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By K. A. Natarajan, I. Iwasaki

Electrochemical measurements were made wing chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite electrodes in aqueous solution containing a xanthute collector and ground ore mineral particles. The purpose was to investigate the electrochemical reactivity of ozone with respect to dissolved xanthute, surface adsorbed xanthute, and the sulfide mineral itself. Electro-chemical evidence for the removal of xanthate coatings from chulcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and platinum surfaces by ozone is presented. The oxidizing power of ozone is compared with that of oxygen and other common oxidizing agents to portray the superiority of ozone as an oxidant.

Jan 1, 1986

By W. A. Nordland

BISMUTH can be readily grown into single-crystal form using the so-called "quick freeze" growth method.' Some advantages of this method are that very large crystals can be grown in a relatively short time, and with comparatively simple apparatus. We have found the general quality of crystals grown by this method to be not as good as that of "pulled" crystals.' This communication describes a "quick-freeze"

Jan 1, 1968

By C. G. Dunn

IT is well known that plastic deformation alters many of the properties of a metal and subsequent heat-treatment partially or completely restores these properties.1 In the deformed or strained state, the metal is unstable and tends to change toward a condition called a "strain-free state." The transformation occurs through recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth-processes that may take place singly or in combination. The distortion of the lattice of an individual grain of a metal in a state of strain may be rather complex in nature, because plastic deformation produces: (I) dislocations within mosaic blocks; (2) elastic variations of the lattice spacings; and (3) gross alterations throughout the lattice, especially along slip planes, along composition planes between a grain and its mechanical twins, and along boundaries of deformation bands. These gross alterations are of the nature of bent planes or rotated regions of the crystal lattice and are revealed by a spread in the orientation of the grain. Although we cannot describe these strains and their formation accurately because of insufficient knowledge, we can, nevertheless, use the information as well as possible to obtain a better understanding of recovery processes. In recovery, the lattice of a grain is not made anew as it is in recrystallization, but is improved or mended in such a way that the basic structure remains unaltered. Until recently observations were that recovery produced no marked changes in the shapes of spots in Laue diffraction patterns, whereas recrystallization did, but now it is known for silicon ferrite2 that Laue spots may become quite sharp entirely through recovery. Consequently, the shape of Laue spots alone would not be a suitable test to distinguish between recovery and recrystallization. There is considerable evidence that the micro- structure usually does not change visibly during recovery. Absence of a visible change in the microstructure, therefore, provides a sufficient test of recovery in many cases. However, including this observation in a definition of recovery as a necessary condition (this is usually done) is unfortunate, because recovery may, as will become evident later, produce new grain boundaries that are visible not only in the microstructure but also in the macrostructure. For the present, therefore, let us say that a necessary condition for a process to be one of recovery is that the principal orientation or orientations of a deformed grain be essentially unchanged throughout the transformation toward the strain-free state. Several transformations may occur that fulfill this condition, and the nature of the distortion in a grain indicates what these must be if the lattice is to be mended in part or fully. Consequently, it will be convenient as well as

