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By John Nagy

Data from experiments and literature on gas and dust explosions in closed vessels are presented to show the effects of the vessel size and shape; the initial pressure, temperature, and turbulence; and the fuel-air ratio and the strength of ignition source on pressure and rate of pressure rise. An attempt is made to correlate some of these parameters with an elementary mathematical model. Analyses of data on 17 vessels--spherical, cubical, cylindrical, and rectilinear in shape--ranging from 0,018 to 905 cubic feet in volume were made. Although the study was initiated to provide information primarily on dust-explosion phenomena, some data were obtained for gas explosions so that the factor of initial turbulence caused by the pneumatic blast used to disperse dust could be evaluated. The mathematical interpretation of the explosion phenomena was in general accord with the experimental data, and correlation was obtained for several factors affecting explosion development. Neither vessel size nor shape affected maximum pressure (when heat loss was neglected). The rate of pres-sure rise decreased as vessel size increased, and the rate was proportional to the ratio of the surface area of the vessel to its volume. Induced initial turbulence markedly increased the rate of pressure rise and slightly increased the maximum pressure. Changes in initial pressure produced proportional changes in maximum pressure and rate of pressure rise. Initial temperature and maximum pressure were inversely related, but initial temperature had little effect on the maximum rate of pressure rise. Comparative experiments showed no appreciable difference in explosion development of gas and dust fuels. The vessels and experimental work are described, and all data are given in tables. The mathematical model will facilitate extrapolation from laboratory to industrial conditions and will allow comparison of results obtained in different laboratories.

Jan 1, 1971

By Frank G. Snyder

The Precambrian of Midcontinent United States includes a metamorphic belt of probable Middle Precambrian age, a belt of Keweenawan volcanics and sediments, and widespread igneous activity that extended from Iowa to Texas. Most of the present structural configuration of the Midcontinent was developed by epeirogenic movements during the Paleozoic. The dominant elements are basins and arches. Three major metallogenic provinces occur in the Midcontinent. They include the Missouri Precambrian iron ores, the Lake Superior copper ores, and the Mississippi Valley lead-zincbarite- fluorite deposits. Several large iron deposits, occurring in rhyolite and andesite host rocks, are known. Both discordant massive bodies and replacement- type bodies occur. The iron deposits are believed to have been formed during the period of igneous activity. They are essentially the same age as the volcanics and older than the granites that intrude the volcanics. The Lake Superior copper ores include two established districts, the Keweenawan district and White Pine, and the copper-nickel deposits in the Duluth gabbro. The lead-zinc-barite-fluorite deposits include four major districts, Southeast Missouri, Upper Mississippi Valley, Tri-State, and Illinois-Kentucky, and at least eight minor districts. Ore may occur in stratiform deposits and in veins. The major districts all contain stratiform deposits, but several have produced appreciable quantities of vein ore. Only vein deposits are known in some of the smaller districts. The major features of all districts can be catalogued in terms of host rocks, structural patterns of districts, types of ore-bearing structures, and mineralogical characteristics. From these features, a Mississippi Valley type ore body, in its type area, can be defined.

Jan 1, 1968

By Leonard Sugin

Recent changes in the field of ore and bulk commodity handling has forced a reevaluation of previously conceived notions. When vessels were small, and sources of raw material were reasonably close to areas of need, the role of the shipping terminal was of secondary importance. Now terminals must be built to take advantage of the economic benefits of the supercarriers. The shipping rates of the 80's will not be determined by the 60,000 DWT or even 150,000 ton capacity bulk carrier, but rather by the supercarriers in the 250,000 DWT class or larger. When the Suez Canal was closed, the shipping industry took a hard look at the economics of the large bulk carrier. Naval architects overcame the problems and successfully designed large supertankers, which today are plying the seas in excess of 350,000 DWT. Orders have been placed for tankers of 480,000 DWT. The shippers of dry bulk materials are now coming to similar conclusions about the economics of supercarriers. As of today, over 40 orders have been placed for vessels in the 250,000 DWT class, representing an investment of over 11/2 billion dollars, and many more are being considered. These vessels are being designed as combination ore/oil (0/0) or ore/bulk/oil (OBO's) carriers. The oil industry has seen the need for terminals which can accommodate these supertankers. The dry bulk shippers, and particularly ore shippers, must now act.

