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By Fred W. Stiefel

This paper covers the operation and maintenance of Diesel locomotives underground on a portion of the Delaware River Aqueduct. † This part of the tunnel is 15 miles long, with shafts 14 ft. in diameter spaced about 5 miles apart. These shafts (2, 2a and 3) are 825 ft., 1551 and 840 ft. deep, respectively. The grade of the tunnel is almost level, except for the 12,100 ft. north of shaft 2, which has a grade of 2.31 per cent. The tunnel is circular, 17 to 19 ft. in diameter. It lies at a depth of 400 ft. below sea level, with a maximum overburden of 2400 feet. The tunnel driving was carried on in six headings, using 15 storage-battery locomotives, each of 13 gross tons and having a maximum speed of 8 miles per hour. The longest haul was 3 miles, which proved to be the maximum distance for which storage-battery locomotives could be employed economically for the amount of material to be moved. One locomotive was used for switching cars at each heading, one for switching cars at the bottom of each shaft and one on the main-line haul from the heading to the shaft. The maximum amount of material hoisted in one shaft from two headings when 104 ft. of tunnel was driven in 24 hr. was 1000 cu. yd., or about 2000 tons of rock in place. The total quantity excavated was 750,000 cu. yd. (1,500,000 tons of rock). The tunnel-lining operations using concrete presented a problem of hading a maximum distance of 5 miles in the tunnel. The concrete-placing equipment had a capacity of about 2000 CU. yd., or 4000 tons in 24 hours. Experience had shown that storage-battery equipment could not handle this quantity of material within the time required at the distance of 5 miles. Trolley-locomotive haulage was considered dangerous and expensive, and would cause interference because transmission equipment would be required. Therefore the performance of Diesel locomotives of 160 hp., with a speed of 18 miles per hour, in comparison with that of other types of locomotives, was studied. Choice of Locomotives In deciding upon the type of locomotive to be used for the 5-mile haul, four alternatives were considered, as follows: I. To purchase additional storage-battery locomotives with the necessary batteries over the 6 locomotives and 12 batteries available. 2. To convert the existing battery locomotives to the trolley type. 3. To purchase new trolley locomotives. 4. To purchase Diesel locomotives. Proposition No. i The 90-hp. storage-battery locomotives the (each weighing about 12 tons), when hauling a load of 64 tons, with a drawbar pull of about 1900 lb. on a level track, developed a speed of 8 miles per hour and could make five round trips in 8 hr. with a

Jan 1, 1943

By C. H. Bushell, M. Malnarich

REAGENT control in flotation is more an art than a science. Operators vary the amount of reagents used according to the metallurgy obtained. The amount of collector may be increased, for example, if tailings losses are high and decreased if concentrate grades are low. Often control decisions are based on only one assay, such as the tailings analysis by microscopic or quick assaying techniques. This method of control has given reasonably satisfactory results but is clearly far from perfect. No adjustment in reagent addition can be made until information is received that metallurgy has deteriorated, that is, until the optimum time for adjustment has already passed. The first adjustment probably will be an overcorrection or an undercor-rection, and time will be required to establish the best new addition rates. The seriousness of the problem depends on variability of the ore. In ore of continually shifting composition and complexity, mill results will shift back and forth from excessively high concentrate grades and high tailings losses to excessively low concentrate grades and low tailings losses. Economic incentive for improved control also increases with increasing size of mill. Even a small improvement in percentage recovery in a large mill pays for expensive control equipment. The Sullivan concentrator of The Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co. of Canada Ltd. at Kimberley, B. C., treats 11,000 tpd of complex lead-zinc ore, a scale of operations which justifies an extensive research program on automatic control. Work has followed two separate lines: 1) development of faster analytical methods for pulps, and 2) study of metallurgical control by measurement and control of reagent concentrations in flotation solutions. Although work is incomplete in both phases, a progress report can be given on the development of reagent control. The primary requirement in flotation is selective attachment of particles of one mineral to air bubbles while the other minerals remain detached. Hydrophobicity of mineral surfaces is established by the collector, which coats the minerals by adsorption. The requirement of selective affinity for air bubbles is therefore equivalent to requiring selective adsorption of a collector. Adsorption theory, supported by abundant experimental evidence, shows that the amount of a reagent adsorbed at a surface must be a function of its residual concentration in solution. As the concentration in solution rises, the amount adsorbed increases, usually following some type of logarithmic curve. Selective adsorption must depend on a natural difference in the minerals, but ordinarily the differences in affinity are not great enough to obtain complete coverage of one mineral while the others are completely uncoated. An optimum concentration will exist, below which coverage will not be great enough to float enough of the valuable mineral, and above which too much unwanted mineral will float. All other reagents, except some frothers, affect the amount of collector adsorbing at constant residual collector concentration in solution, either by adsorbing competitively with the collector, or by a

Jan 1, 1957

By Fred W. Stiefel

THIS paper covers the operation and maintenance of Diesel locomotives underground on a portion of the Delaware River Aqueduct.[t] This part of the tunnel is r5 miles long, with shafts 14 ft. in diameter spaced about 5 miles apart. These shafts (2, 2a and 3) are 825 ft., 1551 and 840 ft. deep, respectively. The grade of the tunnel is almost level, except for the 12,100 ft. north of shaft 2, which has a grade of 2.31 per cent. The tunnel is circular, 19 to 19 ft. in diameter, It lies at a depth of 400 ft. below sea level, with a maximum overburden of 2400 feet. The tunnel driving was carried on in six headings, using 15 storage-battery locomotive each of 13 gross tons and having a [inum] speed of 8 miles per hour. The longest haul was 3 miles, which proved to be the maximum distance for which storage-battery locomotives could be employed economically for the amount of material to be moved. One locomotive was used for switching cars at each heading, one for switching cars at the bottom of each shaft and one on the main-line haul from the heading to the shaft. The maximum amount of material hoisted in one shaft from two headings when 104 ft. of tunnel was driven in 24 hr. was 1000 cu. yd., or about 2000 tons of rock in place. The total quantity excavated was 950,000 cu. yd. (1,500,000 tons of rock). The tunnel-lining operations using con¬crete presented a problem of hauling a maximum distance of 5 miles in the tunnel. The concrete-placing equipment had a capacity of about 2000 cu. yd., or 4000 tons in 24 hours. Experience had shown that storage-battery equipment could not handle this quantity of material within the time required at the distance of 5 miles, Trolley-locomotive haulage was considered dangerous and expensive, and would cause interference because transmission equipment would be required. Therefore the performance of Diesel locomotives of 160 hp., with a speed of 18 miles per hour, in comparison with that of other types of locomotives, was studied. CHOICE OF LOCOMOTIVES In deciding upon the type of locomotive to be used for the 5-mile haul, four alternatives were considered, as follows: I. To purchase additional storage-battery locomotives with the necessary batteries over the 6 locomotives and 12 batteries available. 2. To convert the existing battery locomotives to the trolley type. 3. To purchase new trolley locomotives. 4. To purchase Diesel locomotives. PROPOSITION No. I The go-hp. storage-battery locomotives available (each weighing about 12 tons), when hauling a load of 64 tons, with a drawbar pull of about 1900 lb. on a level track, developed a speed of 8 miles per hour and could make five round trips in 8 hr. with a

