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By R. L. Featherly, J. R. James

The replacement or reconditioning of oil storage tank bottoms due to external corrosion is an expensive maintenance item to the oil industry. Cathodic protection as a means of mitigating this problem has proved very successful in the past few years. One pipe-line company recently used magnesium anodes to cathodically protect two 55,000 bbl and two 20,000 bbl tanks. The tank bottoms were protected as individual units with considerable factual data being taken on one of the 20,000 bbl tanks. Twelve 60-lb anodes were installed about 2½ ft from the tank on approximately 17-½ft centers around the tank. Previous installations and tests have shown that sufficient protection is provided when the tank-to-soil potential using a copper-copper sulphate half-cell as a reference electrode is — 0.90 volts at the edge of tank. Potential measurements taken a few months after completing the installation indicated that the potentials were higher than were needed for protection. Resistors were then inserted in the individual anode circuits which increased the life of the anode installation and still provided adequate protection for the structure. All connecting pipe lines were then insulated from the tank. This limited the anode current strictly to the tank resulting in a greater degree of protection with a still longer anticipated anode installation life. The total installation cost for this tank was less than $300 which amounts to $20 per year The corrosion of metallic structures in contact with soil or water has been a very serious and costly problem for centuries. The annual loss to our nation's pipelines alone is estimated at $200,000,000. Mitigation of this problem by various methods has been carried on quite successfully for a number of years. An electrical method called cathodic protection has been used with considerable success to control corrosive influences on pipelines, tank bottoms, cable sheathing and other buried metal structures. Corrosion of oil storage tank bottoms has been a serious problem among the oil industries for years. In addition to damage costs and loss of oil, the replacement of one tank alone represents several thousand dollars. A reconditioning program at periodic intervals was instituted by several organizations and found to be a very expensive process. A few years ago two of the pipeline companies installed cathodic protection units at their tank farms.3'4 The average current required for protection of the tank bottoms varied from 0.7 to 1.0 milliampere per square foot. The results indicated that adequate protection was obtained at a cost of approximately 10 pct of the previous reconditioning program. The Republic Pipe Line Company experienced severe corrosion on their oil storage tanks. One of their 55,000-bbl tanks

Jan 1, 1948

By Ralph Hultgren, David W. Mitchell

MAGNESIUM alloys usually are superheated before casting in order to ensure fineness of grain. Superheat temperatures in common use range from 1600° to 1700°F while the casting temperature, which depends upon the mold shape, is usually 200° to 300°F lower. The process of superheating requires considerable time and seriously shortens the life of the iron pots used. Recently it has been reported' that if acetylene, carbon dioxide or natural gas is bubbled through molten electrolytic A.S.T.M. No. 4 alloy at 1400°F. for 5 min., grain refinement equivalent to that of superheating will take place. Addition of certain solids such as graphite or aluminum carbide accomplishes the same results.2 As will be shown in this paper, it is possible to achieve grain refinement in magnesium casting alloys at low temperatures by mechanical stirring of the molten metal for a short time. This process was developed in the course of research work, supervised by the War Metallurgy Committee under the "Restricted" Project NRC-550, for the Office of Production Research and Development of the War Production Board. This paper, based on that work, has been released for publication by the O.P.R.D. MATERIALS AND METHODS The alloys studied were the most common American sand-casting alloys designated as No. 4 and No. 17 by the American Society for Testing Materials. The magnesium used in these alloys was of both carbothermic3 and electrolytic4 origin. Chemical analyses supplied by the producers are shown in Table I. Each heat consisted of approximately 5 lb. of alloy melted in a Tercod crucible. It was refined by fluxing with Permanente No. 7* refining flux at 1300° to 1350°F. After cooling to 1200' to 1250°F., portions of approximately one pound each were ladled into iron crucibles contained in an electric furnace at about 1250°F. The molten metal was covered with Permanente No. 21† covering flux and then heated to the temperature to be investigated. Normally each of the four portions was given a different treatment. In a typical case one portion was stirred vigorously for 5 min., acetylene gas was passed through a second portion for 5 min., a third portion was superheated to 1600°F for 15 min., then cooled to casting temperature, and the fourth was held for 5 min. at the temperature of stirring or gassing without other treatment. Each portion was then cast into one-inch diameter cylinders in three "nonturbulent" molds of identical shape. One mold was made of cast iron and the other two of baked sand. The cast-iron mold and one of the baked sand molds were heated to 360°F., the other baked sand mold was at room temperature. The freezing times in these molds were

