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By E. P. Pfleider, W. G. Pariseau

Even as the rational selection of excavation equipment requires a matching of machine performance capabilities to rock response characteristics, the functional features of transportation systems must be matched to the characteristics of the materials handled in order to secure optimum, trouble-free operation. In particular, ore passes and chutes must be designed for flow in order to insure controlled draw whenever a chute is opened. The alternative to quantitative design is, of course, the well known ad hoc procedure of freeing plugged ore passes, cleaning up spillage from flooded chutes, etc., after installation of the system. Since the voluminous empirical work sporadically undertaken through the years evidently had not led to reliable design methodology, it seemed worthwhile to attempt a rational and complete description of the movement of material through ore passes. The concepts of de- formable body mechanics applicable to gravity-induced flows of granular media or "soils" were involved. Accordingly, the mathematical theory of soil plasticity was adopted as a working hypothesis, and a two-dimensional laboratory model of an ore pass constructed in order to investigate the appropriateness of the theory. The general experimental strategy consisted of formulating the movement of material in ore passes as a boundary value problem in soil plasticity, determining the required boundary values of stress and velocity experimentally, and then using these data for the initiation of a theoretical solution for stress and velocity throughout the moving mass of material. A comparison between the theoretical and experimental constituted the test of the original hypothesis.

Jan 6, 1968

By Gordon H. Geiger, J. Bruce Wagner

Electrical conductavity and therrnoelectvic nzeasuretnents on synthetic hematite slabs with 0.01 to 0.90 at. pet Ti and with 0.30 at. pet Ca were made. Additions of titanium and of calcium both increased the electronic conductivity with titanium yielding greater n-type behavior and calciurn p-type behavior. Reduction studies of hematite to magnetite in CO-CO2 atmospheres between 600° and 900°C initially exhibited linear kinetics. These linear rates were increased by additions of titanium and decreased by calcium. IN recent years many studies have been reported in the literature on the kinetics of the reduction of hematite and magnetite to iron. In addition, Hansen and Josephl and Schenck and Schultz2 have reported studies on the reduction of hematite to magnetite, the first step in total reduction to iron. In order to evaluate the results of the studies of over-all reduction in terms of the actual mechanism of the reaction and to define further the important factors in the rate- controlling mechanism of the magnetic roasting reaction, the following experiments were undertaken. Specimens of undoped hematite and hematite containing titanium or calcium in solution as doping agents were reduced to magnetite in CO-CO2 mixtures. In addition, electrical-conductivity measurements were correlated with the reduction kinetics using concepts of defect solid-state chemistry. EXPERIMENTAL Fisher certified Fe2O3 powder was used to make specimens for both the electrical and kinetic studies (see Table I for analysis). Doping with titanium and calcium was accomplished by adding TiO2 and CaO powders to the Fe2O3 powder. The powders were mixed in a Waring blender for minimum times of 1/2 hr. Satisfactory blending was achieved based on comparison of analyses of individual specimens af- ter reduction. The specimens were formed in a steel die using opposed punches with a rectangular opening 10.0 by 40.0 mm. The Fe2O3-TiO, platelets were pressed cold at 16,000 psi. They were sintered for approximately 16 hr at 1075°C in air, in accordance with information in the literature3, 4 on the time and temperature needed to obtain solution of the titanium in the hematite. The Fe2O3-CaO mixtures were first cold-pressed at 20,000 psi and sintered for 3 hr at 1225°C to insure solution of CaO. This material was then ground to -325 mesh in a 6-in. ball mill and the resulting powder was used to make platelets in the same manner as above. The sintered platelets were usually between 1/16 and 1/8 in. thick. They were ground on a carborundum wheel and polished on 2/0 paper. Typical dimensions of the kinetic-study specimens were 1.6 by 0.8 by 0.05 cm, and a typical weight was 0.3 g. Conductivity and thermoelectric specimens were approximately the same size, but were subjected to further sintering in order to ensure maximum densification. Finally, all specimens were measured to the nearest 0.0005 in. and weighed on a Mettler H-15 balance to the nearest 0.0001 g and the density calculated. The average density of the specimens used for the reduction studies was 4.87 g per cc, or 7.1 pet total porosity. The standard deviation ranged from 0.14 to 0.063 g per cc within a composition group. In the present study, the apparent surface area as measured with a micrometer was taken as the true surface area. The chemical analyses for calcium and for titanium within a group showed maximum variations of 50.04 pet from the average values used in Figs. 9 and 11. In order to suspend the specimen from the balance for the kinetic studies, a hole, 0.03 in. in