Jan 1, 1942

By Fred W. Stiefel

THIS paper covers the operation and maintenance of Diesel locomotives underground on a portion of the Delaware River Aqueduct.[t] This part of the tunnel is 15 miles long, with shafts 14 ft. in diameter spaced about 5 miles apart. These shafts (2, 2a and 3) are 825 ft., 1551 and 840 ft. deep, respectively. The grade of the tunnel is almost level, except for the 12,100 ft. north of shaft 2, which has a grade of 2.31 per cent. The tunnel is circular, 17 to 19 ft. in diameter. It lies at a depth of 400 ft. below sea level, with a maximum over-burden of 2400 feet. The tunnel driving was carried on in six headings, using 15 storage-battery locomotives, each of 13 gross tons and having a maximum speed of 8 miles per hour. The longest haul was 3 miles, which proved to be the maximum distance for which storage-battery locomotives could be employed economically for the amount of material to be moved. One locomotive was used for switching cars at each heading, one for switching cars at the bottom of each shaft and one on the main-line haul from the heading to the shaft. The maximum amount of material hoisted in one shaft from two headings when 104 ft. of tunnel was driven in 24 hr. was 1000 cu. yd., or about 2000 tons of rock in place. The total quantity excavated was 750,000 cu. yd. (1,500,000 tons of rock). The tunnel-lining operations using concrete presented a problem of hauling a maximum distance of 5 miles in the tunnel. The concrete-placing equipment had a capacity of about 2000 cu. yd., or 4000 tons in 24 hours. Experience had shown that storage-battery equipment could not handle this quantity of material within the time required at the distance of 5 miles. Trolley-locomotive haulage was considered dangerous and expensive, and would cause interference because transmission equipment would be required. Therefore the performance of Diesel locomotives of 160 hp., with a speed of 18 miles per hour, in comparison with that of other types of locomotives, was studied. CHOICE OF LOCOMOTIVES In deciding upon the type of locomotive to be used for the 5-mile haul, four alternatives were considered, as follows: I. To purchase additional storage-battery locomotives with the necessary batteries over the 6 locomotives and 12 batteries available. 2. To convert the existing battery locomotives to the trolley type. 3. To purchase new trolley locomotives. 4. To purchase Diesel locomotives. PROPOSITION No. I The 90-hp. storage-battery locomotives available (each weighing about 12 tons), when hauling a load of 64 tons, with a drawbar pull of about 1900 lb. on a level track, developed a speed of 8 miles per hour and could make five round trips in 8 hr. with a

Jan 1, 1942

By J. H. Frye, J. W. Caum

ONE of the most important methods of increasing the hardness of metals is alloying. In spite of the widespread use of alloys, the fundamental mechanism of alloy hardening is little understood. This is true even of the simplest form of alloy, the primary substitutional solid solution in which solute atoms substitute for solvent atoms at random in the crystal lattice of the latter. A fundamental understanding of the mechanism of solid-solution hardening would be important, both because of the widespread use of alloys of this type and because of the light that might be thrown on the mechanism of hardening in more complicated alloys. The present investigation covers the hardness of primary substitutional solid solutions of zinc, gallium,, germanium; and arsenic in copper. All of these are B subgroup elements from the third period of the periodic table. Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, and As are in groups I, II, III, IV, and V, respectively and lie just to the right of the transition elements. Because of their cost, it is unlikely that Ga-Cu and Ge-Cu solutions will ever be of commercial importance, but the intent of this study has been to discover some of the fundamentals of solid-solution hardening and it has been demonstrated that such a study is far more likely to be fruitful if alloys are made up on the basis of position of the constituent elements in the periodic table than if commercially important alloys are used. Many investigations have. been made of the hardness of substitutional solid solutions, but lack of attention to purity of the metals, infrequent grain-size control, and the use of varying testing techniques have virtually invalidated any comparisons. The purpose of most investigations has been to solve immediate problems and not to solve the primary problem: Why do solid solutions usually have a greater hardness than pure metals? PREVIOUS WORK Theories have been advanced to account for the hardness of solid solutions,, but relatively little experimental work has been done. Perhaps the first experimental work of merit was that of Norbury1 on copper alloys. He showed that for several alloys there was a correspondence between the hardness of one atomic per cent solutions and atomic volume of the solutions. More recently Brick, Martin, and Angier2 have investigated the effect of various solute elements on the hardness of copper. They concluded that the hardening effect of these solutes depended "primarily on the difference in atomic volume of solute and solvent or, relatedly, upon the parameter, change of the solvent or the extent of solid solubility." They also observed the effect of these elements on hardness and texture developed by rolling and by annealing of rolled material. Austin3 examined the hardness and response to heat-treatment of various iron solid solutions. Frye and Hume-Rothery4 measured the hardness of a number of silver solid solutions containing approximately

