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By Bernard E. Fernow

About eight years ago a comprehensive study of American timbers was begun in the U. S. Division of Forestry with a twofold object. On the one hand, it was desired to deternliiie the working-qualities of our numerous economically important timbers, and to furnish reliable standards of strength. 011 the other hand, it was intended to get a clearer insight into the properties and behavior of wood in general, with a view of establishing more rational methods in its use, and to furnish data for physical inspectioil which would permit an intelligent application of the standards of strength, and place upon a rational foundation the so-called " factor of safety," which is at present a mere baseless guess. The first object, namely, the establishment of standards for any given species, requires a very large series of tests, since Wood is an exceedingly variable substance, so much so that in the same tree a variation of 50 per cent. in strength may be found; hence the greater need of rational data of inspection. So far, the insufficient appropriations and facilities at our disposal have permitted us to establish really reliable standards for five species of southern conifers only. These have been deduced from nearly 20,000 tests. Besides these, 10,000 other tests have furnished indicatious regarding some two dozen other species. This work is now entirely abandoned, waiting for more prosperous times. The study of wood in general, however, can be carried on with smaller means, and has this year yielded not only very interesting, but highly important results, which will soon be published in detail. It is the purpose of this paper to make to the Institute the

Jan 1, 1899

By N. H. van Lingen

A laboratory stud], has been made to determine what factors affect the penetration rate of roller bits, diamond bits and drag bits in rock drilling with clay /water muds. The rather simple relations that exist when pressures in and around the borehole are equal become more conzplicated when under down-hole conditions the penetration rate is hampered by the existence of a pressure differential between the mud at the hole bottom and the pore liquid at cutting depth. Expressions that have been derived for both the penetration rate and the magnitude of the pressure differential in permeable rock together fully account for operating, rock, mud and bit variables. In impermeable rock a similar pressure differential is caused by the bit action itself. In all cases, the pressure difierential and the reduction in penetration rate increase with the effectiveness of the plastering at the bottom of the hole by mud particles. Where bits are employed whose action is largely that of crushing, however, the plastering may become even more effective owing to the addition of rock particles rubbed into the pores of the rock. With roller bits, a plastically hehaving layer may be formed, which causes a further reduction in penetration. In the case of bits whose action is chiefly scraping, moreover, penetration may be arrested by the bit's becoming balled-up. The various adverse effects are reduced by thorough scavenging of the hole bottom. This paper shows how with jet bits the efficiency of such scavenging may he improved by suitable choice of the position of the nozzles. INTRODUCTION The reduction in a bit's penetration rate with increasing depth of hole has been the subject of many investigations. Various investigators ',' have independently reached the conclusion that this reduction occurs not so much because the rock-breaking process becomes more difficult as it does because the lifting of the rock fragments is impaired by a fluid pressure differential holding the fragments down. When such a pressure differential can be avoided, as in air drilling and to a smaller extent in water drilling, penetration rates remain high. Although the range of applicability of these techniques is being extended, most oil wells still have to be drilled with mud. In this paper we present the results of laboratory experiments carried out to determine what factors govern the hold down effect encountered in mud drilling. In the course of this investigation, the well known importance of bottom scavenging came more and more into prominence. Not only may it reduce the magnitude of the hold-down forces, but also it appeared to be a means of preventing the accumulation of a plastic mass of cuttings and mud on the hole bottom and bit which may cause penetration to cease almost completely. So that the effects of fluid pressures may be more readily understood, the factors that govern penetration rate in the absence of these pressures will first be discussed. The effect of down-hole pressures will then be assessed for the case of permeable rock where fluid pressures are well defined, and it will be demonstrated how rock strengthening due to confining can be accounted for. Subsequently, fluid pressures in less-permeable rock will be examined; we will show that in impermeable rock it is the bit action that governs fluid-pressure distribution and hold-down. In the case of poor scavenging and/or high bit load. cutting cake manifests itself. The effect, like various others. appears to depend on the type of bit used. From the very beginning, therefore, we shall base our discussion on the three main types of bits used in rotary oil-well drilling— roller bits, diamond bits and drag bits. Since space is limited, it will be impossible to make more than a passing reference to many aspects of the problem. Moreover. certain relations that are not of primary irnportance to our argument will unavoidably have to be stated in a somewhat dogmatic fashion, and the experimental data on which these are based necessarily must be omitted. EQUIPMENT The drilling experiments were performed on three machines, of which one has been designed for the realistic simulation of down-hole pressure conditions. HIGH-PRESSURES MACHINE In this machine (diagramed in Fig. 1) the mud, pore and confining pressures can all be adjusted independently. The foil-covered rock sample contained in the inner pressure vessel is confined by oil that is pressurized by means of a hand pump. The pore space of the watersaturated sample is connected to an arrangement which keeps the pressure in the pore space constant regardless of the rate of filtrate flow through the sample.

