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By Fred C. Bond

MOST investigators are aware of the present unsatisfactory investigatorsstate of information concerning the fundamentals of crushing and grinding. Considerable scattered empirical data exist, which andare useful for predicting machine performance and give acceptable accuracy when the installations and materials compared are quite similar. However, there is no widely accepted unifying principle or theory that can explain satisfactorily the actual energy input necessary canexplain commercial installations, or can greatly extend the range of empirical comparisons. Two mutually contradictory theories have long existed in the literature, the Rittinger and Kick. They were derived from different viewpoints and logically lead to different results. The Rittinger theory is the older and more widely accepted.'TheRittinger In its first form, as stated by P. R. Ritted.'tinger, it postulates that the useful work done in crushing and grinding is directly proportional to the new surface area produced and hence inversely proportional to the product diameter. In its second form it has been amplified and enlarged to include the concept of surface energy; in this form it was precisely stated by A. M. Gaudin' as follows: "The efficiency of a comminution operation is the ratio of the surface energy produced to the kinetic energy expended." According to the theory in its second form, measurements of the surface areas of the feed and product and determinations of the surface energy per unit of new surface area produced give the useful work accomplished. Computations using the best values of surface energy obtainable indicate that perhaps 99 pct of the work input in crushing and grinding is wasted. However, no method of comminution has yet been devised which results in a reasonably high mechanical efficiency under this definition. Laboratory tests have been reported- hat support the theory in its first form by indicating that the new surface produced in different grinds is proportional to the work input. However, most of these tests employ an unnatural feed consisting either of screened particles of one sieve size or a scalped feed which has had the fines removed. In these cases the proportion of work done on the finer product particles is greatly increased and distorted beyond that to be expected with a normal feed containing the natural fines. Tests on pure crystallized quartz are likely to be misleading, since it does not follow the regular breakage pattern of most materials but is regularrelativelybreakage harder to grind patternat the finer sizes, as will be shown later. This theory appears to be indefensible mathematically, since work is the product of force multiplied by distance, and the distance factor (particle deformation before breakage) is ignored. The Kick theory4 is based primarily upon the stress-strain diagram of cubes under compression, or the deformation factor. It states that the work required is proportional to the reduction in volume of the particles concerned. Where F represents the diameter of the feed particles and P is the diameter of the product particles, the reduction ratio Rr is F/P, and according to Kick the work input required for reduction to different sizes is proportional to log Rr /log 2." The Kick theory is mathematically more tenable than the Rittinger when cubes under compression are considered, but it obviously fails to assign a sufficient proportion of the total work in reduction to the production of fine particles. According to the Rittinger theory as demonstrated by the theoretical breakage of cubes the new surface produced, and consequently the useful work input, is proportional to Rr-l.V f a given reduction takes place in two or more stages, the overall reduction ratio is the product of the Rr values for each stage, and the sum of the work accomplished in all stages is proportional to the sum of each Rr-1 value multiplied by the relative surface area before each reduction stage. It appears that neither the Rittinger theory, which is concerned only with surface, nor the Kick theory, which is concerned only with volume, can be completely correct. Crushing and grinding are concerned both with surface and volume; the absorption of evenly applied stresses is proportional to the volume concerned, but breakage starts with a crack tip, usually on the surface, and the concentration of stresses on the surface motivates the formation of the crack tips. The evaluation of grinding results in terms of surface tons per kw-hr, based upon screen analysis, involves an assumption of the surface area of the subsieve product, which may cause important errors. The evaluation in terms of kw-hr per net ton of —200 mesh produced often leads to erroneous results when grinds of appreciably different fineness are compared, since the amount of —200 mesh material produced varies with the size distribution characteristics of the feed. This paper is concerned primarily with the development, proof, and application of a new Third Theory, which should eliminate the objections to the two old theories and serve as a practical unifying principle for comminution in all size ranges. Both of the old theories have been remarkably barren of practical results when applied to actual crushing and grinding installations. The need for a new satisfactory theory is more acute than those not directly concerned with crushing and grinding calculations can realize. In developing a new theory it is first necessary to re-examine critically the assumptions underlying

Jan 1, 1953

By Fred C. Bond

MOST investigators are aware of the present unsatisfactory state of information concerning the fundamentals of crushing and grinding. Considerable scattered empirical data exist, which are useful for predicting machine performance and give, acceptable accuracy when the installations and materials compared are quite similar. However, there is no widely accepted unifying principle or theory that can explain satisfactorily the actual energy input necessary in commercial installations, or can greatly extend the range of empirical comparisons. Two mutually contradictory theories have long existed' in the literature, the Rittinger and Kick. They were derived from different viewpoints and logically lead to different results. The Rittinger theory is the older and more widely accepted. In its first form, as stated by P. R. Rittinger, it postulates that the useful work done in crushing and grinding is directly proportional to the new surface area produced and hence inversely proportional to the product diameter. In its second form it has been amplified and enlarged to include .the concept of surface energy; in this form it was precisely stated by A. M. Gaudin2 as follows: "The efficiency of a comminution operation is the ratio of the surface energy produced to the kinetic energy expended. According to the theory in its second form, measurements of the surface areas of the feed and product and determinations of the surface energy per unit of new surface area produced give the useful work accomplished. Computations using the best values of surface energy obtainable indicate that perhaps, 99 pct of the work input in crushing and grinding is wasted. However, no method of comminution has yet been devised which results in a reasonably high mechanical efficiency under this definition. Laboratory tests have been reported' that support the theory in its first form by indicating that the new surface produced in. different grinds is proportional to the work input. However, most of these tests employ an unnatural feed consisting either of screened particles of one sieve size or a scalped feed which has had the fines removed. In these cases the proportion of work" done on. the finer product particles is greatly increased and distorted beyond that to be expected with a normal feed containing the natural fines. Tests on pure crystallized quartz are likely to be misleading since it does not follow the regular breakage pattern of most materials but is relatively harder to grind at the finer sizes, as will be shown later. This theory appears to be indefensible mathematically, since work is the product of force multiplied by distance, and the distance factor (particle deformation before breakage) is ignored. The Kick theory' is based primarily upon the stress-strain diagram of cubes under compression, or the deformation factor. It states that the work required is proportional to the reduction in volume of the particles concerned. Where F represents the diameter of the feed particles and P is the diameter of the product particles, the reduction ratio Rr is F/P, and according to Kick the work input required for reduction to different sizes is proportional to log Rr/log 2.5 The Kick theory is mathematically more tenable than the Rittinger when cubes under compression are considered, but it obviously fails to assign a sufficient proportion of the total work in. reduction to the production of fine particles. According to the Rittinger theory as demonstrated by the theoretical breakage of cubes the new surface produced, and consequently the useful work input, is proportional to Rr-1.5 If a given reduction takes place in two or more stages, the overall reduction ratio is the product of the Rr values for each stage, and the sum of the work accomplished in all stages is proportional to the sum of each Rr-1 value multiplied by the relative surface area before each reduction stage. It appears that neither the Rittinger theory, which is concerned only with surface, nor the Kick theory, which is concerned only with volume, can be completely correct. Crushing and grinding are concerned both with surface and volume; the absorption of evenly applied stresses is proportional to the volume concerned, but breakage starts with a crack tip, usually on the surface, and the concentration of stresses on the surface motivates the formation of the crack tips. The evaluation of grinding results in terms of surface tons per kw-hr, based upon screen analysis, involves an assumption of the surface area of the subsieve product, which may cause important errors. The'evaluation in terms of kw-hr per net ton of 200 mesh produced often leads to erroneous results when grinds of appreciably different fineness are compared, since the amount of -200 mesh material produced varies with the size distribution characteristics of the feed. This paper is concerned primarily with the development, proof, and application of a new Third Theory, which should eliminate the objections to the two old theories and serve as a practical unifying principle for comminution in all size ranges. Both of the old theories have been remarkably barren of practical results when applied to actual crushing and grinding installations. The need for a new satisfactory theory is more acute than those not directly concerned, with crushing and grinding calculations can realize. In developing a new theory it is first necessary to re-examine critically the assumptions underlying

