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By K. A. Jackson

An analysis of the conditiom fm the dendrite-eutec-tic transition is presented which takes into account a temperature gradient. The composition and temperature in the liquid ahead of a eutectic interface growing at a particular velocity are used to determine whether dendrites can grow faster than the eutectic interface in the liquid which exists ahead of it. If the dendrites grow faster, then a mixed structure with dendrites growing ahead of the eutectic interface is expected. If the dendrites do not grow faster, then only eutectic will be present. The analysis is presented for Sn-Pb system, for which sufficient experimental data to make the analysis are available. The transition from eutectic to dendrites-plus-eutectic derived by this analysis is in good agreement with the recent experimental observations of Mollard and Flemings on Sn-Pb alloys. In alloys which grow with a lamellar eutectic structure, the lamellar structure can be grown over some range of compositions close to the eutectic composition. When the composition is too far from the eutectic composition, dendrites of one or another of the primary phases grow ahead of the eutectic interface, producing a microstructure consisting of "primary phase" interspersed with a lamellar eutectic. Hunt and Jackson' have recently predicted the range of compositions over which the eutectic phase should grow in Sn-Pb alloys, and the composition-growth rate dependence of the transition from eutectic to dendrites-plus-eutectic. This prediction was based on work on organic eutectics. The model on which the prediction was based assumed that there was no temperature gradient in the system, a condition approximately satisfied in the study of organic eutectics2-5 but not in the growth of metallic alloys. Mollard and Flemings6,7 have recently reported experimental results for Sn-Pb alloys in which they have located the transition from eutectic to eutectic-plus-dendritic growth. The experiments were performed using large temperature gradients (65 to 515 deg per cm), so that the assumption of zero gradient on which the predictions of Hunt and Jackson' were based does not apply. It is not surprising therefore that the predictions' were not born out by the experiments.7 In the present work, a modification of the model used by Hunt and Jackson is presented which takes into account the temperature gradient. The modified form of the theory predicts the transition from eutectic to eutectic-plus-dendritic growth in terms of the composition, growth rate, and temperature gradient. Good agreement with the experimental data of Mollard and Flemings7 is obtained. THE HUNT-JACKSON MODEL The model used by Hunt and Jackson' to predict the transition from eutectic to eutectic-plus-dendritic growth was based on the assumption that dendrites grow ahead of a eutectic interface only if they grow faster than the eutectic interface. Analytic expressions for the growth rate of dendrites and the eutectic in Sn-Pb alloys were obtained by fitting experimental data with equations whose form was indicated by theory.

Jan 1, 1969

By A. B. Dyes

In the operation of a water-driven reservoir, a free gas saturation can he established by maintaining production rates fast enough to cause the reservoir pressure to decline below the bubble point. The benefit of such a procedure on the displacement efficiency of the oil by water is illustrated for two types of sandstone samples from one reservoir. Those rock samples showing the poorest recovery to water drive in the absence of a free gas saturation give the most improvement in the presence of a free gas saturation. Employing one type of reservoir fluid (low .shrinkage) the benefit of evolved gas on oil displacement is calculated at several reservoir pressures below the bubble point. This demonstrates the presence of air optimum pressure for water displace,rnent which is .several hundred pounds per .square inch below the bubble point. Displacement of oil at the optimum pressures results in the removal of 7 to I? per cent more oil than would be obtained by displacement at the bubble point pressure. In some instance. this magnitude of increase may be worthy of consideration in establishing the maximum efficient rate of production from many water-driven fields. INTRODUCTION For many years the belief that the use of gas could be combined with that of water to result in a better recovery operation than the use of either of these phases alone has been prevalent in the oil industry. This is evidenced by the several field trials which have employed the injection of gas and water in combination.1.2.v In most cases the small amount of any additional recovery, in combination with the limited knowledge available on the older reservoirs, has left uncertain the influence of gas on recovery in these earlier attempts to combine the use of gas with water. Research studies in recent years have demonstrated through laboratory. floods the magnitude of the benefit of the presence of gas on the displacement of oil from sandstones by water.5,6,7,8,9,10,11 In addition, studies of the distributions of the phases which are present during the displacement process have developed concepts concerning the mechanism by which this benefit is obtained."." It now remains for the engineer to incorporate these findings into the general technology of reservoir operations. It is the purpose of this paper to illustrate that the production of a water-driven reservoir at pressures below the bubble point is one such operation whereby improved oil displacement efficiency can be obtained as a result of gas evolution. The establishment of a gas saturation by evolution of dissolved gas was one of the techniques used by several investigators in the laboratory studies. The possibility of obtaining the benefit of gas evolution in water-driven reservoirs by producing at pressures less than the bubble point has 3150 been pointed out previously." The desirability of this operation has undoubtedly

Jan 1, 1955

By J. W. Marx

A method is given for predicting the complete gravity drainage characteristics of arbitrarily long columns from centrifuge drainage measurements on reconstituted core samples. Oil residuals corresponding to hundreds of years of normal gravity depletion can be obtained in a few hours on the centrifuge. The gravity flow rate at any stage of the depletion process may be determined from the time correlation derived, and experimentally checked, in this study. INTRODUCTION Apart from the original observations of Muskat et al1, research publications2,3,4 on the subject of gravity drainage have been largely concerned with establishing in detail the saturation, S as a function of the height, z, in a draining column at any given time, t. Some form of numerical integration must be employed to obtain production rates and cumulative production even when S(z, t) is known. Furthermore, the relevant experimental work has been concentrated on drainage of a single wetting liquid from unconsolidated media. Since oil production usually concerns the drainage of a partially wetting liquid from consolidated media, in the presence of connate water, and since it is unlikely that sufficient information exists to establish S(z, t) in detail for any natural reservoir, the published research work appears to be, at best, only qualitatively applicable to production problems. With this in mind, the present study was undertaken by the writer. Experiments were planned whose results would have two advantages over existing measurements: 1. Observations were to be made on specific reservoir rock, reconstituted with formation water and formation oil. This would reduce their generality, from the research viewpoint, but increase their utility for production purposes. 2. The measurements were to be self-integrating, i.e., the phenomena were to be described and interpreted in terms of cumulative results. THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENT It was commonly known that centrifuging a liquid bearing porous medium increases the drainage rates and minimizes capillary end effects. The specific problem lay in selecting an acceleration, a, such that the mean residual saturation of a model cylinder was equal to the residual saturation of an arbitrarily long prototype column when the latter was drained by earth gravity alone. The physical conditions required to permit a valid scaling of model drainage time, tm with prototype drainage time, t, may be stated as follows: (a) At t = tm = O, So = Smo; (b) At t = tm? 8 Sr. = Smr.; (c) For all intermediate values of t and dS/dt=dsm/dtm whenever S = Sm; (d) S(z) = Sm(z) = a constant when t = tm = 0. 1 Here S = T I S(z)dz, where h is the length of the « Jo cylindrical column being drained and the subscripts S,Sm, and refer to model, initial, and residual systems, respectively. The first three conditions mean, simply, that an 3 vs t plot will be numerically identical with an S, vs t, plot,