Jan 1, 1943

By F. X. Spiegel, D. Bardos, Paul A. Beck

Ti6NileSi7)G is known to be cubic, with 116 atoms in the unit cell. In the present work four new G sili-cides were found with other transition elements and five G germanides. The titanium-group elements are very efficient in forming G phases. The vanadium -group elements are somewhat less efficient, and the chromium-group elements do not form any. Cobalt can replace nickel in most cases, but it is somewhat less efficient. Iron was not found to form any G phases. Germanium is somewhat less efficient than silicon. The (TiNiSi)E phase has been previously identified by Westbrook. However, its crystal structure has not been determined. In the present work the E phase was found to have an orthorhombic unit cell with lattice parameters a. = 7.02, bo = 5.18, co = 11.11A. A large number of other E phases were found at the same stoicheometric ratio in ternary systems of silicon and germanium with transition elements. Lattice parameters similar to those for TiNiSi were measured. The number of atoms per unit cell is estimated at 30 to 36. The vanadium-group elements are somewhat more efficient in forming the E phase than the titanium-group elements. Chromium-group elements were not found to form any E phases. Cobalt is somewhat less efficient than nickel, and iron is less efficient than cobalt. Germanium is not as efficient as silicon. ThE ternary silicide designated as G-phase was first identified by Beattie and versnyder1 and by Beattie and Hagel2 at the approximate composition TiNi2Si. Westbrook et al.' gave the composition as Ti2Ni7Sis. This phase was found to be fcc with a. = 11.201A and 116 atoms per unit cell. Beattie4 and more recently independently Hladishevskii, Kripyakevich, Kuzma, and Teslyuk5 were able to show that this structure is isotypic with MgeSi7CuLe and Th6Mn23. The latter structures had been determined by Florio, Rundle, and snow,' Nagorsen and Witte,7 and Bergman and Waugh.8 According to the crystal structure, Ti8Ni6Si7 may be considered as the ideal composition. The Russian investigators5 identified six additional ternary phases isotypic with Ti6Ni6Si7, in which titanium is replaced by Mn, V, Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf, and one, namely MneNil6Ge7, in which germanium replaces silicon. They also found that Cr6Ni6Si7, which does not occur as a ternary phase, can be stabilized by replacing 1 at. pct of the Cr by V, Mn, or Ta. Another ternary silicide was found by Westbrook et al.3 at the composition TiNiSi, and it was designated by them as the E phase. The crystal structure of this phase has not been deter-

Jan 1, 1963

By A. A. Watts, R. I. Jaffee, F. C. Holden, H. R. Ogden

Hypoeutectoid Ti-Cu alloys are responsive to heat treatment, and considerable variation of mechanical properties may be produced by transformation of the ß phase. Control of cooling rate, isothermal transformation, or quench tempering determine the transformation structure and properties. The transformation products are similar to those of carbon steel. THE equilibrium diagram for the Ti-Cu system has been studied by various investigators, and the most recent diagram is that determined by Jou-kainen, Grant, and Floe.' The titanium-rich portion of this diagram is reproduced in Fig. 1. The alloy compositions and annealing temperatures used in this work are shown. The Ti-Cu alloys containing up to 17 wt pct Cu are representative of an active eutectoid alloy system. Joukainen et a1.l have stated that ß phase cannot be retained on quenching and this has been confirmed in the present work. The similarity between the Ti-Cu system and the Fe-C system is evident and, as will be shown later, many of the transformation products appear to have similar microstructures. Heat treatments in this program were designed to produce the structures of primary interest for study and determination of mechanical properties. Experimental Procedures Preparation of Alloys: Five ½ lb ingots, ranging in composition from 0.8 to 6.83 pct Cu, were prepared by double arc melting in an atmosphere of high purity argon. Titanium melting stock was obtained from high purity iodide titanium, and copper additions were made from copper wire clippings. Segregation was reduced by inversion melting, in which the once-melted ingots were inverted in the crucible and remelted. The double-melted ingots were forged at 1600°F to ¾ in. diam rods, with both heating and forging operations being carried out in air. Surface scale was removed by grit blasting and grinding, after which the forgings were vacuum annealed at 900°C. The alloys then were swaged to ¾ in. diam rod at 750°C and test specimens were cut from this material. The vacuum annealing operation was to remove dissolved hydrogen, which is commonly present in the iodide titanium as-received. Although vacuum fusion analyses were not obtained for all these alloys, past experience indicates that the 6 hr treatment with a limiting pressure of 10- to 10-5 mm of Hg is sufficient to reduce the hydrogen level to 10 to 30 ppm. Vacuum fusion analysis of the 0.8 pct Cu alloy showed 19 ppm of hydrogen. In addition to the five hypoeutectoid alloys, three 15 g ingots were prepared with nominal copper additions of 9, 10, and 11 pct. Fabrication procedures were similar, except that these alloys were rolled to 0.040 in. sheet. Microstructure specimens only were obtained. Table I shows analyzed compositions and fabrication temperatures for these alloys. Heat Treatments: All heat treatments were made in potentiometer-controlled, resistance-wound tube

Jan 1, 1956

By L. R. Woodyatt, H. J. Beattie, C. T. Sims

Theories correlating the formation of u and related intermetallic compounds to the electron-per-atom density of binary and ternary alloys have appeared regularly in recent technical literature. These same principles can be modified and applied to complex precipitation-strengthened alloys such as the iron-, cobalt-, and nickel-base superalloys and the stainless steels. Since these complex alloys contain carbides and other phases that normally precipitate before the U-type phases, the nature and amount of the precipitated phases must be calculated first. The following general formula is then applied to the residual matrix composition of the alloy: element. The magnitude of the resulting number is indicative of whether the alloy will form a a -type phase. When these calculations (which are computerized) are systematically applied to alloys of knoun phase analysis, a breakoff in average electron-vacancy number is noted between U-free and U-prone alloys. Alloys with an average electron-vacancy number higher than the breakoff form a-type phases, while those with lower ones do not form these phases. This method could then be used to eliminate from consideration all experimental compositions that would precipitate undesirable phases. It also is useful in evaluating analyzed heats of alloys where minor heat-to-heat variations determine whether the alloy is o-free or o-prone. THE highly significant development of strong, ductile superalloys to provide reliable construction materials in the 1000" to 2500° F temperature range has been due principally to unremitting application of Edisonian techniques and logic by the dedicated physical metallurgists who have shouldered this responsibility. Tools such as the electron microscope, phase analysis, and computers to accomplish regression analyses have been used heavily, but the effort has been essentially practice of an art, rather than a science. The objective of this paper is to describe and illustrate application of some relatively fundamental principles to certain of these alloy systems in an attempt to remove some of the empiricism from the technology. Specifically, the work presented here deals with the use of periodic-group relationships to predict the formation of intermetallic phases which can occur in primarily austenitic (fcc) structures. Calculations that have been developed might be applied in the design of new alloys and the evaluation of known alloys, and thus have the potential of eliminating vast areas of unnecessary alloy preparation and evaluation. ALLOYING CONCEPTS AND STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF SUPERALLOYS Strength is produced in austenitic superalloys by three principle mechanisms: 1) precipitation of y'; 2) formation of carbides; 3) solid-solution hardening by soluble refractory metals. The first mechanism requires the addition of aluminum and titanium, the second requires carbon and carbide-forming elements, while the third calls for the addition of molybdenum and/or tungsten. A considerable concentration of chromium is usually maintained to resist oxidation/corrosion, but it is also an important carbide-forming element. Fig. 1 shows a sketch and electron micrograph of the structure of a typical wrought nickel-base super-