Jan 1, 1972

By Paul T. Allsman

Passage of the Mining Act of 1866, superseded by the Act of 1872, was the first major entry of the Federal Government into the problems of mining. Such a law was necessary simply to help re- solve a number of disputes in mining. Now, however, a hundred years later, the extent of government involvement in the mineral industry often comes as a shock to the mining engineer who has reached management level. In fact, he has been poorly prepared for an understanding of the role of government in the industry and he becomes frustrated, even hostile. In our political system, private industry is responsible for producing minerals and the Government sees to it that production will be adequate for a peace-time economy and for any emergency. There have been great social and political changes since World War I1 with the result that the Government's participation in our society has steadily increased. A new dimension in business and government relations has been introduced which should be examined more closely.

Jan 5, 1966

By D. Oyler

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s(NIOSH) Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL), RAG Pennsylvania and Strata Control Technologies of Australia have collaborated to conduct an extensive study of roof bolt strata interaction at the Emerald mine in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The primary goal of the project was to obtain detailed data on the interaction between the mine roof and the support elements for use in modeling studies. The study site was a longwall tailgate subjected to high horizontal stress. Three arrays of instruments were installed at the site, one in the tail-gate entry and two in an adjacent crosscut. Pumpable concrete cribs were present in the tailgate array, and cable bolts were installed in one of the crosscut arrays. The instruments included mechanical and sonic extensometers for measuring roof movement, instrumented roof bolts, and three-dimensional roof stress cells. The study was ultimately successful in determining the magnitude of the horizontal stress concentration, the height of roof failure and the roof failure sequence, and the loading history of the primary roof supports.

Jan 1, 2004

By Ted Klemetti

Roof deterioration in weak moisture-sensitive rock leads to roof falls in coal mines. An observation site was set up in intake air at an underground coal mine in central Ohio to evaluate the time-dependent deterioration of moisture-sensitive roof rock. By periodically collecting and weighing the rock falling from the roof, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was able to quantify the deterioration of the moisture-sensitive shale roof. The measurements showed that more roof rock is falling in the dry winter months. Movements in an intersection were monitored in order to determine if deformation correlated with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity. The rate of intersection roof-to-floor convergence was found to be cyclical and related to seasonal changes, with more convergence during the months of April through September. At the study site intersection, the roof beam did not show deflection indicating movement most likely due to mine floor deformation. The bolt load also increased in the warmer months before shedding load, possibly due to rock failure. Temperature and relative humidity sensors, placed in holes in the roof show that mine air does not mix with the air in the holes. Consistent saturation levels of relative humidity were measured in the holes and it appears that high levels of moisture may have migrated into the bolt holes from roof shales. A roof sealant applied to a portion of the test roof appears to be preserving the roof and reducing the amount of rock fall into the entry, while the screened area virtually eliminated rock falling from the roof.