Jan 1, 1945

By Virgil Miller, F. B. Petermann, S. F. Ravitz

The Cle Elum nickeliferous iron deposit is in Kittitas County, Washington, in a rugged, mountainous region about 23 miles north of the town of Cle Elum. The Biewett Pass deposit, which is similar in character and occurrence, is in Chelan County, about 18 miles east of the Cle Elum deposit. A more or less continuous ore zone may extend between the two deposits, since iron ore is reported to have been discovered at Iron Mountain, which lies directly between them. The ore probably was formed by meta-morphism of laterite resulting from Ieach-ing of serpentine derived from peridotite. It consists largely of magnetite grains distributed through a matrix of limonitic material containing a small amount of hematite and chromite. Many of the chromite grains have shells and inclusions of magnetite. The magnetite grains range in size from 1200-mesh to 1/4-in., the average size being 48 to 65-mesh; the chromite grains range from 20 to 150-mesh. The gangue minerals are olivine and serpentine with a small, amount of chlorite, and appear both as very thin bands in the ore and 's minute fragments in the limonitic matrix. The nickel is present as minUte inclusions of a nickel silicate mineral within the magnetite and gangue par- ticles, varying in size from 1500 to about 280-mesh. Detailed analyses of 3000-lb. lots of Cle Elum and Blewett Pass ore are given in Table I. TABLE i.—Analyses of Ore Samples Per Cent Ore from Constituent cle Elum' Blewett Pass Cr....................... 2.23 2-12 Ni...................... 1.43 0.9s Fe...................... 52.9 41.4 SiOz.................... 5.6 13.4 CaO.................... 0.3 0.8 MgO................... 4-1 7-5 AI2O3................... 7.0 2.g P...................... 0.022 0.034 S....................... O.O1 o.oa Mn..................... I.I 0.4 Ba..................... nil co..................... o.oa 0.02 CU..................... 0.02 0.03 As...................... 0.03 Au..................... nil Ag°..................... O.58 Pt...................... ml Fe++.................... 8.9 5-9 Fe+++.................. 44-0 35-5 « Ounces per ton, 1 sr,cte,so,","&&$ally absent: B, W, M~, T~, V, ~i, Bi, Pb. Sb. Sn. Be, In, Hg. Zn, Zr. Cd. Preliminary Tests Attempts to beneficiate the ore by ore-dressing methods, including various 'cornbinations of sink and float, tabling, jigging, flotation, and magnetic separation, were consistently unsuccessful. A wide variety of roasting and leaching tests were made on both raw and reduced ore, but in most of the tests little or no nickel was extracted, and in none did the extraction exceed 50 Per cent. No nickel could be volatilized as the carbonyl. by treating reduced ore with carbon monoxide. Fairly good sepa-

Jan 1, 1944

By G. Aertsen

THE CHAIRMAN (HENRY D. HIBBARD, Plainfield, N. J).-This excellent paper fills a gap in our Transactions and is most acceptable. In the early days another way of casting tire ingots, sometimes called cheeses, because of their shape, was to use a 22-gage sheet-iron cylindrical can for each ingot of the proper size to give the weight desired. These cans were bottom cast in groups, usually of four, each can being surrounded by a heavy iron ring somewhat taller than itself the top of the can being covered by a circular cast-iron plate having a small conical riser in the center, about 2 ½ in. in diameter at the bottom and 10 in. high. The top plate was clamped down to resist the upward pressure of the fluid metal and the space between the can and the outer ring, usually about 2 in. wide, was filled with dry sand. The riser permitted the escape of some of the air displaced by the steel and also increased the pressure in the steel when the mold was filled, and so diminished somewhat the tendency for gas holes to form. But little was known of segregation and pipe in those days, though the center of an ingot was understood to be the worst part, and it was separated in part in the disk which was punched out in perforating the ingot. This disk was about 8 in. in diameter and from ¾ to 2 in. thick, the variation in thickness being to rectify the weight. When an ingot was too -heavy, a thicker disk-was made by not driving the punch in quite as far as when the ingot-weight was right. Then the bloom was turned over and the punch driven in on the other side, which finished the punching and detached the disk. The tire bloom was then" becked" and later reheated and rolled as described in the paper. The forging was done with a 10-ton double-acting steam hammer. The steel generally speaking had lower carbon, from 0.45 to 0.55 per cent., than tires today have, and the tires were smaller, the most common size of ingot weighing 1,060 lb. each. BRADLEY STOUGHTON, New York, N. Y.-This paper was specially requested by the Iron and Steel Committee, because that Committee thought so important an industry should have its history written by one who was familiar with it, and before he had forgotten, or all the rest of the world had forgotten, its early stages. Mr. Aertsen has said that it is not an exhaustive research. I think it would not be any different if it were an exhaustive research, because our library made a careful attempt to find some written light on the history of these tires, but very little was found.

