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By C. E. Birchenall, W. Batz, H. W. Mean

AT temperatures between 1095' and 1347ºC, 13 runs have been made on the diffusion of silicon in iron. In two of the runs the couple compositions were entirely within the loop of the Fe-Si system; the base alloys contained 0.0 and 1.0 wt pct Si. The other runs in which the couples consisted of a 2.3 wt pct Si alloy welded to a 3.7 pct Si alloy were a phase throughout. The alloys were made by melting electrolytic iron and commercially pure silicon. Trace impurities were not determined. The butt welded couples were diffused in an inert atmosphere of argon or hydrogen. After cooling, cuts of two mils or greater thickness were machined parallel to the weld interface. The chips were analyzed for silicon. When the concentration and distance data were examined on the conventional probability plot,' no marked variation of the diffusion coefficient with concentration was indicated over the narrow composition ranges employed. Therefore, a single diffusion coefficient is recorded for each run in Table I. The temperatures and atmospheres of the diffusion anneal are listed along with the compositions of the base alloys. For a iron the silicon diffusion coefficient is given by the equation: D = 0.44 e-48,000/RT where R is the gas Constant and T, the absolute temperature. However, since the scatter in the data is fairly large, the activation energy may be in error by as much as 6000 cal per g-atom. The two ? iron points do not permit estimation of the activation energy with any reasonable certainty. They do indicate that the coefficients reported by Smithells2 and Jost,3 based on the work of Fry,4 are much too high. Although very dilute solutions in iron of manganese,5 nickel,8 cobalt,7 and molybdenum8 give dif- fusion coefficients quite close to those obtained for self-diffusion in iron, the silicon values are considerably higher, though of the same order of magnitude. This seems to be consistent with the fact that the silicon atom is the only one of those listed here which is appreciably smaller than iron. The authors are grateful to the Office of Naval Research for their support of this work under Contract N6ori-47, Task order IV, Project NR 031-184, to J. K. Stanley and the Westinghouse Research Laboratories for the silicon alloys used, to several steel companies for the silicon analyses, and to C. Wells, of the Metals Research Laboratory, Carnegie Institute of Technology, for numerous suggestions during the course of the work. References 'C. Wells: Atom Movements (1951) Chapter 2. A.S.M. 2C. J. Smithells: Metals Reference Book (1949) p. 405. Interscience. Pub. Co. 3W. Jost: Diffusion (1952) p. 223. Academic Press. 4 A. Fry: Stahl und Eisen (1923) 43, p. 1039. T. Wells and R. F. Mehl: Trans. AIME (1941) 145, p. 315. "C. Wells and R. F. Mehl: Trans. AIME (1941) 145, p. 329. 7M. F. Hawkes and R. F. Mehl: Trans. AIME (1947) 172, p. 467; Metals Technology (August 1947). .J. L. Ham: Trans. A.S.M. (1945) 35, p. 331.

Jan 1, 1953

By Lyle L. Marsh, David L. Douglas

CORRELATION was made between the heat treatment and hardness of three U-Ti alloys ranging in composition from 8.5 to 50 atomic pct Ti. The following important observations were made: 1) A direct quench of y U-Ti solid solution resulted in the formation of a hard martensitic phase in low-titanium alloys. 2) Subsequent tempering initially increased the hardness by the precipitation of a fine dispersion of U2Ti; further precipitation of U2Ti with tempering time eventually resulted in softening. 3) High-hardness levels were obtained also by isothermal transformation of an 8.5 atomic pct Ti alloy at 400º and 500°C. 4) The crystal structure of the phases present at the solution-treating temperature (one region in the phase diagram excepted) and the temperature within a given phase region affected the hardness of both quenched and isothermally transformed alloys. Introduction It has been known since 1887 that the mechanical properties of metals were dependent upon their microstructure. Sorby pointed out in that year that annealed gray iron castings were softer than chilled iron castings by virtue of the graphite which had replaced hard cementite in the microstructure. Over the years, interest has increased in the effect of microstructure on the mechanical properties of metals, and now high-strength levels may be achieved by bringing about the dispersion of a second phase or by other microstructural adjustments. The nature of a second phase in an alloy strongly influences the properties. For example, the size, shape, amount, and distribution of a second phase plays a very important role in the ultimate properties of an alloy. Microstructural control is achieved by heat treatments. Hence, any alloy system of potential use should be understood in terms of its response to heat treatment and the resultant effects upon the properties.