Jan 1, 1957

By George A. Morrison

A deposit Of limestone Was known to exist at a depth of 2000 ft under the property of the Columbia Chemical Division of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co. at Barber-ton, Ohio. A 662-acre site was selected for the projected mine, some two miles northwest of the plant and near the main line of the Erie Railway. An electric railway 8800 ft in length connects the mine and the plant. The deposit is overlain by 18 ft of un-consolidated (sand and gravel), 100 ft of water-bearing sandstone, and finally 2080 ft of shale into which thin layers of sandstone are embedded. The limestone bed itself is 345 ft thick and overlies 200 ft of gypsum. A 300-ton-per-hour capacity mine was decided upon. Two shafts were deemed advisable, one for production and the second for service; and these were sunk 550 ft apart, one to a depth of 2323 ft and the other to 2258 ft. Each is 16 X , ft in the clear and timbered with 6-in. steel H-sets on 8-ft centers, using 3/8 X 4 X 4-in. angles as studdles. Twelve inch I-beams were used at 160 ft intervals as bearers set in deep hitches and concreted to a vertical depth of 8 ft. Wooden sheathing was first employed but sloughing of the shale created a pressure on this lining and finally concrete was deemed necessary. Water was encountered only within the first 315 ft, flowing at 60 gpm and by grouting this was reduced to 15 gpm. Temporary wooden sinking headframes were installed with 300 cu ft capacity storage pockets and with doors automatically controlled by air cylinders by hoistmen. Each shaft was operated on four 6-hr shifts. The usual V-cut was drilled at the center of the shaft and the round consisted of 34 holes- A 40 pet gelatin dynamite was employed with some 60 pet in the cut holes. Drilling crews consisted of four to six men. Shale drilled easily but became more bed in depth and sandstone wore away the gauge Of the bits rapidly. A room-and-pillar mining system was adopted whereby rooms turned off on 80-ft centers, each room 40-ft wide and 50-ft high. Rib pillars between rooms were cut into 100 ft lengths by frequent holes. Ventilation is achieved through the two shafts, the down-draft through the service shaft, and the return through the pr0duction shaft. The hoist has a a Of 300 tons per hour and is equipped with 10-ton balanced skips requiring. a 2-min cycle Or 30 trips Per hour- Hoisting is designed to Operate by automatic loading and no hoistman is required for normal Operation. The 48 X 60 in. jaw primary crusher is underground. It is fed through chute and chain feeders and is flood-oil lubricated and cooled. An inclined belt conveyor returns oversized material to the crusher. Tramming is by Diesel-powered trucks.

Jan 1, 1948

By H. B. Bell, P. C. Lidster

A study has been made of the use of ThO2-Y2O3 solid electrolytes to determine activity of chromium in Fe-Cr and Ni-Cr alloys in the temperature range 1300° to 1700°K. This method has been shown to give results which agree with the best vapor pressure measurements. SEVERAL investigations1"5 have been made of chromium activities in Fe-Cr alloys. Most of these have been made by vapor pressure measurements using knudsen cell techniques while one has been made using gas equilibration with H2/H2O gas mixtures. In the present investigation electromotive force measurements have been made on this system using a thoria yttria solid electrolyte. This system was -chosen to establish the technique of measurement at low oxygen potentials, before extending it to Fe-Ni-Cr alloys. The cell used was Pt Cr • Cr2O3 ilThO2 • Y2O3 llalloy • Cr2O3 IPt Since the oxygen pressure of the chromium-chromic oxide mixture lay in the range 10"19 to 1027 atm in the temperature range investigated, thoria yttria electrolytes were used. It was soon found during the investigation that considerable care was required to prepare satisfactory electrolytes and a study was made to find the best method of preparing pellets of TI1O2-Y2O3 solid solution of as near theoretical density as possible. Various compositions in the range 2 to 15 mole pct Y2O3 were studied but the experimental measurements were made with electrolytes containing 4 to 5 pct Y2O3. The method of preparation finally adopted was to use thorium oxalate and yttria as raw materials. The thorium oxalate was decomposed at 900°C for 6 hr to give a reactive powder. This powder was then mixed with the appropriate amount of yttria and ground in an agate mortar for about 4 hr. The powder was moistened with absolute alcohol as a lubricant and pressed in a metal die at a pressure of 7 tons per sq in. The pellets were then heated at 1100°C for 24 hr followed by 24 hr at 1250°C. After this firing cycle the material was reground and repelleted and again fired at 1100° and 1250°C followed by heating for 7 days at 1600°C. It was found in later experiments that a further firing of 4 hr at 2000°C improved the density further and gave pellets of only 2 pct porosity. After firing, the pellets were polished on emery paper and finally with the 2 µ diamond paste. The polishing was followed by a final firing of 24 hr at 1500°C. Investigation showed that this final treatment minimized reaction between the electrolytes and chromium oxide. It was believed that this was because of a lowering of the surface energy of the electrolyte surface. Two types of investigation were carried out to check that the pellets were satisfactory oxygen ion elec-