Jan 4, 1917

By Ralph Hultgren, David W. Mitchell

Magnesium alloys usually are superheated before casting in order to ensure fineness of grain. Superheat temperatures in common use range from 1600" to r 7o0°F.; the casting temperature, which depends upon the mold shape, is usually 200° to 300°F. lower. The process of superhcating requires considerable time and seriously shortens the life of the iron pots used. Recently it has been reported1 that if acetylene, carbon dioxide or natural gas is bubbled through molten electrolytic A.S.T.M. No. 4 alloy at 1400°F. for 5 min., grain refinement equivalent to that of superheating will take place. Addition of certain solids such as graphite or aluminum carbide accomplishes the same results? As will be shown in this paper, it is possible to achieve grain refinement in magnesium casting alloys at low temperatures by mechanical stirring of the molten metal for a short time. This process was developed in the course of research work, supervised by the War Metallurgy Committee under the "Restricted' project NRC-550, for the Office of Production Research and Development of the War Production Board. This paper, based on that work, has been released for publication by the O.P.R.D. Materials and Methods The alloys studied were the most common American sand-casting alloys designated as No. 4 and No. 17 by the American Society for Testing Materials. The magnesiun used in these alloys was of both carbothermic3 and electrolytic' origin. Chemical analyses supplied by the producers are shown in Table I. Each heat consisted of approximately 5 lb. of alloy melted in a Tercod crucible. It was refined by fluxing with Permanente No. 7* refining flux at 1300° to 1350°F. After cooling to 1200° to 1250°F., portions of approximately one pound each, were ladled into iron crucibles contained in an electric furnace at about 1250°F. The molten metal was covered with Permanente No. 21 † covering flux and then heated to the temperature to be investigated. Normally each of the four portions was given a different treatment. In a typical case one portion was stirred vigorously for 5 min., acetylene gas was passed through a second portion for 5 min., a third portion was superheated to 1600°F. for 15 min., then . cooled to casting temperature, and the fourth was held for 5 min. at the temperature of stirring or gassing without other treatment. Each portion was then cast into one-inch diameter cylinders in three "nonturbulent" molds of identical shape. One mold was made of cast iron and the other two of baked sand. The cast-iron mold and one of the baked sand molds were heated to 360°F., the other baked sand mold was at room temperature. The freezing times in these molds were

Jan 1, 1945

By A. W. Fahrenwald

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

Jan 1, 1947

By Glen R. Neighbors, Sylvan Cromer

HIGH subsurface temperatures and pressures are making cementing operations more difficult as deeper producing horizons are being sought. Recorded bottom-hole temperatures above 200°F. and pressures in excess of 12,000 Ib. per sq. in., obtained by combining hydrostatic and pump pressures, are not uncommon. Insufficient time is available for proper placement of standard Portland cement, because of the shortened setting time produced by these excessive temperatures and pressures, therefore special types of cements have been developed to overcome these difficulties. From the standpoint of placement, the ideal slurry would be one that would remain fluid long enough to be placed, then harden rapidly, so that there would be a limited amount of contamination and the well could be placed on production in a minimum of time. It is highly desirable, therefore, that some method be devised to measure accurately the time that any slurry will remain in a fluid state while being pumped into the well. To study the effect of elevated temperature and pressure on fluidity, the authors have developed the pressure-type consistometer (Figs. I and 2) described below, and are presenting data obtained with it, using slurries of both quick-setting and slow-setting cements. Studies were made over a temperature range from 110° to 270°F., and a pressure range from atmospheric to 3000 lb. per sq. inch. APPARATUS The fluidity of cement slurries at atmospheric pressure is usually determined with the Halliburton consistometer1 or the Thickening Time Tester.2 These instruments are similar, in many respects, to an ordinary ice-cream freezer. The slurry to be tested is placed in a container that is rotated at a constant speed with an electric motor. Constant temperature is maintained by surrounding the container with a thermostatically controlled bath. The torque on the paddles, which is proportional to the force needed to shear the slurry, is indicated on a scale. The Halliburton instrument is calibrated from 0 to 100 poises against fluids of known viscosity. To permit direct correlation of observed elevated pressure data with those published at atmospheric pressure, the authors' designs of the slurry container, paddle, and torque indicator closely resemble those used on the Halliburton instrument. Duplicate results may be obtained at atmospheric pressure in either instrument. Instead of the atmospheric constant-temperature bath, one was built from a high-pressure steel bull plug. A Uni-Bolt union equipped with a blanking plug serves as the top, permiting the instrument to be opened or closed in less than one minute. The slurry container is built from Shelby steel tubing. A wrench socket welded to the bottom of the container engages a hexagonal nut on the top of the steel shaft that rotates it. This acts as a universal

Jan 1, 1941

By A. W. Fahrenwald

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

Jan 1, 1947

By E. E. McGinley, L. D. Woodworth

DURING the past several years has occurred what, in the light of future events, may aptly be called the rebirth of the acid Bessemer process. The increased attention given to the technical and metallurgical details involved in the production of Bessemer steels has been exceedingly fruitful, and indicates the value of further research and plant development. In times like these, when the steelmaking capacity of the country is operating at a maximum rate to supply materials for the national defense program, it behooves the Bessemer operator not only to strive to increase production but also to maintain a high standard of quality. The opportunity is ripe, it seems, to recapture fields of application once considered the birthright of Bessemer steels, but supplanted in recent years by open-hearth grades. This involves cooperation all along the line, from the blast-furnace operator to the metallurgical contact man and salesman. The metallurgist's part in this program involves the study of the many steelmaking variables and the measures necessary to ensure constancy in the finished product. It is equally important that the knowledge gained be disseminated widely to ensure the wise application of Bessemer steels in new fields. The merits of Bessemer steels for certain work are well understood. The combined properties of good weldability, machinability and stiffness are unique and fully explain the strong entrenchment of Bessemer steels in certain fields; e.g., skelp for small butt-weld conduit, screw steels machined in automatics, and certain tinplate applications. It is the purpose of this paper to review briefly the physical properties of Bessemer steels as contrasted with those of open-hearth steels, to discuss control measures now employed in the making of Bessemer steel, and to consider the advantages derived from the use of these control measures. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BESSEMER VS. OPEN-HEARTH STEELS A number of Bessemer blows and open-hearth heats were tested for tensile strength, ductility and impact strength. The steels selected were confined to sections from ¾ to 1 ¼ -in. diameter, inclusive, and the carbon content covered was sufficient to yield parallel ranges in ultimate strength for the comparison. Other factors, such as the extent of deoxidation of the steel and variations in chemistry, were kept as comparable as possible. Machined test pieces of 0.505-in. diameter with an 8-in. gauge length were pulled. The data obtained are shown in Fig. 1, ultimate strength being plotted against carbon content. This graph shows that for equivalent carbon content Bessemer steel has on the average 15,000 lb. per sq. in. greater tensile strength and, conversely, for the same tensile strength Bessemer steel requires on the average 0.14 per cent less carbon. The average phosphorus content for the Bessemer steel was 0.090 per cent,