Jan 1, 1946

By David Cornell, D. L. Katz

Procedures for computing turbulent flow of gas in steady state near the well bore and a graphical method for predicting unsteady state laminar flow at distances from the well have been combined to compute pressure gradients in gas reservoirs. Methods are discussed for predicting single and multiple transients at constant flow rate in an infinite reservoir, predicting constant How rate. in a finite reservoir, reproducing and interpreting back pressure test data, and prediction of the behavior of a closed-in gas well. An example of the graphical method is given for a single transient and the results are compared to a published analytical solution. A typical calculation of the pressure gradient in a reservoir and the production of gas is made .starting with data from a hack pressure test. INTRODUCTION The calculation of pressure gradients throughouse a ga-reservoir at any point in its production history is a complex problem involving turbulent flow near the well bore and unsteady state flow of the gas from the reservoir. The problem is complicated further by the variety of boundary conditions that may be imposed upon the flow. Such boundary conditions include finite or infinite reservoirs. constant or variable rates of production, constant or varying bottom hole pressures, complex initial pressure distributions throughout the reservoir, and pressure maintenance through cycling. In addition to these problems there are the practical difficulties associated with natural gas reservoir analysis These might include: (1) variation. in the permeability and porosity throughout the formation. (2) variations in the thickness of the formation, (3) communication of the producing formation with other producing zones. (4) radial variations in permeability due to influx of drilling fluid. acidizing. or the buildup of liquid in the formation around the well, (5) partial penetration of the producing zone. (6) water flood, and many others. These problems will be considered eventually. In the mean- time, it is necessary to present methods of handling the case of radial flow through a homogeneous, regular, producing stratum to a single well uncomplicated by other factors. The idealized case of steady state, radial flow from a natural gas reservoir was studied by Elenbaas and Katz5 and by Mac-Koberts.' An analysis of the unsteady flow of gases through porous media has been made by Aronofsky and Jenkins' for the one dimensional laminar case with the boundary conditions of constant downstream pressure and uniform initial pressure. Solutions for the partial differential equation for unsteady state radial flow of liquids through porous media have been given by Van Everdingen and Hurst" for the constant bottom hole pressure and constant production rate cases for laminar flow in a reservoir initially at a constant pressure. The analogous heat transfer equation has been treated by Perry and Berggren9 for the case of quenching a cylindrical hole in an infinite medium to a constant temperature. The back pressure curve, which involves the variation of the bottom hole pressure as it is determined by the behavior of the reservoir as a whole. has been studied by Rawlins and Schellhardt,10 Binck-lev,' Baumel and Breitung,' and others. No complete. adequate treatment has been given for the unsteady state, radial flow of gases into a cylindrical hole from a porous medium with or without the presence of turbulent flow and for any set of boundary conditions. If one relies only on analytical solutions of the basic equations, a new solution must be obtained for each new boundary condition. Furthermore, the complexity of the mathematical expressions for boundary conditions other than the very simple cases limits the use of analytical solutions. Graphical methods exist, however. that are general in nature, accurate, and readily employed. The analysis of steady and unsteady, laminar and turbulent, radial flow for various boundary conditions with application to specific natural gas well problems by means of graphical procedures forms the content of this paper. STEADY STATE RADIAL FLOW EQUATION FOR LAMINAR AND TURBULENT FLOW A steady state radial flow equation for laminar and turbulent flow through unconsolidated sands has been given by Muskat as discussion of the work by Elenbaas and Katz.5 This equation is based on the properties of unconsolidated

Jan 1, 1953

By W. H. Justice

Cycling operations have been successfully conducted in the La Gloria Zone for eight years. The cycling of this zone is now virtually completed. It is proposed that this report shall review the cycling operations of this reservoir so that the industry can more accurately evaluate the cycling process as a production method. The La Gloria project is one of the largest cycling operations in the State of Texas. The gas rights in the field are unitized in three operating units. By mutual agreement Magnolia Petroleum is the designated operator of the project for the 12 operators owning the gas rights. The La Gloria Corp, is the owner and operator of the cycling plant. The development and operation of the field are under the direction of an Operators Committee comprised of a representative of each operator. The Operators Committee is assisted by an Engineering and Geological Sub-Committee. The La Gloria gas field is situated approximately three miles north of Fal-furrias, Tex., and lies principally in the extreme south end of Jim Wells County, with its outer limits extending into the north end of Brookes County, Tex. It is a simple elliptically-shaped dome which has a closure of 350 ft. The field encompasses a surface area of 5,500 acres. The gas reserves are found in 20

Jan 1, 1950

J. A. MATHEWS, * Syracuse, N. Y. (written discussion?).-The reagent described by Mr. Archer seems to be a selective reagent, useful in one particular field. Nevertheless, the field is one in which it is likely to prove of considerable value, because there is a great deal of alloy steel FIG. 1.-ETCHED 1 HR. IN ARCHER'S FIG. 2.-ETCHED 1 HR. IN ARCHER'S REAGENT. PLOD 60. X 188. REAGENT. IZOD 10. X 188. heat-treated to approximately the properties mentioned in the paper. If it is found, by further tests, to be applicable to a wider range of compositions than merely chrome-nickel steels, for the most part discussed by Mr. Archer, its value will be thereby increased to just the extent to which it can be applied. In view of the fact that certain of these chrome-nickel steels, very similar in physical properties and hardness, show very different results in the Izod or notch test, and in view of the fact that when such differences are noted in the fracture the brittle steels usually

Jan 5, 1919

By Edward W. Parker

Note.—The material from which this paper has been prepared was collected tor the U. S. Geological Suvey Bulletin, No. 316, Contributions to Economic Geology, 1906, and appears also, though in somewhat more extended form without illustrations, in that publication. Although the briquetting of coals and lignites has been carried on for many years in Europe, and has reached a particularly high state of development in France, Belgium, and Germany, it has made comparatively little progress in the United States. The causes for the backwardness of the United States in this regard are several, and first among them has been the abundant supply of cheap raw fuel with which the manufactured article has to compete. With our millions of acres of coal-productive territory, from which the product can in moat cases be cheaply extracted, it has appeared in many districts more economical to waste the slack or culm, which constitutes a considerable percentage of the product, than to attempt to save it at the additional expense required for briquetting. It is for this reason that the view in all sections -of the anthracite-region of Pennsylvania is marred by the unsightly culm-banks which encumber the ground, and that in some of the bituminous-districts one sees huge piles of unmarketable slack allowed to burn up in order to get rid of them. When the coal is of a coking quality, or when the slack can be used for steaming-purposes, these losses are not sustained, but many thousands of tons of what might be converted into usable fuel have been wasted every year simply because of the increased expense involved in its preparation.