By H. W. Johnson

DURING part of the year 1932, conditions at the plant of the Inland Steel Co. made possible the collection of data on two of the variables of blast-furnace operation, between which we observed an interesting correlation. The variation in percentage of coke ash in the coke seemed to be reflected in the variations in percentage of silicon and sulfur present in the iron. This subject is of particular interest during this period of low production because of its effect on quality and cost of pig iron. The consumers of pig iron are now more exacting in their requirements. Formerly 0.050 per cent sulfur was considered satisfactory; now many foundries and steel plants insist on iron under 0.030 per cent sulfur and expect it to average 0.025 per cent sulfur. To attempt to produce iron so low in sulfur and still have reasonably good furnace operation means that everything possible must be done to minimize all variations. This subject is also directly connected with the cost of producing iron. A blast furnace operates most economically and efficiently in rather narrow limits and so any variable that has range enough to disturb regular operation must be moderated. The importance of regularity is accepted and the methods followed to eliminate variations in materials such as coke and iron ore are recognized as indispensable. Uniformity of Ore and Variations in Coke Ash The delivering of uniform cargoes of well mixed ore to the blast furnace involves much handling and expense, but it is accepted that the trouble and expenditure are justified. After the ore reaches the dock, further mixing is assured by spreading ore in thin layers, preventing segregation by keeping piles level, variations in digging, and the use of several bins for one ore. And finally, the fact that the furnace burden generally contains three or more ores, together with several miscellaneous materials, eliminates the possibility of ill effects due to variations in any one. Thus, much effort is made to insure a uniform ore. But a variation in the percentage of silicon in ore is less detrimental than a variation in the percentage of ash in coke. The former affects

Jan 1, 1933

By K. E. Gray, M. S. Seth

In Part I of this work,1 equations of elasticity were formulated for transversely isotropic, axisymmetric, homogeneous, porous media exhibiting pore fluid pressure. Equations of elasticity and the thermal analogy method were used to determine transient horizontal, tangential, and vertical stresses and radial displacement in a semi-infinite cylindrical region when either a constant rate of pressure or a constant rate of flow is maintained at the wellbore. In this paper, the approach presented earlier is extended to finite reservoirs for the cases of (1) steady-state flow, (2) constant pressures at the well bore and outer boundary and (3) constant pressure at the wellbore and no flow at the outer boundary. Results of this work show that radial and tangential stress gradients are high near the wellbore but diminish rapidt; away from the well; the vertical stress gradient behaves in the same way but is less severe. Radial stresses are compressive or neutral, whereas tangential and vertical stresses may be tensile, neutral or com-pressive, depending upon the boundary conditions, the physical Properties of the system and the radial distance involved (vertical stresses are always compressive in an unbounded system1. For constant boundary pressures, both radial and tangential stresses increase with time whereas they both decrease for a closed outer boundary and constant pressure at the wellbore. The vertical stress decreases with time for both systems. For steady-state systems, radial displacement may be positive or negative, depending upon the dimensions of the system, the pressure differential and the porosity. Radial displacement may be positive or negative for a closed outer boundary but is positive for constant pressures at both boundaries. INTRODUCTION The importance, utility and complexity of a realistic appraisal of the stress state at and local to a wellbore were indicated in Part I. In this paper the analytical approach presented earlier is extended to finite, cylindrical reservoir geometry for the cases of (1) steady-state flow, (2) constant pressures at wellbore and outer boundary and (3) constant pressure at the wellbore and no flow at the outer boundary. Other than the outer boundary of the reservoir being finite, the physical system and assumptions pertinent thereto are the same as before. The reader may wish to review the mathematical development through Eq. 49 of Part I before proceeding here. SOLUTION FOR GENERAL BOUNDARY CONDITIONS THERMAL STRESSES AND DISPLACEMENTS Since normal stresses do not exist at the free boundaries of a system subjected to thermal stresses, the boundary conditions are