Jan 1, 1941

By G. D. Van Arsdale

THE paper of Mr. Posnjak presents a laboratory confirmation of the well known facts that air ox-idation of pure solutions of ferrous sulfate is slow and difficult and that, like many other similar reactions, the speed, may be greatly accelerated by the presence of other substances, often in very small amounts, the effect of the presence of copper being determined ex-perimentally in this case. However, it should not be. overlooked that copper is always present in heap leach-ing solutions in amounts equal to or greater than those in the experiments described; therefore the paper may be considered as an explanation of present results rather than a possible improve-ment to be added to present practice. It is not practicable and it does not pay to precipitate copper by ce-mentation below a point about 5 lb. per 1000 gal., equivalent to about 0.0005 mol. Cu. per liter, compar-ing with the approxi-mately 0.0009 mol. per liter of curve 2 in the diagrams given of course, also, in the heaps local concentrations are usually very much higher than this, which is also true of the effluent li-quors, so that I feel that it is safe to say that copper is already present in amount sufficient to realize, as large an accelerating effect as is practicable. Too much im-provement or refinement cannot be expected in a method of this kind, due to commercial limitations. It should be remembered that chemically and physically there is no sharp dividing line between leaching in place, heap leaching, and the usual tank leaching practice, practi-cally the same reagents being used in all three. From the viewpoint of extractions, etc., it is not common sense to apply leaching in place to an orebody carrying enough copper to pay for mining; and the same is true of heap leaching, for an ore carrying enough to pay for the crushing, handling, etc., of ordinary leaching. That is to say, leaching in place should properly be consid-ered only for an ore too low-grade to pay for mining, and heap leaching for the next higher grade, still how-ever too low-grade to pay for crushing and other re-finements. There is no advantage in leaching without mining or in heap leaching except lower cost of in-stallation and handling; on the other hand there are very distinct disadvantages which are inherent and which should prohibit their use except where necessity requires. The object of metallurgy is to make money out of the handling of ore, and it is purely a question of money as to how far we can go in "improving" or

Jan 7, 1927

By Paul H. Price, John P. Nolting

The history of the salt industry in West Virginia dates back nearly two hundred years; howTever, the history of salt as an important raw material for the chemical industry is much more recent. The earliest record of West Virginia salt was in 1753, when a raiding party of Shawnee Indians attacked frontier settlements in Virginia taking captive a number of the pioneers. One of these, who later escaped and returned to her friends, described how the Indians camped at a salt spring on the banks of the Kanawha River and evaporated the water to obtain a supply of salt to take back to Ohio with them. Settlement of the Kanawha Valley began in 1774, that same year the Battle of Point Pleasant ended the Indian's power in the Ohio Valley; and settlement of the Kanawha Valley progressed rapidly with a consequent increase in the importance of the Kanawha Licks as a source of salt. In those days the evaporation of the brine was a family matter for which the family wash-kettle was commandeered. In 1797, Elisha Brooks erected the first salt furnace in the Kanawha Valley. It consisted of two dozen small kettles set in a double row, with a flue beneath, a chimney at one end, and a fire bed at the other. He obtained his brine at a depth of 20 to 30 ft by sinking hollow logs, called "gums" into the salt lick and dipping the brine with a bucket. His production was about 150 lb a day and sold for 8 to 10 cents a pound. In 1806, the Ruffner brothers, David and Joseph, prospected for and drilled the first well in America using a spring pole and steel chisel bit. After several failures they succeeded, in 1808, in drilling to a total depth of 59 ft where they secured a good flow of strong brine. Most standard drilling tools, jars, casing, and practically all the basic oil well drilling machinery now in use, were developed in the drilling of salt wells. To evaporate this brine, the brothers built a wood-burning furnace similar to that of Brooks but with a better arrangement and with more and larger kettles. When production was started they reduced the price of salt to 4 cents a pound. By 1817, there were some 30 salt furnaces in the Kanawha area. It was in this year that bituminous coal first was used as an industrial fuel. David Ruffner again pioneered the way by converting his furnace for the consumption of coal. This year also brought about the formation of the first trust which controlled production and set a price of 1 cent a pound for the salt.