Jan 1, 2009

By R. H. Frazier, C. H. Lorig, F. W. Boulger

This investigation establishes the effect of ferrite grain size resulting from various heat treatments on the transition temperature of a semikilled steel plate. Different austenitizing temperatures and various cooling rates were used. The ductile-brittle transition temperatures were determined by the Navy tear test and the keyhole Charpy test. THE data presented in this paper deal with quality characteristics of ship-plate material which were investigated in a research project sponsored at Battelle by the Bureau of Ships, Dept. of the Navy. Specifically, the object of this investigation was to establish the effect of ferritic grain size (resulting from various heat treatments) on the so-called transition temperature of ship-plate steel. Transition temperature is not a fixed property of steel. It is derived from a series of static or dynamic tests made at various temperatures and is qualified by specifying the type of test employed as well as the testing criteria. Because in earlier investigations of ship-plate quality1,2 the so-called Navy tear test and standard notched-bar tests (keyhole Charpy) proved to be useful in interpreting instances of brittle behavior of ship plate in service, these tests were used in the investigation reported in this paper. By definition,' in the Navy tear tests the highest temperature at which one or more of four specimens breaks with a brittle fracture (that is, when less than 50 pct of the fracture area has a dull fibrous texture) is termed "transition" temperature. In the Charpy tests, the 12 ft-lb level of energy absorption was used as a criterion indicating the "transition" temperature, although other levels of energy absorption were also used for comparison. Earlier work" on ship-plate steels indicated that the temperature at which ship plate is finished has a very significant effect on its notched-bar properties. Plates rolled in the laboratory, where the finishing temperature can be carefully controlled, showed a 16°F decrease in tear test transition temperature when the finishing temperature was lowered 200°F (from X" to Y°F). The same plates showed a drop of 10°F in the keyhole Charpy transition temperature from the same decrease in finishing temperature. Commercially finished plates' exhibit a similar trend. When the ferrite grain size of the hot-rolled laboratory plates was determined, a close relationship was found between the ferrite grain size and the notched-bar transition temperature." " he indicated relationship between grain size and transition temperature was in agreement with the findings on low carbon steels of Hodge, Manning, and Reichhold' despite the differences in composition of the steels. The cooling rate after rolling varies from one steel plant to another. This variation changes the micro-structure" and appears very likely to affect the notched-bar properties of the steel plates. In the investigation summarized in the present paper, heat treatments simulating finishing practices in the hot rolling of ship plate were used in order to vary the ferritic grain size. It is believed that the indicated relationship between grain size and transition temperatures of the ship-plate material will prove useful in estimating the effect of rolling temperature and of cooling rates from rolling temperatures on the notched-bar properties of semikilled steel plate. Material The semikilled steel plate used in this investigation was a ¾ in. hot-rolled plate from an open hearth heat. Other plates from this heat have been used on many other studies performed for the Ship Structure Committee," "," and the heat has been identified as project steel "A". The chemical composition of the plate1 was 0.25 pct C, 0.49 pct Mn, 0.011 pct P, 0.045 pct S, 0.04 pct Si, and 0.004 pct N.

Jan 1, 1956

By Veal FL

Technological changes in Portland cement manufacturing during past years have reflected changes in the economics and availability of various types of fuel such as coal, fuel oil and natural gas. The industry consumes a sig- nificant quantity of both thermal and electric- al energy. The nature of the process and its chemical constraints does however permit the use of comparatively low grade fuels such as high ash coal and high sulphur oil. In striving for increased daily kiln outputs and conservation of energy, there is a worldwide trend towards the use of dry process plants. Wet process kilns of about 2 500 tonnes per day assume massive component sizes which present difficulties in manufacture, and transport to plant sites. Large capacity dry process units in excess of 8 000 tonnes per day are now in operation using precalcination techniques in which part of the fuel is introduced in the static preheater section ahead of the kiln while the balance is added to the kiln in a conventional manner. This technique has virtually doubled the potential output of any given single kiln.

Jan 1, 1976

By W Jahn Archer

El rendimiento de extracción de mineral de cobre en Mufulira aumentó durante el periodo de 1971 - 1973. Por ello, los experimentos iniciales se concentraron en tratar de comprobar las potenciales ventajas de un tiempo de flotación prolongado, de forma que se incremente el rendimiento en cobre. En ese sentido, el texto señala las mejoras en los circuitos de flotación a través de la instalación de una celda de flotación DAVCRA en el circuito triturador. Dicha celda se intercaló con el circuito central y en el circuito de residuos.

Jul 1, 1976

The Institute is still in need of additional copies of the Bulletin for January, February and March, and will be glad to pay members the regular price of fifty cents per copy. Copies may be sent express collect, or postage may be used and the amount will be refunded in addition to the fifty cents.