Jan 1, 1958

By H. E. Cline

Solidification of Pb-Sn alloys ranging in composition from 1.2 to 56 at. pct Pb ws observed with polarized light. Lamellar structures were observed over a larger range of compositions in alloys containing excess tin than excess lead, as expected from constitutional supercooling. The occurrence of pools of supercooled liquid surrounded by lead is explained by the difficulty in nucleating tin. Cells and dendrites weve observed in tin-rich alloys. Evidence was found that the degenerate structure formed at low growth rates, the formation of faults, and abrupt changes in composition and structure can be attributed to non-steady-state growth. The apparent interface shape was observed to have deep grooves at the interphase boundaries. HUNT and Jackson have observed the shape of the interface during growth of organic eutectics. They observed the formation of lamellar faults and shape instabilities upon changes in growth rate. The lamellar structure in these organic eutectics was not restricted to the eutectic composition. Recent work by Mollard and Flemings2 indicated that Pb-Sn alloys from 12 to 26 at. pct Pb could be solidified with a lamellar or rodlike structure if a sufficiently steep temperature gradient was used at a slow growth rate. Observations of the solid liquid interface of the Pb-Sn eutectic were made by Davies3 using polarized light. Photographs were at too low a magnification to determine the interface shape, but he has concluded that tin was the leading phase. In the following experiments, solidification of a range of Pb-Sn alloys from 1.2 to 56 at. pct Pb was observed using polarized light, to determine the factors controlling stability of the lamellar structure. EXPERIMENTAL Procedure. One hundred-gram ingots of alloys prepared from 99.999 pct pure Pb and Sn were cast into graphite molds under argon. The compositions of the alloys were 1.2, 6, 12, 26, 36, 46, and 56 at. pct Pb. Two-gram pieces were melted between two cover glass slides which were squeezed into a 1-mm separation. Samples were then observed under polarized light in a hot stage shown in Fig. 1. A long working distance objective designed for viewing at 500 times was used. Photography was made difficult by the lack of illumination and contrast at these high magnifications. By using an elliptical polarization compensator, as suggested by A. Holik, the contrast and illumination could be optimized. Photographs could be taken only at slow growth rates to avoid excessive interface motion during the 15-sec exposure used. The solidification rate was varied by increasing or decreasing the power to the heater. It was found that insulation was necessary to avoid undesired growth rate fluctuations. The temperature gradient, as measured with two thermocouples 1 cm apart, was 80" ± 20°C per cm during all the experiments reported here. The advantage of this procedure is in being able to observe solidification while it is occurring. However, the observations are restricted to the glass-metal surface and may be influenced by this surface. Also, one has no knowledge of the interior of the sample, in contrast to studies of the freezing of transparent organic eutectics.' Observations. The alloy near the eutectic composition (26 at. pct Pb) solidified in a lamellar structure when the growth rate was uniform. If the growth

Jan 1, 1968

By M. J. Bradley, P. H. Dike

THE art of melting nonferrous metals, in smelting, casting, and in compounding of alloys, is highly dependent on a knowledge of the temperature of the metal. This knowledge may reside in the experience and judgment of the melter, or it may be based on measurement by suitable instruments. It-is our purpose to discuss briefly the instruments available for such measurements, and more at length the present, practice in molten metals, without recommendation. In the limits of time and space allotted, we can do little more than mention the available methods of measurement that are directly applicable in this field. In the 1939 edition of the Metals Handbook, issued by the American Society for Metals, pages 285-310, there is a more extensive discussion of pyrometry than can be attempted here, which should be referred to for details we must omit. For reasons that will appear, thermoelectric pyrometry will constitute the major portion of our discussion of the subject, only limited attention being given to radiation or optical pyrometry. METHODS OF MEASUREMENT THERMOELECTRIC PYROMETRY A thermocouple consists of two dissimilar wires, or a wire inside a tube of a dissimilar material, joined together at one end, which is placed in the region or medium where the temperature is to be measured, while the other ends are connected through suitable lead wires to a voltage-measuring device, which may be a millivoltmeter or a potentiometer. An electromotive force is generated in the circuit, which is proportional to the difference in temperature between the hot junction and the junctions of the lead wires to the measuring instrument. If this latter temperature is maintained constant, the e.m.f. measured varies only with the temperature of the hot junction. Every thermoelectric pyrometer is calibrated for a particular cold-junction temperature such as 0°F., 32°F. or 75°F., but usually it is more practical to compensate instrumentally over the probable range of cold-junction temperatures than to maintain the junction at the particular temperature for which the instrument was calibrated. Thermocouple Materials Only a very few pairs of metals are in frequent use for pyrometric measurements. The most generally used are iron-constantan for temperatures up to 1500°F. in oxidizing and up to 1800°F. in reducing atmospheres and chromel-alumel, which may be used in oxidizing atmospheres at temperatures up to 2400°F. for intermittent service. The accuracy of the latter deteriorates rapidly at temperatures above 2200°F. Platinum vs. platinum-rhodium thermocouples may be used up to a temperature of 3000°F , but they are easily contaminated by slow absorption of