Jan 1, 1950

Boiler-Room Economy "Establishing and Maintaining Boiler-room Economy" is the title of a paper presented before the Ohio Society of Mechanical Electrical and Steam Engineers by Geo. H. Gibson, of which the following is an excerpt: Boiler-room economy depends less upon equipment than upon operation, i.e., it depends largely upon the condition in which the apparatus is maintained and how it is used. A given boiler may operate this week with an efficiency of 78 per cent., and next week with an efficiency of 65 per cent., while using the same fuel and developing the same rating. If there are variations ii; character of fuel and in load and other factors, the falling-off may be even greater, possibly to less than 60 per cent. The steam produced may cost twice as much per 1,000 lb. at one time as at another. Most steam plant managers know from their own experience that these statements are not exaggerated. It does not take much of a plant to run up a coal bill of $5,000 per year, many "spend $10,000 for coal, and fuel bills of $50,000, $100,000, or $200,000 per annum are not uncommon. As it call be shown in the majority of these plants that 10 per cent. of this amount may be saved, and in large numbers of them 25 per cent., while in some the expenditure can be cut in half, there is no disputing that we have here a subject worthy of attention. In the production of steam the greatest variable is the human factor. Before we can pass judgment, however, we must first have standards. This implies accurate quantitative knowledge of fuel consumption and steam production. We must measure the output and know how much the steam costs per thousand pounds, and how many pounds of steam are obtained from a pound of coal. We can then begin to analyze the problem, and find where and how methods and conditions can be improved, and how much. Many favor buying coal on a B. t. u. basis. This is advisable where the amount purchased warrants the considerable expense involved in systematically gathering samples that: are. truly representative and in having analyses made, of every carload. Coal analyses, combined with. an honest endeavor on the part of the miner to ship good coal, should insure the receipt of the heat units paid for. , It often happens, however, that the coal which is cheapest on a B.t.u. basis is not the cheapest or most suitable for producing steam, because of peculiarities of the plant in which it is to be burned, or conversely, the fuel which furnishes cheap B.t.u. may require special methods or equipment for its economic utilization.

Jan 2, 1916

By G. W. Binkley, G. K. Dumbauld, F. A. Brooks, B. E. Morgan

In recent years, oil well cementing compositions have been developed with low densities, controlled set strengths, and satisfactory thickening times. With the introduction of the permanent-type well completion method for cementing wells, another property—that of rate of filtration or water loss to permeable formations— has become important. Laboratory data show that cement slurries prepared with oil, water, bentonite, and calcium lignosulfonate possess satisfactory thickening times, strengths, and filtration properties for primary cementing of casing and for squeeze cementing with the permanent-type well completion technique. Cementing compositions have been prepared with oil-in-water emulsions varying in composition from 60 cc water and 20 cc oil per 100 gm cement to 90 cc water and 45 cc oil per 100 gm cement. These compositions have contained from 0.4 to 5.0 per cent calcium lignosulfonate by weight of dry cement. Slurries prepared from these compositions weigh 11.4 to 13.1 lb/ga1 and have filtration rates of from 10 cc to approximately 100 cc in 30-min API tests at room temperature. The unfiltered emulsion cements develop one-day tensile strengths of 60 to 220 psi; and the filtered mass sets to tensile strengths of 60 to 150 psi in 12 hours and develops strengths of 320 to 515 psi in seven days when cured at 125° F. Field experience gained from 13 field mixing jobs demonstrates the utility of the emulsion cement for permanent-type squeeze cementing operations. INTRODUCTION In recent years, research in oil well cementing composition has been directed toward the development of cements having low densities, controlled set strengths, satisfactory thickening times, and low rates of water loss by filtration. Two well cementing compositions that have been developed with these properties are the modified cements containing, respectively, 12 and 25 per cent bentonite clay and various concentrations of calcium lignosulfonate1,2 In a search for other ways to incorporate these characteristics in a cementing composition, consideration was given to the rheological properties of oil-emulsion drilling fluids. Many of the desirable properties observed in oil-emulsion drilling fluids are equally advantageous in a cementing composition. For example, low water loss by filtration and low density, which are inherent characteristics of these oil-in-water emulsions, are desirable for many oil well cementing operations. Furthermore, oil-emulsion slurries have lubricating properties similar to those of oil-emulsion muds, a factor which should provide ease of rotation of casing during primary cementing operations. The properties of lubrication and low filtration may be of special value in both primary and squeeze cementing operations encountered in slim-hole drilling. Studies in the preparation of oil emulsion systems have pointed out the need for violent agitation in order to disperse the oil into the water phase. It was thought, therefore,