Jan 1, 1967

By J. L. Lamon, W. Crafts

Study with the electron microscope of the carbides in vanadium-chromium-molybdenum steels after tempering up to 1000 hr at 600 teelsto 1400°F confirmed that alloy carbides are formed at the secondary hardening temperature by decomposition of the plate-like iron carbides. It was also demonstrated that vanadium carbide persists as much smaller particles than do chromium- or molybdenum-bearing carbides. Conditions conducive to the formation of fine vanadium carbides are indicated to be favorable for high temperature strength. IN order to determine the effects of long exposure at high temperatures on vanadium-bearing steels, a survey has been made of their hardness and carbide structure. The behavior of carbides in the tempering of martensite was studied by X ray diffraction and electron microscope examination of electrolytically extracted residues in greater detail than in an earlier investigation.' A group of steels with about 0.25 pct carbon and containing chromium up to 5 pct, molybdenum up to 1 pct, and vanadium up to 1 pct was either quenched or annealed and then tempered for peri- ods of up to 1000 hr at 600° to 1400°F. Their hardness after tempering agreed with the Hollomon and Jaffe2 relation of equivalency of time and temperature, and with the degree of secondary hardening predicted from composition. Further, the appearance of the carbides indicated that the time and temperature equivalency relation was also applicable to the degree of carbide development. The mechanism of the tempering of martensite was demonstrated more clearly than in the earlier study. It was confirmed that carbides develop from martensite as poorly defined plates of the Fe2C type carbide followed by thickening of the plates with a transition to Fe,C. Finally the plate structure deteriorates into a lacy mass from which alloy carbides emerge as chunky particles that grow slowly with further increase of tempering temperature. Vanadium carbide derived from tempered martensite was found in characteristically small particles that tended to grow very slowly. The addition of chromium or molybdenum to a steel with predominant vanadium carbide tended to introduce carbides of a chromium- or molybdenum-bearing type having a somewhat larger particle size. The Cr,C, type carbide particles were larger than those of the V,C, type and somewhat smaller than the carbides in steel containing both Cr,C and M,C. Similar observations were made of the carbides in the pear lite of annealed steels. It appeared that high temperature properties would be benefited by the retention of the fine carbide particles that result from a balance of composition and heat-treatment designed to produce a maximum amount of vanadium carbide. Procedure: The steels used in the investigation were made with a base of Armco iron in a high-frequency furnace at the Union Carbide and Carbon Research Labs., Inc. The steels were deoxidized

Jan 1, 1951

By M. King Hubbert

In 1856 Henry Darcy described in an appendix to his book, Les Fontaines Publiques de la Ville de Dijon, a series of experiments on the downward flow of water through filter sands, whereby it was established that the rate of flow is given by the equation: q= - K(h2- h2)/I1 in which q is the volume of water crossing unit area in unit time, I is the thickness of the sand, h1 and h2 the heights above a reference level of the water in manometers terminated above and below the sand, respectively, and K a factor of proportionality. This relationship, appropriately, soon became known as Darcy's law. Subsequently many separate attempts have been made to give Darcy's empirical expression a more general physical fornzulation, with the result that .so many mutually inconsistent expressions of what is purported to he Darcy's law have appeared in published literature that sight has often been lost of Darcy's own work and of its significance. In the present paper, therefore, it shall be our purpose to reinform ourselves upon what Darcy himself did, and then to determine the meaning of his results when expressed explicitly in terms of the pertinent physical variables involved. This will be done first by the empirical method used by Darcy himself, and then by direct derivation from the Navier-Stokes equation of motion of viscous fluids. We find in this manner that: q = (N4(p/p)[g - (l/p) gradPI = WE, is a physical expression for Darcy's law, which is valid for liquids generally, and for gases at pressures higher than about 20 atmospheres. Here N is a shape factor and d a characteristic length of the pore structure of the solid, p and IL are the density and viscosity of the fluid, a = (Nd2)(pip) is the volume conductivity of the system, and E = [g - (l/p) grad p] is the impelling force per unit mass acting upon the fluid. It is found also that Darcy's law is valid only for flow velocities such that the inertial forces are negligible as compared with those arising from viscosity. In general, three-dimensional space there exist two superposed physical fields: a field of force of charucteristic vector E, and a field of flow of vector q. The force field is more general than the flow field since it has values in all space capable of being occupied by the fluid. So long as the fluid density is constant or is a function of the pressure only, curl E = 0, E = - grad F where F = gz + dp/p The field of flow, independently of the force field, must satisfy the conservation of mom, leading to the equation of continuity div pq = — f ap/at , where f is the porosity, und t is the time. For steady rnotion ap/at = 0. and div pq = 0 .