Jan 1, 1970

By William Loblowitz

A simplified system of flotation testing has been developed recently at the Bureau of Mineral Research of Rutgers University. The technique involves the known principle of skin flotation and can be used with minute quantities of sample and reagents in a beaker. A vessel containing the conditioned sample with added water and flotation reagents is held inclined and rotated slowly. Water-repellent particles come in contact with air and float on the surface of the liquid, while wettable particles are submerged. The float is poured off and filtered whereas the nonfloat remains in the beaker. The filtrate may be returned to repeat the process. This procedure can be made quantitative. Separations are obtained and are remarkably complete and repeatable. The effect of different reagents, optimum quantities, pH and other variables can be determined in a fraction of the time required for conventional testing. However, the method gives no information on the effect of frothers and the quality of froth to be expected in a cell, and it is not practical for particles finer than 200-mesh. Unlike other preliminary tests, separate float and nonfloat products are obtained, and their contents can be determined quantitatively by chemical analysis or grain counts. After the optimum reagent combination has been determined, the effect of fines and frothing may be verified in the conventional flotation cell. On the other hand, agglomeration-tabling can be directly duplicated from beaker tests. Procedure: Five to ten grams of sample are weighed into a 100-ml beaker. Flotation reagents and a small initial quantity of water are stirred together; additional water is then added to produce the proper water-solids ratio. The beaker is then tilted to 45" and rotated slowly. After three to five rotations, liquid and float are poured off and filtered; the filtrate may be recycled until the separation is completed. One test generally requires less than 10 min. Reagent concentration and pH remain quite constant because of the recycling of the filtrate. Two to four tests may be made simultaneously, and the effect of varied conditions may be observed by comparison. Considerable time is saved in preparation and handling since small quantities of sample suffice for a series of systematic tests. Repeatability One test was repeated four times under constant conditions. The sample used was a quartz sand containing approximately 24 pct feldspar and some clay aggregates. The +28-mesh grains had been screened out, and most of those finer than 100-mesh had been removed by hydraulic classification. The results are presented in Table I. For comparison, 500 g of the sample were separated by agglomeration-tabling using the same reagent combination and quantities as given in Table I. The weight percent float was 18.3 pct, composed almost entirely of feldspar and with only traces of quartz. Most of the remaining feldspar was recovered in a middling product with 2.2 pct by weight.

Jan 1, 1952

By William A. Johnson

THE fundamental role of diffusion in many reactions occurring in solid metals has long been recognized, and there have been careful measurements of rates of diffusion in numerous alloy systems, but our understanding of the atomic mechanism by which diffusion occurs is scarcely in an advanced state 1-3 It is doubtful that this mechanism can ever he directly ascertained, rather, all imaginable mechanisms must be examined and the one that is in best accord with such data as can be obtained from suitably chosen experiments should be selected Because of its relative simplicity, diffusion in a system containing only one kind of atomic species-commonly called self-diffusion-is of considerable theoretical interest It may be expected that diffusion theory will not be advanced appreciably until a wide variety of diffusion experiments-of which diffusion in a chemical concentration gradient and self-diffusion are two important types-are carefully performed and inter-compared Aside from the purely theoretical interest in self-diffusion measurements, such studies will be of considerable engineering importance The rate of any process in a pure metal requiring the movement of atoms, of which recrystallization and creep are two familiar examples, will be understood more readily with the aid of self-diffusion data † Self-diffusion implies the diffusion of something into its exact counterpart, the detection of such a process is patently impossible, and it is-necessary to substitute for it the diffusion of one isotope (in this case radioactive) into another isotope (in this case stable) of the same chemical element There is, however, no reason to suppose that a radioactive atom will not diffuse at the same rate as its stable isotope, for all of the isotopes of the same element have exactly the same chemical properties, neither the difference in nuclear energy nor the difference in mass would be expected to exercise an important influence in this phenomenon In this sense, self-diffusion may be thought of as the diffusion of radioactive atoms down a radioactivity concentration gradient, just as usual diffusion is the diffusion of one kind of atone down its chemical concentration gradient The first measurements of self-diffusion ii ere made by von Hevesy4-6 using the radioactive lead isotope thorium B in ordinary lead The recent development of means for producing artificial radioactive elements has made possible similar measurements on gold,7,8 copper,2,9 and zinc 10 11 Many of the data that have been obtained are rather poor, and no adequate reason has been given for their poorness, it appears, however, that the unsatisfactory results are characteristic of the particular experimental procedure employed, and not of self-diffusion measurements in themselves The experimental technique that has yielded the poorer results is the deposition of a thin layer of radioactive atoms on the surface of a specimen and the determination of the rate of inward diffusion

Jan 1, 1941

By Ben Gumpertz

The important factors in any study of the screening of sand with a gravel envelope, as applied to use in oil wells, are: (I) sand size and shape, (z) gravel size and shape, (3) ratio of gravel size to sand size, (4) flow velocity, (5) viscosity of the fluid. Perhaps the first extensive investigation of the function of gravel in screening sand was performed by Coberly and Wagner,' from which the following conclusion was drawn: "The diameter of the largest grains in a single classified sand suitable for gravel packing is approximately 13 times the grain size at the ten-percentile analysis of the formation sample." ?;his applies to sands classified by Tyler screens and is for gravel grains of the maximum size that could be used to form a stable bridge. Field practice has shown that the screening effect of a given gravel for a given sand apparently varies with the flow velocity." Also, it has been assumed by some operators that the thickness of the walls of the gravel envelope surrounding the well has little effect upon the screening process. It is thought by others that a narrow envelope of gravel might form an ineffective screen. Thus the purposes of this work are: 1. To investigate the effect of gravel-sand size ratio upon screening action under the condition of varying flow velocities. 2. To investigate the effect upon screening action of varying the thickness of the gravel screen. 3. To investigate sand migration in the gravel screen and the effect of flow velocity and gravel size upon sand migration. Description of Apparatus In an attempt to reproduce field conditions for the purposes of this investigation, a flow tube was constructed, according to the manner of Urenj3 to represent a radial drainage segment of an oil sand. To arrive at the dimensions of the flow tube, a radial drainage segment of rectangular cross section was assumed to define an area of z sq. in. on the face of a well 6 in. in diameter. From this the dimensions of the segment were calculated out to a distance of 5 ft. from the face of the well. By computing cross-sectional areas at a number of sections along the rectangular segment and transforming these areas into the circular form, a drainage cone was obtained having everywhere the same cross-sectional area as the drainage element of rectangular cross section. To construct the apparatus, two sections of pipe of 7%-in. inside diameter, one 13 in. and the other 4 ft. long, were joined by a bolted flange. A mandrel having the dimensions of the drainage cone was centered in the pipe and a neat cement mixture was cast around it. A protective gasket was placed between the two sections of pipe so that the cement body could be separated at that point. When the mandrel was withdrawn a drainage cone was obtained (Fig. I).