Jan 10, 1916

SMCRA contains five principal regulatory provisions that form the basis for its implementation: Performance Standards Performance standard safe intended to ensure that all surface mining is conducted in a way that protects the environment and the public and ensures that the mined land is restored to productive use following mining. Permits Before developing a surface or underground coal mine, an operator must have a permit issued under SMCRA. An application for a permit to conduct a surface coal mining operation is a detailed document that consists of text and numeric data describing the proposed mining and reclamation. Information must be furnished on pre-mining environmental conditions, existing land use, proposed mining and reclamation, how the performance standards will be met, and the post-mining land use. This provides the regulatory authority with the information necessary to determine that the operation can be conducted in accordance with the regulations. Performance Bonds Before a permit can be granted, an operator must post a performance bond sufficient to cover the cost of reclaiming the site in the event the operator fails to complete reclamation. The bond is not fully released until all performance standards have been met and reclamation of the site has been determined to be successful after five years in the East and Midwest, and after 10 years in the arid West. However, the bond can be partially released as various phases of reclamation are completed. Inspection and Enforcement If a violation of SMCRA or of a state surface mining and reclamation law is observed, an inspector issues a notice of violation to the operator. The violation must be corrected within a specific time, and the operator may also have to pay a fine based on the severity of the violation. If the violation is not corrected, acessation order is issued to immediately stop active coal mining, and the operator must pay a fine. If a violation is especially serious (for example, creates an Following reclamation, the land was immediately put back into agricultural production. Today, grain and corn crop yields have continually exceeded targets. 2 imminent danger to public health or safety or causes significant damage to land, air, or water resources) the inspector immediately issues a cessation order. An operator must correct all violations in order to obtain permits for new mines. Lands Unsuitable For Mining Congress recognized that certain coal deposits cannot be mined without permanent damage to unique cultural or natural resources. As a result, SMCRA protects these resources in two ways: It prohibits mining within the boundaries of national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, trails, wild and scenic rivers, wilderness and recreation areas; in areas which will adversely affect sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and within a restricted distance of occupied dwellings, public roads, buildings, parks, schools, churches, and cemeteries; and Provides a process that allows anyone whose interests may be adversely affected by proposed mining to petition to have specific lands designated unsuitable for mining.

Jan 1, 1992

By F. W. Brackebusch

A unique machine has been designed for mining narrow veins. The machine, called the NONN, walks on the walls of the stope and carries a boom-mounted hydraulic impact breaker. The concept of walking on the walls allows an existing muck handling system such as LHDs to operate beneath the NOMN. The NOMM has four sets of legs which can be manipulated independently or concurrently to cause the carrier to walk in any direction and to turn sharp corners. The mining rate using the breasting method is targeted to be 25 t/hr.

Jan 1, 1990

By Santhanam Ramesh

"The shell (exoskeleton) waste of shellfish such as shrimps and crabs is the raw material in the extraction of chitosan, a polymer. Chitosan has several medicinal values such as reduction in cholesterol, urea and creatine in the blood. It is estimated that about 40000 tonnes of chitosan may be obtained from all chitin yielding invertebrate sources of India and a foreign exchange of 600 million US$ could be earned annually. Awareness has to be created among sea food processors to put up plants to convert shellfish wastes into chitosan. Similarly pharmaceutical industries may use chitosan in the development of new drugs. Types of training and awareness programmes to be organized for entrepreneurs, sea food processors and pharamacists are discussed in this paper.IntroductionIndia earns annually foreign exchange to the tune of 0.8 million US$ by exporting processed marine crustacean shellfish resources such as shrimps, crabs and lobsters (Figure 1) through 300 sea food processing industries. At present, only a small quantity of shell wastes (exoskeleton) generated from the above is utilized as an ingredient in fish feeds and hence much of the wastes are disposed off either as land fill or by direct dumping in sea. These wastes containing primarily chitin could be the major raw material for the production of a proteinaceous byproduct viz. chitosan, a highly valued pharmaceutically important source"