Jan 1, 1957

By T. E. Tietz, J. E. Dorn

Activation energies for creep of copper at intermediate temperatures, where crystal recovery was negligible, were determined by the simple technique of rapidly alternating the test temperature between and T2 (T2 = TI + about 10°K) throughout a constant stress creep test. The activation energy for creep H was found to be 37,000± 3,000 cal per mol, independent of stress and strain. The same creep laws as have been previously established for high temperature creep were found to be valid for creep at intermediate temperatures. But the AH was found to be lower than that for self-diffusion in the intermediate temperature range whereas it is known to be equal to that for self-diffusion at high temperatures. IT is now well established that creep at high temperatures can be correlated by the functional relationship'-" e = f(?) s = constant [I] where E is the total plastic strain, f is the function that depends on the stress, ? = f e -- dt, t is the duration of test, e is the base of natural logarithms, AH is the activation energy for creep, R is the gas constant,T is the absolute temperature, and s is the stress. Thus, identical values of are achieved during creep under a given stress at two alternate temperatures at the same total strain. At the same strain therefore where subscripts refer to the two alternate temperature conditions of test. Consequently, the activation energy for high temperature creep is readily obtained with the aid of Eq. 2. Activation energies so obtained have been observed to be insensitive to the creep strain at which they are evaluated, the applied stress, grain size, minor alloying additions,'-' cold worked state, and the presence of thermally stable dispersions of intermetallic compounds in an a solid solution matrix Furthermore, the activation energy for high temperature creep is very nearly equal to that for self-diffusion in all cases where adequate data are available for comparison." " The apparent identity of the activation energies for high temperature creep and self-diffusion strongly suggest that high temperature creep arises from a dislocation climb process. This hypothesis is further strengthened by the fact that the energy of activation for high temperature creep is insensitive to the applied stress," and by the observations that the correlation suggested by Eq. 1 cannot be ex- tended to temperatures below those for rapid crystal recovery. When using the activation energy for self-diffusion, Eq. 1 fails to give the required correlations between creep curves at various intermediate temperatures.' This suggests that the dislocation climb mechanism for creep might be superseded by some alternate mechanism in the intermediate range of temperatures. This investigation was initiated in a preliminary attempt to ascertain the type of creep law that might be valid in the intermediate range of temperatures. Special consideration, however, was given to the determination of the activation energy for creep in this range because the Becker-Orowan', " and the Mott-Nabarro10 theories for transient creep suggest that the activation energy should increase

Jan 1, 1957

By W. O. Philbrook, H. W. Hosking, N. B. Melcher

Rates and patterns of gas flow in an experimental blast furnace were investigated by measurements, at three levels, of gas compo-sitions and temperatures and by direct determination of gas transit time by a new method employing mercury vapor as a tracer. Infer-ences were drawn about localized reaction zones and the mechanism of the onset of' channeling. LACK of precise knowledge of the nature of gas movement in the blast furnace has always been an impediment to better understanding of the blastfurnace process as a whole. The effects upon operation of various types of charge distribution are very largely brought about by the modifications to gas flow which they occasion. Intelligent evaluation of these effects demands a better understanding of the factors influencing gas flow and the ways in which the flow pattern is altered by conditions existing in the stock column. The same knowledge is required before a fundamental approach can be made to the problem of establishing optimum lines for new furnaces. An experimental furnace is operated at the Bureau of Mines Central Experiment Station, Pittsburgh, Pa. Advantage was taken of experimental operation to conduct an investigation to develop and evaluate methods of study which could be applied later to industrial furnaces. The gas composition and temperature determinations were made as a preliminary study so far as gas flow was concerned but yielded significant information relating to other processes occurring within the furnace. The direct measurement of gas transit times by the mercury-vapor method constituted the major object of the investigation. Development of the mercury-vapor method was carried out while the data on gas composition and temperature were being collected. A complete description of the principle and development of the mercury-vapor method is beyond the scope of this paper but is available elsewhere. The results obtained and some consideration of the method's effectiveness and its potential value in the study of industrial problems will be treated here. DESCRIPTION OF FURNACE The general lines of the experimental blast furnace are shown in Fig. 1. The hearth diameter was 3 ft at the beginning of the investigation, and this was later enlarged to 3 ft 9 in. and finally to 4 ft to increase capacity. Tuyere to stockline height is 21 ft 4 in. The bosh depth is 3 ft 4 in. over which it opens to a width of 5 ft, and this diameter is carried up for 2 ft in a cylindrical section. The inwall batter of 1/2 in. per ft. is considerably less than in larger installations This may have influenced the movement of gaseous and solid materials. The furnace is inside a laboratory building and is charged from outside by a skip and hoist. Feeding into the first of three bell chambers, the stock is distributed by rotating the upper bell, the other two being used to obtain an effective gas seal. Three water-cooled tuyeres, with a nozzle dia-

Jan 1, 1960

By H. I. Aaronson

Isothermally formed plates of proeutectoid a, lengthen at approximately the rates predicted by the Zener-Hillert equation, indicating that their lengthening kinetics are controlled by the volume diffusion of chromium in the ß matrix. Solution annealing treatments in the vicinity of the transus introduce a second mode of transformation, in which the lengthening rate is at least 1.8 x 104 faster than predicted by this equation. Little or no volume diffusion appears to accompany the latter transformation. The Presence of oxygen is evidently a Prerequisite for the occurrence of this reaction. X HE effects of thermal history prior to the initiation of transformations which proceed by nucleation and diffusional growth are currently evoking considerable interest. The rate of nucleation (but not the rates of growth) of pearlitel and of bainite,2 and the over-all rates of aging reactions in Al-cu3 and Al-si4 alloys have been shown to be appreciably dependent upon thermal history in the solid-solution region"' or in the two-phase region prior to the onset of pre~ipitation.3,4 In none of these reactions, however, was the transformation mechanism changed by variations in the temperature-time path used to reach the reaction temperature. Preliminary experiments reported by M. K. McQuillan5,8 and a systematic investigation by Farrar and Margolin7 have disclosed that the transformation behavior of hypoeutectoid Ti-Cr alloys is considerably more sensitive to thermal history. Qualitative evidence strongly suggests that not only the rate of nucleation but also the rate of growth and even the mechanism of the ß — a reaction can undergo remarkable changes when a solution annealing treatment in the vicinity of the ß/a +ß, or transus temperature, is interposed between a high-temperature solution anneal (conventionallq at 1000°C) and the isothermal reaction treatment. The present investigation was undertaken in an attempt to ascertain the nature and origin of these effects. Study of the changes in the kinetics and morphology of the ß - a, reaction produced by varialtions in thermal history was the primary means employed for this purpose. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The compositions of the alloys used in this in~esti~ation are given in Table I. These alloys were homogenized for 5 days at 1050° C in evacuated (2 x 10 -5 mm of Hg), zirconium-gettered fused quartz capsules. The capsules themselves were enclosed in a porcelain chamber evacuated with a mechanical pump during the homogenization anneals. Upon completion of homogenization, the alloys were cooled to room temperature and then reheated to 550°C for 3 1/2 days in order to transform the alloys to a finely divided mixture of a and TiCr2, and thus provide an approximately constant initial mi-crostructure. Individual specimens were sealed in evacuated and internally gettered Vycor capsules and heat treated as previously described.8,9 EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS Ti-10.64 Pet Cr. This investigation was largely performed on the 0.64 pet Cr alloy. The "base"