Jan 1, 1908

By Warren B. Weeks

Continued development in the deeper fields discovered during 1937 and 1938 was largely responsible for the 16 per cent (2,913,400-bbl.) increase in production, bringing the 1939 output to 21,376,230 bbl., the largest for South Arkansas since 1929. The older settled fields continued to decline and Rodessa was added to this classification. Magnolia field accounted for much of the increase, with Schuler field showing only a slight increase. There were 248 wells drilled during 1939, five more than during the previous year. Of 198 wells drilled in proven fields, 21 were dry; 46 of the 50 wildcats drilled were dry. The old depth record of 8332 ft. was increased to the present record of 9028. Trend of Prospecting Production from the porous " Reynolds " oolite zone of the Smackover limestone continued to be the objective of prospecting. During the year 20 seismograph, 3 gravity meter, 1 magnetometer, 1 soil analysis and 1 electromagnetic crews were reported in the state. The geophysical work was largely concentrated in three southern counties: Columbia, Lafayette and Union. As indicated in Table 2, the same three counties received most of the important drilling tests. At the end of the year only three seismograph crews remained in the areas. The area for prospecting Smackover limestone was greatly narrowed during the year by the failure of two "fault zone" wells to find satisfactory permeability in the oolite zone, and by the relatively thin sections of porosity found in wells drilled in townships 18 and 19 South. Geology Most of the wells listed in Table 2 afforded additional control on structure of the lower beds, but gave little new information on stratigraphy. Of the 248 wells drilled, 3 ended in Tertiary, 34 in Gulf, 1 in Paluxy, 29 in Glen Rose, 15 in Travis Peak, 15 in Cotton Valley, 139 in Smackover, 2 in Eagle Mills and 10 in Carboniferous. The age of the beds between the Travis Peak formation and Carboniferous is still questionable. Most

Jan 1, 1940

By Warren B. Weeks

Continued development in the deeper fields discovered during 1937 and 1938 was largely responsible for the 16 per cent (2,913,400-bbl.) increase in production, bringing the 1939 output to 21,376,230 bbl., the largest for South Arkansas since 1929. The older settled fields continued to decline and Rodessa was added to this classification. Magnolia field accounted for much of the increase, with Schuler field showing only a slight increase. There were 248 wells drilled during 1939, five more than during the previous year. Of 198 wells drilled in proven fields, 21 were dry; 46 of the 50 wildcats drilled were dry. The old depth record of 8332 ft. was increased to the present record of 9028. Trend of Prospecting Production from the porous " Reynolds " oolite zone of the Smackover limestone continued to be the objective of prospecting. During the year 20 seismograph, 3 gravity meter, 1 magnetometer, 1 soil analysis and 1 electromagnetic crews were reported in the state. The geophysical work was largely concentrated in three southern counties: Columbia, Lafayette and Union. As indicated in Table 2, the same three counties received most of the important drilling tests. At the end of the year only three seismograph crews remained in the areas. The area for prospecting Smackover limestone was greatly narrowed during the year by the failure of two "fault zone" wells to find satisfactory permeability in the oolite zone, and by the relatively thin sections of porosity found in wells drilled in townships 18 and 19 South. Geology Most of the wells listed in Table 2 afforded additional control on structure of the lower beds, but gave little new information on stratigraphy. Of the 248 wells drilled, 3 ended in Tertiary, 34 in Gulf, 1 in Paluxy, 29 in Glen Rose, 15 in Travis Peak, 15 in Cotton Valley, 139 in Smackover, 2 in Eagle Mills and 10 in Carboniferous. The age of the beds between the Travis Peak formation and Carboniferous is still questionable. Most

Jan 1, 1940

By John B. Gayle

PRESENT flotation processes depend almost entirely on the buoyant properties of air bubbles to effect separations of mineral and gangue, but there is no convenient method for measuring aeration in flotation cells. Consequently the relation between aeration and cell performance has not been definitely established. In connection with a comparative study of kerosene and froth flotation processes, a modification of the displacement method' was developed in which air escaping from the cell surface is measured with a wet-test meter. The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is satisfactory for use with a number of cells and is not critical, except that care must be taken to use connections and tubing large enough to avoid excessive back pressures. Attempts to use smaller tubing resulted in back pressures that caused displacement of the liquid level in the receiver, so that some air was lost around the sides, an occurrence readily visible when measurements were taken with only water passing through the cell. With the arrangement shown, the manometer indicated an average reading of about ½ -in. water pressure. No loss of air was evident.