Jan 1, 1965

By C. R. Masson, M. L. Pearce

The nitrogen contents of seven specimens of iron and steel were determined by the three methods. Good agreement won generally observed between the results of the isotope -dilution and Kjeldahl determinations, tltzts establishing the reliability of the isotope -dilutzon technique. For some specimens, the vacuum-fusion values at 1650 °C were lower than the corresponding Kjeldahl values by up to 0.0015 pct absolute. These differences were eliminated for a specimen of "pure" iron by performing the vacuum-fusion analyses at 2100 ° to 2240 °C. The reason for this relatively high temperature required m the vaczium-fusion analyses is discussed. ThE determination of nitrogen in iron and steel has been the subject of numerous investigations and a concise review of the extensive literature in this field has recently appeared.' Two methods of analysis are most commonly employed, the vacuum -fusion and the chemical or Kjeldahl method. Except in special cases where the presence of certain alloying elements may present difficulties, both methods are generally regarded as applicable, although the vacuum-fusion method is more sensitive and is often preferred for samples of very low-nitrogen content. The method of isotope dilution, first employed for the determination of gases in metals by Kirshenbaum and Grosse,2 has recently been applied to the determination of nitrogen in iron and steel.3,4 The method is attractive in that it does not require the quantitative extraction of gas from the metal specimen. Staley and Svec3 modified the standard Kjeldahlpro-cedure by introducing, along with the steel sample, a measured amount of ammonium sulfate enriched in the isotope 15N. The nitrogen content was obtained by measuring the isotopic ratio 15N/14N in the resultant solution. The technique involved the distillation of nitrogen as ammonia from alkaline solution and subsequent oxidation of NH4+ in the distillate to gaseous nitrogen. The results for iron and steel samples of commercial origin were often in reasonable agreement with values quoted by the suppliers, although occasional marked discrepancies were observed, particularly with the results of vacuum-fusion analyses. Preliminary work in this laboratory4 on the determination of nitrogen by isotope-dilution in the gas phase yielded results for three samples which were significantly higher than the values obtained by vacuum-fusion. The present paper describes an extension of this work to a wider variety of samples. Analytical results by the Kjeldahl method are also reported. EXPERIMENTAL The technique employed for the isotope-dilution determinations was similar to that described elsewhere.4 Several minor modifications were made to the apparatus. These included the use of molybdenum instead of platinum-rhodium suspending wires when crucibles were degassed at temperatures above 1600°C. The circulatory system used previously for converting CO to CO2 was replaced by a single chamber, the walls of which were cooled directly in liquid nitrogen. Temperatures were measured with an optical pyrometer which had been recently calibrated and, as in the previous study, were minimum values obtained by sighting on the center bottom of the crucible. Temperatures obtained by sighting on the interior walls were always higher by 100' to 130°C with the design of crucible employed. Flat-bottomed crucibles exhibited an even larger temperature difference. To check the efficiency with which crucibles were degassed in the isotope-dilution apparatus, several experiments were done in the vacuum-fusion apparatus, suitably modified4 for isotope-dilution studies. Faster pumping speeds and higher degassing temperatures were possible, the latter due to the use of a generator with a higher power output (10 Kva at 398 kc per sec). In these experiments the combustion of CO was omitted and a correction4 was made for the contribution of CO to the ion current at m/e 28, used in determining the isotopic ratio R = l5NP4N. This correction did not seriously influence the re-

Jan 1, 1962

By K. E. Brown, A. R. Hagedorn

A 1,500-ft experimental well was used to study the pressure gradients occurring during continuous, vertical, two-phase flow through 1-in., 1 1/4-in. and 1 1/3-in. nominal size tubing. The test well was equipped with two gas-lijt valves and four Mathak electronic pressure transmitters as well as with instruments to measure the liquid production rate, air injection rate, temperatures and surface pressures. Tests were conducted for widely varying liquid flow, rates, gas-liquid ratios and liquid viscosities. From these data, an accucrate pressure-depth traverse was construcred for each test in each of the three tubing sizes. From the results of these tests, correlations have beer] developed which allow the accurate prediction of flowing pressure gradients for a wide variety of tubing sizes, flow conditions, and liquid properties. Also. the correlations and equations which are developed satisfy the necessary condition that they reduce to the relationships approprate to single-phase flow when the flow rate of either the gas or the liqutid phase becomes zero. All the correlations involve only dimensionless groups. which is a condition usually Sought for in similarity analysis but not always achieved. The correlations developed in this study have been used to calculate pressure gradients for pipes of larger diameter than those upon which the correlations are based. Comparisons of these calcuclaed gradients with experimetally determined gradients for the same flow conditions obtained from the literature indicate that extrapolation to these larger pipe sizes is possible with a degree of accuracy sufficient for engineering calculations. The extent of this extrapolation can only he determined with additional data from larger pipe diameters. INTRODUCTION The accurate prediction of the pressure drop expected to occur during the multiphase flow of fluids in the flow string of a well is a wideiy recognized problem in the petroleum industry. The problem has been brought even more into prominence with the advent of tubingless or slim-hole completions which use small-diameter tubing. Many of the correlations which give reasonably accurale results in the lager tubing sizes are greatly in error when applied to small-diameter conduits. Small-diameter conduits are defined as 1 1/2-in. nominal size tubing or smaller. The study of the pressure gradients which occur during multiphase flow of fluids in pipes is exceedingly complex because of the large number of variables involved. Further difficulties relate to the possibility of numerous flow regimes of widely varying geometry and mechanism and the instabilities of the fluid interfaces involved. Consequently, a solution to the problem by the approach normally used in classical fluid dynamics based on the formulation and solution of the Navier-Stokes equation has not been forthcoming. This is primarily the result of the nonlincarities involved and the difficulty of adequately describing the boundary conditions. As a result of the foregoing, most investigators have chosen semi-empirical or purely empirical approaches in an efford to obtain a practical solution to the problem. Much of the previous work in this area was done in short-tube models in the laboratory. A number of problems arise, however, when attempts are made to extrapolate these laboratory results to oilfield conditions where a much longer tube is encountered. In those few studies where data taken in long tubes were utilized, the data covered only a limited range of the variables, and as a result inaccuracies are introduced when the correlations are extended outside the range of the original data. Also, as a consequence of the limited amount of data available for these studies, the effects of several important variables were overlooked. The problem of predicting the pressure drop which occurs in multiphase flow differs from that of single-phase flow in that another source of pressure loss is introduced, namely, those pressure losses arising from slippage between the phases. This slippage is a result of the difference between the integrated average linear velocities of the two phases, which in turn is due to the physical properties of the fluids involved. In contrast to single-phase flow. the pressure losses in multiphase flow do not always increase with a decrease in the size of the conduit or an increase in production rate. This is attributed to the presence of the gas phase which tends to slip by the liquid phase without actually contributing to its lift. Many investigators have attempted to correlate both the slippage losses and the friction losses by means of a single energy-loss factor analogous to the one used in the single-phase flow problem. In an approach of this type, hourever, many of the important variables, such as