Jan 1, 1969

By AIME AIME

FOLLOWING careful study of the relations of the Institute to students and the younger members of the profession, the Membership Committee recommended to the Board a change of plans abolishing the Junior Associate class of membership, substituting a -Junior membership and providing for Student Associates. The Board adopted this report at its meeting on Nov. 23, and asked Counsel to draft the necessary amendments to the By-laws, and gave formal notice of intentions to amend as provided in Section I, Article XI1 of the existing By-laws. The By-laws as it is proposed to amend Article I, 11, 111, IV, X, and XI follow. The new plan requires no changes in the other Articles. The matter will come before the Board for vote on Jan. 25.

Jan 1, 1929

By Ralph Hultgren, Prodyot Roy

Manganese vapor pressures from 1250° to 1500°K were measured by conventional Knudsen and torsion-effusion methods in twelve Fe-Mn alloys with compositions from 9 to 80 at. pct Mn. The Knudsen re-sults agveed approximately with previous measurements found in the literature which indicated the solutions were nearly ideal. However, except for the higher manganese compositions, the initial torsion readings indicated much (up to 50 pct) higher vapor presszcres than the Knudsen method. These high readings decreased steadily with time. The results are interpreted as due to depletion of surface concentration of manganese during evaporation. Thus the initial torsion readings are the most nearly correct and Knudsen methods on alloys are to be regarded with suspicion unless it can be demonstrated that diffusion rates are rapid enough to replenish surface concentrations depleted by evaporation. For the lowest manganese contents and highest temperatures, depletion causes initial torsion readings to be too low. FEW thermodynamic data are available for alloys of the high-melting transition metals due primarily to experimental difficulties at the high temperatures involved. Measurement of vapor pressure is one of the most promising techniques to be applied to this problem. From the vapor pressure of a component of an alloy phase, its activity or its partial molar Gibbs energy can be directly calculated. From measurements over a sufficient range of temperatures and compositions the partial and integral Gibbs energies, enthalpies, and entropies may be determined through Gibbs-Duhem integration. For solid phases of variable composition, which commonly are found in alloys, measured vapor pressures are low because of depletion of the surface concentration of the more volatile component as it is selectively vaporized. Diffusion from the interior tends to restore the depleted concentration. The seriousness of the effect depends on the relative rates of diffusion and vaporization. Although depletion has been recognized as a factor,' direct measurements of its rate are lacking and quantitative estimates of its effect on measurements are uncertain. In the present work the vapor pressures above a series of Fe-Mn alloys have been measured by the torsion-effusion method. This method permits a measurement of the vapor pressure of manganese as soon as the sample comes to temperature and continuously throughout the run. The rate of decline of the apparent vapor pressure measures the rate of depletion and the torsion reading at zero time should be correct. At high manganese concentrations (70 and 80 at. pct Mn), the torsion reading remained nearly constant; surface depletion was negligible. There was a slow drop in measured pressure due to bulk loss of manganese from the sample. However, for lower manganese contents, especially at high temperatures, the depletion effect was considerable and the apparent vapor pressure decreased steadily with time. For these alloys the Knudsen method should give pressures which are too low. The measurement of pressure in the Knudsen method cannot be made until enough manganese has been vaporized to be weighable. The Knudsen result is therefore an integrated average between the initial and final vapor pressures. To verify this, conventional Knudsen measurements were also made with results in approximate agreement with previously published Knudsen measurements for these alloys. As expected, for the lower manganese contents the initial torsion readings of pressure were as much as 50 pct higher than the Knudsen. THE APPARATUS The apparatus, shown in Fig. 1, is capable of operating to temperatures up to 2000°K. A vacuum of 5 x 10"6 mm Hg can be maintained. Temperatures were measured to +3° by a W-Re thermocouple placed in the dummy cell, N. The torsion cell consisted of two alumina crucibles with holes in their covers. They were placed in the molybdenum holder shown suspended from the torsion wire. Rectangular torsion wires (1 by 4 mm) were found to have superior sensitivity and less residual distortion than circular (2-mm-diameter) wires. The precision of angular measurement was found to be *0.025 deg; the variation is no doubt due to temperature fluctuation and vibration. For the Knudsen experiments the alumina cell was set on the support, N. SAMPLE PREPARATION 800-g samples were prepared by melting together electrolytic iron and electrolytic manganese and pouring the melt into a water-cooled copper mold. Melting and pouring were done under a helium at-