Jan 1, 1957

By L. C. Reese

The ultimate resistance against a rigid cylinder which is moved laterally in a cohesionless soil is a function of the geometry of the cylinder and the properties of the soil. An approximate method is developed for computing this resistance and is tested against results of laboratory experiments. Satisfactory agreement between the method and experiment was obtained. Not only was the ultimate resistance against the cylinder measured, but measurements were made of the shape of the rupture surfaces. These measurements should allow the development of a more rigorous computation procedure. INTRODUCTION A critical aspect in the design of offshore drilling platforms is assuring the stability of the platform during a hurricane. The large horizontal loads from waves and wind make a severe loading condition. Piles are generally employed as the foundation since they can be effective in resisting both horizontal and vertical loads. Spuds are sometimes used with a mat foundation, where the spuds are designed principally to resist horizontal loads and the mat designed principally to resist vertical loads. The research reported in this paper is related to one aspect of the problem of laterally loaded piles or spuds in sand. The complete solution to the problem of the laterally loaded pile in sand would require the prediction of soil resistance against the pile as a function of pile deflection; only the ultimate resistance against short piles is considered in this paper. A considerable amount of additional research will be necessary in order to obtain a complete solution to the problem of the laterally loaded pile in sand; however, the work reported here should be useful as a guide in the performance of some of the additional research. ULTIMATE LATERAL RESISTANCE AGAINST A LONG FALL IN SAND To aid in the understanding of the theory which is developed for a cylinder, the theory for earth pressure against a wall is reviewed. In Fig. l(a), a long wall of height H is shown embedded in soil. Soil resistance will develop as the wall is deflected, and the soil resistance will increase with deflection until some limiting value is reached. In this discussion, and those following, it is assumed that all points on the wall deflect equal amounts. A possible shape of the real curve which relates soil resistance to deflection is shown by the dashed line in Fig. l(b); however, as a means of simplifying the discussion, an idealized curve (shown by the unbroken lines) is drawn. If such a wall as this were furnishing the horizontal support for an offshore structure, the dashed curve in Fig. 1 would be the information needed in performing a foundation analysis, with the idealized curve possibly being an acceptable substitute. For the idealized curve, the soil resistance is linear with deflection for the early portion of the curve such that

By Herman Garlichs

The development of the extensive Southeast Missouri deposits greatly preceded that of the Iowa and Wisconsin deposits. It began about 1720 at Mine La Motte and other localities, and has continued uninterruptedly to the present time. It is estimated that this district produced about 184,000 tons of lead in the year 1916, having a value of approximately $25,000,000. This is a new high record. The Southwest Missouri orebodies were hardly known before 1845 and were not extensively developed until 1870. Lead production in Southwest Missouri for 1916 was 38,788 tons. Oklahoma produced 14,399 tons and Kansas 2,345 tons, making a total for Southwest Missouri, and the adjoining districts in Oklahoma and Kansas, of 55,532 tons of lead. The first metallurgists in Missouri were the Indian and the hunter. The early settler learned to procure his bullets either by melting ore in his camp fire or by throwing pieces of galena on an old stump and depending on the usual roasting and reaction method to obtain the metal. A little more refined method was to arrange two flat stones in the form of a, V. Wood and galena were placed in the furnace and ignited.. As heat developed, some of the metal was extracted and molded into bullets. The next step in utilizing the lead ores was the log hearth. All lead in Missouri was smelted in this crude affair before 1820. It was built on sloping ground, and consisted of a hearth of stone, surrounded on the front and two sides by a stone wall. The wall was 7 it. high in front. The top and rear end were left open and in front an arch or opening was made, forming the eye of the furnace. In front of this a pit was dug in the ground, to receive the molten metal. Large logs were rolled in at the back and made to rest upon ledges formed inside, to raise them from the hearth and to give a draft. These logs filled the entire width of the furnace. Small split logs were then set up around the two sides and the front, and the ore was piled on until the furnace was full. Finally, the mass was covered with logs and fuel until the ore was completely surrounded. A gentle heat was started, which was raised very gradually. After 12 hr. the heat was increased and continued for 12 hr. more, 24 hr. being required for each smelting. The furnace treated about 5,000 lb. per 24 hr. and the ore yielded about 50 per cent. of its metallic lead. A considerable quantity of the ore was not desulphurized, and fell between

Jan 1, 1918

By Herman Garlichs

THE development of the extensive Southeast Missouri deposits greatly preceded that of the Iowa and Wisconsin deposits. It began about 1720 at Mine La Motte and other localities, and has continued uninterruptedly to the present time. It is estimated that this district produced about 184,000 tons of lead in the year 1916, having a value of approximately, $25,000,000. This is a new high record. The Southwest Missouri orebodies were hardly known before 1845 and were not extensively developed until 1870: Lead production in South-west Missouri for 1916 was 38,788 tons. Oklahoma produced 14,399 ,tons and Kansas 2,345 tons, making a total for Southwest Missouri, and the adjoining districts in Oklahoma and Kansas, of 55,532 tons of lead. The first metallurgists in Missouri were the Indian and the hunter. The early settler learned to procure his bullets either by melting ore in his camp fire or by throwing pieces of galena on an old stump and depending on the usual roasting and reaction method to obtain the metal. A little more refined method was to arrange two flat stones in the form of a V. Wood and galena were placed in the furnace and ignited. As heat developed, some of the metal was extracted and molded into bullets. The next step in utilizing the lead ores was the log hearth. All lead in Missouri was smelted in this crude affair before 1820. It was built on sloping ground, and consisted of a hearth of stone, surrounded on the front and two sides by a stone wall. The wall was 7 ft. high in front. The top and rear end were left open and in front an arch or opening was made, forming the eye of the furnace. In front of this a pit was dug in the ground, to receive the molten metal. Large logs were rolled in at the back and made to rest upon ledges formed inside, to raise them from the hearth and to give a draft. These logs filled the entire width of the furnace. Small split logs were then set up around the two sides and the front, and the ore was piled on until the furnace was full. Finally, the mass was covered with logs and fuel until the ore was completely surrounded. A gentle heat was started, which was raised very gradually. After 12 hr. the heat was increased and continued for 12 hr. more, 24 hr. being required, for each smelting. The furnace treated about 5,000 lb. per 24 hr. and the ore yielded about 50 per cent. of its metallic lead. A considerable quantity of the ore was not desulphurized, and fell between