Jan 1, 2008

By David Miller

"The biggest concern about using soil mixing is the inability to observe physically the final product, which has led to a lack of confidence about what is in the ground. After all, you can’t see it and you can’t taste it and you can’t smell it, so are you sure it’s soil mixing? In addition, there are variations in techniques, tools and monitoring that have led to additional skepticism and the desire to “elevate” the product. This skepticism is why the industry is so scrutinized even when there are other technologies being used that do not experience nearly the same level of scrutiny. With other techniques, even with a slurry wall, you can see the backfill before it goes into the ground, and drilled piers have careful evaluation of the concrete mix even before placement into and verification of the open hole. Essentially, you get control over the final material. There is less control in soil mixing, and it’s very dependent on in-situ conditions. These factors make it difficult to rely solely upon installation parameters, quality control (QC) and verification tests. At some point, you may need to apply some engineering judgment.Start at the BeginningThe availability of sufficient and accurate geotechnical data (soil type, heterogeneity, shear strength parameters, variability, etc.) is important in establishing the material that will be drilled. This data will also help in determining the proper mix design to achieve the desired soil cement properties. Many factors must be considered when designing the mix and the mixing program, including any debris in the ground, different soil properties and varying moisture contents.Each of the various factors affect the final properties of the soil cement, so it really takes careful planning and evaluation of the mix design through iterations by looking at the soil types and adjusting the mixes. Clay is going to behave very differently than sand in both mixing efficiency and final properties. That is, the presence of clays results in more difficulty in achieving higher strengths and to physically mix the soil and the binder, whereas the presence of sands results in more difficulty controlling the final permeability."

Jan 1, 2017

By W. N. Lacey, R. H. Dourson, B. H. Sage

THE compositions of coexisting phases in the methane-propane-n-pentane system were determined at 160° and 220°F. throughout the two-phase region, at pressures above 500 lb. per sq. in. The experimental results permitted the calculation of gas-liquid equilibrium constants as well as the establishment of the critical behavior of this ternary system. The experimental results are presented in tabular form and a number of diagrams illustrating the phase behavior of this system have been included.

Jan 1, 1942

By Emanuel Negrao Macedo, Edinaldo Cunha, Mauro Oliveira, Jose Antonio da Silva Souza

"This paper presents the study of the increasing addition influence of the bauxite waste in some properties of polymeric matrices composites reinforced with natural fiber: Curaua (Ananas Erectifolius smith). There were evaluated properties as density, tensile and flexural resistances. The high pH provided by the waste is used as hydrolysis agent, providing the pectin cement dissolution of the fiber bundles, and therefore, improving the mechanical adhesion in the fibermatrix interface and the increase of the fiber bundles aspect ratio. Furthermore, the content of silico-aluminous material in the waste provides increase in the composite abrasivity, which is destined to civil and naval construction. The fact of being a low-cost and highly available waste turns the red mud in a high potential material as polymeric composite filler.IntroductionRed mud is an insoluble residue, originated from the bauxite refining through the Bayer Process [1]. It is an Iron Oxide rich material [2] (substance responsible for the red brick color), it has a complex chemical composition [3], and its composition is highly dependent of the type of bauxite used in the process [4]. It has high alkalinity (pH= 10 - 12.5) and a very small solids size distribution (95% diameter< 44µm) [1], what turns the red mud a serious environmental pollutant.The utilization of fillers on composite materials is done after many necessities; however, one of the major necessities is the cost reduction [5]. Furthermore, mechanical and thermal properties of polymers usually are improved by the addition of inorganic fillers [6], being an example of this improvement the reduction of the flammability of polymer matrixes due to the addition of functional clays [7]. In this way, the red mud becomes potential filler for composites, since cheap and easily available fillers (like red mud) are a good option to reduce costs [8]."

Jan 1, 2013

By W. P. Yant, C. E. Traubert

"INTRODUCTION Canister-type gas masks have become an essential part of the equipment of many industries, not only for use in emergencies, but also in performing normal operations of industrial processes and procedures, particularly where ventilation is not practically or economically feasible. They are also used widely for enhancing safety of operations which previous to the development of gas masks had been performed in harmful atmospheres.Since the inception of industrial gas masks the Bureau of Mines has been actively engaged in endeavoring to increase the efficiency and safety of these devices, and this bureau has become a source of advice to manufacturers in producing devices of good quality and to industry in the proper selection and use of these devices. In order to give first-hand information and keep current with the demands and needs of industry it is necessary to perform investi-gations from time to time. This report deals with tests of certain types of commercial gas-mask canisters for protection against mercury vapor.TYPES OF CANISTERS EXAMINEDThis investigation included tests of the following types of canisters:(a) Gas-mask canister filled with 725 c.c. of granular activated charcoal, 8 to 14 mesh, and of a quality used in gas masks which meet the Bureau of Mines approval requirements 4 for protection against organic vapors."