Jan 7, 1958

By F. W. Bloecher, A. M. Gaudin

H. H. Kellogg—There is one point that the author has failed to emphasize sufficiently in his paper. What is commonly called the equilibrium contact-angle (the author's "maximum contact-angle") can have only one value on a smooth, flat, homogeneous surface under a given set of conditions. The equilibrium contact-angle is defined, for such a system, as the angle between the solid-liquid and liquid-gas interfaces, measured through the liquid. The value of the equilibrium contact-angle is uniquely determined by the value of the interfacial energies of the three intersecting interfaces and is independent of other forces in the system. When the liquid-gas interface intersects the solid at an edge—as was the case for all the experiments reported in this paper—the orientation of the solid-liquid interface is indeterminate or varies through 90" for a right-angle edge. Mr. Morris has called the angle between the horizontal and the liquid-gas interface for this edge condition a "static contact-angle." I feel that this term is unnecessarily misleading. In the first place, "static contact-angle" sounds too much like "equilibrium contact-angle." In the second place, the magnitude of the "static contact-angle," which I would prefer to call the "supporting angle," is determined by the forces in the system other than those derived from the interfacial energies, hence "contact angle" is misleading. If Mr. Morris had said that the "supporting-angle" is variable and depends on the weight of the particle and size of the bubble and that it has a maximum possible value equal to the equilibrium contact-angle, his discussion would have been more accurate. T. M. Morris (author's reply)—Mr. Kellogg puts forth a reasonable criticism of some of the terminology used in the paper. I agree that the term "static contact angle" may be misleading. Substitution of the term "supporting angle" or "vector angle" may be more suitable. F. X. Tartaron—In this paper the author presents a very interesting mathematical development of the forces present when a mineral particle adheres to an air bubble. Excellent concordance is obtained between mathematical formulation and experimental results. It is the writer's understanding that when the mineral surface presented to an air bubble is greater than the area of contact, the maximum contact angle is obtained. However, this contact angle represents distortion of the bubble, the normal shape of which is spherical or in cross-section, circular. This distortion produces a force that acts in opposition to the force of adhesion between the bubble and particle. Hence, at maximum contact angle, the force of adhesion between bubble and particle is at a minimum for static conditions. However, when the size of bubble is increased, the size of particle remaining the same (and all other conditions remaining the same), the contact angle decreases, the distortion of the bubble decreases and the force in opposition to adherence of bubble and particle also decreases. Thus, there is stronger attachment between bubble and particle. When this situation is applied to actual flotation conditions, it is doubtful that it has any significance. The reason is that the bubbles are normally so much larger than the particles, that in substantially all cases, it is probable that negligible distortion of the bubble takes place. In table IV, the author makes computations for bubbles from 0.50 to 2 mm diam. This is from 0.02 in. to 0.08 in. Certainly the bubbles generated in a flotation machine are far larger than this. The surfaces of the author's bubbles range from 0.79 to 12.6 sq mm. The area of contact of the glass rod (0.15 mm diam) is 0.017 sq mm. Thus, ratio of bubble surface to mineral area of contact ranges from 47 to 741 in round numbers. If we take a %-in. diam bubble and a 65-mesh (0.208 mm) particle of cubical shape, the ratio of bubble surface to mineral area of contact is 2931. Mineral particles do not readily become attached to air bubbles. Taggart has shown that in pneumatic flotation machines collector-coated particles are only temporarily attached to bubbles. They keep falling off and down in the froth but at a delayed rate as compared with gangue. Spedden and Hannan's motion pictures confirm the difficulty of attaching particles to air bubbles. In the agitation froth process, according to Taggart, air is precipitated from the water selectively on to the collector-coated particles and these