Jan 1, 1946

By Thomas T. Read

AT this time of the year, engineering schools are releasing a group of young men who probably are, on the average, in much the same attitude of mind as a person arriving at the terminal station of a railway journey; namely, of having a general idea of his objective, but having to make a decision as to just where he is going and how best to get there. The man leaving the train can at first follow the crowd, but it soon breaks up, as one goes one way and one another, until he has to choose his own course. The recent graduate may do the equivalent of following the crowd by accepting the first position offered, but this only postpones a decision as to where he is going and how best to get there. So many young engineers ask for advice as to what to do that the following statement has been prepared as an attempt to make a general answer to such queries. The engineer taking his first job should realize two fundamental relations. The first is that in electing to be an engineer he has elected to be a hired man. A consulting engineer has more freedom than a man on a regular pay roll, but he is also a hired man; hired for briefer periods at a relatively high rate, but under the necessity of simultaneously doing his consulting work and developing new retainers. There is nothing derogatory in being a hired man (all doctors, lawyers and clergymen are hired men), but the tardy realization that he is one seems to give many an engineer a mental jolt that can be avoided if he accepts it from the beginning.

Jan 1, 1926

By Arthur L. Walker

In June, 1893, while I was with the Old Dominion Copper Co. at Globe, Ariz., I received an offer to take charge, as manager, of the Baltimore Electric? Refining Co. which had recently built a plant at Baltimore, Md., having a capacity of about 1200 tons of electrolytic copper per month, using the Hayden series system. This was a very large output, for in those days the plants were small and the art was in its infancy. At the beginning of 1893 there were 11 electrolytic refineries in the United States, most of them using the multiple system. The Hayden series system was used at Baltimore and Bridgeport and the Smith series system was in operation at the Electrolytic Copper Co. at Ansonia, COM., and at the Pennsylvania Salt Co. at Philadelphia. In the latter system the plates were placed in a horizontal position, but the operating difficulties were so numerous it was soon discarded. The total production of these 11 plants in 1892 was very small; I have not been able to discover reliable figures of production. There were about thirty electrolytic copper refineries in the world that year, according to Titus Ulke, and the entire production of these

Jan 1, 1932

* Kennecott Copper Corp. gets Charles R. Cox as president on Jan. 1. Mr. Cox is resigning his position as president of Carnegie-Illinois to take the new post with Kennecott, left vacant by the death of Mr. Stannard in September. •The ECA signed a contract in December to advance X3,600,000 to Newmont Mining Corp. to aid development of lead and zinc mines in French Morocco. The funds are to be repaid in lead and zinc for the United States' stockpile over a period of seven years. The mines are owned by the Societe des Mines de Zellidja, with which organization Newmont is associated. • Under the direction of John M. Brooks, Jr., general manager, the Matahambra mine in Cuba, will probably produce sufficient tonnage to make 4 million lb of copper per month during 1950. The grade is presently running between 7 and 10 pet. •S. H. Ash reports that the fatality rate per million-man-hr for the anthracite industry for 1949, through November, is 0.78. This is 15 pct better than that achieved during 1948, which was the lowest fatal injury rate in coal mining history. The first full year on record without a major disaster was recorded in 1949 (p. 34). •The Atomic Energy Commission has authorized the production of 200 lb of uranium metal for use under AEC license in non-Commission research projects. •A national survey of projected 1950 purchases of new machine tools, machine tool accessories, materials handling equipment, etc., just completed by the American Society of Tool Engineers reveals that, of the companies reporting, 80 pct state that they plan to buy either more equipment or the same amount as in 1948. • Armour Research Foundation is conducting investigations for the use of clay and shale deposits to make lightweight aggregates. The material is heated until it expands and forms material suitable for mixing with cement which it is hoped will be lighter, stronger, have better insulating qualities and will lower the cost of concrete. •In the first six months of 1949 the bituminous coal miners' average hourly earnings were $1.94 -as compared with X1.392_ national average for all manufacturing. Average annual earnings of full-time employees in the bituminous coal mines in 1948 were $3387 as compared with $2809 for all industry. •LaSalle Business Bulletin reports: "year ends on a rising trend in industry and trade ... nearly record-breaking demand from almost all sources keeps business high... most indicators but little below postwar peak... forces keeping activity high arestill powerful--changes in general business conditions likely to be slow and moderate." •Office of Internal Trade of the Commerce Department requests that technical data significant to the national security which is to be sent outside of the United States be submitted to it for an official opinion on the desirability of transmitting such information. This voluntary compliance program is part of our national security control. • Blast furnace slag reduced to 12 to 16 mesh is being used for sanding track at the Mont Coal mines of Armco. The slag replaces silica sand which caused silicosis. It has proved so effective and cheap that tests are being made to use the slag for rock dusting.