Jan 1, 1966

By O. D. Gonzalez

Existing measurements for the steady-state permeation of hydrogen in a iron above 100°C have been examined for contribution of determinate errors. The analysis leads to a recommended equation for the permeability of hydrogen in a iron: o= (2.9 ±0.5) x 10-3 exp - (8400 ± 400)/RT cu cm (ntp H2) cm-1 sec-1 atm-1/2 THE permeability of a iron to hydrogen has been the subject of numerous investigations over the past 40 years, and at present there are thirteen sets of published results for the rate of steady-state permeation of hydrogen in a iron above 100°C. The numerical values in each set of results are entirely self-consis-tent, but the spread among the sets is too large to be attributed solely to experimental error, i.e., to error other than in the specimen itself. Several reasons have been advanced to explain the disparities, but to date the relative importance of experimental inaccuracy to the spread remains uncertain. The purpose of this report is to examine in detail the sources of determinate errors inherent in the experiments and to assess as far as possible the contribution of the errors to the results. The ultimate goal is the selection of values for the permeability and heat of permeation most nearly representative of hydrogen in a iron. The analysis is limited to those experiments in which the permeation rate was observed at steady state—a condition in which traps for hydrogen within the metal are filled to a fixed level15 so that the trapping mechanism is not reflected in the rate of passage of the gas. Furthermore only data are examined in which surface processes are judged to have little or no influence on the flow. It is hoped with these restrictions to obtain values of the permeability and the heat of permeation which will be as closely related as possible to the mechanism of lattice diffusion. I) DEFINITION OF TERMS; UNITS In this report the data for permeation are given in terms of a coefficient oj permeability, ?, which is defined by the equation: jt=?A/?x{p1/2-po1/2) [1] where jt is the total flow of gas normal to the surface of a membrane of planar geometry, e.g., a disc, of area A and thickness ?x; pi and po are the pressures in the input and output sides, respectively. For flow radial to the walls of a membrane of cylindrical geometry, e.g., a tube, the corresponding equation is: where 1 is the length of the cylinder, and ri and ro are the inner and outer radii, respectively. The flux normal to the surface is given by Fick's law: j= -D(dc/dx) [3] At steady state the concentration gradient will be constant, and integration of Eq. [3] gives for the total flow through a disc of area A and thickness Ax: h =-DA(co - ci) [4] where c, and ci are the concentrations of solute at the output and input surfaces, respectively. When surface control is absent, co and ci are given by Sievert's law c = Kp1/2, and substitution therewith into Eq. [4] gives directly Eq. [I] where ? = DK. Integration of Fick's Eq. [3] in cylindrical coordinates will give Eq. [2] where again ? = DK and is thus shown to be independent of geometry (provided that surface control is negligible). The coefficient of permeability, or simply the permeability,* must be expressed in proper units. In *The term permeability will refer in this report always to the coefficient defined above; permeation will be used to specify the general phenomenon of gas passage through a membrane. this report ? will be expressed in the units of cu cm (ntp H2) cm-1 sec-1 atm-1/2. The variations of D and K with temperature are given by D = Do exp(-Ea/RT) and K = KO exp(-?Hs/RT) where E, is the activation energy for diffusion and AH, the heat of solution, each usually expressed in calories per mole of solute. The variation of permeability with temperature will thus be given (for conditions where surface control is negligible) by ? = ?o exp(-?Hp/RT) where ?0 = DoKo and ?Hp = Ea + ?Hs. The units of ?0 are the same as those of 6, and??Hp will be expressed in calories per mole H. 11) SUMMARY OF PERMEABILITY RESULTS Table I gives the values reported to date for the permeability of H2 in a iron in terms of ?o and ?Hp. Except where noted the parameters listed were taken directly from the numbers reported by the various investigators with only a change in units. The temperature limits within which the listed ?o and ?Hp hold are given in column 7; the limits marked in parentheses in this column indicate the entire temperature range covered in each investigation. The listed values of ?o and ?Hp are those giving a linear plot of ln? against T-1 at the higher temperatures in each set of measurements, and thus presumably represent the case for which surface control was negligible. Column 6 gives values of 9 at a representative tem-

Jan 1, 1970

By H. B. Charmbury, D. R. Mitchell

Everyone in the coal industry from top management to the preparation engineer is vitally interterested in recovering as much salable coal as possible from the run-of-mine product. Coal losses from a preparation plant occur in the solid refuse material being discharged from the plant and in the bleed-off slurry from the water circuit. The refuse is generally hauled from the plant in solid form by trucks, conveyors, or aerial trams to the refuse or culm banks or it may be crushed and transported by hydraulic methods to refuse ponds or dams. The loss of coal in refuse material and the extent of this problem has been covered in another paver.' The loss of salable coal in the plant bleed-off slurry is one of the water circuit problems in coal preparation plants. Slurries originate at various places in the processing circuits and are usually disposed of by transportation to waste ponds known as slurry ponds. Even though the combustible material discharged as slurry and refuse from the plant is labeled a loss, the loss must only be considered temporary. There is a tendency at the present time to examine refuse and slurry losses and to reprocess these materials to recover valuable coal. Slurries from eight bituminous coal preparation plants in central and western Pennsylvania have been sampled and examined to determine the amount of recoverable coal in each. Examinations of the samples were made to determine the tons per hour of solids and the gallons per minute of water in the slurry; the size, ash, and sulfur analyses of the solids; and the sink-float characteristics of the larger solids. The extreme fines (—325 mesh material) from one of the samples has been examined further to determine the micron size fractions as well as the ash and sulfur content of the micron sizes. Collection of the Samples: Field trips were made to each of the plants where samples were obtained and discussions held with the preparation engineer prior to sampling. The flowsheet of the plant operation was studied and a time-period selected to obtain a representative sample. At least 20 1-gal samples of total plant bleed-off suspensions were collected at each plant in increments over designated periods belived to be typical of the plant flow Three of the samples were obtained from plants in the Pittsburgh area. Each plant supplied information on the capacity, operating time, type of cleaning equipment used, water and material balances, and auxiliary equipment. From the time required to collect given amounts of slurry and from the amount of solids in the slurry, total solids discharges from the plant were calculated and compared with the plant flow. Ash and sulfur analyses of the total solids were also checked, at some plants, with company figures. In all cases where checks could be made there was reasonable agreement between company figures and those reported here. Analysis of the Slurries: Representative fractions of properly agitated samples were examined in the laboratory to determine the specific gravities of the slurries. The solids and water were separated by filtration to check the weight of each so that the percent of solids in the pulp could be determined. From the resulting data, presented in Table I, it may be seen that the percent solids in the slurries ranges from 2.8 to 39.0 and the amount of solids from 2.61 to 45.61 tph. Size Analysis of Solids: Representative fractions of the slurries were permitted to settle and the clear water was removed by siphoning. The solids were then wet-screened at 28, 35, 48, 65, 100, 150, 200 and 325 mesh. Results of the size analyses are presented in Table 11. These results indicate the extreme variation of sizes and in most cases the degree of fineness of the solids. The amount of —325 mesh ranges from 22.5 to 84.5 pct and the amount of+200 mesh from 8.3 to 69.1 pct.

