since this is also platelike in shape and also lies upon the {111} matrix planes with the {110} direction in the matrix parallel to the {11.0} direction in ?', it seems likely that the original platelet particles are merely ?' in an early stage of formation, and thus finely dispersed. The atomic spacing and pattern on the {00.0} plane in ?' are identical with those on the {111} matrix plane to which it lies parallel, and since comparable directions in the two planes are parallel, the lattices are thus coherent at the interface; an analogous coherence has been found in aluminum-copper alloys.3 The structures ?' and y are both close-packed hexagonal and are oriented alike; they differ only in interatomic distances. Consequently, ? ' is regarded as y strained from its ordinary dimensions by the lattice coherency between it and the matrix.2 The lattice movements that transform the matrix to the equilibrium precipitate appear to be very simple.2 The mechanism of precipitation in this system is simpler and is more precisely known than that in any other system,2,4 hence the system should be a profitable one for the difficult task of correlating property changes with structural alterations. The present report provides additional studies on powder X-ray diffraction from alloys of 10 per cent, 20 per cent and 30 per cent Ag, and presents the correlation of crystallographic changes with changes in microstructure, Brinell hardness and electrical resistivity of the three alloys. PREPARATION OF SAMPLES AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The preparation of the 20.2 per cent Ag alloy has been described.2 Alloys containing 9.9 and 29.7 per cent Ag were prepared from 99.97 per cent Al and 99.99+ per cent Ag using a similar procedure. Rolled

Jan 1, 1943

By W. L. Fink, M. S. Hunter, R. H. Brown

Early workers attempted to study the structure of alloys by measurement of equilibrium electrode potentials in aqueous solutions containing ions of the metals from which the alloy was made.' The method was subject to such limitations (e.g., the difficulty in attaining electrochemical equilibrium at low temperatures) that it has not been widely used by metallurgists. Recently, Seltz and co-workers have introduced a greatly improved method for studying alloys by measurement of equilibrium electrode potentials in molten salts.2"4 The mathematical treatment is the same, of course, as for equilibrium potentials of amalgams in aqueous solutions.5 This method will probably find extensive use, since it makes possible not only the determination of phase fields of equilibrium diagrams but also the determination of certain thermodynamic quantities which can be used advantageously in metallurgical calculations. However, the method presents difficulties. With many metallic and alloy electrodes, reversibility is not readily obtainable. Also, the difficulty of obtaining suitable material from which to make the cells is increased as the temperature is increased. Moreover, the necessity of carrying out measurements in a vacuum requires additional apparatus and introduces considerable difficulty, especially at the higher temperatures. Apparently, no consideration has been given heretofore to the metallurgical use of irreversible electrode potentials that exist when a specimen is immersed in a suitable aqueous solution at room temperature. The apparatus and the method required for such measurements are very simple, and if the results of such measurements could be demonstrated to be reproducible they might be very valuable in studying the structure of alloys. The method would not have the scope of that developed by Seltz and his co-workers because no thermodynamic quantities could be calculated from the data. However, the utility and the simplicity of the method might warrant extensive use for the determination of phase fields and similar applications. Theory of Irreversible Potentials A brief review of the theory of irreversible potentials will be given before showing how to interpret the potential readings in terms of alloy structure. It is known that heterogeneity of a metal surface in an electrolyte will produce points of different potentials, with the result that current flows between these points and electrochemical reactions occur. The points at which oxidation reactions are localized are known as anodes, and those at which reduction reactions are localized are known as cathodes.6, 7, 8 For the benefit of those who are not familiar with the terms anode and cathode as applied to a primary cell, the potential difference between anode and cathode of such a cell can be measured when