Jan 1, 1950

By Albert J. Phillips

The effect of impurities on the flowsheet in the smelting and refining circuits for copper, lead and zinc is reviewed and the interflow of by-poduct metals from copper, lead and zinc plants is pointed out. The principal points of separation of all impurities in the circuits are indicated and the additional steps added to these circuits in order to effect impurity separation me shown. In this day and age, when difficult metallurgy is mentioned, one thinks of the extraction of more refractory or possibly the alkaline earth or rare-earth metals. It is true that the extraction of metals having a high affinity for oxygen and deleterious solubility for that element in the liquid metal, affords some of the most difficult extractive metallurgy problems. When this is coupled with an affinity for hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon a devious approach is required that sometimes rivals the complexity of the metallurgy with which this paper deals. However, in all such cases the aim is for a simple

Jan 1, 1962

By AIME AIME

HENRY DAYTON WILDE-"Date," informally- manager- of the technical and research department of the Humble Oil & Refining Co., was born at Aguascalientes, Mexico, Sept. 25, 1900. He is a graduate in chemical engineering: M.S. from the University of Texas and I Sc.D. fro111 the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. t For a year and a half in 1926 and 1927 he was a research : associate in the research laboratory of applied chemistry at M.I.T., under W. K. Lewis. In the latter year Dr. Wilde went with the Humble as head of the laboratory experimental division of its refining development department. In 1929 he was made director of production research. Dr. Wilde is the author of important papers in the TRANSACTIONS of the Institute, wherein are also mans dis-

Jan 1, 1938

By G. B. Gould

EVERY mathematical statement of a measure of anything (as distin-guished from a count) is followed by a qualification always implied if not explicity stated--that the statement is only an estimate, which may vary from absolute accuracy within certain limits, according to the accu-racy of the measuring instrument. This basic fact, so obvious to engineers, is not so well understood by many that make use of laboratory coal tests. The tolerances that must be allowed in measurements of coal quality are very important in both their commercial and engineering applica-tions-and the significance of these tolerances depends upon the use made of the laboratory coal test. Only in recent years has there been any intensive study of this ques-tion of tolerances as applied to measurements of coal quality. There is very little in our published literature on the subject, and what has been published is not, readily comprehended by those who sell coal, or buy coal and use it, unless they happen to have made a study of the subject them-selves. There is great need for more widespread understanding of what has been discovered and how it applies to the use of laboratory coal tests. What follows is an attempt to condense into a few pages the results of the major investigations so far reported, and to explain their meaning in simple nontechnical language, with the addition of some recent illustrative experiments.