Jan 1, 1965

By George S. Rice

ARIAL maps of prospective mineral-bearing territory have become almost indispensable in all the branches of exploration, and have proved particularly useful in the great oil area of the Southwest. About nine years ago aerial photographic mapping in this area was begun. The early product was lacking in scale accuracy and other control features, which limited its effective use. Since then, the evolution of the technique of such mapping has been steady, with several mapping companies collaborating with five of the leading oil companies, and aerial maps have been prepared covering practically the entire area.Improvements in cameras, film, and developing equipment and practice have resulted in more uniform and clearer photographs, but the outstanding development has been the accuracy obtained with respect to scale and all other control features. Maps are no

Jan 1, 1936

By R. B. Schluter, M. M. Fine

The Bureau of Mines' Twin Cities Metallurgy Research Center has of late concerned itself with reduction-induration of iron ore. One development provided a flowsheet for the agglomeration of green concentrate pellets in a reducing atmosphere created by a solid reductant external to the agglomerate. The product pellets were well metallized and physically competent. Maximum recommended operating temperature was 2100º F. In these studies, it was observed that unflred iron ore pellets indurated in a bed of anthracite or certain lignite chars frequently acquired exceptional crushing strength. A diagnosis of the phenomenon revealed that sulfur in the fuel was the probable cause. Accordingly, a research program was established to test this premise and to put it to practical use. Gaseous reductants were employed initially because of the ease and accuracy with which they could be metered.

Jan 10, 1969

By Julien F. Phillips, Donald E. Garrett

The production of soda ash from natural sources is one of the United States' oldest industries. The London Company, which financed the settlement of Jamestown, in the fall of 1608 exported in its first cargo from Virginia " . . . trials of pitch, tar, glass, frankincense, and soap-ashes."1 This last product, a crude mixture of sodium and potassium carbonates obtained by the burning of wood in iron pots, was the commercial soda ash of its day, used in the infant soap, glass, and bleaching industries. Besides having a good cash value, its production helped to clear the land, and it was a compact, easily shipped commodity. The extra high potassium content of these American "pot-ashes" gave them an added market as a fertilizer, a field that they dominated until the opening of the Strassfurt deposits in 1860. This form of natural soda ash disappeared forever from commercial importance with the introduction of the Le Blanc process (1791), and later the Solvay process for manufacturing soda ash. The Solvay process was rapidly accepted in the United States, and has accounted for most of the country's soda ash production since 1884. It was not until the western part of the country began to be developed that natural soda ash was again produced. A number of lakes, playas, and springs west of the Rocky Mountains were found to be rich in this mineral, and climatic conditions were ideal for its easy recovery by solar evaporation. The production of natural soda ash from these deposits has become a steadily growing industry in the United States. Production A summary of the production and value of natural sodium carbonates in the United States is presented in Table 1. Prior to 1927 the principal output came from several different companies at Owens Lake, California. Then production at Searles Lake, California, began to [ ] increase until it became the most important source. In 1948 the sale of crude trona from Green River, Wyoming, commenced and since that time production from these latter two areas has been about equal. Table 2 lists the four

Jan 1, 1960

By Messervey, J. P.

NOVA SCOTIA is sharing in the rapid advance of the mining industry that is one of the remark- able features of Canada's recent progress. The production of coal and gypsum has increased rapidly, and there has also been a marked development in the mining of gold, salt, zinc, copper and other minerals. Coal, the basis of the principal mining industry in the Province, was discovered by the early explorers on the shore of Cape Breton Island, and used by the garrison at Halifax as early as 1749. The first government record shows total annual sales amounting to 1668 long tons in the year 1785, while last year production was 6,643,000 long tons. The principal mines are discussed in a separate paper by Alexander L. Hay1.