Jan 1, 1962

By Orville R. Lyons

THE continuous vacuum filter, whether it be a vertical or horizontal disk, inside or outside drum, when properly applied is a very effective device for dewatering fine solids. Because of the number of variables that affect its performance, however, it is not possible to obtain consistently maximum moisture reduction in an operating plant. This paper presents a method for determining the average cake moisture and the variations in cake moisture to be anticipated when dewatering fine solids by continuous vacuum filters under normal operating conditions. Previous investigators1,2 have found that certain factors influence filter performance, drum or disk diameter, speed of rotation, percentage of immersion, and the percentage of solids in the feed influence capacity. Blinding of the filter cloth reduces effective vacuum, produces a wetter cake, and may decrease capacity. Reduced vacuum or improper adjustment between vacuum and blowing portions of the cycle will produce a wetter cake and also may decrease capacity. Widely fluctuating feed tonnages will adversely affect cake moisture and capacity. Flocculation, when properly applied, increases capacity and reduces cake moisture. Without flocculation, the slimes are the first particles sucked to the filter medium, which becomes partially blinded in consequence. With flocculation, the flocs act as coarse particles and the filter medium is not blinded. Overflocculated pulps, although filtering well, may yield wet cakes. Average Particle Size and Cake Moisture A method for predetermining the surface moisture content of coal filter cakes was published in 1949; but this method could not be applied to coals deficient in —200 mesh material or to fine mineral concentrates. Test data obtained for geared-weight types of vibrating screens4 and for centrifuges5 used to de-water coal provided definite correlations between the average particle size of a dewatered cake and the surface moisture content of the cake. It was thought that this same method of correlation should be applicable to filters, whether dewatering fine coal or fine mineral concentrates. To develop a correlation or correlations between average size of cake and cake moisture, the author collected data for filtration operations from as many sources as possible. In a considerable number of instances the information was provided by plant preparation engineers,"-" a few of the tests were on a laboratory scale: and the remainder of the data was obtained from published articles.10-17 Table I contains size-consist and miscellaneous data for coal filter cakes, and Table II contains the same data for mineral concentrate filter cakes. Fig. 1 shows the relationships existing between the average particle size of the cake and cake moisture (surface moisture for coal and total moisture for minerals) when dewatering fine solids by a variety of makes and types of filters. Average particle size is calculated by averaging the linear openings of the various pairs of screens used in the screening test, weighted in accordance with the percentages of material in the various fractions.

Jan 1, 1952

By W. M. Mobley

The coal industry in Alabama, centered in Birmingham, has pioneered coal-bene-ficiation practice in the United States. The nature of the coal seams and mining methods employed have necessitated use of equipment and methods best adapted to the local conditions. Although all of the 30 or more coal seams now being mined in the state receive beneficiation, only the three most important producers of coking coals, the Pratt, Mary Lee and Black Creek, are discussed in detail. Nature of the seams, washability characteristics and equipment used are given as examples of the extent of work and progress in this field. The coal seams in Alabama are relatively thin and pitching, making mining difficult and expensive. Most of them are characterized by thin partings of rock or shale in the seam itself, as well as laminations of bone and rash. Mechanical mining methods have increased the occlusions from roof and floor to such an extent that nearly all the coal mined in the state must receive some treatment before it can be put on the market. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1943,1 18,129,792 tons of coal were mined in the state and 14,364,177 tons, or 79.2 per cent, received treatment. Excluding from the total the 1,223,014 tons produced by small wagon mines and the hand-picked lump coal, the amount re- ceiving beneficiation would be more than 90.00 per cent. This is, by far, greater than in any other coal-producing state. The earliest record of coal beneficiation in Alabama was the installation in 1890 of an experimental rig washer by Alexander Cunningham, for the Sloss Iron and Steel Co. at its blast furnace in Birmingham.* In 1894 the Jeffrey Manufacturing Co. introduced the English Robinson washer, a combination of a hydraulic classifier and centrifugal machine. Erskine Ramsay, who has contributed so much to the coal industry, saw its possibilities as well as its mechanical defects and soon had his inventive mind at work. He added a sludge tank of his own design, and many Robinson-Ramsay washers were installed in Alabama and other states. The Stewart jig appeared in 1900, followed by the Montgomery jig in 1910 and both have found extensive use. Increased interest in this field led to new designs, such as the American, Elmore, Burke and Faust. The first Baum-type Norton jig was operated in 1930 and within the last five years six large installations of this type have been made by the McNally-Pitts-burg, Jeffrey and Link-Belt Companies. Wet-washing tables were introduced in 1922 but not extensively used until recently. The two most popular types are the Deister-Overstrom and Deister Plat-O. The coal-cleaning equipment used in Alabama has been relatively simple, yet efficient, but as the amount of impurities in the raw coal has been increased by mechanical mining and labor costs have become higher, much interest has been shown in sand cones, froth flotation and