Jan 1, 1937

By P. L. Weston, S. E. Khalafalla

A systematic study was made by the Bureau of Mines on the effect of so me hypothesized accelerators for the process of wustite reduction in carbon monoxide. When small concentrations of promoter materials in the order of 0.69 at. pct were added to the reducible charge, the rate of reduction to iron was increased. Promotion phenomenon prediction was made in light of a suyface reduction mechanism with the aid of Vol'kenshtein's effect regarding the propagation of crystal lattice disturbances by small amounts of relatively larger interstitial ions. The acceleration produced by a typical promotor, such as potassiunl, increases with protnoter concentration up to a maximum, beyond which the reduction rate decreases. Concentration for maximum promotion depends on the nature and physicochemical properties of the promoter. The extent of reduction rate enhancement is found to be directly proportional to the atomic volume and electronic charge of the additive. DESPITE the enormous volume of literature on iron oxide reduction, very little is reported concerning additive or impurity effects on this important metallurgical process. The beneficial effect bf calcium compound additions on the reducibility of iron oxide sinters has been reported by Tigerschiold,1 vor dem Esche,2 and Edstrom. Doi and Kasai~ found that the addition of lime or limestone to iron ores helps to break up any unreducible compounds, such as fayalite or ilmen-ite. and thus free the combined iron for reduction. Schenck et al. 5 suggested that the increased reduction rate obtained when adding lime could be accounted for by the instability of wustite in the presence of lime. Acid-base slagging reactions resulted in wustite disproportionation according to The dicalcium ferrite formed will yield iron and calcium oxide during reduction. Regenerated calcium oxide dissociates more wustite. This mechanism has been used by Seths and white7 to explain their experimental results. Recently, Strangway and ROSS' attributed the calcium carbonate acceleration of iron oxide agglomerate reduction to increased porosity, both initial as well as that developed during reduction. Aside from calcium carbonate, or oxide, no other promoter was noted in the literature, except for a brief mention by Barrett and woodg on the effect of sodium carbonate and aluminate as activators for the hydrogen reduction of magnetite at 600°C. The present investigation systematically studied a host of other promoters, including calcium and sodium, in an attempt to elucidate the mechanism by which promotion takes place and to fit the results into a simple chemical model. To attain this goal, the effect of promoter physical properties, such as atomic volume, electronic charge, and concentration are related to wustite reduction kinetics in this paper. Wustite reduction to iron, rather than the overall hematite reduction, was chosen since this reaction is known to be the slowest, and hence the rate-deter mining step for the overall iron oxide reduction process. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Raw Materials and Their Preparation. The pure or impregnated wustite pellets were prepared from minus 400-mesh chemically pure hematite powders. A known weight of hematite was thoroughly and uniformly mixed with a calculated weight of the additive. The mixed paste containing 35 wt pct water was gradually heated from 400" to 1200° C and fired at 1200°C for approximately 4 hr in an air atmosphere. After cooling, the sinter was pulverized to minus 100 mesh and pelletized into minus 4- plus 5-mesh spheres. Pellets were fired, similarly to the paste mix, air-cooled, sized, and stored. An appropriate weight of the charge (20 g) was placed in a zirconia reduction tube maintaining a uniform oxide bed height of 1 cm and a cross section of 7.1 sq cm for all of the test runs. The samples were supported in the vertical reaction tube by a bed of fragmented insulating firebrick plus 3- to 6-mesh alumina beads. The hematite was then transformed to wustite by reduction with a 30 pct CO2-70 pct CO gas mixture at 1000°C in a globar furnace. Complete conversion to wustite was ascertained by a continuous infrared gas analyzer recording the CO-CO2 content of the effluent gas until no carbon monoxide was absorbed from the inlet gas, and inlet-outlet gas analysis remained constant for 30 min. The wustite sample was then reduced with 100 pct CO at 100WC. From the recorded data, an initial rate of reduction was determined by the initial slope of the graph percent reduction vs time. In order to estimate the accuracy of the data, five separate determinations of the reduction curve of pure wustite, under otherwise identical conditions, were performed. The maximum deviation from the average reduction at 14 min amounted to 2 2 pct reduction. This deviation corresponds to 3.8 pct variation based on the percent reduction of the sample. Aiiy impurity effect below the limits of this maximum deviation was considered a spurious result. If the effect exceeded + 4 pct, then it was considered as a positive one. Considerable care was exercised in determining the initial rate from the slope of the initial segments of the curve. Each reduction curve was examined separately on large graph paper and the best tangent to the curve at zero time was drawn. The slope of this tangent was taken as a measure of the initial fractional reduction per minute. Although the time required to reach 50 pct reduction may be of special practical significance, initial rate measurements are invaluable in fundamental studies. These rates provide a measure of the process kinetics on the initial

Jan 1, 1968

By AIME AIME

AT the end of September, ' the metal-producing industries were almost prostrate, the production of fuels was largely curtailed, there was a fair degree of activity in general manufacturing, while retail trade was moderately good. Looking at industry on the whole, there was a large percentage of unemployment, the degree of which has increased, progressively, month by month since the beginning of 1921. There is the prospect of much destitution and misery this winter; yet while' in some, quarters, idle workers are already being fed from, commissaries; in other quarters profligacy; in "spending continues, unabated. Amid this confusion in conditions there is;' much that appears paradoxical, but in fact it is not so and indeed everything is running pretty true to form: Such activity in production as there is to be seen is mainly in textiles; - leather goods, foodstuffs, etc., i.e., consumption goods for immediate use. Even in hard times 105,000,000 people must buy a good deal of clothing and food. Besides this there is indispensable repair work and- maintenances. Thus, the good business of the year in white lead for painting. The chief uses for the metals, however, are in the production of capital goods, and except for occasional and special reasons nobody in his senses is capitalizing anything at present prices for labor. Hence several millions of men are idle. The impoverishment of Europe and the exhaustion of her credits adds to this by curtailing our export trade.

Jan 1, 1921

By W. L. Remick

THE hydrotator coal-cleaning process was developed as an economic necessity to meet the ever-increasing demand for an inexpensive method of cleaning coal down to the sizes ordinarily referred to as "dust." As the most urgent demand seemed to be in the anthracite field, all experimental work has been conducted in that territory during the past 2 years, with the exception of a few months during the strike of 1925-26, when some experiments were performed in the Alabama bituminous fields. The first commercial plant was constructed at the Middle Creek Colliery of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co., Pottsville, Pa. This plant is now operating. APPLICATION The field of application of the process is: 1. Cleaning anthracite fines, ordinarily described as "slush" or "silt." Slush contains all sizes from %2 in. down to and including "dust." (Anthracite passing a 32-in. mesh is also referred to as No. 2 Barley and No. 4 Buckwheat.) 2. Cleaning sizes too fine for recovery by other methods. 3. Removal of coal from sand circulated in the Chance sand-flotation process. 4. Cleaning of bituminous sizes. from 3/8 in. down to "dust. 5. As equipment for the performance of the froth flotation process. 6. Other separating, extraction and _washing. processes which may be considered outside the realm of coal cleaning. PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION Fig. 1 shows the method of classification practised under the Hydrotator patent:1 In coal cleaning the machines are operated as "hindered settling" classifiers, the flow of solids and liquids being so controlled that the units may be combined in series.