Jan 1, 1928

By Frederic Benard

PRIOR to 1936, the Ontario Refining Co. received all incoming blister copper from The International Nickel Company's smelter in the usual form of 460-lb. cakes, or slabs. These were received in open cars in lots of 250 pieces. At the refinery the cakes were unloaded onto narrow-gauge cars, for convenient handling and pickup by charging cranes. In March 1936, an investigation was started on the feasibility of transferring converter copper in the molten state from the smelter to the refinery anode furnaces, a distance of 1 ¼ miles. Although common in steel practice, the transportation of blister copper in this form had not previously been attempted and a preliminary study of the various factors involved was therefore necessary. For this purpose, a series of experiments was made in which molten copper, removed at different stages during the furnace cycle, was held in a small portable holding furnace. This vessel was essentially a refractory-lined steel cylinder provided with ports for filling and emptying, heated by an oil burner. Dimensions of the steel shell were 3 ft. 10 in. diameter by 7 ft. 3 in. long, and thickness of refractories depended on the design and combination used for the particular experiment. The vessel was filled with approximately 2 ½ tons of copper at a predetermined temperature, the lining having been preheated to a definite point by means of an oil burner. All openings were well luted and temperature readings were made every 15 min. by means of an immersion-type thermocouple. In this manner the rate of heat loss resulting with different refractory design could be developed. The ratio of exterior surface to weight of metal was taken into consideration in comparing the experimental results with what might be expected for a full-sized unit, and observations were also made on type and degree of slag accretion. It was not possible to get as much information on this latter point as desirable, but all evidence showed that the problem would be control of slag build-up rather than attack on refractories. From the information derived, and in consultation with the engineering staff of the supplying company, an order was placed for the first

Jan 1, 1938

By J. P. Sheehan, W. R. Hibbard, M. Baeyertz

This paper deals with molybdenum modifications of 5140 steel that have the same hardenability but a better tolerance for phosphorus than the AISI-SAE 5140 grade. Lack of toughness in steels with higher than normal phosphorus contents is well known to metallurgists. This problem is troublesome even within normal phosphorus ranges, if the heat treatment or the design of the part or the service is critical. Under such unfavorable conditions and also in the case of phosphorus contents toward the upper side of the commercial range, the use of molybdenum to replace a part of the chromium in 5140 steel provides a factor of safety. The toughness of steel is variously exhibited in different mechanical tests; broadly the term is applied to the capacity of the steel to deform prior to fracture. Defined in this way, toughness is considered to be an inherent quality that depends upon the composition and structure of the steel, and also upon its temperature during deformation and fracture in the test. In the present state of our knowledge, the type of mechanical test needs to be included in any discussion of toughness, because the revelation of this quality in steel depends on the stress state and rate of stressing imposed by the test. In comparing the toughness of one steel with another by laboratory testing, it has long been customary to use notched tests that impose severe constmint to deformation, and then to test over a range of temperatures to obtain the so-called transition. At temperatures above the transition, the steel fails after considerable deformation and absorption of energy. Below the transition, less energy is absorbed as the steel fails largely by cleavage. The transition range itself is characterized by a more or less abrupt change in energy absorption and type of fracture. The conventional V-notch Charpy impact test has been used exclusively in the work covered by this report. For the steels under study, rather sharp transitions are obtained with this test, at testing temperatures that are easily obtained in the laboratory. The position of the transition on the testing temperature scale provides a rather sensitive index of the toughness of the steel, when the steels under study are similar in character as they are in this work. Turning to the metallurgical reasons for the greater toughness of one steel as compared to another, the authors propose to limit the discussion to the small field under study. Only one structural state is considered, tempered martensite of a hardness of about 28 Rockwell C or 269 Brinell. The study deals first with the loss of toughness in AISI-SAE 5140 steel caused by increasing the phosphorus content from about 0.020 to 0.040 pct. A second part of the work deals with counteracting this loss in toughness by replacing a part of the chromium by molybdenum. A series of molybdenum modifications was studied, in each of which the chromium was reduced sufficiently to duplicate the hardenability of 5140 steel. Phosphorus affects the toughness of steel in two ways. An inherent lack of toughness of phosphorus-bearing ferrite as compared to low phosphorus ferrite has often been noted. Jolivet and Vidall have shown that phosphorus has the same effect in tempered martensite in chromium steels. The other well known effect of phosphorus is to make steel susceptible to temper embrittlement. Temper brittleness is a loss in toughness brought about by tempering steel within a limited temperature interval somewhat below the A1 temperature. In most of the standard AISI-SAE alloy steels, this temperature interval is approximately 850-1100°F. Either of these types of loss in toughness is easily followed by the shift in the transition temperature obtained with the notched-bar impact test. The data to be presented show the beneficial effect of substituting molybdenum for a part of the chromium in 5140 steel with either moderate (0.020 pct) or high (0.040 pct) phosphorus contents. Both the inherent lack of toughness of phosphorus-bearing steel and temper brittleness are counteracted by this use of molybdenum. The work of Jolivet and Vidal mentioned above shows the detrimental effect of phosphorus on the toughness of tempered martensite in the absence of temper embrittlement, as well as the temper brittleness caused by phosphorus. They used two steels, essentially 0.25 pct C-1.4 pct Cr, with 0.044 and 0.013 pct P, respectively. The nonembrittled state was obtained by quenching in oil from 1610°F, then tempering for one hour at 1200°F and quenching in water. In this state the transition temperature range of the low phosphorus steel in the notched-bar impact test was below that of the steel with 0.044 pct P. An additional treatment of 24 hr at 975°F (that is, in the embrittling range) caused both steels to lose toughness, but the high phosphorus steel showed the greater embrittlement. Recently Hollomon2 has published a comprehensive survey and bibliography of the literature on temper brittleness, to which the reader is re-