Jan 1, 1952

By Fred C. Bond

MOST investigators are aware of the present unsatisfactory investigatorsstate of information concerning the fundamentals of crushing and grinding. Considerable scattered empirical data exist, which andare useful for predicting machine performance and give acceptable accuracy when the installations and materials compared are quite similar. However, there is no widely accepted unifying principle or theory that can explain satisfactorily the actual energy input necessary canexplain commercial installations, or can greatly extend the range of empirical comparisons. Two mutually contradictory theories have long existed in the literature, the Rittinger and Kick. They were derived from different viewpoints and logically lead to different results. The Rittinger theory is the older and more widely accepted.'TheRittinger In its first form, as stated by P. R. Ritted.'tinger, it postulates that the useful work done in crushing and grinding is directly proportional to the new surface area produced and hence inversely proportional to the product diameter. In its second form it has been amplified and enlarged to include the concept of surface energy; in this form it was precisely stated by A. M. Gaudin' as follows: "The efficiency of a comminution operation is the ratio of the surface energy produced to the kinetic energy expended." According to the theory in its second form, measurements of the surface areas of the feed and product and determinations of the surface energy per unit of new surface area produced give the useful work accomplished. Computations using the best values of surface energy obtainable indicate that perhaps 99 pct of the work input in crushing and grinding is wasted. However, no method of comminution has yet been devised which results in a reasonably high mechanical efficiency under this definition. Laboratory tests have been reported- hat support the theory in its first form by indicating that the new surface produced in different grinds is proportional to the work input. However, most of these tests employ an unnatural feed consisting either of screened particles of one sieve size or a scalped feed which has had the fines removed. In these cases the proportion of work done on the finer product particles is greatly increased and distorted beyond that to be expected with a normal feed containing the natural fines. Tests on pure crystallized quartz are likely to be misleading, since it does not follow the regular breakage pattern of most materials but is regularrelativelybreakage harder to grind patternat the finer sizes, as will be shown later. This theory appears to be indefensible mathematically, since work is the product of force multiplied by distance, and the distance factor (particle deformation before breakage) is ignored. The Kick theory4 is based primarily upon the stress-strain diagram of cubes under compression, or the deformation factor. It states that the work required is proportional to the reduction in volume of the particles concerned. Where F represents the diameter of the feed particles and P is the diameter of the product particles, the reduction ratio Rr is F/P, and according to Kick the work input required for reduction to different sizes is proportional to log Rr /log 2." The Kick theory is mathematically more tenable than the Rittinger when cubes under compression are considered, but it obviously fails to assign a sufficient proportion of the total work in reduction to the production of fine particles. According to the Rittinger theory as demonstrated by the theoretical breakage of cubes the new surface produced, and consequently the useful work input, is proportional to Rr-l.V f a given reduction takes place in two or more stages, the overall reduction ratio is the product of the Rr values for each stage, and the sum of the work accomplished in all stages is proportional to the sum of each Rr-1 value multiplied by the relative surface area before each reduction stage. It appears that neither the Rittinger theory, which is concerned only with surface, nor the Kick theory, which is concerned only with volume, can be completely correct. Crushing and grinding are concerned both with surface and volume; the absorption of evenly applied stresses is proportional to the volume concerned, but breakage starts with a crack tip, usually on the surface, and the concentration of stresses on the surface motivates the formation of the crack tips. The evaluation of grinding results in terms of surface tons per kw-hr, based upon screen analysis, involves an assumption of the surface area of the subsieve product, which may cause important errors. The evaluation in terms of kw-hr per net ton of —200 mesh produced often leads to erroneous results when grinds of appreciably different fineness are compared, since the amount of —200 mesh material produced varies with the size distribution characteristics of the feed. This paper is concerned primarily with the development, proof, and application of a new Third Theory, which should eliminate the objections to the two old theories and serve as a practical unifying principle for comminution in all size ranges. Both of the old theories have been remarkably barren of practical results when applied to actual crushing and grinding installations. The need for a new satisfactory theory is more acute than those not directly concerned with crushing and grinding calculations can realize. In developing a new theory it is first necessary to re-examine critically the assumptions underlying