Jan 1, 1961

By Mehmet Guney

At the Armatcuk mine in Turkey, various modifications of sublevel methods have been tried during the last decade in an effort to eliminate gob fires, dangers from roof falls, and surface subsidence, and also to increase extraction efficiency. From the experience thus gained, it was decided that the most likely system to give maximum benefits, considering the existing geological conditions and coa1-seam characteristics, was hydraulic stowing. This paper examines trends in the working techniques of hydraulic stowing and discusses the favorable results and technical problems that the method produced at Armutcuk. The Armutcuk mine, a subsidiary of Eregli Coal Mines (EKI), produces 1300 tons of run-of-mine coal daily from thick (about 10-90 ft) and highly dipping (about 50-90°) coal seams. The coal is highly volatile with good coking properties that make it highly suitable for industrial use. Most of this coal is used in the iron and steel industry at Eregli on the Black Sea coast. Complete recovery of the coal is of vital importance to industrial development and progress. Initial coal extraction was carried out by means of a sublevel mining system modified to accommodate local geological conditions and coal seam characteristics. This method is similar to that employed in metalliferous mines. Several problems arose from the application of the method, one of them being the prevalence of gob fires which caused periodic shutdowns in some sections. To achieve maximum coal extraction with minimum dilution, to eliminate gob fires and surface subsidence, and to reduce fatal accident rates, a decision was taken to change from this method to a hydraulic stowing system. The pres- ence of large deposits of conglomerate and sandstone on the surface contributed to the decision to employ this new method. Although hydraulic stowing practices have been carried out in America and Germany, Upper Silesia may, so far as coal is concerned, be considered the birthplace of the method. Here the process was adapted to thick coal seams on a large scale to reduce dangers from gob fires and damage from surface subsidence. Today, the mining system is not only widely used in the coal mines of France, the Saar, India and Poland, but has also been successfully applied to the iron ore and potassium salt mines in Russia and Germany. LOCATION AND HISTORY The Kandilli-Armutcuk coal field, the most western outcrop of the North Anatolian coal basin, extends for five miles along the Black Sea coast (Fig. 1). The Armutcuk Mine is situated on the southern boundary of the coal field about 40 miles from Zonguldak and about 12 miles from Eregli. The history of coal mining in the North Anatolian coal basin goes back more than a century. Mining commenced on a small scale in the Kandilli-Armutcuk coal field in the late 1880's, and from this time until nationalization in 1940 the mines were operated by private Turkish and foreign interests. In 1940, Eregli Coal Mines was established to takeover the management of these enterprises. The Armutcuk Mine was developed for the first time in the mid-1940's. Since then it has been in continuous production and it now produces an annual 440,000-ton run-of-mine output from which 320.000 tons of salable coal is obtained. MINE GEOLOGY The carboniferous inlier of the Kandilli-Armutcuk coal field crops out over an area about three miles long and one mile wide. The major part of the inlier consists of the Namurian formation with only a relatively small area of Westfalian-A visible on the surface (Fig. 2). The Namurian formation, which has no exploitable coal seams in the Armutcuk Mine, consists mostly of arkose sandstones and black shales often having

Jan 1, 1969

By R. L. Schmidt, J. D. Verhoeven

The diffusion coefficients and electrotralzsport mobilities of aluminum, gallium, and arsenic have been determined in molten germanium with the capillary reservoir technique. The diffusion coefficients are slightly higher than those determined by the solidification technique of Brirton et a1.1 It was found that aluminium and gallium migrate to the cathode in molten germanium) whereas arsenic migrates to the anode under an electric field. A possible technique for producing p-n junctions by means of electric field freezing is discussed in view of the experimental data. In the past decade or so the literature has abounded with articles concerning the solid-state properties of the semiconducting elements germanium and silicon. It is surprising by comparison how little has been published concerning the liquid-state properties of these materials. In the production of doped germanium or silicon the diffusion coefficient of the dopant in liquid germanium or silicon is an important quantity. Yet, to the best of our knowledge, no one has ever made a direct measurement of the diffusion coefficient of solutes in either molten germanium or silicon. A number of authors'-4 have determined some diffusion coefficients by the indirect technique developed by Burton et al.1 This technique appears to give numbers of the correct order of magnitude but it does depend upon a number of assumptions in the analysis and also requires prior knowledge of the viscosity of the melt. In the present work a more direct measure of the diffusion coefficients of arsenic, gallium: and aluminum in molten germanium has been made. It has been shown independently by two groups of authors5, 6 that, when an electric current is passed through the interface of a solidifying metal containing an impurity, the resulting electrotransport in the liquid boundary layer at the interface offers a mechanism for control over the redistribution of the impurity accompanying the solidification. These authors show that the degree of control is proportional to the mobility, U of the impurity atoms in the liquid boundary layer, where the mobility is defined as the drift velocity relative to the solvent per unit electric field. In principle the results apply to the solidification of a doped semiconductor and offer an interesting technique for control of the doping of a semiconductor. In the present work the mobilities of aluminum, gallium, and arsenic were determined in molten germanium in order to evaluate the potential usefulness of electro-transport as a technique for solute control when applied to the solidification of doped germanium. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Both the diffusion coefficients and the mobilities were measured using high-purity alumina capillaries and a resistivity technique for analysis. A schematic diagram of the electrotransport apparatus is shown in Fig. 1 and the details of the cell design are shown in Fig. 2. For the mobility experiments electrical contact with the bottom of the capillary was made with graphite, as shown in Fig. 2. In order to prevent electrical contact with the melt the graphite was coated with a thin layer of alumina using a plasma spray torch. The cell assembly, a graphite electrode, and another assembly containing two blank capillaries were fastened to the lavite disk shown in Fig. 1. To make a run the system was evacuated and the doped germanium was outgassed at the operating temperature of 1030°C. The cell and blank capillaries were then submerged beneath the melt and a slightly positive pressure of helium was introduced to fill them. After passing current through the cell for a given time the cell and blank capillaries were raised from the melt and the furnace was shut off. The temperature of the cells dropped below the freezing point of germanium within 1 to 2 min after the furnace was shut off.