Jan 1, 1927

By Eli T. Conner

WITH Thomas G. Fear, chairman of the Coal Di- vision, presiding, the coal miners opened their program Monday morning with a general session at which three papers were presented. The first, "The Classification of Coal for Stationary Steam Generation," was presented by the author, Thomas W. Harris, Jr. In discussion, H. T. Coates inquired if it would not be possible to pick out a geographical coal section, certain seams or a group of mines, which would rank high in a desired feature or features, perhaps giving different -- - local sections or different mines something to designate a rating ("good," "fair," and "poor"). This might be done relative to anti-clinkering, free-burning, ,anti-slagging, smokelessness, friability and grindability. These might be listed or arranged on a map or diagram so that the prospective customer could find a coal that rated particularly high in desired characteristics. C. A. Reed pointed out, in part, that coal producers and sellers have found a bad but necessarily present condition in the country, especially with the smaller user of coal. This is entirely due to the fact that the employer expects his purchasing representative to be a genius and have expert knowledge of everything he buys, coal included, whereas in the larger plants he has and uses expert knowledge from the active organization when necessary. J. B. Morrow said that size rating was important in classifying coal and he emphasized that it was impossible to come to a definite basis on analysis alone.

Jan 1, 1933

By C. O. Tarr, G. V. Smith, R. F. Miller

METALLURGISTS have long recognized that the Fe3C type of carbide is not a stable phase in steel and that, given sufficient time, it will decompose with formation of graphite, at least at temperatures below about 2050°F.1 This slow graphitization has never been of much concern to users of hypoeutectoid steels, for in such steels it occurs only during prolonged exposure at elevated temperature. In 1935, Kinzel and Moore2 reported complete graphitization of the carbide of a 0.1 5 per cent carbon steel that had been in senrice for about 26,000 hr. at a temperature of about 1100° to 1200°F. In discussing this paper, both Mathews and Sauveur reported graphitization of slightly hypereutectoid steels. In an extensive investigation of graphitization of high-purity iron-carbon alloys, Wells1 produced graphite at 7o0°C. (1290°F.) in an alloy containing as little as 0.13 per cent carbon, and showed that graphite may precipitate either directly from austenite or from decomposition of Fe3C, also that the rate of graphitization tends to increase with increase of temperature, at least up to a certain point, and with the presence of graphite nuclei. Jenkins, Mellor and Jenkinson,3 studying the structural changes in carbon steels ranging from 0.17 to 1.14 per cent carbon during stress-rupture tests at elevated temperature, obsenred graphite in an aluminum-killed 0.40 per cent carbon steel after fracture in 4340 hr. under a stress of 17,900 lb. per sq. in. at 840°F. and in many of the steels after stress-rupture test at 1200°F. Unstressed samples of 0.60, 0.86 and 1.14 per cent carbon steels graphitized almost completely in 360 hr. at 1200°F., while samples of 0.90 and 1.10 per cent carbon steels were somewhat graphitized, and steels containing 0.24, 0.40 and 0.57 per cent carbon showed no sign of graphite. Their results indicate that graphite precipitates the more readily the higher the carbon content, though this tendency is influenced to some extent by deoxidation practice, and that graphitization is accelerated by plastic deformation. In a recent study of the graphitization of 0.4 and 0.6 per cent carbon steel strip, made by M. A. Hughes,4 it was found that at 1200°F. graphite appeared after 72 hr. in aluminum-killed but not in silicon-killed steel, and that the rate of graphitization was increased by slow cooling from 1600°F. and by cold-working prior to annealing. In creep tests of normalized o. I 5 per cent carbon steel killed with 2.5 lb. of aluminum per ton, at the U. S. Steel Corporation laboratory at Kearny, spheroidization and some graphitization were found after 3000 hr. at 1000°F. under a stress as low as 15m lb. per sq. inch.