Oct 1, 1932

By Mathew P. Oommen, Jeffrey L. Kohler

Computer-aided loadflow and fault analyses of mine power systems are routinely conducted to ascertain system performance and also to provide information to assist in the protection and coordination of these systems. Three-winding transformers are frequently encountered in mining applications, typically at continuous miner and longwall sections where there exists a need for dual utilization voltages. These transformers are often modeled as a three-bus system neglecting the secondary to tertiary winding impedance and the effect of base changes. This paper analyzes the impact of more accurate transformer models on voltages and fault currents which are realized from loadflow and fault studies of mine power systems.

By F. C. Frischknecht

Most early development and application of electromagnetic prospecting methods took place in Scandinavia, where geological conditions favor their use. In other parts of the world these methods have aroused cycles of interest, but in Scandinavia they have been used continuously and successfully since the 1920&apos;s. Electromagnetic methods may be classified into two general groups. One group includes methods in which the source of the electromagnetic field remains stationary while the receivers are moved about to explore the area. The other includes procedures in which the energizing and receiving systems are moved together. Other classifications could be based on the size of the energizing source, the particular components of the electromagnetic field which are measured, or the mode of transporting the equipment. The difference between fixed-source and moving-source methods, however, is of such great fundamental importance that it will be emphasized in this discussion. FIXED-SOURCE METHODS Essentially, a fixed-source method consists of the measurement of electromagnetic fields about the source. The mutual coupling between the source and the earth is constant, but the mutual coupling between the receiver and the earth (unless the earth is homogeneous) and also between the source and the receiver changes at each station. The results are usually normalized by relating the field data to the calculated free space or primary field. Turam and Radio Reference Signal Methods: The turam or two-frame* (see Fig. 1A) is probably * Turam means two-coil. the most common fixed-source method. The energizing source is an insulated cable grounded at both ends or formed into a large rectangular loop. Measurements are taken along a traverse at 5 to 50-meter intervals using two small receiving coils, the lagging coil being placed at the position previously occupied by the leading coil. The complex ratio (i.e., inphase and out-of-phase ratios) of the voltages induced in the two coils is measured. Operating frequency range is about 100 to 800 cps. In a typical turam survey a straight, grounded cable several kilometers long is laid out parallel to the probable strike of the ore deposits or conducting strata being sought. An area extending 1 or 2 km on each side of the cable, and within 1 or 2 km of the ends of the cable, is surveyed. Measurements are made at stations 5 to 25 m apart along traverses perpendicular to the cable. Measurements may be made along lines parallel to the cable to serve as base lines for the traverses or for other special purposes. Commonly the receiving coils are oriented with their planes horizontal so that only the vertical component of the field is measured. If additional information is required, one of the hori- zontal components may also be measured by orienting the coils with their planes vertical. In a modified turam technique developed recently for both ground and airborne measurements (Fig. 1B) the amplitude of the complex voltage induced in a single receiving coil is measured and its phase compared with that of a reference signal transmitted from the energizing system by a radio frequency carrier. Thus the un-normalized field is obtained directly, whereas with the turam method it is obtained by calculation from the ratios. The turam method and its modifications have a greater working depth than the other electromagnetic procedures used in ore prospecting. Under favorable conditions conductors have been located at depths of 200 to 300 m. A modified turam method with one of the electrodes grounded in the upper end of a plunging orebody was used to follow the extension of this body to a depth of 200 m beneath a layer of conducting schists. Straight grounded cables are usually preferred to insulated loops because they are easier to lay out and because they often make the method more sensitive. The greater sensitivity of a grounded cable is a result of ground return currents which may flow in the orebodies in addition to the eddy currents caused by induction from the current in the cable. Anomalies in the vertical field due to eddy currents are characterized by a correspondence between high values for the inphase component and positive out-of-phase components and/or low values for the inphase component and negative out-of-phase components. Also the inphase component may approach zero, but it does not become negative. In very long continuous conductors that are parallel to a grounded cable the effect of ground return currents may far exceed the effect of eddy currents. These ground return currents cause a lack of correspondence between the inphase and out-of-phase components and may cause negative inphase or anti-phase components. It becomes difficult to carry out the measurements and often difficult to interpret the results. Such results immediately suggest the presence of graphitic strata, however, since ore deposits are rarely extensive enough to accumulate sufficient ground return current to cause these results. A cable laid out perpendicular to the strike or an insulated loop is sometimes used in areas where graphitic schists and slates are present. Anomalies are then completely or almost entirely due to eddy currents and are easier to interpret. The measured voltage ratios are normalized by either subtracting or dividing by normal field ratios calculated from free space considerations. The normalized ratios are then plotted as individual profiles. When significant anomalies occur in the ratio measurements, the actual normalized fields are calculated by beginning with a measured or an assumed value for the field at a point near the cable and successively multiplying this value by the normalized ratios. There is a similarity between this process and a numerical integration of the ratio curve. Conversely, in many respects the ratio curve is similar to the first derivative of the field curve.