Jan 1, 1953

By P. G. Nahin, A. Grenall, R. S. Crog, W. C. Merrill

A progress report of an experimental investigation into the role of clay in reservoir performance is presented. The Paper gives some of the reasons for considering clay as a significant component and outlines the objectives of a broad field of stud) which it is intended to pursue. Descriptions of the analytical methods used are given; these include X-ray diffraction. elec tron miscroscopy, thin section petrography, infrared spec-troscopy, and cation exchange analysis. A suite of the more important clay minerals has been assembled and characterized l~y these methods for use as standards in core analysis. From the data obtained it appears that although no one method of analysis is diagnostic for all of the clay minerals the infrared technique shows considerable promise in this direction. For the present, one or more supplementary methods should be used to confirm the clay mineral identifications. The methods of analysis are applied to field cores taken from repesentative and widely differing strata especially as regards their susceptibility to damage by fresh water. well.; completed in the stevens and Gatchell zones in San Joaquin valley are I,articularly clear-cut examples of this behavior with stevens zone wells being more adversely affected by fresh water. cores from these zones have been studied and are discussed. It appears that differences in this behavior can be ascribed to differences in the nature of the contained clays. The value of the infrarecl spectra of the clay fractions in establishing the identity of the predominant clay minerals is given particular emphasis. INTRODUCTION It is a challenge to the technical resources of the petroleum industry that when the economic limit of production is reached, from 40 to 70 per cent of the oil in California reservoirs remains unproduced even by use of the best presently known methods of recovery. The magnitude of this abandoned volume of oil can be appreciated when it is considered that to 1950 in excess of 8 billion bbll has been produced from California reservoirs with estimated economically recoverable reserves in known fields and pools totaling nearly 4 billion bbl.24 If for every barrel of oil produced there is at least another barrel still in place, it is evident that the revenue obtained from the recovery of only a .few per cent of this volume would repay the cost of the required research manyfold. From well completion experience. production behavior, and a growing body of laboratory data it now appears certain that the mineral composition of a producing stratum has an important bearing on the productivity and ultimate yield. In addition to the organic component and water, the cores con,ist of gravel, sand. silt, and clay" in diverse variety of (a, composition and (b) texture. It is the composite effect of these two factors which is probably responsible in large measure for the way in which the oil flows to the well. The role of the clay and fine-size accessory minerals is not clear but there is a growing opinion, based on their physical and chemical properties, that it is a significant one. of particular importance are the prime facts: 1. The silt and clay fractions of the reservoir matrix possess the highest surface area per gram, and 2. The silt and especially the clay fractions are the most chemically reactive of the inorganic constituents present. Only within the last few years has the knowledge of clay mineralogy and the techniques of identifying the clay minerals reached such a stage as to enable reliable inquiry into the composition of argillaceous sediments.2,8,10,11,12,16,26 It is the purpox of this and succeeding papers to add to the fund of information on the role which these materials play in the production of petroleum from California formations by correlating their presence and associated properties with observed reservoir behavior. In the present paper attention is directed to their possible influence on damage by fresh water. OBJECTIVES The attack on this problem divides naturally into two broad phases: 1. Determination of the nature of the clays and their relationships to the other mineral components, and 2. Determination of the physico-chemical relationships between the clays and the interstitial fluids. In the work described in this paper the emphasis has been on phase 1, which stems logically from the necessity of identifying and understanding the materials to be dealt with in Phase 2. Based on the authors' present opinion that not all of the minerals which occur in oil-bearing formation are of equal importance in their effects on the flow and recovery of oil, it was decided to focus attention first upon the clay minerals content and then. later perhaps. work into the field of the normally larger size non-clay minerals and fractions. The

Jan 1, 1951

By W. C. Merrill, P. G. Nahin, A. Grenall, R. S. Crog

A progress report of an experimental investigation into the role of clay in reservoir performance is presented. The Paper gives some of the reasons for considering clay as a significant component and outlines the objectives of a broad field of stud) which it is intended to pursue. Descriptions of the analytical methods used are given; these include X-ray diffraction. elec tron miscroscopy, thin section petrography, infrared spec-troscopy, and cation exchange analysis. A suite of the more important clay minerals has been assembled and characterized l~y these methods for use as standards in core analysis. From the data obtained it appears that although no one method of analysis is diagnostic for all of the clay minerals the infrared technique shows considerable promise in this direction. For the present, one or more supplementary methods should be used to confirm the clay mineral identifications. The methods of analysis are applied to field cores taken from repesentative and widely differing strata especially as regards their susceptibility to damage by fresh water. well.; completed in the stevens and Gatchell zones in San Joaquin valley are I,articularly clear-cut examples of this behavior with stevens zone wells being more adversely affected by fresh water. cores from these zones have been studied and are discussed. It appears that differences in this behavior can be ascribed to differences in the nature of the contained clays. The value of the infrarecl spectra of the clay fractions in establishing the identity of the predominant clay minerals is given particular emphasis. INTRODUCTION It is a challenge to the technical resources of the petroleum industry that when the economic limit of production is reached, from 40 to 70 per cent of the oil in California reservoirs remains unproduced even by use of the best presently known methods of recovery. The magnitude of this abandoned volume of oil can be appreciated when it is considered that to 1950 in excess of 8 billion bbll has been produced from California reservoirs with estimated economically recoverable reserves in known fields and pools totaling nearly 4 billion bbl.24 If for every barrel of oil produced there is at least another barrel still in place, it is evident that the revenue obtained from the recovery of only a .few per cent of this volume would repay the cost of the required research manyfold. From well completion experience. production behavior, and a growing body of laboratory data it now appears certain that the mineral composition of a producing stratum has an important bearing on the productivity and ultimate yield. In addition to the organic component and water, the cores con,ist of gravel, sand. silt, and clay" in diverse variety of (a, composition and (b) texture. It is the composite effect of these two factors which is probably responsible in large measure for the way in which the oil flows to the well. The role of the clay and fine-size accessory minerals is not clear but there is a growing opinion, based on their physical and chemical properties, that it is a significant one. of particular importance are the prime facts: 1. The silt and clay fractions of the reservoir matrix possess the highest surface area per gram, and 2. The silt and especially the clay fractions are the most chemically reactive of the inorganic constituents present. Only within the last few years has the knowledge of clay mineralogy and the techniques of identifying the clay minerals reached such a stage as to enable reliable inquiry into the composition of argillaceous sediments.2,8,10,11,12,16,26 It is the purpox of this and succeeding papers to add to the fund of information on the role which these materials play in the production of petroleum from California formations by correlating their presence and associated properties with observed reservoir behavior. In the present paper attention is directed to their possible influence on damage by fresh water. OBJECTIVES The attack on this problem divides naturally into two broad phases: 1. Determination of the nature of the clays and their relationships to the other mineral components, and 2. Determination of the physico-chemical relationships between the clays and the interstitial fluids. In the work described in this paper the emphasis has been on phase 1, which stems logically from the necessity of identifying and understanding the materials to be dealt with in Phase 2. Based on the authors' present opinion that not all of the minerals which occur in oil-bearing formation are of equal importance in their effects on the flow and recovery of oil, it was decided to focus attention first upon the clay minerals content and then. later perhaps. work into the field of the normally larger size non-clay minerals and fractions. The