Jan 1, 1941

By S. F. Ravitz

In his excellent book on the Principles of Flotation, Warkl makes the following significant statement concerning the theory of flotation: Two questions of first-rate importance must be considered . . . First, it must be decided whether the sulfide minerals require a collector in order that they may float, or whether as has been claimed, they possess an inherent float-ability and need no collector. Second, it must be decided whether the xanthate type of collector can react with or be adsorbed by the unchanged sulfide minerals themselves, or whether, as many claim, reaction with the collector is dependent upon initial oxidation of the mineral surface. In the theory of flotation there are no two questions of greater importance than these. Ravitz and Porter2 presented evidence that galena can be floated without a collector, and even without any reagent, provided oxidation products are thoroughly removed from its surface. They found also that thoroughly cleaned galena floated faster when xanthate was used than when a frother alone or no reagent was used, and that, without a collector, the recovery decreased gradually upon exposure of the mineral to air. Their work, however, has met with considerable criticism.l(127).3-6 This paper is presented to answer the objections that have been raised, and to present additional data that confirin their results. The apparatus used to provide oxygen-free conditions for flotation has been described in detail by Ravitz and Porter. An atmosphere of purified nitrogen was maintained within the apparatus; all water and solutions used were freed of dissolved air, and could be transferred where desired by the use of nitrogen Pressure; nitrogen was used as the gaseous medium for flotation. The flotation cell was essentially a glass cylinder 15 cm. long and 4.6 cm. in diameter. Near the bottom was sealed a fritted glass filter, which broke up the gas into small bubbles, and 6 cm. above this filter was a side arm through which the froth overflowed. The pulp was agitated by a glass impeller, which entered the cell through a mercury seal. For each test 17 grams of galena and 75 ml. of water were placed in the cell, after which the speed of the impeller and the rate of gas flow were adjusted. Water was added gradually during the test to keep the froth level at the proper height. The mineral was prepared and cleaned in the following manner. Exceptionally Pure galena was crushed by hand on a clean bucking board, screened to —I50+ 200 mesh, and deslimed on a 200-mesh sieve with a fine spray of water. It was then boiled on a hot plate for a number of hours with several changes of the desired cleaning solution, after which both the solution and the mineral were placed in the "mineral flask" of the apparatus. The cleaning solution was drained off, and the mineral was boiled with oxygen-free water

Jan 1, 1943

By G. W. Lester, T. J. Nowak

The paper presents a practical method of utilizing pressure fall-off data obtained when a water injection well is shut in for determination of: (I) the static reservoir pressure, (2) the potential water injective capacity (md-ft) of the formation, and (3) the formation damage (skin effect) surrounding the wellbore. In the development of the method, equations are presented which give The theoretical background for predicting the behavior of water injection wells. Certain physical factors which limit the application of the method are discussed. The procedure and the relevant precautions in obtaining the data are discussed. A sample analysis and computation from an actual pressure fall-off curve is illustrated. Fintrlly, general characteristics of pressure fall-off curve! obtained in several reservoirs are presented. INTRODUCTIO N Theoretically, in an injection well the flow of water into the formation will continue as long as the sand-face pressure is greater than the reservoir pressure. However, in practice, engineers have observed that upon stopping injection and opening the wellhead to atmospheric pressure, some wells backflow water for time intervals ranging from several seconds to several hours although the sand-face pressure, as calculated from the hydrostatic head, is considerably greater than the static reservoir pressure. Further, field observations indicated that upon shutting in a water input well, the wellhead pressure does not drop off immediately, but a pressure decline occurs lasting from several seconds to several days. These observations make it evident that when an input well is shut in, a residual pressure lingers in the vicinity of the wellbore which is greater than the average reservoir pressure. This residual pressure declines first rapidly, then more slowly, to the static reservoir pressure: therefore, it is called transient back-pressure or pressure fall-off. The first step in investigating the mechanism of pressure fall-off is to establish what general conditions are necessary for its occurrence, and to this end, Dickey and Andresen1 have presented a qualitative explanation describing the mechanism. They point out that the formation pressure gradient in the vicinity of the well does not disappear immediately when the input well is shut in, as if the system were filled with a totally incompressible fluid, but it is maintained by the expansion of the compressible fluids and by the elasticity of the formation. In such a compressible system the decrease in pressure is possible only to the extent that the water front continues to advance until the pressure is equalized. The principal aim of this paper is three-fold; namely. (1) to present a theoretical quantitative analysis of pressure fall-off data, (2) to present an application of the developed theory to field data, and (3) to discuss the general characteristics of actual pressure fall-off curves. Under (I), theoretical equations dealing with such factors as compressibility of the fluid-reservoir system, mobility of the fluids and certain physical restrictions that