Jan 1, 1968

By N. R. Morrow, C. C. Harris

The experimental points which describe capillary pressure curves are determined at apparent equilibria which are observed after bydrodynamic flow has ceased. For most systems, the time required to obtain equalization of pressure throughout the discontinuous part of a phase is prohibitive. To permit experimental points to be described as equilibria, a model of capillary behavior is proposed where mass transfer is restricted to bulk fluid flow. Model capillary pressure curves follow if the path described by such points is independent of the rate at which the saturation was changed to attain a capillary pressure point. Aemodified suction potential technique is used to study cyclic relationships between capillary pressure and moisture content for a porous mass. The time taken to complete an experiment was greatly reduced by using small samples. INTRODUCTION Capillary retention of liquid by porous materials has been investigated in the fields of hydrology,l soil science,2 oil reservoir engineering,3 chemical engineering," soil mechanics,5 textiles: paper making: and building materials In studies of the immiscible displacement of one fluid by another within a porous bed, drainage columnsl and suction potential techniques2 have been used to obtain relationships between pressure deficiency and saturation (Fig. 1). Except where there is no hysteresis of contact angle and the solid is of simple geometry, such as a tube of uniform cross section, there is hysteresis in the relationship between capillary pressure and saturation.2 The relationship which has received most attention is displacement of fluid from an initially saturated bed (Fig. 1, Curve R2), the final condition being an irreducible minimum fluid saturation Swr. Imbibition (Fig. 1, Curve A), further desaturation (Fig. 1, Curve R), and intermediate scanning curves have been studied to a lesser but increasing extent.2 ,3,9-12 This paper first considers the nature of the experimental points tracing the capillary pressure curves with respect to the modes and rates of mass transfer which are operative during the course of measurement. There are clear indications that the experimental points which describe these curves are obtained at apparent equilibria which are observed when viscous fluid flow has ceased; and any further changes in the fluid distribution are the result of much slower mass transfer processes, such as diffusion. Unless stated otherwise, this discussion applies to a stable packing of equal, smooth, hydrophilic spheres supported by a suction plate5 with water as the wetting phase and air as the nonwetting phase. The discussion can also be applied, in many

Jan 1, 1966

By P. K. Leung, S. R. Allada, P. M. Dranchuk, D. Quon

The alternating direction explicit procedure (ADEP) makes use of the boundary conditions to reduce multi-dimensional problems to a series of one-dimensional problems. The method, previously applied to reservoirs containing only an under-saturated oil, has now been extended to cover the case of natural gas reservoirs. l his involves solving a non-linear partial differential equation, application of the procedure is straightforward and no calcuIational problems were encountered. INTRODUCTION There has been a growing interest in formulating mathematical models of petroleum and natural gas reservoirs — models which permit the engineer to examine and evaluate the physical and economic consequences of various alternative production policies. The tremendous reduction in the cost of solving such models in recent years has made possible their use as an almost routine management tool. This reduction is the result not only of improved computer hardware but also of the development of more efficient mathematical techniques. The present paper is concerned with the application of a recently proposed numerical method (ADEP) to two-dimensional gas reservoirs. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Given a two-dimensional Region R, bounded by a closed Curve C (Fig. 1) such that the behavior on Curve C is known, the differential mass balance for each fluid phase in R, neglecting gravitational effects and assuming Darcy's law for fluid transport, can be written as:

Jan 1, 1967

J. E. Stead, Middlesborough, England (communication to the author): Prof. Howe's valuable paper on cast-iron brings forward most prominently the correct explanation of the part played by combined carbon in pearlite and cementite, in determining the strength and hardness of cast-iron. On a previous occasioil I have shown that castings made by melting a white Cleveland iron and glazed iron, one containing 1.5 and the other from 4 to 5 per cent. of silicon, and each about 3 per cent. of carbon, were stronger than those made of ordinary foundry-iron; the difference in the final castings being a differ-