Jan 7, 1917

By L. D. Woodworth, E. E. McGinley

During the past several years has occurred what, in the light of future events, may aptly be called the rebirth of the acid Bessemer process. The increased attention given to the technical and metallurgical details involved in the production of Bessemer steels has been exceedingly fruitful, and indicates the value of further research and p1ant development. In times like these, when the steelmaking capacity of the country is operating at a maximum rate to supply materials for the national defense program, it behooves the Bessemer operator not only to strive to increase production but also to maintain a high standard of quality. The opportunity is ripe, it seems, to recapture fields of application once considered the birthright of Bessemer steels, but supplanted in recent years by open-hearth grades. This involves cooperation all along the line, from the blast-furnace operator to the metallurgical contact man and salesman. The metallurgist's part in this program involves the study of the many steelmaking variables and the measures necessary to ensure constancy in the finished product. It is equally important that the knowledge gained be disseminated widely to ensure the wise application of Bessemer steels in new fields. The merits of Bessemer steels for certain work are well understood. The combined properties of good weldability, machinabil-ity and stiffness are unique and fully explain the strong entrenchment of Bessemer steels in certain fields; e.g., skelp for small butt-weld conduit, screw steels machined in automatics, and certain tin-plate applications. It is the purpose of this paper to review briefly the physical properties of Bessemer steels as contrasted with those of open-hearth steels, to discuss control measures now employed in the making of Bessemer steel, and to consider the advantages derived from the use of these control measures. Physical Properties oF Bessemer vs. Open-hearth Steels A number of Bessemer blows and open-hearth heats were tested for tensile strength, ductility and impact strength. The steels selected were confined to sections from 3/4 to 1 1/4-in. diameter, inclusive, and the carbon content covered was sufficient to yield parallel ranges in ultimate strength for the comparison. Other factors, such as the extent of deoxidation of the steel and variations in chemistry, were kept as comparable as possible. Machined test pieces of 0.505-in. diameter with an 8-in. gauge length were pulled. The data obtained are shown in Fig. I, ultimate strength being plotted against carbon content. This graph shows that for equivalent carbon content Bessemer steel has on the average 15,000 lb. per sq. in. greater tensile strength and, conversely, for the same tensile strength Bessemer steel requires on the average 0.14 per cent less carbon. The average phosphorus content for the Bessemer steel was 0.090 per cent,

Jan 1, 1941

By S. Floreen, H. W. Hayden

The effects of additions of iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, and platinum on the mechanical properties of Fe-C alloys were determined. Each alloying element significantly improved the toughness. The results support the general correlation that substitutional alloying elements that stabilize austenite are beneficial to toughness, but the reason for this improvement is not obvious at this time. The effects of substitutional alloying elements on the toughness of steel has long been a subject of both practical and theoretical interest. Despite the obvious importance of this subject, there has been little progress toward understanding the mechanisms by which alloying elements influence the fracture behavior. In some cases the deleterious effects of alloying elements have been shown to be due to mechanisms such as embrit-tlement of prior austenite grain boundaries or inhibition of cross slip in the ferrite lattice. In other cases, however, the reasons for the change in properties are not clear. This is particularly true for elements, such as nickel, that improve the resistance to brittle fracture. Several investigators'-3 have pointed out that there is a correlation between an alloying element's phase diagram with iron and its effect on toughness. Those substitutional alloying elements that stabilize austenite generally are beneficial to toughness, while ferrite-stabilizing elements generally are detrimental to toughness. The word "generally" should be emphasized, because exceptions to this rule can be found. Nevertheless, this correlation does offer a starting point at which to try to understand the effects of alloying elements on toughness. Thus far only two austenite-stabilizing elements, manganese and nickel, have been considered. In order to test the validity of this correlation several other austenite-stabilizing elements were evaluated. The noble metals, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, and platinum, have binary phase diagrams with iron similar to the Fe-Ni and Fe-Mn diagrams. That is, each element expands the austenite field, and also higher concentrations of each element produce martensitic transformations at low temperatures. Presumably then, each of these elements should improve the toughness of steel. The present study was conducted to determine if this were so. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The alloys were made as l-lb air-induction melts using electrolytic iron and commercially pure noble metals. Each heat was initially deoxidized by a carbon boil, and further carbon was added to attempt to produce a 0.05 wt pct C content in each alloy. Before pouring, a final refining addition of 0.2 wt pct A1 and 0.1 wt pct Ti was made to each heat. The alloys were cast in a copper mold to produce ingots approximately 1 in. in diam and 5 in. long. The chemical compositions of the alloys tested are given in Table I. The residual nitrogen, aluminum, and titanium contents were all relatively constant at 0.003, 0.03, and 0.02 pct, respectively. The carbon