Jan 1, 1956

By Ben Gumpertz

The important factors in any study of the screening of sand with a gravel envelope, as applied to use in oil wells, are: (I) sand size and shape, (z) gravel size and shape, (3) ratio of gravel size to sand size, (4) flow velocity, (5) viscosity of the fluid. Perhaps the first extensive investigation of the function of gravel in screening sand was performed by Coberly and Wagner,' from which the following conclusion was drawn: "The diameter of the largest grains in a single classified sand suitable for gravel packing is approximately 13 times the grain size at the ten-percentile analysis of the formation sample." ?;his applies to sands classified by Tyler screens and is for gravel grains of the maximum size that could be used to form a stable bridge. Field practice has shown that the screening effect of a given gravel for a given sand apparently varies with the flow velocity." Also, it has been assumed by some operators that the thickness of the walls of the gravel envelope surrounding the well has little effect upon the screening process. It is thought by others that a narrow envelope of gravel might form an ineffective screen. Thus the purposes of this work are: 1. To investigate the effect of gravel-sand size ratio upon screening action under the condition of varying flow velocities. 2. To investigate the effect upon screening action of varying the thickness of the gravel screen. 3. To investigate sand migration in the gravel screen and the effect of flow velocity and gravel size upon sand migration. Description of Apparatus In an attempt to reproduce field conditions for the purposes of this investigation, a flow tube was constructed, according to the manner of Urenj3 to represent a radial drainage segment of an oil sand. To arrive at the dimensions of the flow tube, a radial drainage segment of rectangular cross section was assumed to define an area of z sq. in. on the face of a well 6 in. in diameter. From this the dimensions of the segment were calculated out to a distance of 5 ft. from the face of the well. By computing cross-sectional areas at a number of sections along the rectangular segment and transforming these areas into the circular form, a drainage cone was obtained having everywhere the same cross-sectional area as the drainage element of rectangular cross section. To construct the apparatus, two sections of pipe of 7%-in. inside diameter, one 13 in. and the other 4 ft. long, were joined by a bolted flange. A mandrel having the dimensions of the drainage cone was centered in the pipe and a neat cement mixture was cast around it. A protective gasket was placed between the two sections of pipe so that the cement body could be separated at that point. When the mandrel was withdrawn a drainage cone was obtained (Fig. I).

Jan 1, 1941

By Peter J. Maxworthy

INTRODUCTION There is no hard and fast rule on whether functions within a company, diversified or otherwise, should be strongly centralized or decentralized. In all diverse organizations, there are certain basic functions which remain common (or central) to each element of the business, viz: Personnel Management Cash Management Taxation Management Legal Planning Accounting Standards It would follow that each of these common factors requires some supervision at a central level to ensure that overall group objectives are met. It is true that other functions including: Industrial Relations Marketing and Distribution Production Research and Development Purchasing Management Accounting may also be common to each element of the organization. However, there is far less commonality in the degree to which these functions are central to the efficient performance and financial well-being of the business. Role of Operating Units The resources of operating centers may be viewed as a bank of funds, the nature of which can be changed from time to time, but the employment of which must provide for ongoing increases in the net worth of the total enterprise expressed in terms of market values. Operating units are required to continually review products, methods, and opportunities and to monitor avenues for incremental investment--all with a view to attaining the necessary additive net present value of future cash flows of the enterprise. Operating units should be permitted sufficient autonomy to enable the best use to be made of the skills and experience of the people it employs in order to produce a return appropriate to the value of assets employed. Role of Head Office The head office will typically comprise a specialist group--the leaner the better if one strongly adopts the decentralist approach--often acting as Service Centers but also performing a control function in the corporate sense. The head office function is a cost center. It may be instrumental in developing strategies for increasing revenues or reducing costs on a group scale, but it does not generate revenue. Every dollar spent on this function is an extra dollar to be generated by the operating centers in order to achieve an increase in corporate wealth. TREASURY MANAGEMENT Treasury management is concerned with the provision of finance, cash-flow management, and risk analysis. Each decision taken within the enterprise has a cash implication. It follows that a well-integrated central Treasury function can, in all likelihood, produce economic benefits. The degree to which the function should be centralized depends largely upon the unique nature of the operating units it is servicing. Levels of ownership, the calibre of unit operating managers, and the nature and geographic distribution of the business are all factors determining the degree to which the Treasury function is centralized. In the case of Peko-Wallsend, the Treasury Department is small, comprising four people. While divisional cash-flow management is largely decentralized, Treasury is responsible for the daily management of funds surplus to the immediate needs of operating units. Treasury also operates as central banker and provides funds to

Jan 1, 1985

By F. S. McNicholas

IN the writer's opinion the term "block caving" has been rather loosely applied to a general principle of mining, and therefore detailed classification of caving methods and draw, together with the characteristics required for each method, will fill a desired need. Selection of caving method should be made only after a study of all governing conditions, such as size of orebody, lateral and vertical extent of ore-body, attitude, treatment demands, possible resultant pressures, and cost and profit comparison of methods. Successful caving methods can be classified under six main headings: (1) Full-protected block caving, (2) semi-protected block caving, (3) unprotected block caving, (4) full-panel caving, (5) half block-panel caving, (6) block-panel caving. The methods and factors governing choice of method are shown in Table I. Full-protected Block Caving Full-protected block caving consists of develop-ing, undercutting, and drawing to exhaustion a block of ore of predetermined size without coordination of mining or draw with adjoining areas. The block is mined and drawn as an independent unit (Fig. 1). Full-protected block caving demands that mining and draw cannot be done against unconsolidated capping in adjoining caved and exhausted blocks. Two sides of block are against solid. Caved capping must be allowed to consolidate for a suitable period, usually not less than one year. Pillars may be left in lieu of consolidated capping (Fig. 2). The advantages of full-protected block, caving are: (1) A definite area is developed, mined, and drawn as a unit so that all work may be completed, the block drawn to exhaustion in the minimum length of time, and the area then abandoned. (? Production is not restrained because of coordina1, on with adjoining areas. (3) Records of draw and caved reserve of ore are good. Upon abanwnment of the block, accountability for production is closed out with no carry-over to adjoining areas. The disadvantages of full-protected block caving are: (1) Side dilution from the draw adjacent to the consolidated capping may be serious, particularly where capping does not consolidate sufficiently in the allotted time. (2) Boundary weakening is needed on the solid sides of the block except in weak rocks. (3) Maximum cantilever and compression effect to aid caving and fragmentation may not be secured since the draw should proceed from the solid to the consolidated capping to minimize side dilution. However, undercutting from the loose (caved capping) to the solid with a slight initial draw in the same manner will develop cantilever effect. (4) A period of at least one year, more is usually desirable, must be allowed for caved capping ,to consolidate before mining the adjoining block, depending upon the characteristics of the capping. (5) Capping may not consolidate sufficiently in the time that can be allowed. Full-protected block caving is indicated where: (1) The ground is weak and heavy and workings