Jan 1, 1902

By C. Crussard, R. Tamhankar

It is the policy of The Metallurgical Society to provide, in the TRANSACTIONS OF THE METALLURGICAL SOCIETY OF AIME, a prompt and accurate medium for publication of reports of significant new research in both the scientific and engineering aspects of metallurgy. Papers submitted to the Society are judged by competent reviewers accord-ing to established criteria for technical merit, accuracy, originality, and presentation. STAFF: Editor, Gerhurd Derge Carnegie Institute of Technology Schenley Park Pittsburgh 13, Pa. Editorial Assistant, M. A. Redmerski Staff Coordinator, James J. Burke THE METALLURGICAL SOCIETY: W. R. Hibbard, Jr., President; J. C. Kinnear, Jr., Past-President; John Chiprnan, Vice President; T. D. Jones, Treasurer; R. W. Shearman, Secretary. PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE METALLURGICAL SOCIETY: A. W. Thornton, Chairman; Dennis Carney, John Chip-man, J. C. Fulton, J. H. Hollomon, H. H. Kellogg, A. E. Lee, R. Maddin, J. D. Sullivan, and D. Swan. Review and selection of manuscripts is under the supervision of the following Publications Committees: Extractive Metallurgy Division: T. B. King, Chairman; S. J. Dickenson, R. P. Hermsdorf, R. Schuhmann, Jr., and P. T. Stroup. Institute of Metals Division: Robert Maddin, Chairman, F. Lincoln Vogel, Jr., Vice-chairman, W. A. Backofen, R. W. Balluffi, J. H. Bechtold, M. B. Bever, R. S. Busk, C. G. Goetzel, Paul Gordon, C. D. Graham, .Jr., Robert F. Hehemonn, R. I. Jaffee, F. E. Jaumot, Jr., Irving R. Kramer, A. J. Lena, Harold Margolin, C. J. McHorgue, Russell A. Meussner, J. B. Newkirk, H. W. Paxton, G. E. Pellissier, I. S. Servi, Alan U. Seybolt, A. J. Shaler, and Jack Washburn. Iron and Steel Division: J. C. Fulton, Chairman; T. B. King, F. C. Langenberg, W. 0. Philbrook, and T. 0. Winkler. Published bimonthly by the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc., 29 West 39th Street, New York 18, N. Y. Telephone: PEnnsylvania 6-9220. Subscription $20 per year for non-AIME members in United States and North, South, and Central America; $25, foreign; $5 for AIME members. Single copies, $4.00, single copies foreign, $5.00. The AIME is not responsible for any statement made or opinion expressed in its publications . . . Copyright 1958 by the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc. . . . Registered cable address, AIME New York ... Indexed in Engineering Index, Industrial Arts Index, and Chemical Abstracts... Second class postage paid at New Yark, N. Y., and Ann Arbor, Mich. Volume 212, Number 6.

Jan 1, 1959

By Robert K. Steunenberg, Irving Johnson, James B. Knighton

The activity coefficient of plutonium in liquid magnesium, over the temperature range 650° to 800°C, was obtained from measurements of the distribution of plutoninm between a 50 mole pct MgC12-30 mole pct NaCl-20 mole pct KC1 molten-salt mixture and liquid Zn-Mg alloys. For dilute solutions (0.08 at. pct Pu) the activity coefficient of plutonium was found to vary from 10.1 at 650°C to 12.2 at 800°C. The activity coefficients of plutonium in dilute liquid solutions of plutonium in uranium, silver, lanthanum. cerium, and calcium were estimated to be. The distribution data indicate a value of about 0.1 at 800°C for the activity coefficient of PuCl3 dissolved in the above ternary salt mixture. LIQUID magnesium and several liquid alloys of magnesium with metals such as zinc and cadmium have been shown to be useful solvents in pyrochemical processes for the recovery of uranium and plutonium from discharged nuclear fuels,' and for the separation of transuranium elements.' The present study was undertaken to determine the activity coefficient of plutonium in liquid Pu-Mg alloys in support of process-development work. The activity coefficient of plutonium in liquid magnesium was determined from experimental data on the distribution of plutonium between a liquid ternary MgC12-NaC1-KC1 salt mixture and various liquid Zn-Mg alloys. The distribution data were used to calculate the ratio of the activity coefficients of plutonium in liquid zinc and in liquid magnesium. The activity coefficient of plutonium in liquid magnesium was then computed from the known activity coefficient of plutonium in liquid zinc. It was not necessary to know the thermodynamic properties of the molten-salt system explicitly. The major features of the Pu-Mg system have been reported by Schonfeld.3 At the temperatures of interest in the present study, i.e., above about 600°C, the phase diagram indicates the existence of a wide liquid-miscibility gap, with the plutonium-rich liquid containing about 8 at. pct Mg and the magnesium-rich liquid containing about 10 at. pct Pu at the intersection with the solidus regions. Additional data on the compositions of the two equilibrium liquid phases obtained in this laboratory4 have defined the miscibility gap up to the consolute temperature (at about 1040°C). EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE AND RESULTS Materials. The 50 mole pct MgC12-30 mole pct NaC1-20 mole pct KC1 salt mixture was prepared by melting the required proportions of reagent-grade NaCl and KC1 with anhydrous MgC12. The molten salt was then purified by contacting it with liquid Cd-30 wt pct Mg alloy (at 450°C) to reduce oxidizing impurities, followed by filtration through a stainless-steel frit (pore size, 65 µ) to remove solid MgO formed during the reduction. The purity specifications of the zinc, magnesium, and plutonium were 99.999, 99.8, and 99.85 pct, respectively. Apparatus. The liquid salt and metal were contained in a tantalum crucible inside a graphite secondary vessel. The crucible assembly was located inside a resistance-heated stainless-steel furnace tube. The furnace tube was closed by means of a stainless-steel cover, which was attached by bolts, with a neoprene O-ring serving as a gas-tight seal. The top of the furnace tube was water-cooled to protect the O-ring. The furnace-tube cover was provided with a tantalum thermowell, a tantalum stirrer, and a port through which sampling tubes could be inserted and materials could be added to the melt without admitting air to the furnace tube. Vacuum and an argon atmosphere were available through a side-arm on the furnace tube. The furnace temperature was regulated by a proportional controller that was actuated by a chromel-alumel thermocouple between the furnace tube and the heating elements of the furnace. The melt temperature was measured by means of a chromel-alumel thermocouple in the tantalum thermowell. The accuracy of temperature measurement was ±3°C. The salt and metal phases were intermixed by a motor-driven tantalum paddle positioned at the liquid interface. The tantalum crucible was provided with four baffles to increase the turbulence. The sampling tubes consisted of 1/4-in.-OD tantalum tubing that terminated in a tantalum frit (Kawecki Chemical Co.; average pore size, 30 µ). Procedure. The zinc, magnesium, plutonium, and salt were charged to the tantalum crucible; then the system was evacuated and filled with argon. The melt was brought to the desired temperature, and agitated for 1 to 2 hr. After allowing the salt and metal to separate, both phases were sampled. Filtered samples were obtained by immersing the end of the sampling tube in the liquid and increasing the argon pressure sufficiently to force the liquid salt or metal through the frit into the tantalum tube. The sample was then partially withdrawn into the cooler portion of the furnace tube and permitted to solidify before being removed. The temperature sequence for sampling at each magnesium concentration was 800°, 700°, 600°, 650°, and 750°C. The composition of the liquid-metal phase was varied by incremental additions of magnesium in a series of experiments at low magnesium