Jan 1, 1950

By Colin J. Dixon

The full realization of the potential of computers in geological in- formation system demands new approaches to the machine representation of information. At the same time, the feasibility of such a system, particularly in commercial field, demands greater freedom in input preparation and a degree of standardization in the arrangement of subject matter system. The paper describes some of the basic notions of project "GEOSEMANTICA 70". The aim of the project is to devise means of storing real geological informations in a machine rather than the representation of the information in human language form. This is seen as the only long-term solution to the problems of the complex vocabulary of geology and the complex syntax of geological description. Effectively, a machine language is being defined, consisting of a set of symbols and a date structure for representation of geological and related information. Beyond this, is the definition of a set of rules allowing the use of constrained text as an input/output medium. The investigation is oriented primarily to the representation and handling of information about mineral deposits and the associated geographic, economic and engineering information.

Jan 1, 1969

By J. B. Newsorn

VERTICAL SHAFTS in the United States have heretofore been sunk by blasting and mucking. The blasting leaves uneven, shattered walls which usually must be supported. Even though the walls will stand, shaft lining is needed to furnish supports for the cage guides, pipes, and power conduits. The lining is generally timber, and as timber can be most easily framed into rectangles, rectangular shaft openings are the rule. The timber reduces the size of the cage floor. For example, if the Idaho Maryland company had put down No. 2 shaft by blasting and mucking, the cage area would have been about thirty per cent of the total shaft area. Besides a low percentage of useful area, an ordinary shaft is subject to fire hazard and to timber maintenance charges. It is also poor for ventilation because the timber ribs cause eddies which greatly reduce the speed of the air currents. A bored shaft does not have these disadvantages. The walls are smooth, circular, and not shattered by blasting, so lining is not required in most

Jan 1, 1936

By W. E. Wrather

CURTAILMENT of production was a matter of far more serious concern to the oil industry through 1933 than the search for new supplies of oil. The huge reserves of crude, built up during past years, instead of inspiring a feeling of security, were viewed apprehensively. The status of past laws and court decisions seemed to guarantee to operators the right to produce oil at will, and this entrenched privilege was so widely adhered to that the market was-in a constant state of chaos. The more modern idea of the ownership of oil in place and correlative rights gained headway slowly, since usually there were enough belligerent producers, staunch believers in the old established order, to defeat the efforts of the majority who sought to' introduce order and restraint. State regulatory commissions were unable to cope, with the rebellion among producers with the result that those who abided by proration rulings were penalized, while those who flouted the rulings and produced unrestrainedly were able to make profits on large volumes of flush oil even at low prices. This situation, known in the vernacular as the "hot 'oil" problem, became so acute that the industry was threatened with ruin. The low price for 36c A.P.I. in the Mid-Continent came in April. at 25c per barrel 'but gradually moved upward to the long-hoped for price of $1.00 per barrel in October, after the Federal Government had taken a hand in the matter and effectively allocated production among the oil producing states and materially curbed the "hot oil" runs.