Jan 1, 1952

By S. F. Ravitz

In his excellent book on the Principles of Flotation, Warkl makes the following significant statement concerning the theory of flotation: Two questions of first-rate importance must be considered . . . First, it must be decided whether the sulfide minerals require a collector in order that they may float, or whether as has been claimed, they possess an inherent float-ability and need no collector. Second, it must be decided whether the xanthate type of collector can react with or be adsorbed by the unchanged sulfide minerals themselves, or whether, as many claim, reaction with the collector is dependent upon initial oxidation of the mineral surface. In the theory of flotation there are no two questions of greater importance than these. Ravitz and Porter2 presented evidence that galena can be floated without a collector, and even without any reagent, provided oxidation products are thoroughly removed from its surface. They found also that thoroughly cleaned galena floated faster when xanthate was used than when a frother alone or no reagent was used, and that, without a collector, the recovery decreased gradually upon exposure of the mineral to air. Their work, however, has met with considerable criticism.l(127).3-6 This paper is presented to answer the objections that have been raised, and to present additional data that confirin their results. The apparatus used to provide oxygen-free conditions for flotation has been described in detail by Ravitz and Porter. An atmosphere of purified nitrogen was maintained within the apparatus; all water and solutions used were freed of dissolved air, and could be transferred where desired by the use of nitrogen Pressure; nitrogen was used as the gaseous medium for flotation. The flotation cell was essentially a glass cylinder 15 cm. long and 4.6 cm. in diameter. Near the bottom was sealed a fritted glass filter, which broke up the gas into small bubbles, and 6 cm. above this filter was a side arm through which the froth overflowed. The pulp was agitated by a glass impeller, which entered the cell through a mercury seal. For each test 17 grams of galena and 75 ml. of water were placed in the cell, after which the speed of the impeller and the rate of gas flow were adjusted. Water was added gradually during the test to keep the froth level at the proper height. The mineral was prepared and cleaned in the following manner. Exceptionally Pure galena was crushed by hand on a clean bucking board, screened to —I50+ 200 mesh, and deslimed on a 200-mesh sieve with a fine spray of water. It was then boiled on a hot plate for a number of hours with several changes of the desired cleaning solution, after which both the solution and the mineral were placed in the "mineral flask" of the apparatus. The cleaning solution was drained off, and the mineral was boiled with oxygen-free water

Jan 1, 1943

By T. A. Klinefelter

Lightweight concrete aggregates are materials weighing less than the usual aggregates of sand, gravel, and crushed rock. Concretes made with sand and gravel or crushed rock weigh 145 to 150 lb per cu ft, compared with 50 to 90 lb per cu ft for concretes made with lightweight aggregate. The ultra-lightweight concretes weigh much less than 50 lb per cu ft. Lightweight aggregates may be natural or manufactured materials, or byproducts from other commercial operations. Natural materials include pumice and pumicite, tuffs, breccia, scoria, diatomite, and vegetable products, such as peat, straw, and sawdust. Manufactured materials include expanded perlite, vermiculite, slag, clay, shale, and slate. Byproducts include cinders, aircooled slags, and coke breeze. Concretes made with lightweight aggregate were used first in construction of commercial buildings, later in homes. Present usage is general in multistory and other building construction, such as bridge decks, barges, jet-plane runways, piers and other structures. The industry has grown remarkably in the last decade. General Considerations The particular use to which the concrete may be put determines the importance of the various properties of the aggregates employed. Any given type of aggregate, however, should be reasonably uniform in composition and properties. It should be suitably graded and maintain proper weights, insulation values, and adequate strength to prevent breakdowns in mixing. It should bond properly with the cement, be inert to chemical reactions with cement and steel, and resist weathering, moisture, insects, and fungi. Some properties of any given type of lightweight aggregate from different suppliers may vary considerably because of differences in the source of raw material and the method of treatment. This statement applies particularly to expanded clays, shales and slates. All lightweight concretes have higher absorption of moisture and lower thermal conductivity, lower compressive strength, as well as lower unit weight as compared with standard concretes made with sand, gravel or crushed rock. Excepting cinders, the cost of lightweight aggregates is usually higher. Grading and unit weight requirements are given in ASTM standards: C 330-53T, Lightweight Aggregates for Structural Concrete; C 331-53T, Lightweight Aggregates for Concrete Masonry Units; C 332-54T, Lightweight Aggregates for Insulating Concrete. The production of masonry units shows the growth of the use and types of lightweight aggregates. In 1947 the total number of lightweight block was 460,000,000 units in 8 by 8 by 16-in. equivalents. By 1954 this had increased to 950,000,000 units. Of the 1954 production, 27 pct was of manufactured types, 43 pct of cinders, and 30 pct of remaining types. Raw Materials Used as Lightweight Aggregates It was stated above that a variety of products both natural and manufactured are used as lightweight aggregates. It is easy to understand that a bulky material of low unit value cannot be transported far and still remain a low cost product. Hence the product used in a particular market depends upon the availability of the possible raw materials. Thus it is