Jan 1, 1967

By M. M. Singh, J. W. Brown

Three rocks of highly varied physical properties are selected for the first reported experimental study concerning microseismic activity of rock under tension to determine the effects of static fatigue, loading rate, repeated loading and rock anistropy compared to compression and bending loads. The microseismic method of detecting rock under deformation may be a great potential tool in surveillance and location in situ of dangerously stressed strata, as well as predicting rock failures. Noises emitted under load or the rate of energy (energy of noise pulses generated per unit time) are computed for varying conditions. The tests are conducted at constant load on a dead weight loading machine to eliminate all possible extraneous noises — an indispensable precaution — at various load levels. Experimental results are reported including the relation of total energy emitted to tensile strength of rock and the possibility of simulating a phenomenological model for microseismic activity. Plots of some of the experiments are included. INTRODUCTION Rock failure, whether on a large scale faulting in the earth's crust and rock bursts in mines, or on small scale ruptures of laboratory test specimens, generates transient vibrations in the rock mass. Mechanisms of intermittent deformation, such as twinning and cracking through and between mineral grains, also produce similar vibrations, but of very small amplitude. Such vibrations from both deformation and failure are referred to as microseismic activity, rock noise, or occasionally seismo-acoustical activity. An individual rock noise is sometimes

Jan 1, 1967

CARL A. WENDELL, New York, N. Y. (written discussion*) .-I have never seen in print anything that even remotely has approached this article in clearness and important conclusions in conjunction with work done on the sink-and-float test. I have had many hundreds of these tests made and on different specific gravity solutions and the resultant product analyzed, but I have never grasped nor been able to show what this article sets forth. This article brings out one factor very clearly to my mind; what is to take the place of the solutions of different specific gravities used to obtain the laboratory results, when it comes to washing on a large scale, since water has one constant weight only? The answer is, sizing of coal. And as we know the importance of size versus specific gravity of the material to be washed, perhaps defined (practical) lines can ultimately be gotten up so that the sizing, if any, may be determined at the same time as the laboratory work on the coal is being done. G. R. DELAMATER, ? Steelton, Pa. (written discussion?).-The authors' deductions are well founded and although they disclaim any wide experience in commercial coal washing, practically all of the data presented are applicable to coals of all parts of this country. The paper clearly sets forth the great necessity of careful preliminary investiga-tion of each contemplated washery undertaking and contains the follow-ing very true statements. "It is not safe to assume that any coal which can he successfully washed on coarse coal jigs can be cleaned more com-pletely by washing at a finer size on tables," and "The effect of finer crushing upon the completeness with which impurities may be separated from coal depends upon two opposing tendencies. First, that the more finely a raw coal is crushed, the more completely will the particles of impurities be detached from the particles of clean coal. Second, the finer a coal is crushed the more difficult it becomes to separate the pieces of clean refuse from the pieces of clean coal."

Jan 12, 1919

By F. Keller, E. H. Dix

The desirable high strength and hardness of the heat-treated strong aluminum alloys result from two distinct structural changes: (1) the formation of a solid, solution by heating at the required temperature for a sufficient period, and the substantial retention of this solid solution by rapidly quenching; (2) precipitation of particles of constituent and coalescence to a critical size to produce maximum strength and hardness. In alloys of the duralumin type, that is, alloys containing both copper and magnesium silicide precipitation takes place at normal atmospheric temperature, whereas in alloys containing copper without magnesium silicide or magnesium silicide without copper, maximum properties are obtained only after an accelerated aging treatment consisting of heating for 15 to 20 hr. at temperatures of about 150" C. The mechanical properties of these alloys subsequent to quenching but prior to aging are ideal for forming operations. Unfortunately, however, the alloys of the duralumin type age very rapidly during the first 24 hr. and aging is substantially complete after four days. For severe forming, such as the heading of rivets, it is desirable that this be accomplished within ½ hr. or at the most 2 hr. after quenching. Alloys containing magnesium silicide without copper also age at normal temperatures but the aging is less rapid and the material can be satisfactorily worked within several weeks after quenching. Some slight aging of alloys containing copper alone also takes place at room temperature but it is unimportant from the standpoint of workability. Any method of retarding the aging at room temperature of the duralumin type of alloys would be of considerable advantage in that the period during which the material could be worked successfully would be lengthened. For instance, in aircraft plants it is customary to supply the workmen with small lots of rivets that should be used within ½ hr . after heat treatment. Such procedure has the obvious disadvantage of being uneconomical, and furthermore there is always the possibility that the workmen would use the rivets after the time limit had expired, or the supply being depleted might use some that had not been heat-

Jan 1, 1931

By Morris Muskat

ALTHOUGH the problem of well spacing is one of the most important involved in the production of oil, it must be considered at the present time as still subject to further development. The published literature on this question is so voluminous that we cannot enter here into a review of it, except to refer to the recent papers by L. L. Foley1 and E. A. Stephen-son,2 where other references are cited. However, a decisive and conclu-sive answer to the problem of well spacing in any general form does not seem to have been developed. And while we shall be unable to present the desired solution in the present paper, it is nevertheless felt that the material to be given here not only provides the physical ground work for the ultimate solution, but shows qualitatively the essential factors that enter the well-spacing problem. Field studies of the well-spacing problem, in which the ultimate recoveries from different fields with different well spacings have been compared, have generally suffered from the lack of knowledge as to the similarity of the inherent characteristics of the producing reservoirs being compared, such as the sand volumes, the sand porosities, the sand permeabilities, the original reservoir pressures, the presence or absence of gas caps, the presence or absence of effective water drives, and the economic limits of production rates at which the various fields were considered to have yielded their ultimate recoveries. Certainly no one who is evaluating originally the economic significance of any oil reservoir would deliberately ignore these phases of the problem. And it is equally certain that no one would reasonably expect the ultimate recoveries from two reservoirs, even with the same well spacing, to be identical regardless of these other factors. More reliable results might be expected from comparisons of the recoveries obtained from different leases with different well spacings, but producing from the same reservoir sand. Unfortunately, however, even conclusions for such studies may be subject to serious errors. The reason simply is that however much one may insist that an operator is entitled only to the oil immediately underneath his surface acreage he will nevertheless drain the surrounding properties as long as his reservoir