Jan 1, 1960

By P. J. Burkhardt, L. V. Gregor

The oxidation kinetics of single-crystal silicon has been investigated using extremely dry oxygen as the oxidant. Two techniques were used. The first involved a flow system with which incremental thickness measurements were made. This sytem provided an oxygen ambient at atmospheric pressure which had a moisture content of less than 0.1 ppm of water. The second technique involved measuring the change in volume of oxygen with time in a closed system. A temperature range of 900O to 1200 "C and a pressure range of 20 to 760 Tory were covered. Both techniques showed that a simple parabolic rate law holds only at the higher temperatures. At lower temperatures, the data up to 5000Å can be fitted well to a linear-parabolic equation. The two constants in this rate equation are examined in terms of a physical model. The parabolic portion of the low-temperature oxidatLon fits along the high-temperature curve of an Arrhenius plot. The parabolic rate constant for the flow-system technique can be expressed by k = 2 x 10-9 exp (L 31 kcalRT) sq cm per sec. The manostatic technique gave k = 1 x 10-exp (- 23 kcalRT) sq cm per sec. By extending the thickness range to over 104. a rate law of X = At seems to fit all of the data better than the linear-Pavabolic law. Here the exponent n increases from 0.518 at 1150 V to 0.637 at 900°C. PASSIVATION of silicon planar devices through thermal oxidation is of such great importance that considerable effort has been devoted to the study of the process.17 Much of this work involves hydrothermal oxidation, in which H2O is the oxidant: whereby H2 is produced. It has been proposed that the reaction proceeds by the formation of Si-OH groups and hydroxyl diffusion through the film to react with the silicon surface. Thus, the silicon oxide layer probably contains residual hydrogen in some form after oxidation in H2O and it has already been established that hydrogen has a marked effect on the electronic properties of oxide-passivated silicon surfaces. Silicon is oxidized by oxygen at elevated temperatures; but the rate of oxide formation is considerably lower than that for 0." By using dry O2 as the sole oxidant, the presence of residual hydrogen is presumably avoided. At present, the mechanism of thermal oxidation by dry O2 is a matter for conjecture, and the presence of small amounts of H2O was reported to have a marked effect on the rate of oxide formation10 (perhaps on the electronic properties of the surface, as well). Hence, this study of the kinetics of silicon oxide growth in 0, was undertaken: 1) to determine the oxidation rate at atmospheric pressure in a system designed to exclude rigorously all traces of H2O in the ambient 0,; 2) to obtain oxidation-rate data in situ in dry O2 by means of a continuous monitoring of the amount of 0, consumed during oxide growth. These objectives are complementary—the first assesses what effects (if any) are obtained by excluding H2O from the reaction, and the second expands this information while at the same time avoiding the uncertainty inherent in relying upon incremental measurements of oxide growth to furnish kinetic data. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The conventional silica open tube in a resistance-heated oxidation furnace is subject to sources of trace H2O, even after the input O2 is thoroughly dried and the outlet gas stream is passed through a trap to prevent

Jan 1, 1967