Jan 1, 1944

By G. V. Smith, C. O. Tarr, R. F. Miller

Metallurgists have long recognized that the Fe3C type of carbide is not a stable phase in steel and that, given sufficient time, it will decompose with formation of graphite, at least at temperatures below about 205o°F.l This slow graphitization has never been of much concern to users of hypoeutectoid steels, for in such steels it occurs only during prolonged exposure at elevated temperature. In I935, Kinzel and Moore2 reported complete graphitization of the carbide of a 0. I5 per cent carbon steel that had been in service for about 26,000 hr. at a temperature of about IIOO° to 12oo°F. In discussing this paper, both Mathews and Sauveur reported graphitization of slightly hypereutectoid steels. In an extensive investigation of graphitization of high-purity iron-carbon alloys, Wells1 produced graphite at 7oo°C. (I29o°F.) in an alloy containing as little as 0.13 per cent carbon, and showed that graphite may precipitate either directly from austenite or from decomposition of Fe3C, also that the rate of graphitization tends to increase with increase of temperature, at least up to a certain point, and with the presence of graphite nuclei. Jenkins, Mellor and Jenkinson,3 studying the structural changes in carbon steels ranging from 0.17 to 1.14 per cent carbon during stress-rupture tests at elevated temperature, observed graphite in an aluminum-killed 0.40 per cent carbon steel after fracture in 4340 hr. under a stress of 17,900 lb. per sq. in. at 840°F. and in many of the steels after stress-rupture test at 12oo°F. Unstressed samples of 0.60, 0.86 and I.I4 per cent carbon steels graphitized almost completely in 360 hr. at I200°F., while samples of 0.90 and 1.10 per cent carbon steels were somewhat graphitized, and steels containing 0.24, 0.40 and 0.57 per cent carbon showed no sign of graphite. Their results indicate that graphite precipitates the more readily the higher the carbon content, though this tendency is influenced to some extent by deoxidation practice, and that graphitization is accelerated by plastic deformation. In a recent study of the graphitization of 0.4 and 0.6 per cent carbon steel strip, made by M. A. Hughes,4 it was found that at I2oo°F. graphite appeared after 72 hr. in aluminum-killed but not in silicon-killed steel, and that the rate of graphitization was increased by slow cooling from I6oo°F. and by cold-working prior to annealing. In creep tests of normalized 0.15 per cent carbon steel killed with 2.5 Ib. of aluminum per ton, at the U. S. Steel Corporation laboratory at Kearny, spheroidization and some graphitization were found after 3000 hr. at Iooo°F. under a stress as low as 1500 lb. per sq. inch. .

Jan 1, 1944

By C. O. Tarr, G. V. Smith, R. F. Miller

Metallurgists have long recognized that the Fe3C type of carbide is not a stable phase in steel and that, given sufficient time, it will decompose with formation of graphite, at least at temperatures below about 205o°F.l This slow graphitization has never been of much concern to users of hypoeutectoid steels, for in such steels it occurs only during prolonged exposure at elevated temperature. In I935, Kinzel and Moore2 reported complete graphitization of the carbide of a 0. I5 per cent carbon steel that had been in service for about 26,000 hr. at a temperature of about IIOO° to 12oo°F. In discussing this paper, both Mathews and Sauveur reported graphitization of slightly hypereutectoid steels. In an extensive investigation of graphitization of high-purity iron-carbon alloys, Wells1 produced graphite at 7oo°C. (I29o°F.) in an alloy containing as little as 0.13 per cent carbon, and showed that graphite may precipitate either directly from austenite or from decomposition of Fe3C, also that the rate of graphitization tends to increase with increase of temperature, at least up to a certain point, and with the presence of graphite nuclei. Jenkins, Mellor and Jenkinson,3 studying the structural changes in carbon steels ranging from 0.17 to 1.14 per cent carbon during stress-rupture tests at elevated temperature, observed graphite in an aluminum-killed 0.40 per cent carbon steel after fracture in 4340 hr. under a stress of 17,900 lb. per sq. in. at 840°F. and in many of the steels after stress-rupture test at 12oo°F. Unstressed samples of 0.60, 0.86 and I.I4 per cent carbon steels graphitized almost completely in 360 hr. at I200°F., while samples of 0.90 and 1.10 per cent carbon steels were somewhat graphitized, and steels containing 0.24, 0.40 and 0.57 per cent carbon showed no sign of graphite. Their results indicate that graphite precipitates the more readily the higher the carbon content, though this tendency is influenced to some extent by deoxidation practice, and that graphitization is accelerated by plastic deformation. In a recent study of the graphitization of 0.4 and 0.6 per cent carbon steel strip, made by M. A. Hughes,4 it was found that at I2oo°F. graphite appeared after 72 hr. in aluminum-killed but not in silicon-killed steel, and that the rate of graphitization was increased by slow cooling from I6oo°F. and by cold-working prior to annealing. In creep tests of normalized 0.15 per cent carbon steel killed with 2.5 Ib. of aluminum per ton, at the U. S. Steel Corporation laboratory at Kearny, spheroidization and some graphitization were found after 3000 hr. at Iooo°F. under a stress as low as 1500 lb. per sq. inch. .