Jan 1, 1939

By Morris Muskat

Although the problem of well spacing is one of the most important involved in the production of oil, it must be considered at the present time as still subject to further development. The published literature on this question is so voluminous that we cannot enter here into a review of it, except to refer to the recent papers by L. L. Foleyl and E. A. Stephen-son,2 where other references are cited. However, a decisive and conclusive answer to the problem of well spacing in any general form does not seem to have been developed. And while we shall be unable to present the desired solution in the present paper, it is nevertheless felt that the material to be given here not only provides the physical ground work for the ultimate solution, but shows qualitatively the essential factors that enter the well-spacing problem. Field studies of the well-spacing problem, in which the ultimate recoveries from different fields with different well spacings have been compared, have generally suffered from the lack of knowledge as to the similarity of the inherent characteristics of the producing reservoirs being compared, such as the sand volumes, the sand porosities, the sand permeabilities, the original reservoir pressures, the presence or absence of gas caps, the presence or absence of effective water drives, and the economic limits of production rates at which the various fields were considered to have yielded their ultimate recoveries. Certainly no one who is evaluating originally the economic significance of any oil reservoir would deliberately ignore these phases of the problem. And it is equally certain that no one would reasonably expect the ultimate recoveries from two reservoirs, even with the same well spacing, to be identical regardless of these other factors. More reliable results might be expected from comparisons of the recoveries obtained from different leases with different well spacings, but producing from the same reservoir sand. Unfortunately, however, even conclusions for such studies may be subject to serious errors. The reason simply is that however much one may insist that an operator is entitled only to the oil immediately underneath his surface acreage he will nevertheless drain the surrounding properties as long as his reservoir

Jan 1, 1940

By Morris Muskat

Although the problem of well spacing is one of the most important involved in the production of oil, it must be considered at the present time as still subject to further development. The published literature on this question is so voluminous that we cannot enter here into a review of it, except to refer to the recent papers by L. L. Foleyl and E. A. Stephen-son,2 where other references are cited. However, a decisive and conclusive answer to the problem of well spacing in any general form does not seem to have been developed. And while we shall be unable to present the desired solution in the present paper, it is nevertheless felt that the material to be given here not only provides the physical ground work for the ultimate solution, but shows qualitatively the essential factors that enter the well-spacing problem. Field studies of the well-spacing problem, in which the ultimate recoveries from different fields with different well spacings have been compared, have generally suffered from the lack of knowledge as to the similarity of the inherent characteristics of the producing reservoirs being compared, such as the sand volumes, the sand porosities, the sand permeabilities, the original reservoir pressures, the presence or absence of gas caps, the presence or absence of effective water drives, and the economic limits of production rates at which the various fields were considered to have yielded their ultimate recoveries. Certainly no one who is evaluating originally the economic significance of any oil reservoir would deliberately ignore these phases of the problem. And it is equally certain that no one would reasonably expect the ultimate recoveries from two reservoirs, even with the same well spacing, to be identical regardless of these other factors. More reliable results might be expected from comparisons of the recoveries obtained from different leases with different well spacings, but producing from the same reservoir sand. Unfortunately, however, even conclusions for such studies may be subject to serious errors. The reason simply is that however much one may insist that an operator is entitled only to the oil immediately underneath his surface acreage he will nevertheless drain the surrounding properties as long as his reservoir

Jan 1, 1940

By W. G. Matteson

The origin of the salt domes of the Gulf coastal plain has been investigated by many of the most able geologists, but the problem cannot be said to have been satisfactorily solved. Since 1860, numerous theories have been presented, only to be discarded, at least in part, as more complete infomation revealed their fundamental weakness. Real progress toward solution dates from 1902, when Hill1 advanced the theory of secondary deposition of the domal materials from saturated solutions of hot saline waters ascending from great depths under hydrostatic head along structural lines of weakness. Shortly thereafter, Harris,² using Hill's hypothesis as a basis, explained the doming and pronounced uplift associated with these salt cores as the result of forces exerted by growing salt crystals. This was a marked advance over the ideas of Coste3 and Hager,4 since no evidence of igneous intrusives, as they assumed to explain the uplifts, had been found associated with the domes. Harris5 developed his theory until it offered such apparently plausible explanations of so many details of dome phenomena that his hypothesis and conclusions received widespread acceptance, despite some serious objections, and today his theory, somewhat modified, is considered by many able investigators to be the best explanation of the origin of these domes. The immense production of oil per acre, the recognition of the high lubricating quality of the oil, the development and recognition of the efficiency and advantages of oil-burning vessels, with the subsequent exceptional demand for fuel oil, and the resultant advance in the price of coastal crude, have been responsible for a prospecting and develop- 1 Robert T. Hill: Beaumont Oil Field with Notes on Other Oil Fields of the Texas Region. Jnl. Franklin Inst. (1902) 164, 143. 2Gilbert D. Harris: Rock Salt in Louisiana. Louisiana Geol. Survey Bull. 7 (1907) 76. ³E. Coste: Volcanic Origin of Natural Gas and Petroleum. Jnl. Canadian Min. Inst. (1903) 6, 73. 4Lee Hager: Mounds of the Southern Oil Fields. Eng. & Min. Jnl. (July 28, 1904) 78,137, 180. 6Gilbert D. Harris: Geologicel Occurrence of Rock Salt in Louisiana and East Texas. Econ. Geol. (1909) 4, 12.

Jan 1, 1921