Jan 1, 1960

By W. C. Muehlhof, L. D. Lamont

THROUGHOUT the anthracite industry's history, the problem of handling and dis¬posing of refuse material has been one of major importance. In the early days of the industry's activities, only the large sizes of anthracite were satisfactory for market requirements and the smaller sizes were deposited as refuse. As time went by, more efficient coal-burning equipment was developed and a market demand was created for the finer sizes of coal. This demand made it possible to recover market¬able coal from banks deposited as refuse in the earlier days of mining. The same condition holds good today and we can see a definite trend toward the objective of utilizing the No. 4 and No. 5 buckwheat sizes. Under present conditions, we know that a limited market exists for No. 4 and 5 buckwheat; we know that the finer sizes of anthracite can be burned as pulverized fuel; we know that these fine sizes can be processed and sold as bri¬quettes, and we also know that the heat content of these fine sizes of coal is compar¬able with that of the sizes now merchan¬dized. Therefore, it should be the objective of the industry to conserve these fine sizes of coal in such manner that if and when processing facilities are developed, and market demands exist, the material can be salvaged and made available to meet these demands. From the standpoint of economical future reclamation, the ideal method of disposing of refuse containing the finer sizes of coal is to deposit it in banks separate and apart from other breaker refuse. By this procedure, the minimum amount of material will be processed in future salvage operations to recover the No. 4 and No. 5 buckwheat sizes. Many collieries in the anthracite region are operated under leases that have a specific term. These lease agreements provide that, upon expiration of the lease by term, exhaustion or otherwise, the ownership of the refuse material reverts to the lessor. Therefore, a question was raised in the minds of these operators: Why should I assume the expense of such pro¬cedure when I have no assurance that I will benefit by the future processing and sale of these fine sizes? Under present conditions, the answer to this question is not one of choice but of necessity, as restrictions imposed by legislation make it mandatory on operators of preparation plants to take necessary steps to properly treat silt-laden waters before permitting them to enter the streams. By reason of these restrictions, the disposal of fine sizes becomes a secondary_ rather than a primary operating con sideration, and the procedure for disposing of this refuse becomes a matter of choice governed principally by topographical and geographical conditions. METHODS OF HANDLING REFUSE There are three principal methods of handling and disposing of fine-size refuse; namely :

Jan 1, 1946

By Rollin E. Hook, Attwell M. Adair

The response of CrzO3 and C~304 to various heat treatments was studied in are-melted iodide chromizim over the temperature range 1000" to 1750°C. These oxides, which are present as impurity phases in this material, were identified by X-ray diffraction teclzniques which were supplemented by optical metallop-aphy. As a function of increasing temperature, Crs04 is first observable in samples annealed at 1300°C and coexists with Cr2O3 (the low-temperature oxide) over a temperature range exceeding 200°C. As the temperature decreases, Cr3O4 dissolves with the concomitant precipttation of Cr2Y2. Both oxides precipitate predominantly at pain boundaries. The reactions which occur are involved with at least ternary equilibria, possibly due to iron which is present as an impurity in arc-melted iodide chromium. HILTY, Forgeng, and Folkman' reported in their investigation of the Fe-Cr-0 system that Cr3O4 (with about 8 pct Fe substituted for chromium) is a primary phase found in alloys with 9 or more pct Cr. They reported that this phase is stable only at high temperatures and that below the liquidus Cr3O4 is disproportionated into Cr2O3 and chromium-rich metal for both Fe-Cr-O alloys and in oxygen saturated pure chromium. Further, they proposed that CrsO4 forms by a peritectic reaction between Cr2O3 and the liquid. On the other hand, Hook, Garrett, and Adair2 found in their investigation of impurity phases formed in "pure" chromium (material consolidated from iodide chromium crystals) that Cr3O4 forms intergranularly and is stable as low as 1500°C which is 375OC below the melting point of chromium. The purpose of the research described herein is to determine the temperature range of stability of Cr3O4, and to show the nature of its decomposition. This further investigation indicates that Cr3O4 undoubtedly occurs in this material as low as 1300°C. The chromium studied was consolidated and fabricated from iodide chromium crystals (ICr-5) and contained Fe r 135 ppm, Si = 20 to 100 ppm, and 0 = 35 to 137 ppm. A complete chemical analysis is given elsewhere.' Annealing was conducted in 1 atm of purified helium and all samples were rapidly cooled (-200°C per sec) by withdrawing them from the furnace hot zone under a high flow rate of helium. The details of the electrolytic-etching technique and electrolytic-digestion techniques for preparation of insoluble residues for X-ray examination are given elsewhere also.' EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS The Starting Material. The as-swaged rod (final swaging done at 900°C) had a wrought grain structure and contained a dispersion of CrzO3 inclusions of maximum particle size of about 2 or 3 p, Fig. 1. The microstructure also contained a dispersed

Jan 1, 1964

By Howard A. Meyerhoff

In western Argentina, in the Province of Mendoza and the Territory of Neuquen, there is a series of solid bitumen deposits which are claimed to be the most extensive in the world. In a linear belt 500 km (311 miles) long, roughly paralleling the axis of the Andes but occupying a variety of positions with respect to the orogenic structures, more than 100 outcrops have been reported. Approximately 70 of these have been prospected, and some mining has been planned or attempted for about half this number. Limited tonnage, high sulphur content, inaccessibility, labor shortages, and disastrous fires have taken a heavy toll among these operations, and in 1947, only 4 deposits were being actively mined, but 8 more were being explored and developed with a view to placing them in production. Inasmuch as these deposits are currently yielding a substantial fraction of Argentina's limited domestic supply of solid fuels, a brief account of the deposits and of the small industry based upon them will provide a commentary on Argentina's fuel problem. Character of Solid Bitumens The solid bitumens of Mendoza and Neuquen are petroleum derivatives, as is indicated by the following ultimate analysis : Constituents Per Cent Hydrogen.................... 6.8 Carbon...................... 82.4 Nitrogen..................... 1.6 Oxygen...................... 2.7 Sulphur...................... 2.2 Ash.......................... 4.3 100. 0 In physical appearance they bear a close resemblance to coal and are commonly called carbon. Their specific gravity has an extreme range of 1.10 to 1.777 in 36 samples weighed, but the average is between 1.14 and 1.24. The material is black, lustrous to dull, with blocky to sub-con-choidal fracture. Though brittle, the purest material is softer than anthracite and exhibits slightly more cohesion. This bituminous material is generally known as asfaltita or asphaltite, but definitive chemical studies indicate that the term asphaltite or grahamite can be applied correctly only to the exceptionally pure material of the Auca Mahuida district in Neuquen. Some other name should be used for the chemically variable bitumens found in all other districts, and the designation "asphaltitic pyrobitumen" has been proposed by Carlos A. S. Piscione.1 At the present time these bitumens are finding favor as solid fuel and as a gas-producing medium. They yield heat values of 8650 to 9750 cal,2 or 14,500 to 16,750 Btu per pound, and in consequence of their excellent heating qualities and the scarcity of imported coal, they are marketed as far away as Buenos Aires at a price of go to 95 pesos, or approximately $22 to 23, per metric ton. In burning, the material swells and decomposes into solid, fluid, and gaseous fractions which burn violently though nonexplosively. Its combustibility has been responsible for disasters and virtually complete destruction at Mina La Es-peranza and Mina Santa Marta, and for minor mishaps elsewhere, as at Mina Escondida in August 1947.