Jan 1, 1951

By LESTER W. STRAUSS

FOR fifteen months after the other dominions of the British Empire and the entire so-called sterling 11loc loosed the shackles that bound the111 to the gold standard, South Africa, giant among gold-producing nations, remained stubbornly attached to gold at the traditional ratio of 85 shillings in currency to one ounce of gold. But eventually even South Africa had to heed the dictates of trade and the obvious interests of its great gold-mining industry. In December, 1932, South Africa's currency severed its golden bonds. Today the South African pound is 011 a par wit11 the British pound.

Jan 1, 1935

By T. E. Harper, Gustave Reinberg

Electrolytic refining of all lead bullion produced at the Oroya smelter of the Cerro de Pasco Copper Corporation has been adopted as standard practice. A pilot refinery with a capacity of 25 metric tons daily has been in operation since June, 1934, and a new refining unit having an initial capacity of 100 tons per day is under construction. This program has been made possible by certain modifications of the usual Betts refining process1, developed at Oroya, which have the effect of making the purity of the lead produced, and the acid loss incurred in operating the process, entirely independent of the amount of impurities in the original bullion. The modified process, as developed and at present used, treats impure bullion direct, without presoftening or other prerefining step, except that if the bullion carries tin it is desirable to detin before casting into anodes, since tin carries over to some extent to the cathodes. The refining process developed differs from usual Betts practice in two essential particulars: the anodes are cast thinner and replaced at more frequent intervals, and anode slimes are washed by a system of counter-current dipping, prior to their removal from the surface of the anode scrap. Limiting the period of anode corrosion insures a cathode of high purity, since solution of impurities at the anode can occur only if the thickness of the anode slime blanket, and hence the voltage drop across it, becomes greater than a certain critical value. The dip washing system operates to prevent acid losses, by recovering the highly concentrated, nearly neutral lead fluosilicate solution present in the pores of the slime blanket on the corroded anode, and doing this in such a way that there is no opportunity for chemical decomposition to occur. The best illustration of the efficacy of these two expedients may be secured from records of more than a year's operation of the 25-ton pilot plant, during which period the acid losses were less than 2 Ib. of 100 per cent hydrofluosilic acid (H2SiF6) per ton of lead produced, and typical assays of bullion and refined lead were as shown in Table 1.

Jan 1, 1937

By C. F. Willis

The problem of the curtailment of forces in large numbers does not often come to employment departments and is, therefore, a problem that many departments are not prepared to handle intelligently. Those companies that are able to measure the individual efficiency of each man would probably lay off men according to their individual ability, irrespective of dependents, citizenship, or other considerations. During the war when labor was scarce, the business of the employment manager in industry was hiring men and carefully placing them where they were best fitted to work. The careful selection of employees had developed to a considerable extent before the war, and was becoming a recognized science. In the last few months, however, the cancelation of copper contracts, the accumulation of large stocks, the necessary curtailment of production because the copper could not be sold, and the lack of any immediate prospects of' the copper market opening, have led to a universal reduction of forces, and the problem that industry now confronts is that of discharging rather than employing. The problem has been aggravated by the cancellation of contracts in many war industries with the consequent turning loose of hundreds of thousands of men, a great amount of unemployment, and the return of the soldiers and sailors. The problem has now become one of reduction of working force with the least hardship and the least injustice, and yet caring for the soldiers, sailors, and marines who have been in the service of the government for nearly 2 years, and are now returning to their pre-war positions. The Copper Queen Branch of the Phelps Dodge Corpn., operating at Bisbee, Arb., found it necessary, like all of the other copper companies of the country, to reduce its force materially. In making this reduction it was, after due consideration, decided to classify employees with respect to dependents, length of service, and citizenship. The question of individual efficiency or workmanship was not considered. Copper produced to sell at 26 c. a lb. has been selling at under 15 c., and very little copper is being sold at all. Practically every copper producer in the country has enormous stocks on hand, and it would be profitable,

Jan 1, 1920

By H. Evans, L. A. Hunt

The raw materials used in the blast furnaces at the Geneva Works of U.S. Steel Corp. have a high degree of variability in size-consist and chemical content. To overcome the problems caused by the use of highly variable raw materials in the blast-furnace operation, large blending piles are used. An investigation of the blending system showed that variability was significantly reduced by the use of these blending piles. This paper describes the blending system, the method used to evaluate the effect of the blending system, and the results of the investigation. The remarkable improvement in blast-furnace performance since World War II has been in large measure due to the use of beneficiated burdens to reduce the variation of both chemical analysis and size consist. This practice allows the operator better control of his blast furnace, enabling him to operate more economically and to produce chemically uniform hot metal. Planning for uniformity usually begins during mining by extracting ore from several locations within a pit to produce a final product with a specified analysis. Another approach is to stockpile ores having widely varying analyses in individual piles and then drawing the required amounts from each stockpile to provide a blend with a predetermined analysis. A further improvement in blending procedures is to take ores from several sources, bedding them horizontally in layers and reclaiming by vertical slicing from the blended pile. The last procedure, when properly executed, is one of the best methods for achieving maximum uniformity with highly variable ores. U.S. Steel Corp.'s Geneva Works initially obtained iron ore for their blast furnaces from the Cedar City area of southern Utah. These ores were formed primarily by the replacement of limestone and siltstone formations with solutions containing iron and several other elements. The original iron content of the ores in the ground varied from a high of 70% to practically zero with a minimum acceptable iron content for shipping of 37%. Substantial amounts of silica, calcium, magnesium and alumina were found in the ores along with minor amounts of copper, lead, zinc, nickel, titanium, manganese, phosphorus and sulfur which were sometimes present in detrimental amounts. Iron-to-silica ratios varied considerably throughout