Jan 1, 1951

By F. W. Bloecher, A. M. Gaudin

H. H. Kellogg—There is one point that the author has failed to emphasize sufficiently in his paper. What is commonly called the equilibrium contact-angle (the author's "maximum contact-angle") can have only one value on a smooth, flat, homogeneous surface under a given set of conditions. The equilibrium contact-angle is defined, for such a system, as the angle between the solid-liquid and liquid-gas interfaces, measured through the liquid. The value of the equilibrium contact-angle is uniquely determined by the value of the interfacial energies of the three intersecting interfaces and is independent of other forces in the system. When the liquid-gas interface intersects the solid at an edge—as was the case for all the experiments reported in this paper—the orientation of the solid-liquid interface is indeterminate or varies through 90" for a right-angle edge. Mr. Morris has called the angle between the horizontal and the liquid-gas interface for this edge condition a "static contact-angle." I feel that this term is unnecessarily misleading. In the first place, "static contact-angle" sounds too much like "equilibrium contact-angle." In the second place, the magnitude of the "static contact-angle," which I would prefer to call the "supporting angle," is determined by the forces in the system other than those derived from the interfacial energies, hence "contact angle" is misleading. If Mr. Morris had said that the "supporting-angle" is variable and depends on the weight of the particle and size of the bubble and that it has a maximum possible value equal to the equilibrium contact-angle, his discussion would have been more accurate. T. M. Morris (author's reply)—Mr. Kellogg puts forth a reasonable criticism of some of the terminology used in the paper. I agree that the term "static contact angle" may be misleading. Substitution of the term "supporting angle" or "vector angle" may be more suitable. F. X. Tartaron—In this paper the author presents a very interesting mathematical development of the forces present when a mineral particle adheres to an air bubble. Excellent concordance is obtained between mathematical formulation and experimental results. It is the writer's understanding that when the mineral surface presented to an air bubble is greater than the area of contact, the maximum contact angle is obtained. However, this contact angle represents distortion of the bubble, the normal shape of which is spherical or in cross-section, circular. This distortion produces a force that acts in opposition to the force of adhesion between the bubble and particle. Hence, at maximum contact angle, the force of adhesion between bubble and particle is at a minimum for static conditions. However, when the size of bubble is increased, the size of particle remaining the same (and all other conditions remaining the same), the contact angle decreases, the distortion of the bubble decreases and the force in opposition to adherence of bubble and particle also decreases. Thus, there is stronger attachment between bubble and particle. When this situation is applied to actual flotation conditions, it is doubtful that it has any significance. The reason is that the bubbles are normally so much larger than the particles, that in substantially all cases, it is probable that negligible distortion of the bubble takes place. In table IV, the author makes computations for bubbles from 0.50 to 2 mm diam. This is from 0.02 in. to 0.08 in. Certainly the bubbles generated in a flotation machine are far larger than this. The surfaces of the author's bubbles range from 0.79 to 12.6 sq mm. The area of contact of the glass rod (0.15 mm diam) is 0.017 sq mm. Thus, ratio of bubble surface to mineral area of contact ranges from 47 to 741 in round numbers. If we take a %-in. diam bubble and a 65-mesh (0.208 mm) particle of cubical shape, the ratio of bubble surface to mineral area of contact is 2931. Mineral particles do not readily become attached to air bubbles. Taggart has shown that in pneumatic flotation machines collector-coated particles are only temporarily attached to bubbles. They keep falling off and down in the froth but at a delayed rate as compared with gangue. Spedden and Hannan's motion pictures confirm the difficulty of attaching particles to air bubbles. In the agitation froth process, according to Taggart, air is precipitated from the water selectively on to the collector-coated particles and these

Jan 1, 1951

By H. W. Dow

Quite early in the beginning of the present century, hoisting equipment underwent a radical change, when electric motors were applied to furnish the power in place of steam engines. Naturally, in the beginning, motors were not employed for large hoists: most of them were small single-drum hoists for which the motor ran continuously and the drum was clutched in for hoisting by various methods, and the down-going trips were made on the brake. In 1911 the Nordberg Manufacturing Co. of Milwaukee built for the first time a double-drum hoist powered with a first-motion direct-current motor (Fig. I). This hoist embodied many of the features that are used on larger hoists today. In the early development of motor-driven hoists a more or less natural mis- take was generally made, which only recently is being corrected. Because the electric motor has a higher speed than the steam engine, mining people in general accepted, without question, the use of small-diameter drums and the resultant finding of the rope in multiple layers, which was not at that time, the general practice on first-motion steam hoists. Small-diameter drums can usually be driven by a motor through a single reduction of gears even with relatively high motor speed, therefore the complete equipment could be obtained with a lower first cost.