Jan 1, 1968

By E. E. McGinley, L. D. Woodworth

During the past several years has occurred what, in the light of future events, may aptly be called the rebirth of the acid Bessemer process. The increased attention given to the technical and metallurgical details involved in the production of Bessemer steels has been exceedingly fruitful, and indicates the value of further research and p1ant development. In times like these, when the steelmaking capacity of the country is operating at a maximum rate to supply materials for the national defense program, it behooves the Bessemer operator not only to strive to increase production but also to maintain a high standard of quality. The opportunity is ripe, it seems, to recapture fields of application once considered the birthright of Bessemer steels, but supplanted in recent years by open-hearth grades. This involves cooperation all along the line, from the blast-furnace operator to the metallurgical contact man and salesman. The metallurgist's part in this program involves the study of the many steelmaking variables and the measures necessary to ensure constancy in the finished product. It is equally important that the knowledge gained be disseminated widely to ensure the wise application of Bessemer steels in new fields. The merits of Bessemer steels for certain work are well understood. The combined properties of good weldability, machinabil-ity and stiffness are unique and fully explain the strong entrenchment of Bessemer steels in certain fields; e.g., skelp for small butt-weld conduit, screw steels machined in automatics, and certain tin-plate applications. It is the purpose of this paper to review briefly the physical properties of Bessemer steels as contrasted with those of open-hearth steels, to discuss control measures now employed in the making of Bessemer steel, and to consider the advantages derived from the use of these control measures. Physical Properties oF Bessemer vs. Open-hearth Steels A number of Bessemer blows and open-hearth heats were tested for tensile strength, ductility and impact strength. The steels selected were confined to sections from 3/4 to 1 1/4-in. diameter, inclusive, and the carbon content covered was sufficient to yield parallel ranges in ultimate strength for the comparison. Other factors, such as the extent of deoxidation of the steel and variations in chemistry, were kept as comparable as possible. Machined test pieces of 0.505-in. diameter with an 8-in. gauge length were pulled. The data obtained are shown in Fig. I, ultimate strength being plotted against carbon content. This graph shows that for equivalent carbon content Bessemer steel has on the average 15,000 lb. per sq. in. greater tensile strength and, conversely, for the same tensile strength Bessemer steel requires on the average 0.14 per cent less carbon. The average phosphorus content for the Bessemer steel was 0.090 per cent,

Jan 1, 1941

By R. Floyd Farris

Al thorough knowledge of the behavior of cement slurries under elevated temperatures and pressures is necessary in order to solve properly the many problems presented in deep-well cementing operations. In the earlier days of the petroleum industry the depths of wells were shallow as compared to those of today, and the subsurface temperatures and pressures were not of sufficient magnitude to affect seriously the problem of proper control of cement-slurry properties. Today, however, the search for new reserves has extended drilling to such depths that bottom-hole temperatures of more than 200°F. and bottom-hole pressures of 3000 to 5000 lb. are not uncommon. Moreover, there is every indication that within the next few years wells will be drilled to even greater depths and bottom-hole temperatures and pressures will be correspondingly higher than those with which we are concerned today. It has been realized for some time that the behavior of cement slurries at high temperatures and pressures might be very different from that at atmospheric tempera-ture-pressure conditions, but while the temperature effects have been investigated with a reasonable degree of thoroughness, the pressure effects have received little public attention. While the trend toward deeper drilling may make changes in cementing technique and the choice of cements imperative, it was the purpose of this investigation to consider factors having a bearing on the latter, only secondary consideration being ,given, for the present, to details of tech-nique and equipment for oil-field use. More specfically, the purpose of this work was to consider the effect of temperature and pressure upon the behavior of cement slurries. Although it has long been recognized that cements thicken and set rapidly with increasing temperatures, practical methods for the quantitative determination of these effects are comparatively recent developments. In 1935 Silcox and Rule1 presented such a method, describing apparatus designed to measure the consistency-time relationship of cement slurries at relatively high temperatures. The practical importance of this apparatus in furnishing useful data for the evaluation of cement slurries for cementing operations has been emphasized in various technical publications by such writers as E. L. Davis,~ I. F. Bing-ham,3 and J. E. Weiler.4 A paper describing the numerous tests now used to evaluate cements for oil wells was presented in 1939 by W. W. Robinson.= Robinson describes the Consistometer and the Thickening-Time Tester, showing similarity of data from the two devices, and points out that the purpose of each apparatus is to determine the allowable time that a cement may be pumped at a given temperature. At the present time, however, it is believed that results from the Thickening-Time Tester and the Consistometer have not given a

Jan 1, 1941