Jan 1, 1968

By H. W. Camp

Research is defined, scientifically, as a "systematic investigation of some phenomenon, and also a search for hidden treasures." Chemists tell us that the hidden treasures of petroleum are far richer than the products which have been best known to us. However, these secrets will be discovered only through intensive and systematic, as well as scientific, industrial research. Indeed, the scope of the subject is so great that such an intensive research program should be assumed by a centralized organization supported by the petroleum industry as a whole. Such organization should assume the responsibilities for investigation of new products and development of markets for such products. Gasoline, the chief product of the petroleum industry has become a cheap commodity. The continual uncontrolled overproduction of crude petroleum, the intensive competitive condition in the marketing of petroleum products and the increase of refining efficiency and installing of cracking facilities, have all combined to lower the market value of gasoline. The purchaser has profited from the lower cost of gasoline by way of lower prices so that today the most important product can scarcely be manufactured at a profit. In other fields, manufacturing industries have diversified their products when faced by a similar situation. Thus, they have been able to widen their marketing outlook. Why cannot the petroleum industry employ the same tactics? Right now we are hearing much discussion concerning the development of a wider market for existing petroleum products and new products for existing or prospective markets. For instance, we can cite recent developments for use of propane, butane and ethylene. Butane has been found to be an efficient and inexpensive refrigerant, especially adapted to home refrigerating systems. Propane and butane fractions of natural gasoline may be shipped under pressure and may be used as a substitute for, acetylene in cutting torches in connection with oxygen. There is a possibility of substituting butane for gas oil in the carburation of coal gas, as we know that butane contains practically the gas enrichment as the same volume of gas oil and should prove to be a superior product for

Jan 1, 1928

By Wallace Pratt

INTRODUCTION IRON-ORE deposits in the Philippine Islands became the subject of official record as early as 1664. Undoubtedly iron ore was known and recognized by the Filipinos long before the earliest Spanish records. It is even possible that the Filipino practice of smelting iron ore is, like the native copper smelting, older than the Spanish conquest of the islands. The first records have to do with the magnetite-hematite ores near the towns of Santa Inez and Bosoboso in Rizal Province, from 15 to 20 miles east of Manila. The magnetite-hematite ores of Bulacan were exploited in 1783. Similar ores near the town of Mambulao in Camarines Province yielded a number of specimens to be exhibited in Spain in 1834. With the exception, then, of the lateritic iron ores on the eastern coast of northern Surigao, the true nature of which was not recognized until 1914, the important iron-ore deposits of the Philippines had all been discovered before the islands came under the dominion of the United States. Indeed, in the Spanish documents relating to the history of iron mining are statements which, if their accuracy be not questioned, leave us in the Philippines today with much less iron ore than the Spaniards found. To quote, for example, a report submitted to the Superior Government in Spain in 1835 by one of its emissaries, Don Lorenzo Calvo: "The Philippine Islands, most excellent Sir, possess iron and exhibit it in nearly every known mineralogical combination, and in such abundance that the cordillera of the island of Luzon, from Montufar Point in San Bernardino Straits to Cape Bojeador, is composed of no other mineral than iron, its ranges, of the third order, being in content and structure totally iron of the best quality, the more valuable in that its combinations are such as to facilitate its fusion and to render its reduction to metal simple."

Jan 2, 1916

By James P. Kimball

The object of the present memoir is to pot on record some practical experiments by the writer in smelting a silicions native magnetite with no other flux than the silicates of its own gangue.' This work was undertaken in the spring of 1878 for Messrs. Naylor & Co., of' Boston, to whom I am indebted for the privilege of here communicating its results, these having hitherto only been simply announced.* So far as I am aware these are the first instances of the kind ill this country that non-calcareous; or rather non-carbonatbed, magnetite have successfully been used strictly alone as self-fluxing ores in the blast furnace; that is, without the addition of' calcareous flux in the form either of limestone, quicklime, calcareous ore, or basic (calcareous) slag. Previous to the spring of 1878, when the Chateaugay magnetic ore was first brought to illy notice. its use had been limited to Catalan forges, after " separation " at the ore bed. The blooms and billets made from it in the several forges of Messrs. Weed $ Williams, and of Mr. Williams, were well known in the trade as among the best in the market. Tile Chateaugay ore beds proving of great magnitude, and the ore exceptionally low in phosphoric acid, it commended itself for blast-furnace purposes to Messrs. Naylor & Co., who employed me to blow-in the charcoal furnace at Pittsford, Vt., on this ore in the spring of 1878, a previous trial of this ore in the same furnace in the fall of 1877 having proved abortive. This was therefore the first time that Chateaugay ore was successfully smelted in a blast furnace, although since well known as a blast-furnace ore possessing superior and exceptional qualities. The Pittsford furnace, although rebuilt in 1844, and subsequently improved by the former owner, the late J. Prichard, is one of the few furnaces of the old type with open breast (Sumpfofen) still active in this country, Its improvements 011 furnaces of the period,

Jan 1, 1881

By M. J. Kirwan, K. A. Covell

This paper covers a brief discussion of pumping 38° to 41° gravity oil from Wilcox sand wells ranging in depths from 4000 to 4900 ft. in the Seminole field, Oklahoma. As recently as a year ago it was the general belief among Seminole operators that most wells in that district could not be successfully or economically pumped. Also the idea was prevalent at that time that the crookedness of the rotary holes would cause a large amount of mechanical trouble and the use of the air-gas lift would leave the wells depleted with sand conditions and fluid levels unfavorable for pumping. At that time it was predicted that wells would be abandoned when the economic flowing and swabbing period was reached. Contrary to these beliefs it has been demonstrated that wells can be profitably pumped to limits as low as 10 bbl. of oil per day where conditions are favorable. The Serllinole field, unusual in its rapid development, has served as an experimental laboratory for many oil field pumping devices with which this paper will not concern itself. Discussion will be confined to equipment and methods in general use throughout the field. The outstanding features of equipment and pumping operations covered in this paper may be summarized as follows: 1. Pumping equipment from the standpoint of prime movers, energy cost, power transmission equipment, derricks, counterbalances, beam hangers, tubing, sucker rods, pumps, etc. 2. Pumping problems peculiar to the Seminole field, including the proper time at which to change from air-gas lift flowing to pumping. Pumping Equipment There have been no basic changes in pumping equipment in the past 20 years with the exception of some refinements in design brought about by the demand for equipment suitable for pumping deep wells. Results of research in the heat treatment of metals and progress made by the American Petroleum Institute in standardization of equipment, together with the cooperation of oil field equipment manufacturers, have