Jan 1, 1941

By John Chipman, Eric R. Jette, O. B. Ellis

IN the study of the chemical reactions occurring in the open-hearth furnace, it is frequently assumed that a condition of equilibrium between slag and metal is attained. In order to test this assumption it is necessary to have dependable operating data as well as an exact knowledge of the equilibrium state. Considerable progress has already been made in the study of slag-metal equilibria, notably in the earlier work of Herty1 and of Oberhoffer and Schenck2 and in the more recent researches of Krings and Schackmann3 and of Koerber and Oelsen.4 None of these investigators, however, have employed basic slags comparable to those encountered in basic open-hearth practice, so that up to the present time our only information regarding the equilibria of these slags is based upon observations drawn from steelmaking practice in which there is little assurance that actual equilibrium was attained. The original plan of this investigation was to secure simultaneous slag and metal samples at intervals during the making of an open-hearth heat, recording the heat history in detail and obtaining complete analyses of slag and metal, then to bring these slag samples into equilibrium with liquid iron in the laboratory induction furnace and thus to determine directly whether or not the observed relationships in the open hearth represent conditions approaching equilibrium. This plan was only partly successful. While slags were obtained from the open hearth under satisfactorily recorded conditions and these were remelted in the laboratory under equilibrium conditions, changes in slag composition, which accompanied the remelting operation, were so great that the final slag from the induction furnace bore little resemblance to its open-hearth parent and the direct comparison was therefore abandoned. The results, however, lie within a range of slag composition that is of interest in the making of low-carbon steel. As far as we are aware, they represent the first published laboratory study of equilibria involving slags that contain all the constituents of basic open-hearth slag. EXPERIMENTAL HEATS The first set of measurements on slagmetal equilibrium was made in the Research Laboratories of the American Rolling Mill Co. at Middletown, Ohio. This will be known as series A. The second set was made in the Metallurgical Research Laboratories at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and will be referred to as series B. Series A.-The induction furnace used has been described.5 Approximately I kg. of a special ingot iron containing less than

Jan 1, 1941

By M. S. Hunter, W. L. Fink, R. H. Brown

Early workers attempted to study the structure of alloys by measurement of equilibrium electrode potentials in aqueous solutions containing ions of the metals from which the alloy was made.' The method was subject to such limitations (e.g., the difficulty in attaining electrochemical equilibrium at low temperatures) that it has not been widely used by metallurgists. Recently, Seltz and co-workers have introduced a greatly improved method for studying alloys by measurement of equilibrium electrode potentials in molten salts.2"4 The mathematical treatment is the same, of course, as for equilibrium potentials of amalgams in aqueous solutions.5 This method will probably find extensive use, since it makes possible not only the determination of phase fields of equilibrium diagrams but also the determination of certain thermodynamic quantities which can be used advantageously in metallurgical calculations. However, the method presents difficulties. With many metallic and alloy electrodes, reversibility is not readily obtainable. Also, the difficulty of obtaining suitable material from which to make the cells is increased as the temperature is increased. Moreover, the necessity of carrying out measurements in a vacuum requires additional apparatus and introduces considerable difficulty, especially at the higher temperatures. Apparently, no consideration has been given heretofore to the metallurgical use of irreversible electrode potentials that exist when a specimen is immersed in a suitable aqueous solution at room temperature. The apparatus and the method required for such measurements are very simple, and if the results of such measurements could be demonstrated to be reproducible they might be very valuable in studying the structure of alloys. The method would not have the scope of that developed by Seltz and his co-workers because no thermodynamic quantities could be calculated from the data. However, the utility and the simplicity of the method might warrant extensive use for the determination of phase fields and similar applications. Theory of Irreversible Potentials A brief review of the theory of irreversible potentials will be given before showing how to interpret the potential readings in terms of alloy structure. It is known that heterogeneity of a metal surface in an electrolyte will produce points of different potentials, with the result that current flows between these points and electrochemical reactions occur. The points at which oxidation reactions are localized are known as anodes, and those at which reduction reactions are localized are known as cathodes.6, 7, 8 For the benefit of those who are not familiar with the terms anode and cathode as applied to a primary cell, the potential difference between anode and cathode of such a cell can be measured when