Jan 1, 1934

By N. A. D. Parlee

The diffusion rate of hydrogen in liquid iron has been measured by a gas-liquid metal diffusion cell technique. The diffusion cell was formed by immersing an alumina tube containing hydrogen gas at 1 atm in a bath of stagnant liquid iron. The change in the composition of the melt in the cell was determined by measuring the rate of absorption of the gas in the cell. The appropriate solution to Fick's second law was used to examine the data and calculate diffusivi-ties. The absorption of hydrogen in stagnant pure liquid iron has been found to be diffusion-controlled. The results show that the chemical diffusion coefficient, D, of hydrogen in pure iron in the range of 1547" to 1726°C can be represented by the following Arrhenius relation: D(sq cnz per sec) = 3.2 x X exp(- 3300 i 1800/RT) where the uncertainty in the activation energy corresponds to the YO pct confidence level. Oxygen in the melt (above 0.015 pct 2) increased the apparent rate of absorption of hydrogen. The importance of diffusion data on liquid metals for predicting the rates of certain metallurgical processes has been recognized for a long time. Moreover, these data are much needed to test and develop theory for diffusion in liquid metals. Despite this practical and theoretical interest, however, relatively little reliable information about diffusion in liquid metals is available in the literature. This is particularly true for gas components such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen in liquid metals, where almost no data on chemical diffusion coefficients are to be found. This is probably due to a multitude of experimental difficulties particularly associated with high-temperature melts. In an effort to fill this gap in information, a research program was undertaken to study the diffusivities and rates of solution of gases in liquid metals. This paper presents the results of a study of the diffusion of hydrogen in liquid iron. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD Two methods for the study of the kinetics of dissolution of gases in liquid metals are being employed in this laboratory. Both involve the measurement of the volume of gas absorbed by the melt as a function of time and as such both avoid the uncertainties involved in chemical analyses of quenched samples for relatively small amounts of gas. In the first method, the gas dissolves in an inductively stirred melt and, in the absence of a slow surface reaction, the results are often interpreted in terms of mass transport across a liquid "boundary layer" between the homogeneous gas phase and well-stirred part of the melt. Other interpretations of the results of such experiments have also been described in the literature.1'5 In the second method a gas-liquid metal diffusion cell is used.' The gas dissolves in a cylindrical column of stagnant liquid metal and, in the absence of a slow surface reaction, the results are interpreted in terms of a non-steady-state diffusion solution to Fick's second law. The weakness of the first method is that while it gives information on the mechanism of absorption by stirred melts it yields an overall rate constant which even in the simplest cases depends on the nature and the thickness of the "mass transport layer" or "boundary layer". It yields no values of diffusion coefficients. The second method was used in this research because in many cases it is possible to determine the diffusion coefficient of the gas component in the liquid metal. In this research it has been utilized to measure diffusion coefficients of hydrogen in liquid iron. The apparatus used was essentially the same as that described by Mizikar, Grace, and par lee but certain modifications have been introduced to meet the elevated temperatures and special conditions of this research. Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of the apparatus and Table I gives the identification of various parts in this figure. The diffusion cell, shown in detail in Fig. 2, was formed by immersing an impervious alumina tube (hereafter called absorption tube) in a bath of pure liquid iron contained in an alumina crucible. Two types of tubes were used, Morganite triangle RR and McDanel AP35. The crucible was contained in a vertical impervious alumina combustion tube (32 mm ID by 914 mm long) which was closed at both ends by water-cooled brass heads employing O-ring compression seals, Fig. 1. A protection tube enclosing a Pt, 5 pct Rh-Pt, 20 pct Rh thermocouple was introduced through the lower end of the combustion tube