Jan 1, 1929

By Herbert H. Kellogg

In 1930, Taggart, Taylor and Knoll1 found that addition of various electrolytes to suspensions of ground minerals resulted in the stopping or starting of Brownian movement of the suspended particles. On the basis of the many new facts found, they rejected the " classical"† theory of Brownian movement and proposed an "ioniza-tion " theory. This new theory was further supported in later publications by Taggart.3,4 The acceptance of the ionization theory by men in the field of flotation may be judged by the mention given this theory in Gaudin's "Principles of Mineral Dressing,'16 Wark's "Principles of Flotation,"8 as well as in a recent paper by Fitt, Thomas and Taggart.7 The proponents of the ionization theory have gone further than the mere statement of the new theory. A parallelism between the Brownian movement of mineral particles and their behavior in flotation was reported.1,3,4 Likewise, the correlation between flocculation-dispersion of mineral particles and the Brownian movement of these particles has been investigated.' Bankoffl5 has suggested that "slime-coating" can also be directly correlated with the Brownian movement of the slime particles. In each of the instances mentioned it is the ionization theory of Brownian movement that has been used to "explain" the correlations that were found. The essential conflict between the kinetic theory and the ionization theory can be understood best by a brief description of each. The kinetic theory* proposes that Brownian movement is caused by the impacts of liquid molecules against the solid particles. At any instant of time, the molecular impacts on all sides of the solid particle will not balance, and the particle will receive a push in some direction. According to this theory, dl particles suspended in a liquid are in Brownian movement. However, if the particle is very large, the impacts on all sides will very nearly balance and the motion will not be noticeable. Another factor, besides the size of the particle, that affects the magnitude of the Brownian movement is the viscosity of the liquid—the greater the viscosity, the less the displacement of particles by Brownian movement. This theory has been verified experimentally by measurement of the velocity of Brownian movement, and by measurement of the compacting of suspensoid particles under the influence of gravity.2 The originators of the ionization theory found that he addition of various electrolytes to slime pulps caused cessation or commencement of Brownian movement, depending upon the chemical nature of the particle and the electrolyte. The Brownian movement of quartz particles was observed to stop upon the addition of Certain electrolytes, where the conditions of the experiment prevented flocculation

Jan 1, 1947

By Herbert H. Kellogg

IN 1930, Taggart, Taylor and Knoll1found that addition of various electrolytes to suspensions of ground minerals resulted in the stopping or starting of Brownian movement of the suspended particles. On the basis of the many new facts found, they rejected the "classical "[t] theory of Brownian movement and proposed an "ionization" theory. This new theory was further supported in later publications by Taggart.3,4 The acceptance of the ionization theory by men in the field of flotation may be judged by the mention given this theory in Gaudin's "Principles of Mineral Dressing,"5 Wark's "Principles of Flotation,"6 as well as in a recent paper by Fitt, Thomas and Taggart.7 The proponents of the ionization theory have gone further than the mere statement of the new theory. A parallelism between the Brownian movement of mineral particles and their behavior in flotation was reported.1,3,4 Likewise, the correlation between flocculation-dispersion of mineral particles and the Brownian movement of these particles has been investigated.7 Bankoff15 has suggested that "slime-coating" can also be directly correlated with the Brownian movement of the slime particles. In each of the instances mentioned it is the ionization theory of Brownian movement that has been used to "explain" the correlations that were found. The essential conflict between the kinetic theory and the ionization theory can be understood best by a brief description of each. The kinetic theory* proposes that Brownian movement is caused by the impacts of liquid molecules against the solid particles. At any instant of time, the molecular impacts on all sides of the solid particle will not balance, and the particle will receive a push in some direction. According to this theory, all particles suspended in a liquid are in Brownian movement. However, if the particle is very large, the impacts on all sides will very nearly balance and the motion will not be noticeable. Another factor, besides the size of the particle, that affects the magnitude of the Brownian movement is the viscosity of the liquid-the greater the viscosity, the less the displacement of particles by Brownian movement. This theory has been verified experimentally by measurement of the velocity of Brownian movement, and by measurement of the compacting of suspensoid particles under the influence of gravity.2 The originators of the ionization theory found that the addition of various electrolytes to slime pulps caused cessation or commencement of Brownian movement, depending upon the chemical nature of the particle and the electrolyte. The Brownian movement of quartz particles was observed to stop upon the addition of certain electrolytes, where the conditions of the experiment prevented flocculation

Jan 1, 1945

By Herbert H. Kellogg

In 1930, Taggart, Taylor and Knoll1 found that addition of various electrolytes to suspensions of ground minerals resulted in the stopping or starting of Brownian movement of the suspended particles. On the basis of the many new facts found, they rejected the " classical"† theory of Brownian movement and proposed an "ioniza-tion " theory. This new theory was further supported in later publications by Taggart.3,4 The acceptance of the ionization theory by men in the field of flotation may be judged by the mention given this theory in Gaudin's "Principles of Mineral Dressing,'16 Wark's "Principles of Flotation,"8 as well as in a recent paper by Fitt, Thomas and Taggart.7 The proponents of the ionization theory have gone further than the mere statement of the new theory. A parallelism between the Brownian movement of mineral particles and their behavior in flotation was reported.1,3,4 Likewise, the correlation between flocculation-dispersion of mineral particles and the Brownian movement of these particles has been investigated.' Bankoffl5 has suggested that "slime-coating" can also be directly correlated with the Brownian movement of the slime particles. In each of the instances mentioned it is the ionization theory of Brownian movement that has been used to "explain" the correlations that were found. The essential conflict between the kinetic theory and the ionization theory can be understood best by a brief description of each. The kinetic theory* proposes that Brownian movement is caused by the impacts of liquid molecules against the solid particles. At any instant of time, the molecular impacts on all sides of the solid particle will not balance, and the particle will receive a push in some direction. According to this theory, dl particles suspended in a liquid are in Brownian movement. However, if the particle is very large, the impacts on all sides will very nearly balance and the motion will not be noticeable. Another factor, besides the size of the particle, that affects the magnitude of the Brownian movement is the viscosity of the liquid—the greater the viscosity, the less the displacement of particles by Brownian movement. This theory has been verified experimentally by measurement of the velocity of Brownian movement, and by measurement of the compacting of suspensoid particles under the influence of gravity.2 The originators of the ionization theory found that he addition of various electrolytes to slime pulps caused cessation or commencement of Brownian movement, depending upon the chemical nature of the particle and the electrolyte. The Brownian movement of quartz particles was observed to stop upon the addition of Certain electrolytes, where the conditions of the experiment prevented flocculation