Jan 1, 1941

By Louis V. Bender

AfteR investigating the work of coal-dust fired reverberatories of the Canadian Copper Co., at Copper Cliff, Ontario, the management of the Washoe Reduction Works decided to experiment with and ascertain the advantages of using coal dust as a fuel in their reverberatories. Consequently, during the month of June, 1914, reverberatory furnace No. 8 was changed in order to use powdered coal as a fuel. The results obtained by this method of firing are gratifying and show a decided saving in cost of smelting as compared to grate firing with lump coal. The furnace, as remodeled, is 124 ft. long by 21 ft. wide, and varies in height from 8 ft. 6 in. at the back end to 5 ft. 7 in. at the skimming end. The general construction of the furnace is similar to that of the other furnaces at this plant. There are no side doors to this furnace, as it was thought that with the present arrangement for feeding no "fettling" or "claying" would be required. The interior of the furnace can be inspected through the burner port holes, after shutting off the burners and giving a few seconds' time for the gases inside the furnace to clear away. The charging is done on either side of the furnace from longitudinal hoppers, extending a distance of 74 ft. from the back end of the furnace. Leading from the hoppers into the furnace are 6-in. pipes, spaced 191/4 in. apart, through which the charge is intermittently dropped. The charge is kept well above the slag line at all times; in this way the side walls are protected and no fettling is needed on this portion of the furnace. The remainder of the furnace requires fettling. After operating for three months, we found that the bricks were eaten into along each side wall from the skimming door back to the point where the charge had been dropped. The depth of this cutting away was 8 in. close to the front end and gradually tapered to zero at a distance of 50 ft., and was greatest on the side of the furnace having the larger flue connection. Hoppers will be put in for the entire length of furnace, from which fettling material will be dropped, to prevent this cutting. After the run of three months, the roof was in excellent condition. At the back of the furnace the bricks were not cut into at all; at 30 ft.

Jan 1, 1915

By L. K. Oliver, Marshall

The use of model studies for the development of invasion patterns for cycling is .illustrated by model studies obtained with a recently developed apparatus in the solution of actual cycling problems. Introduction Depletion of a gas reservoir by cycling under pressure maintenance may be divided into three general phases. In the first phase, injection of dry gas is used to move all possible wet gas to producing wells prior to breakthrough of appreciable quantities of dry gas into producing wells. In the second phase, injection moves additional wet gas to producing wells while moderate quantities of dry gas are being produced. The third phase consists of production without injection to deplete the commercial gas reserve which remains after the cycling operation. Thus, in the first phase, a portion of the reservoir is invaded by dry gas, and the dry gas usually displaces something less than 100 pct of the wet gas from the invaded portions of the reservoir. The second phase enlarges the invaded portion of the reservoir and, at the same time, increases recovery from that zone invaded by dry gas in the first phase of the cycling operation. The result is an early yield of a substantial quantity of the liquefiable hydrocarbons in the reservoir with a minimum of the retrograde losses which occur in some reservoirs. The overall recovery from such an operation is usually high. The summation of the paths taken by dry gas in a cycling operation can be termed an invasion pattern. The use of electrical models to predict invasion patterns has been the subject of several contributions to the literature.1-3 The results of such model studies as applied to actual cases has been discussed by Kelton4 and Miller and Lents.= Recently, an improved apparatus for conducting potentiometric model studies has been developed, as described by Lee.V he purpose of this paper is to present model studies or invasion patterns obtained with this instrument in the solution of actual cycling problems. The percentage of displacement of wet gas within the invaded portion of the reservoir in cycling, increase in recoveries of wet gas by continuing cycling after dry gas breakthrough, recoveries of wet and dry gas by production after cycling, or economic factors in cycling are beyond the scope of this paper. Discussions which follow will be limited entirely to the development of suitable invasion patterns for cycling under pressure maintenance and the use of model studies therein. Discussion OF Results In using model studies to predict invasion patterns in cycling, some factors which influence the results are the following:

Jan 1, 1948

By Marshall, L. K. Oliver

The use of model studies for the development of invasion patterns for cycling is .illustrated by model studies obtained with a recently developed apparatus in the solution of actual cycling problems. Introduction Depletion of a gas reservoir by cycling under pressure maintenance may be divided into three general phases. In the first phase, injection of dry gas is used to move all possible wet gas to producing wells prior to breakthrough of appreciable quantities of dry gas into producing wells. In the second phase, injection moves additional wet gas to producing wells while moderate quantities of dry gas are being produced. The third phase consists of production without injection to deplete the commercial gas reserve which remains after the cycling operation. Thus, in the first phase, a portion of the reservoir is invaded by dry gas, and the dry gas usually displaces something less than 100 pct of the wet gas from the invaded portions of the reservoir. The second phase enlarges the invaded portion of the reservoir and, at the same time, increases recovery from that zone invaded by dry gas in the first phase of the cycling operation. The result is an early yield of a substantial quantity of the liquefiable hydrocarbons in the reservoir with a minimum of the retrograde losses which occur in some reservoirs. The overall recovery from such an operation is usually high. The summation of the paths taken by dry gas in a cycling operation can be termed an invasion pattern. The use of electrical models to predict invasion patterns has been the subject of several contributions to the literature.1-3 The results of such model studies as applied to actual cases has been discussed by Kelton4 and Miller and Lents.= Recently, an improved apparatus for conducting potentiometric model studies has been developed, as described by Lee.V he purpose of this paper is to present model studies or invasion patterns obtained with this instrument in the solution of actual cycling problems. The percentage of displacement of wet gas within the invaded portion of the reservoir in cycling, increase in recoveries of wet gas by continuing cycling after dry gas breakthrough, recoveries of wet and dry gas by production after cycling, or economic factors in cycling are beyond the scope of this paper. Discussions which follow will be limited entirely to the development of suitable invasion patterns for cycling under pressure maintenance and the use of model studies therein. Discussion OF Results In using model studies to predict invasion patterns in cycling, some factors which influence the results are the following:

Jan 1, 1948

By P. D. Gorsuch, D. L. Newhouse, Irvin R. Kramer

ALTHOUGH many methods have been suggested for the calculation of tensile strength and yield point from chemical composition, their usefulness has been limited to a particular cooling rate or section size. Further limitations have been imposed by failure to take into account many of the alloying elements that exert a considerable influence on the tensile strength or yield point. These systems, nevertheless, have filled an important need in many instances. The value of a system for the calculation of the tensile properties from the chemical composition and cooling rate is that it permits the prediction of the effect of alloying elements and heat-treatment on the mechanical, properties, so that more efficient use of alloying elements may be made. Furthermore, it aids in the choice of steel for a given application and tends to decrease the number of steels that otherwise would have to be tested. It is the purpose of this work to present a method of calculating tensile strength and yield point from the chemical composition and to suggest a method of correlating the tensile-strength and yield-point factors and cooling rate. Steelmakers have been interested for many years in the calculation of the tensile strength of hot-rolled steels. Quest and Washburn' summarize several of the attempts that have been made to devise formulas. They show the inadequacy of each of these formulas and present one of their own. It is apparent from their work that a simple additive equation of the type TS = A + BX + Cy + DZ + ? ? ? , where A, B, C, D, etc. are experimentally determined constants and x, y, z, etc., are the percentages of alloying elements present in the steel, is not adequate to analyze fully the situation encountered in the calculation of tensile strength. For example, it was found that the difference between the calculated and observed values became progressively greater as the carbon and manganese contents were increased. Therefore, the effect of manganese was given as a function of the carbon content. Grossmann,2 in his work on the hardenability of quenched steels, and Walters,3 in his method of calculation of tensile strength of normalized steels, present two cases in which multiplying factors were successfully used to express the combined effect of alloying elements. The factors in both cases were obtained from the fractional increase in hardenability or tensile strength with increase of alloy content. Yield point often is more important in design than tensile strength. For quenched and tempered steels a linear correlation exists between yield and tensile strength .4 This is not true, however, for normalized