Jan 1, 1946

By W. C. Hagel

Previous inuestigators have repovted unusually low H* and Do values for self-dzf@szon in certazn bcc metals, e.g., chromium nnd y -uvanium. It has been postulated that this is nn experimental crl -tetion for the existpnce of a four -atom ring meclzanzsm, mid there could be. zmpovtant theoretrcal Implicatlons. By utilizing a precise sectioning technique with Cr51 as the tracer, self-dzffi-lsion measurements in large grains of 99.99-pct Cr were extended from 1200° fo 1600"C. A least- squares analysis of the data yields that D 0.280 exp (-73,20U/RT) cm2 sec-'. These AH* and Do unlues are not anomalous; there is little reason to believe that n vacancy mechanism is not opevatiue. Apparent differences at lower temperatures may result from preferential diffusion along short-circuititing paths and/or sample contamination. WITH continued technological effort, chromium and chromium-base alloys should ultimately become useful high-temperature structural materials. Accurate measurements of self-diffusion coefficients in the pure metal are necessary for a quantitative understanding of sintering, grain growth, creep, and other related rate processes. However, two conflicting determinations have been reported.* Using an Since careful diffusion studies normally yield Do values ranging from 0.1 to 10 cm2 sec-l, the Paxton-Gondolf results require independent experimental corroboration before an undue amount of speculation arises to explain the apparent anomaly. As discussed by Nowick6 and clearly shown by Hoffman and Turn-bull7 for self-diffusion in silver, a low AH* and Do can arise from preferential diffusion along grain boundaries or other short-circuiting paths. The most reliable data come from high-temperature measurements where volume effects predominate. Following a precise sectioning technique developed for determining silver diffusion in the intermetallic compound AgMg8 and cation diffusion in the corundum oxide Cr2O3,9 the purpose of this study was to measure true volume diffusion in high-purity, large-grain samples at higher temperatures than considered previously. Another point of interest is the frequent proposal10-12 that chromium undergoes an allotropic transformation between 1375" and 1800°C where the diffusion data might then show a discontinuity. I EXPERIMENTAL 1) Sample Preparation. The highest purity (99.997 pet) Cr currently available is produced by reduction of chromium tri-iodide. Three pounds of the resulting crystal bar were shipped in a sealed container with a complete chemical analysis from the vendor.* In conformity with the procedure used for

Jan 1, 1962

By L. Weyher, H. L. Lovell

This discussion is restricted to a very specific application of the cyclone - its use as a hydro-cyclone in the cleaning of fine coal. It is hoped that the development of the present data will assist in the further elucidation of existing qualitative models, and also in an enhanced application of the hydrocyclone and provide a base for further research. Discussed are the mechanisms of gravity separation in hydro-cyclones, test procedures, experimental observations, and industrial applications from these studies. Within the general area of unit operations, a considerable effort has been expended in theoretical and empirical research associated with cyclone operations. The motivation involves the industrial requirement for devices and techniques to manipulate small particles at low operating costs, a situation required in coal preparation. There are good reasons why the cyclone helps to satisfy this demand, because it combines operational simplicity (no moving parts) with versatility and high throughput capacity per unit area. The cyclone is one of the most widely applied tools in the process technologies. There are areas for potential cyclone application which have been only meagerly explored or not considered at all. This discussion is restricted to a very specific application of the cyclone - its use as a hydrocyclone in the cleaning of fine coal. It represents an initial presentation of a more comprehensive report. Coal preparation can appropriately claim the hydrocyclone since most of its predominant industrial uses have originated in this area and have spread into other applications, including the broad field of ore dressing, the petroleum industry, chemical processing, nuclear engineering and food technology. There is one operational principle common in all cyclones: A fluid is tangentially introduced into a cylindrical or conical container under pressure. A predominantly irrotational flow field1 is established within the cyclone (Fig. 1). The uniqueness of this flow is indicated by the variation in tangential velocity across the cyclone radius, which reaches a maximum a short distance from the center and decays toward the cyclone wall. In contrast, the tangential velocity in a centrifuge increases uniformly toward the wall. Usually two products are discharged from the cyclone. They differ in that one discharge consists predominantly of that portion of the feed fluid which moves along the wall axially away from the feed inlet, while the other consists predominantly of fluid spiralling along the central regions of the cyclone, in an axial direction opposite to that of the wall current. Fig. 2 indicates these discharge points schematically. The latter product may be termed the vortex-product, since it is discharged with the central vortex-current. In the case of conical cyclones, the former product may be referred to as the apex-product. Although the names "over- and underflow" are widely used, many cyclones are operated from extreme angular positions thus the proposed terms are less ambiguous. The cyclone feed fluid can be laden with solid particles or nonmiscible fluid drops. Such a feed component is discharged from the cyclone, after some residence time, into the one or the other product. Yet, the orifice through which a particle will leave the cyclone is dependent upon a number of factors. These factors, in a statistical sense, determine the path of the particle within the cyclone. Thus, different separation phenomena are possible and different process results attainable by the controllable variation of the particle path. It is then, to attain a fuller understanding of this particle path, to which this study is ultimately directed. It is anticipated that the detailed study of the data being developed will allow further elucidation of existing qualitative models. However, the development of a quantitative description of cyclone operation in terms of a mechanism is not currently feasible. The flow conditions in a cyclone are not fully understood even for a pure fluid, without the added complexity of the inclusion of multiple size-density particles. It is hoped that the development of the present data will also assist in an enhanced application of the hydro-cyclone and provide a base for further research. Some practical applications drawn from the data are suggested. Cyclone operations have been classified according