Jan 1, 1947

By R. W. Gurry

IN the course of a series of measurements of the rate of diffusion of carbon in austenite at about 960°C. (1760°F.) and 1110°C. (2030°F.), it became necessary to determine carbon concentration when austenite is saturated with graphite, because of indications that the hitherto accepted value of the solubility of graphite in this temperature range is too low. Specimens of carbonyl iron were saturated at temperature in a hydrogen-toluene atmosphere which was in equilibrium with graphite. The carbon content of the steel was measured either by combustion or by the loss of weight after substantially complete decarburization in an atmosphere of hydrogen saturated at room temperature with water vapor. The absence of carbide or graphite as a phase at temperature was demonstrated by microscopic examination of saturated specimens that had been drastically quenched. The mean result of concordant measurements is that gamma iron saturated with respect to graphite contains 1.39 per cent carbon at 957°C. (1755°F.) and 1.89 per cent at 1110°C. (2030°°F.). These two values, plotted along with what appears from the literature to be the best value (0.69 per cent) at the iron-graphite eutectoid temperature (738°C. or 1360°F.), yield a curve that is almost linear, and which, continued upward through a short interval, leads to a limiting solubility of 1.98 per cent at the iron-graphite eutectic temperature1135°C. (2095°F.) instead of the commonly accepted value of about 1.7 per cent. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The samples of carbonyl iron, with the exception of those for microscopic examination, were cylinders 3.8 cm. long, 0.475 cm. in diameter. They were placed in a graphite holder and suspended in a vertical furnace, the temperature of which was controlled precisely by means of the resistance of the platinum winding.1 In the empty furnace the range of temperature over a distance of 4 cm, at the heat center was 9°C. (16°F.) but at a given location the temperature remained within ±0.5°C. (0.9°F.); it was measured by inserting a platinum-rhodium couple calibrated at the melting point of palladium, 1555°C. Since the presence of the sample probably improved the uniformity of temperature, it was decided to consider the average temperature of the sample to be 3°C. lower than the maximum measured in the empty furnace with the same setting of the controller. Data were obtained in the vicinity of two temperatures, 960°C. (1760°F.) and 1110°C. (2030°F.). The samples for microscopic examination, 2.2 cm. long, 0.475 cm. in diameter, were suspended individually on pure iron wire; for these no temperature correction was applied. The carburizing gas passed into the furnace was dry, oxygen-free hydrogen saturated at room temperature with

Jan 1, 1942

By G. H. Turner, R. C. Bell, E. Peters

Zinc oxide activities in a typical lead blast furnace slag have been calculated from plant operating data. These activities were used to assess the probable effect of fuel composition, oxygen enrichment, and air preheating on the efficiency and capacity of the slag-fuming operation. THE physical chemistry of zinc fuming has been examined with three objectives in mind: 1—to predict conditions favorable to increasing furnace capacity, 2—to predict the changes required to fume zinc more economically, and 3—to explain reported differences in the efficiencies of various slag-fuming plants. This study, made at ail in the plants and laboratories of The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co. of Canada Ltd., developed from a program undertaken some three years ago on behalf of the AIME Extractive Metallurgy Div. subcommittee on slag fuming. Lead metallurgists first became interested in the recovery of zinc from lead blast furnace slags in 1905 and 1906. An excellent review of the early experimental work has been made by Courtney,' who described blast furnace, reverberatory furnace, and converter methods of fuming zinc from slag. Some of the investigators did not appreciate the importance of reducing the zinc oxide content of the slag to metal in order to fume it, since they tried compressed air blast without fuel in their earliest attempts. However, by 1908, the importance of reducing the zinc was established.' In 1925, the Waelz process for the recovery of zinc oxide from oxidized zinc ores was developed in Germany.' This process was not readily adaptable to lead blast furnace slags because of the difficulty in handling fusible charges in a kiln. What appears to have been the first slag-fuming operation as it is known was commenced by the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. at East Helena, Mont. in 1927." The first Trail furnace was completed in 1930, and this was followed by the construction of several other slag-fuming plants. During the period in which slag fuming has been extensively employed, little development of the chemistry of this process as a whole has taken place. Several good papers on the petrography of lead blast furnace slags have been published,""= but these studies could do little more than establish the forms in which lead and zinc occur in the initial charge and final products of the slag-fuming operation. In recent years, zinc-smelting problems have been ap- proached from a thermodynamic point of view. Maier has published an excellent thermodynamic treatment of zinc smelting." The important thermodynamic properties of zinc and its compounds have been determined and checked by other investigators.' However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, no thermodynamic treatment of the fuming of zinc from slag has been published. A thermodynamic study of any process requires that the essential chemistry of that process be known. In slag fuming there appear to be some differences of opinion as to whether the active reducing agent is elemental carbon or carbon monoxide. Furthermore, some observers have noted that high volatile coals appear to be more efficient than low volatile coals, indicating that hydrogen is also an important factor in the reducing efficiency of a fuel. That both hydrogen and carbon monoxide are effective reducing agents for the zinc oxide content of lead blast furnace slags can be demonstrated readily by introducing these gases into a slag bath held in a neutral vessel at 2100°F (1150°C). Elemental carbon also will reduce zinc oxide, but it is improbable that much free carbon is available for reduction of zinc, as the reaction between the finely powdered coal and air should be largely completed before the solid coal particles reach the slag. Some large-scale fuming experiments using gaseous hydrocarbons have been carried out by other investigators, but, as far as is known, these have not been developed yet into operating processes. The thermodynamic treatment in this paper is based on the following reactions: 1—to supply the thermal requirements C+V2O2- CO [1] C + 0,-CO, [2] H2+ ~z0,-H,O 131 and 2—to reduce ZnO ZnO + CO + Zn + CO, c41 ZnO + H, e Zn + H,O. [51 The furnace-gas composition also is controlled by the equilibrium constant of the familiar water-gas reaction H,O + CO + CO, + H2. C6l In order for the thermodynamic calculations to be quantitatively applicable, it is necessary that the chemical reactions to which they are being applied