Jan 1, 1946

By W. E. Horst

John Dasher (Central Research Laboratory, Crucible Steel Co. of America, Pittsburgh. Pa.)— Getting spodumene to float quickly and cleanly can be a problem. The author has presented an excellent account of a valid and useful approach to the scale-up of such problem floats. This indicated advantages for doubling retention time, i.e., buying another set of flotation cells. The author states that 21 pct of the spodumene floated in 2 min in the laboratory cell, that the grade of the rougher was about 75 pct spodumene, and that the final tailing contained 4 to 12 pct spodumene in different sizes with the present cells and 1 to 9 pct spodumene with twice as many cells. About 20 years ago, this writer obtained in the laboratory the flotation of over 90 pct of this spodumene in a King's Mountain sample in 1 min at a grade of 90 pct spodumene in the rougher and a final tailing that contained only 1 pct spodumene. The methods of Norman, Ralston," and Gieseke' were used, which teach that spodumene floats quickly and cleanly if its surfaces have been properly conditioned chemically and/or mechanically prior to flotation. Although feed preparation is not discussed, the results reported indicate that it is inadequate. This writer suggests that improvements in this area might be more effective than doubling the number of cells. W. E. Horst (author's reply)—Dasher's comments are appreciated by the author and require some clarification. He suggests that improved spodumene flotation performance may be obtained by feed preparation techniques rather than increased retention time in flotation. Certainly flotation performance is dependent on feed preparation and this is an important feature in the flotation process. It is true that certain types of spodumene ores, particularly weathered ores, require more complicated feed preparation processing than clean ores to achieve the desired flotation results. It was not implied that current feed preparation techniques are the same as experienced during the scale-up investigations. Although discussion of feed preparation was omitted from the article on scale-up relationships, the important feature was that pre-treatment processing was the same for each level of operation investigated— laboratory, pilot plant, and plant scale. Under these similar conditions large differences existed in recovery for comparable time intervals in each scale of operation. It is highly probable that feed preparation techniques could be modified and thereby increase the flotation rate for each scale or all scales of operation discussed. However, modifications would have to be justified on an economic basis.

Jan 1, 1960

By Arthur F. Taggart

THIS 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 given 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 TR, called "reduction tons per hour" is the new capacity unit; T = tons of feed per hour requiring crushing; R50 = "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. Sheppard' has shown that the ratio of maximum: intermediate: minimum average dimensions of broken rock fragments may be taken as about I.5: I: 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 I.4: I : 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 I.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 8o per cent of the feed, divided by the aperture that would pass S0 per cent of the product. It is best determined from screen tests.

Jan 1, 1941

By F. M. Waring

produced when zinc is substituted for a certain amount of tin are decidedly unsatisfactory. The substitution of aluminum for tin is entirely impractical, and such castings are worthless. This does not, however, exhaust all the possibilities of substituting other metals for tin in the copper-tin-lead alloys, but it is my opinion that the substitution of any other metals, in those alloys, can be made only by sacrificing the quality of the alloy. The possibility of substituting alloys of an entirely different type presents an attractive field for research. The copper-tin-lead alloy has attained its position as the most desirable bronze bearing alloy, but this does not mean that some other alloy may not be found which may give equally good or better results. In the search for such a substitute alloy it should be borne in mind that a bearing metal should possess the following properties: (1) It should be sufficiently rigid to support the load or resist the impact, but yet not so brittle that it will easily crack. (2) It should have as great a yielding or plastic nature as is consistent with its ability to support the load or resist the impact without deformation of the bearing as a whole. (3) The ideal structure combines a hard matrix to support the load and a softer metal or alloy contained within such matrix, to permit the bearing surface to adjust itself to irregularities of service. (4) It should be easy to handle in the foundry and machine shop. (5) It should be capable of being remelted without deterioration. (6) For use in babbitt-lined bearings, it should be capable of being tinned, so that the babbitt can be applied thereto. (7) It should have good heat conductivity in order to dissipate the heat generated by friction. Pennsylvania Railroad Anti-friction and Bell Metals F. M. Waring," Altoona, Pa.—Thc necessity for conserving tin has recently been very forcibly brought to the attention of all consumers, and efforts are now being made to reduce the tin content in certain alloys or to substitute other alloys not containing tin. The approximate composition of the non-ferrous alloys in general use on the Pennsylvania Railroad are given in the accompanying table. Phosphor bronze is used principally for rod bushings, main-rod brasses, and crosshead shoes. Ex. B bronze is used to a small extent for backs of car and coach bearings, but the majority of these are now made of the car-journal bronze, which contains, on the average, about 5 per cent. tin.

Jan 1, 1919