Jan 1, 1967

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

Variations in the composition of the liquid phase of natural reservoirs which are continuous through significant ranges in elevation have been noted by petroleum technologists. In general, there is a greater gas-oil ratio and the gravity of the oil is higher in production from the upper parts of the formation. In the present paper the possible changes in composition with elevation which would result from the attainment of thermodynamic equilibrium in a uniform gravitational field have been evaluated for a naturally occurring hydrocarbon liquid, a binary hydrocarbon liquid phase and a binary hydrocarbon gas. The results indicate a progressive decrease in the mole fraction of the components from methane through the butanes with increasing depth, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the amount of the heavier components making up the system. The magnitude of these variations is perhaps insufficient to explain completely the variations in the properties of the liquid phase that are encountered at various elevations within a particular producing horizon. However, the changes are significant and the treatment presents an example of the application of thermodynamic data to the evaluation of the properties of hydrocarbon fluids under the conditions approaching those encountered in natural reservoirs. Theoretical Considerations Muskat1 has discussed the work of earlier authors relating to the equilibrium relationships of multicomponent systems in a gravitational field. He also presented explicit solutions for several cases and discussed the physical significance of gravitational concentration gradients. In engineering work it is customary to consider the pressure, the temperature and the composition of a phase to be the independent variables sufficient to establish its state. This procedure neglects the effect of gravitational or other types of fields upon the energy associated with the system and assumes, among other things, that the pressure is uniform in

Jan 1, 1939

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

Variations in the composition of the liquid phase of natural reservoirs which are continuous through significant ranges in elevation have been noted by petroleum technologists. In general, there is a greater gas-oil ratio and the gravity of the oil is higher in production from the upper parts of the formation. In the present paper the possible changes in composition with elevation which would result from the attainment of thermodynamic equilibrium in a uniform gravitational field have been evaluated for a naturally occurring hydrocarbon liquid, a binary hydrocarbon liquid phase and a binary hydrocarbon gas. The results indicate a progressive decrease in the mole fraction of the components from methane through the butanes with increasing depth, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the amount of the heavier components making up the system. The magnitude of these variations is perhaps insufficient to explain completely the variations in the properties of the liquid phase that are encountered at various elevations within a particular producing horizon. However, the changes are significant and the treatment presents an example of the application of thermodynamic data to the evaluation of the properties of hydrocarbon fluids under the conditions approaching those encountered in natural reservoirs. Theoretical Considerations Muskat1 has discussed the work of earlier authors relating to the equilibrium relationships of multicomponent systems in a gravitational field. He also presented explicit solutions for several cases and discussed the physical significance of gravitational concentration gradients. In engineering work it is customary to consider the pressure, the temperature and the composition of a phase to be the independent variables sufficient to establish its state. This procedure neglects the effect of gravitational or other types of fields upon the energy associated with the system and assumes, among other things, that the pressure is uniform in

Jan 1, 1939

By O. L. Culberson, J. J. McKetta

INTRODUCTION The equilibrium constants for methane and for water, and for ethane and water have been calculated from experimental data for the two binary systems.2,3,11,12 These constants are for the two-phase systems for the temperature range of 100" to 340°F and the pressure range of 200 to 10,000 psia. The constants for ethane are greater than those for methane. Equilibrium constants for a natural gas from a natural gas-water system6 are about the same as those for methane. Equilibrium constants for water in all three systems are very nearly the same over the greater part of the range of temperatures and pressures studied. In ideal solutions, the vapor-liquid equilibrium constants for a component should be the same in all such solutions at a given temperature and pressure.5 Few solutions are ideal, and consequently the use of generalized constants often leads to error in situations where they do not actually apply. In decidedly non-ideal systems, it is desirable to have equilibrium constant data for the specific system. Vaporization equilibrium constants may be calculated either by thermodynamic methods or from experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data. In the thermodynamic calculation. the equilibrium constant K may be shown to be" K = fP,/fl'..........(1) where fPi is the fugacity of the pure component i at the given temperature and at the vapor pressure of the pure component, and fp is the fugacity of pure i in the gaseous state at the temperature and total pressure of the system. At best the thermodynamic calculation results in a K applicable to ideal solutions. Equilibrium constants calculated from Equation (1) have been found to have only limited agreement with experimental values, even though the solutions for which they were calculated approached ideality."'" If the more volatile component is at a temperature above its critical, the accuracy of the equilibrium constant for the component is made more doubtful by the use of the vapor pressure term under such conditions. In order to make the thermodynamic calculation on a component above its critical temperature, one must resort to one of the empirical methods of extrapolation of the vapor pressure to conditions above its critical point.13 Application of the thermodynamic equilibrium constant then to the methane-water or the ethane-water systems would be risky since the systems are non-ideal, and the methane and ethane are above their critical in most petroleum operations. ETHANE-WATER SYSTEM In the temperature range of from 100° to 340°F and for pressures up to 10,000 psia, the vapor-liquid equilibrium data 'References given at end of paper. Manuscript received in the office of the Petroleum Branch March 16, 1951.