Jan 1, 1956

By J. W. Snavely

WITH all the advantages of handling bulk materials by means of belt conveyor also go some problems, one of the most persistent being that of cleaning. When sticky materials are being carried; the build-up of material on the return idler rolls results in difficulty of belt training. Much attention has been given to the problem of cleaning conveyor belts, and a great variety of cleaning devices have been developed. Even the best involve troublesome maintenance, and none can completely remove the fine particles imbedded in the belt cover, which cause rapid wear of the return idler rolls, and at the same time, of the belt cover as well. One of the major rubber companies has been promoting a two-way belt system, in which the conveyor belt is given two successive 90" twists at each end to enable it to carry material in both directions simultaneously. For many years the flat belt transmission industry has installed quarter-turn and half-turn twists in countless numbers of instances. While quarter-turn and half-turn twists in transmission belts is a familiar application, the 180" twist apparently has never been previously attempted with a conveyor belt. About a year ago, two officials of the National Iron Co. of Duluth, Lester and Lewis Erickson, proposed twisting the return run of a conveyor belt on an installation that they were designing for one of the major iron ore producers. Since then the soundness of the idea has been demonstrated, both in theory and by practical test, with the result that the installation of two conveyor belts involving the twisting of the return run is now under way. These two installations are designed to have the return run of the conveyor belt twisted 180" as it leaves the snub pulley at the head drive. The clean underside of the belt is thus placed against the idlers on the return run as well as on the carrying run. Just before it enters the tail pulley, the belt will be twisted an additional 180°, restoring it to its normal position. Because this twisting of the return run of a conveyor belt is a radical departure from accepted practice, an elaborate and extensive test was conducted early in 1950 to demonstrate that this twisting of the return run could be done successfully, also to establish application data for accomplishing this twisting, and to determine if any special equipment would be required. In studying this concept of twisting the return run of a conveyor belt, a number of problems need to be solved, primarily the ones brought about by deliberately introducing an unequal distribution of stress across the conveyor belt and controlling that maldistribution of stress, while confining it to the return run portion. The tension conditions existing in the return run of a conveyor belt are clear to all designers. First, the return run carries the initial or slack side tension of the conveyor belt, the tension that must be supplied to the return run to provide proper frictional contact between the belt and the driving pulley so that the necessary power can be transmitted from the driving pulley to the belt without slippage. This slack side tension is supplied to the belt by means of takeups, either of the gravity type, which can be vertical or horizontal, or by means of the screw type. With inclined or declined belt conveyors the slope tension also must be considered, which is the tension imposed by the weight of the belt hanging from the top pulley. This slope tension frequently can furnish part or even all of the initial tension required. The maximum value of the slope tension will be at the top pulley, and it decreases in direct proportion to the length. In addition to the foregoing, it frequently is desirable to impose arbitrarily additional slack side tension to provide sufficient tension at the loading point at the tail, so that the belt will adequately support its load between the carrying idlers. Design Conditions for Twisting A number of design conditions exist, which must be satisfied successfully to accomplish the twisting of the return run without exceeding normal working limits in any portion of the conveyor belt. It is obvious that the belt edge, in its relation to the center of the belt, must stretch in making a twist, because as the twist is accomplished, the belt edge travels through a longer path than does the center of the belt. It is further obvious that if the edge of the belt is stretched, a redistribution of stress in the belt is required to allow this edge stretching. Moreover, this stress will be unequal across the width of the belt, having a maximum value at the edges, with a minimum value at the- center of the belt. With correct initial tension in the return run of a conveyor belt, the existing slack side tension will be unequally distributed when a twist is introduced. A condition then exists in which the edge stresses,

Jan 1, 1952

By C. E. Sims

In some experimental work conducted several years ago, it was noted that sulphur seemed to have a distinct influence on grain size of carbon steels. 111 order to check this observation, a series of S..A.E. 1040 steels was made with the normal composition held as nearly constant as possible. The steels were made with three sulphur levels, which were 0.012, 0.024 and 0.038 per cent sulphur, respectively. For each of the sulphur levels, steels were made with only silicon deoxidization and with aluminum additions of 0.1015, 0.025, 0.050 and 0.10 per cent. The melting medium was an acid-lined high-frequency induction furnace. These steels were forged and rolled and differentiall!. quenched from temperaturcs in the range of 1500O to 1800°F. After this, the A.S.T.M. grain size was determined and plotted as in Fig. I. It will be noted, first of all, that the aluminum-free steels had filler grain size with higher sulphur when heated to 1500, but that this condition was reversed at 1700°. When aluminum was added to produce fine grain size, the steels in the lowest sulphur level were fine-grained only to 1600°. and then only with an addition of one pound of aluminum per ton. The medium sulphur steels werc fine-grained to 1600' with a wider range of aluminum addition. The steels in the highest sulphur level were fine-grained at 1600° over a still wider range of aluminum additions and fine- grained at 1700° with an addition of one pound per ton. Fig. 2 shows curves of the grain-coarsening temperature for these steels and illustrates how sulphur and aluminum combine to give greater inhibition to grain growth than aluminum alone. Only the highest sulphur steels have a grain-coarsening temperaturc above 1700°.. At 1650°, the low sulphur steel is fine-grained only at its peak, while the highest sulphur steel is fine-grained over a wide range. In these tests, one pound of aluminum per ton gave the best results; this is equivalent to about 1 1/2 lb. per ton for commercial condition. IllcQuaid-Ehn tests made on these steels showed the same trend but to a lesser degree. The tests were repeated on a series of S.A.E:. 1015 steels with sulphur levels of 0.02 and 0.03j per cent. Aluminum additions were made in the range from 0.025 to 0.15 per cent. These steels were forged and rolled, normalized at 2000°F. to put them all in the same starting condition, then reheated to various temperatures from 1600" to 1800" and cooled at rates that would allow ferrite precipitation in the austenitic grain boundaries. The results of these tests arc shown in Fig. 3. It will be noted that. up to the temperature of 1650°, there is very little difference in the grain size obtained from the two levels of sulphur. .At temperatures of 1700° and 1750°, however, the lower sulphur steel was fine-grained only with an aluminum addition of 1 1/2 lb, per ton;

Jan 1, 1945