Jan 1, 1947

By Oliver Bowles

Slate is a fine-grained rock that has a more or less perfect natural cleavage, permitting it to be split readily into thin, smooth sheets. According to a definition established by the American Society for Testing Materials, slate is "a microgranular crystalline rock derived from argillaceous sediments by regional metamorphism and characterized by a perfect cleavage entirely independent of original bedding, which cleavage has been induced by pressure within the earth." Origin and Character Slates have originated from sedimentary deposits consisting largely of clay. Such materials were carried by streams and deposited in seas or lakes in successive horizontal beds. Other materials such as calcium carbonate, sand, or gravel may have been deposited over the clays, and the pressure of these superimposed materials gradually consolidated the materials below into bedded deposits of shale. Shale is a stratified rock formed by recrystallization of the clay plus adsorbed potash into the mica, sericite. Shale has neither the strength nor the splitting properties of slate since the mica is fine and the flakes unoriented, and the quartz grains do not interlock. Many shales, however, have been subjected to intense metamorphism. Mountain-building forces ever at work in the earth's crust may crumple, squeeze, and fold the shales. At the same time, accompanying high pressures and temperatures changed the original minerals into mica, interlocking quartz, or chlorite. Both mica and chlorite consist of minute tabular sheets or flakes with perfect cleavage. The intense pressure and movement tend to orient these flakes in parallel positions normal to the direction of pressure. The parallelism of the flakes results in the tendency to split with ease in one direction, which has been termed "slaty cleavage," and which is the outstanding characteristic of slate. Actually, the cleavage is through the cleavages of the individual micaceous plates. The original bedding of the slate is often folded and contorted, and the slaty cleavage commonly cuts across it at sharp angles. Composition MINERALOGICAL COMPOSITION The most abundant mineral in most slates is white mica (sericite), a hydrous silicate of potash and aluminum. It is present in very small flakes recognizable only with a microscope. Small grains of quartz (silicon dioxide) are also abundant and are regularly distributed among the mica flakes. The mica-like mineral, chlorite, is usually present in considerable quantities. Chlorites are of several kinds, the more common being hydrous silicates of aluminum and iron or magnesium. Other common minerals present in small quantities are rutile, clay, hematite, pyrite, carbonaceous matter, feldspar, zircon, tourmaline, calcite, dolomite, and siderite. The general range of the chief constituents is about as follows: Sericite, 38 to 40; quartz, 31 to 45; chlorite, 6 to 18; hematite, 3 to 6; and rutile, 1 to 1 ½ pct. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION Results of many analyses indicate that clays, shales, and slates differ little in chemical composition. The changes that take place during metamorphism are confined largely to rearrangement of the elements into new minerals with accompanying changes in physical properties such as hardness and cleavage. The general

Jan 1, 1960

By W. M. Mobley

The coal industry in Alabama, centered in Birmingham, has pioneered coal-bene-ficiation practice in the United States. The nature of the coal seams and mining methods employed have necessitated use of equipment and methods best adapted to the local conditions. Although all of the 30 or more coal seams now being mined in the state receive beneficiation, only the three most important producers of coking coals, the Pratt, Mary Lee and Black Creek, are discussed in detail. Nature of the seams, washability characteristics and equipment used are given as examples of the extent of work and progress in this field. The coal seams in Alabama are relatively thin and pitching, making mining difficult and expensive. Most of them are characterized by thin partings of rock or shale in the seam itself, as well as laminations of bone and rash. Mechanical mining methods have increased the occlusions from roof and floor to such an extent that nearly all the coal mined in the state must receive some treatment before it can be put on the market. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1943,1 18,129,792 tons of coal were mined in the state and 14,364,177 tons, or 79.2 per cent, received treatment. Excluding from the total the 1,223,014 tons produced by small wagon mines and the hand-picked lump coal, the amount re- ceiving beneficiation would be more than 90.00 per cent. This is, by far, greater than in any other coal-producing state. The earliest record of coal beneficiation in Alabama was the installation in 1890 of an experimental rig washer by Alexander Cunningham, for the Sloss Iron and Steel Co. at its blast furnace in Birmingham.* In 1894 the Jeffrey Manufacturing Co. introduced the English Robinson washer, a combination of a hydraulic classifier and centrifugal machine. Erskine Ramsay, who has contributed so much to the coal industry, saw its possibilities as well as its mechanical defects and soon had his inventive mind at work. He added a sludge tank of his own design, and many Robinson-Ramsay washers were installed in Alabama and other states. The Stewart jig appeared in 1900, followed by the Montgomery jig in 1910 and both have found extensive use. Increased interest in this field led to new designs, such as the American, Elmore, Burke and Faust. The first Baum-type Norton jig was operated in 1930 and within the last five years six large installations of this type have been made by the McNally-Pitts-burg, Jeffrey and Link-Belt Companies. Wet-washing tables were introduced in 1922 but not extensively used until recently. The two most popular types are the Deister-Overstrom and Deister Plat-O. The coal-cleaning equipment used in Alabama has been relatively simple, yet efficient, but as the amount of impurities in the raw coal has been increased by mechanical mining and labor costs have become higher, much interest has been shown in sand cones, froth flotation and

Jan 1, 1947

By Robert B. Fulton

The objective of this chapter is to discuss the interrelationship between industrial minerals and chemical manufacturing. It is intended to supplement rather than duplicate the commodity chapters. Particular emphasis is given to the pertinent chemical element and to market factors. Condensing this broad subject into a few pages of this handbook permits treating only the most important elements derived from industrial minerals. Hydrocarbons, which quantitatively dominate as raw materials for the chemical industry, are omitted, as are the metallic elements and the minerals covered in other "use" chapters such as phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen for fertilizers, and titanium dioxide for pigments. The remaining six elements of major importance are: boron, bromine, chlorine, fluorine, sodium, and sulfur. These elements are treated individually under separate headings. Table I (Jones, 1973) affords an overview of the main industrial minerals, the chemical products derived from them, and end uses of the products. Salt brines have particular importance as raw material sources for the chemical industry. Table 2 (Anon., 1967) is a chart of the chemical compounds derived from four types of brines: (1) Owens Lake-type brines, which are sources of boron and sodium compounds; (2) Midland-type brines, from which bromine, iodine, and chlorides of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium are derived; (3) Searles Lake-type brines, yielding boron, bromine, lithium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium compounds; and (4) Silver Peak-type brines, produced mainly for lithium. Market Attributes Some of the important market traits common to industrial minerals used by the chemical industry are listed below. 1. They are international commodities, such as fluorspar and sulfur, which largely move to foreign consumers. 2. Grade, and freedom from deleterious elements are important factors affecting their usability in chemical processes. An example is salt (NaCl) used in electrolysis where ultrapure evaporated salt is required to meet rigid specifications. 3. Purified products take on the characteristics of specialty items and command a distinctly higher price than the basic commodity from which they are derived. 4. In practically all cases, chemical users require some sort of cleaning or beneficiation of the naturally-occurring mineral to bring it to specification, and individual specifications may vary from user to user for essentially the same use. 5. In some instances it is necessary to strike a balance between what the vendor can supply and what the buyer requires, with the result that specifications have to be eased to afford the needed materials in marginal cases. 6. Because they tend to be bulk commodities, low cost for handling and transportation are important and such costs may limit the area from which a chemical user can draw his supply. For example, fluorspar from China and Thailand normally goes to Japan, while South African fluorspar can go either to Japan or to the US. 7. Shipments are usually in bulk and frequently in multiple-car, full-trainload or full-shipload lots to reduce transport costs, which in turn may require large terminal investment facilities.