Jan 1, 1968

By H. C. George

Since 1911, when J. L. Dunn first used compressed air for repressuring depleted oil sands in southeast Ohio, the rejuvenation of many depleted oil fields has been directly due to repressuring by means of air or gas. Developments in repressuring in recent years have resulted in its successful use in the early life of some deep, high-pressure oil fields, conserving the natural gas dissolved in and associated with the oil by returning it to the producing oil sand after it has been compressed above the existing rock pressure of the reservoir. One of the most successful operations of this type is that of the Humble Oil & Refining Co., on the DeWalt salt dome at Sugarland, Texas. I quote from a personal communication with reference to this field: "Structurally, the field is dome-shaped, having a closure of approximately 350 ft. Production comes from a sandy shale interbedded with a clean sand and lying over a cap rock which is about 3400 ft. deep on top of the structure." A feature of the operation of this field is the production of the required amount of oil with the minimum of gas production. Wells on top of the dome have high gas-oil ratios, while those down structure have lower ratios, depending upon the distance of the well from the peak. To date, it has been possible to produce the oil needed from the wells circling the dome above the water zone and below the gas zone, and in this manner the average gas-oil ratio has been kept low. The gas from all separators is turned into a gas system which serves the entire field. From this system, all drilling rigs and utilities requiring gas for a fuel draw their requirements, and the remainder of the gas (about two-thirds of the production) is delivered to a compressor plant which boosts the pressure until it can be returned to the sand at the top of the dome where the rock pressure is 1400 lb, per square inch. "The Sugarland wells produce through 2-in. tubing with a 3/8-in. choke in one wing of the well-head manifold. The pressure builds up as high as 1300 lb, per square inch on the casing while on the tubing it varies from 0 to 900 lb. per square inch, depending upon the amount of gas produced with the oil."

Jan 1, 1931

By Tkeoclore Marvi

IT is singular that an industry quite the antithesis of flying should record tremendous strides in the utilization of aviation through- out the entire depression period, .while in the same years private interests lagged and airplatie manufacturing plants closed to such an extent that he purchase of new planes of certain types was practically impossible. Though receiving little notice from aviation publications and national associations, this use of the airplane progressed by sheer merit. It saved money, conserved energies, and made minutes in the air the equal of weeks on foot or water. The advent of aviation into mining and petroleum operations dates back many years, yet it \vas not until the depression that this new facility of the mineral industry was put on its proper economic basis. There, by its possibilities for saving effort, time, and money, it takes its place equally with other great technical advances in nietl

Jan 1, 1934

By M. W. BERNEWITZ

AUSTRALIANS and New Zealanders, whose countries have respectively yielded gold to the value of £666,000,000 and £96,000,000, are taking full advantage of the current high prices for that metal. There is a marked activity in ordinary prospecting, geophysical exploration, further development of working mines and reopening of old properties, formation of new companies, installation of new equipment and processes, and expansion of operations generally. Australian gold production last year was approximately double the quantity of 1929 and its value three times as great, 1929 being the low of recent years. The 1933 production was about 821,000 oz. From New Zealand, 165,000 oz. was exported last year. Papua and New Guinea contributed slightly over 100,000 oz. What the future price of gold will be nobody knows, but, even if it returns to the former level, Australian producers are almost sure of 110 shillings an ounce until 1940 through the Commonwealth Government's Gold Bounty Act, at present temporarily and necessarily suspended from operation.

Jan 1, 1934

By Evan Bennett

ALMADEN is Arabic for "the mine." The definite article is properly used, for no mercury mine in the world compares with it for richness and volume of ore, produced and potential. After more than twenty centuries of exploitation, intensive throughout the last lour, ore from Almaden is about five times as rich as that of its closest competitor. We drove to the mine one April afternoon, across Don Quixote's plains of the Mancha, up the bleak, arid valley of the Rio Valdeazogue where we passed tenth century Moorish workings and their ruined castles. At dusk, we came to the Hacienda de Castilseras, a large farm where Almaden miners work their land on off days. Then we drove through the whitewashed, well-ordered town to the Castillo de la Direccion where we were challenged at the iron gate by two picturesquely costumed Guardias Jurados.

Jan 1, 1948