Jan 1, 1951

By J. J. McKetta, O. L. Culberson

INTRODUCTION The equilibrium constants for methane and for water, and for ethane and water have been calculated from experimental data for the two binary systems.2,3,11,12 These constants are for the two-phase systems for the temperature range of 100" to 340°F and the pressure range of 200 to 10,000 psia. The constants for ethane are greater than those for methane. Equilibrium constants for a natural gas from a natural gas-water system6 are about the same as those for methane. Equilibrium constants for water in all three systems are very nearly the same over the greater part of the range of temperatures and pressures studied. In ideal solutions, the vapor-liquid equilibrium constants for a component should be the same in all such solutions at a given temperature and pressure.5 Few solutions are ideal, and consequently the use of generalized constants often leads to error in situations where they do not actually apply. In decidedly non-ideal systems, it is desirable to have equilibrium constant data for the specific system. Vaporization equilibrium constants may be calculated either by thermodynamic methods or from experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data. In the thermodynamic calculation. the equilibrium constant K may be shown to be" K = fP,/fl'..........(1) where fPi is the fugacity of the pure component i at the given temperature and at the vapor pressure of the pure component, and fp is the fugacity of pure i in the gaseous state at the temperature and total pressure of the system. At best the thermodynamic calculation results in a K applicable to ideal solutions. Equilibrium constants calculated from Equation (1) have been found to have only limited agreement with experimental values, even though the solutions for which they were calculated approached ideality."'" If the more volatile component is at a temperature above its critical, the accuracy of the equilibrium constant for the component is made more doubtful by the use of the vapor pressure term under such conditions. In order to make the thermodynamic calculation on a component above its critical temperature, one must resort to one of the empirical methods of extrapolation of the vapor pressure to conditions above its critical point.13 Application of the thermodynamic equilibrium constant then to the methane-water or the ethane-water systems would be risky since the systems are non-ideal, and the methane and ethane are above their critical in most petroleum operations. ETHANE-WATER SYSTEM In the temperature range of from 100° to 340°F and for pressures up to 10,000 psia, the vapor-liquid equilibrium data 'References given at end of paper. Manuscript received in the office of the Petroleum Branch March 16, 1951.

Jan 1, 1951

By John T. Galey

In all, 210 wellst were completed in southwestern Pennsylvania during 1939, which is 59 more than were drilled during the preceding year. Of this number, 137 were gas wells, which is a considerable increase from the 81 completed during 1938. Only 25 oil wells were completed, as against 28 in the previous year, and 28 dry holes, 6 more than last year. Shallow Development—Gas The increase in the number of gas wells is largely the result of a search for additional gas in Armstrong and Indiana Counties. Although a considerable number of wells were drilled in the latter county, the majority of them produced less than 100 M cu. ft. initial open flow. In Armstrong County, a new pool was opened in Cowanshannock township, producing from the third Bradford sand. Several large wells were obtained there, one of which produced an initial of nearly 12 million cu. ft., with a reservoir pressure of 1100 Ib. However, the productive area has been fairly well outlined by further drilling and shows that the pool covers only about 800 acres. The sand is 20 to 30 ft. thick, and probably has 5 to 6 ft. of pay. Thus this reserve is not an important one. Several wells were found in Menallen township, Fayette County, where the Big Injun sand has been having a play for the past three years, but the activity there is much less than a year ago. Oil On the west side of the Bradford sand gas pool, Cowanshannock township, Armstrong County, a well was drilled which flowed 100 bbl. the first day from the Tiona sand. The probability is that this well is a freak, as the Tiona has been drilled within a fairly close distance on every

Jan 1, 1940