Jan 1, 1983

By G. H. Anderson

Cadmium-coppeR precipitate, a byproduct of the purification stage of the zinc plant, is composed mainly of zinc, cadmium and copper in varying amounts depending on the efficiency of precipitation and the cadmium and copper contents of the impure solution treated. The composition range is approximately: cadmium 10-12 pct, copper 6-8 pct, and zinc 3&35 pct. As received at the cadmium plant, the precipitate is a dark gray to black press cake produced by filter pressing the flocculent cadmium-copper precipitate formed when impure zinc solution is agitated with zinc dust. The details of the cadmium-copper precipitation are to be found in the paper "Electrolytic Zinc at Risdon, Tasmania," by W. C. Snow. Transactions AIME, 121, 501. The treatment, in addition to recovering cadmium as metal, yields a copper product as a residue for realization and recovers in solution for return to the zinc plant, the excess of zinc dust used during purification. The recovery of cadmium metal is approximately 200 tons† per year, but, with the amount of copper residue recovered, varies with the zinc production tonnage, composition of the original concentrates, degree of roasting and other operational factors. The operations involved in the recovery of the foregoing materials are carried out in a building adjacent to the purification section of the zinc plant and can best be described by dividing the process into the following stages: 1. Oxidation and Grinding of the cadmium-copper precipitate. 2. Leaching and Filtering. 3. Precipitation of cadmium. 4. Oxidation and Grinding of the precipitated cadmium. 5. Leaching oxidized cadmium precipitate and Purification of leach solution. 6. Electrolysis. 7. Melting, Casting and Packing. A feature of the process is the use of two distinct solution circuits. Spent electrolyte from the zinc plant circuit containing about 10 pct sulphuric acid is used as the primary solvent of the cadmium and zinc present in the oxidized precipitate. When the cadmium is later separated by precipitation and filtering, the filtrate, originally zinc plant spent electrolyte and now fortified in zinc, is returned to the zinc plant. The precipitated cadmium, after oxidation, is redissolved in spent electrolyte from cadmium electrolysis which solution is in closed circuit within the cadmium plant except for discards to the zinc plant circuit as mentioned in Section 5 hereinafter. (Fig 1.) Details of the various operations follow. I. Oxidation and Grinding of the Cadminm-copper Precipitate The precipitate having had a preliminary drying by compressed air in Dehne filter presses in the zinc plant is trucked to a storage platform of sufiicient length to store 3 to 4 days' production separately. After 48 hr exposure to atmosphere, oxidation is sufficient to enable all cadmium and zinc but only a portion of the copper to be dissolved in dilute sulphuric acid. The oxidized precipitate is shovelled into trucks and, after weighing and sampling, is broken in size by means of

Jan 1, 1950

By Dorsey Hager

North Central Texas has recently become a center of interest for the oil men of America. The bringing in of the McClosky well at Ranger, Eastland County, and the shallow pool at Brownwood, Brown County, in 1917, has stimulated interest in this area to fever pitch. Oil men from all over the United States are now investing there. The area of present interest is shown by the accompanying map (Fig. 1). The money spent in leases runs into millions of dollars. It is no exaggeration to say that a strip of country 200 miles (321 km.) long and 125 miles (201 km.) wide, comprising some 15,000,000 acres (6,070,310 ha.), has been leased practically solid at a cost for rentals and bonuses of at least $1 per acre. The test holes contracted for will certainly number 400, at a cost of at least $5,000,000. From what has been done in the past six months, $20,000,000 at least will be spent. To pay returns on this amount of money, new production to the extent of at least 12,000,000 bbl. must be obtained. At present, the production from new fields will not average over 5000 bbl. per day; three wells at Ranger are producing 3000 bbl.; 250 wells at Brownwood produce 1000 bbl.; and the Gray well, Coleman County, is as yet an unknown factor. However, at Ranger there is every indication of developing a good pool covering from 1500 to 2000 acres (607 to 809 ha.), more or less, but the wells are deep, 3400 to 3800 ft. (1036 to 1158 m.), and cost $35,000 to $40,000 to drill. Large wells are necessary to pay for such expensive holes. As new wells are drilled, the gas pressure will be lowered rapidly, and large production need not be expected. For those oil men who expect a second Cushing or an Eldorado, Ranger holds little of promise. At Brownwood, Brown County, there are some 250 shallow wells (depths from 200 to 350 ft.) averaging 4 to 7 bbl. per day. There is a chance of an extensive producing area for these shallow sands to the southwest, and the opening of several thousand acres of shallow oil territory, and also some promise of deeper oil horizons in the Ranger horizon, but probably all under 2500 ft. At present, the lease brokers and speculators, and only a handful of oil men, have made any money. More fields must be developed, and it is more particularly with these possibilities that this paper deals. Lack of water for drilling purposes has undoubtedly held back development so far this year; this part of Texas has had a drouth for two years and there is an actual scarcity of water. Geological investigations so far undertaken cover nearly all the area outlined, and while pakt of the

Jan 1, 1920