Jan 1, 1949

By M. Muskat, H. H. Evinger

ALTHOUGH the shooting of oil wells for the purpose of increasing production has been practiced since 1866, present-day shooting technique has been arrived at almost wholly by a process of trial and error. The difficulties attending either a theoretical analysis of the problem or an experimental attack become apparent when one actually embarks on a theoretical investigation or attempts to formulate an intelligent experimental program. The literature on the subject consists mainly of descriptions of current practice, scattered eye-witness accounts of events following the shooting of a well, and vague speculations on the mechanical processes involved. In contrast to quarry blasting, the results of oil-well shooting cannot be determined by means of visual inspection, and it is perhaps for this reason that only one attempt at what approaches a direct experimental attack has been reported in the literature.1 In these experiments, charges of liquid nitroglycerin were exploded in holes drilled in a sandstone outcrop. In order to observe the character and extent of the resulting fractures, the rock was blasted away so as to expose the original shot holes. After all this had been done it was found impossible to distinguish the fracturing due to the original shots from that due to the subsequent blasting. The enlargement of the holes due to the pulverizing action of the shots was. measured and an attempt was made to determine the effectiveness of 'sand tamping. Only five shots were made and few definite conclusions could be drawn. Some small-scale experiments to determine the effect of tamping were performed by Snelling and Hall,2 Small charges (20 grams) of dynamite were detonated at the bottom of a cylindrical hole in a lead block and the resulting enlargement of the hole was taken as a measure of the effectiveness of the explosion. It was found that when the shot was tamped with a sufficient amount of sand or clay, the volume enlargement was approximately double that found when no stemming had been used. The properties of the explosives have been the subject of much study by the manufacturers, the U. S. Bureau of Mines, and various other agencies. For example, velocities of detonation for many commercial explosives are to be found in the Blasters' Handbook, issued by the Du Pont company. Many other properties are given in a treatise on the subject by Naoum.3 The shock wave that accompanies the detonation of high explosives has been studied photographically by Payman4 and others. The hydrodynamical theory of the shock wave has received much attention, and an extended theoretical treatment is given by Bateman.5 Two aspects of the well-shooting problem will be considered in this paper; namely, the fracturing of subsurface strata, and possible damage to casing. With respect to the former of these, several calculations have been made giving the stresses in the rocks surrounding the shot. In order to arrive at numerical results at all, however, it is necessary to introduce a great many simplifying

Jan 1, 1941

By A. J. Phillips, A. A. Smith, J. S. Smart

THE preparation of a sufficient quantity of high-purity copper for extensive laboratory use in the study of impurity effects has been an integral part of a research program in progress at the Central Research Laboratory of the American Smelting and Refining Co. for the past several years. Initially the degree of purity desired was that necessary to meet two essential requirements for experimental accuracy: (I) no impurity was to be present in the copper in an amount capable of producing a detectable effect on the properties to be studied, (2) even the minor changes in properties caused by the addition of extremely small amounts of individual elements were to be measured without significant interference from contaminants. In the course of the investigation, evidence has accumulated to justify the conclusion that this copper is of exceptional purity; in fact, no impurity can be detected by any chemical method or spectrographic technique known to the authors. The present paper describes the method of production of the copper and presents some of its properties. PREPARATION OF HIGH-PURITY COPPER The elimination of impurities from commercial electrolytic copper is accomplished by a three-step purification process. The first operation consists of an electrolysis through a purified CuS04-H2SO4 electrolyte using bagged anodes, low current .density (5 amp. per sq. ft.) and low temperature (25°C. max.). The electrolyte is prepared from commercial Cu2SO4 and is purified by heating the solution and adding I gram Fe as Fe 2(S04)3 to each 100 grams dissolved copper; sufficient hydrated oxide of copper, prepared from Cu2SO4 and NaOH, is supplied to precipitate Fe(OH)3, which carries down arsenic, antimony, tin, selenium, tellurium and other minor constituents. Silver and remaining traces of lead are removed by addition of Na2S to the acidified filtrate, which is then refiltered after standing hot overnight. The cold solution is made up to 30 grams per liter Cu and 150 grams per liter H2S04 and introduced without addition agents into the electrolytic system, which consists of a double row of hard-rubber battery boxes with the inside webbing and partitions removed, arranged in seven steps of ascending height. Electrolyte is uniformly supplied to the two highest cells by glass siphons operating from a constant-level reservoir, and flows by gravity through the bank of seven cells, entering each at the bottom and leaving at the top. Glass air lifts continuously supply the returning liquid to the constant-level reservoir for recirculation. Each cell contains three 434 by 43a by I-in anodes cast from high-quality electrolytic wire bar copper, various lots of which have been used with equal success. The anodes are pinned to sheet copper hangars shaped to prevent crawl of the electrolyte to the multiple-wired bus bars-which would result in fouling of the contacts and hang inside wool flannel bags stretched over open wood frames. The deposit

Jan 1, 1941