Jan 1, 1944

By David B. Reger

Wildcat drilling for new supplies of gas and the expansion of previously discovered oil and gas pools were the principal petroleum activities in West Virginia .during 1942. Much of the new gas exploration is still uncompleted and still indecisive but various wildcats made substantial extensions to existing pools. Out of 53 wildcats drilled 27 resulted in commercial gas and 6 in commercial oil. Four of the oil discoveries also had commercial gas. No strictly new pools of oil or gas can safely be described as discovered but several scattered oil and gas wells previously drilled have been confirmed as the openers of definite pools; also, various completions closed wide gaps between apparent gas pools already discovered. The proved oil territory of the state was increased about 4850 acres and the proved gas territory about 51,000 acres. The new proved oil reserves should about balance withdrawals and the new gas may represent a substantial increase. Aside from the drilling in four rather lively pools, oil activity was slight because of unfavorable operating conditions and prices. Gas drilling also declined for reasons beyond the control of the operators. The account of operations, as gathered from trade journals and other reporting services, shows that 797 new wells were drilled, providing 119 new oil wells with 2762 bbl. of daily new production; 536 new gas wells with 1,228,501,000 CU. ft. of daily open flow: and 142 dry holes. Also... 76 old wells were drilled to deeper sands, with 71 bbl. and 26,034,000 cu, ft. of added production. On the new wells the oil average was 23.21 bbl. per well per day; and the gas average was 2,270,406 CU. ft. per well per day. On new wells the ratio of dry holes to completions was 17.82 per cent. On deeper drilling the ratio of failures was 21.05 per cent. Production of oil for the year was estimated by the Oil ad Gas Journal as 3,492,000 bbl., as compared with 3,378,000 bbl. in 1941. Production of natural gas for the year is estimated by the author as 220,000,000,000 cu. ft., as compared with the U. S. Bureau of Mines final figures of 207,000,000,000 cu. ft.* in 1941. General State op Industry Leasing of wildcat acreage increased considerably. The total land of all classes under lease may now exceed 5,000,000 acres. Taking into consideration completions, abandonments and corrected figures or estimates, Table I shows cumulative and late annual statistics. New Pools and Extensions Table 2 shows the principal areas of drilling activity during 1942. Various consolidations of territory, hitherto treated as separate pools, have been made. in addition to these active pools, extensive drilling was done in numerous other areas where pool boundaries can hardly be defined. Summary or Exploration Table 3 gives a summary of important wildcat or exploratory wells drilled during

Jan 1, 1943

By David B. Reger

Wildcat drilling for new supplies of gas and the expansion of previously discovered oil and gas pools were the principal petroleum activities in West Virginia .during 1942. Much of the new gas exploration is still uncompleted and still indecisive but various wildcats made substantial extensions to existing pools. Out of 53 wildcats drilled 27 resulted in commercial gas and 6 in commercial oil. Four of the oil discoveries also had commercial gas. No strictly new pools of oil or gas can safely be described as discovered but several scattered oil and gas wells previously drilled have been confirmed as the openers of definite pools; also, various completions closed wide gaps between apparent gas pools already discovered. The proved oil territory of the state was increased about 4850 acres and the proved gas territory about 51,000 acres. The new proved oil reserves should about balance withdrawals and the new gas may represent a substantial increase. Aside from the drilling in four rather lively pools, oil activity was slight because of unfavorable operating conditions and prices. Gas drilling also declined for reasons beyond the control of the operators. The account of operations, as gathered from trade journals and other reporting services, shows that 797 new wells were drilled, providing 119 new oil wells with 2762 bbl. of daily new production; 536 new gas wells with 1,228,501,000 CU. ft. of daily open flow: and 142 dry holes. Also... 76 old wells were drilled to deeper sands, with 71 bbl. and 26,034,000 cu, ft. of added production. On the new wells the oil average was 23.21 bbl. per well per day; and the gas average was 2,270,406 CU. ft. per well per day. On new wells the ratio of dry holes to completions was 17.82 per cent. On deeper drilling the ratio of failures was 21.05 per cent. Production of oil for the year was estimated by the Oil ad Gas Journal as 3,492,000 bbl., as compared with 3,378,000 bbl. in 1941. Production of natural gas for the year is estimated by the author as 220,000,000,000 cu. ft., as compared with the U. S. Bureau of Mines final figures of 207,000,000,000 cu. ft.* in 1941. General State op Industry Leasing of wildcat acreage increased considerably. The total land of all classes under lease may now exceed 5,000,000 acres. Taking into consideration completions, abandonments and corrected figures or estimates, Table I shows cumulative and late annual statistics. New Pools and Extensions Table 2 shows the principal areas of drilling activity during 1942. Various consolidations of territory, hitherto treated as separate pools, have been made. in addition to these active pools, extensive drilling was done in numerous other areas where pool boundaries can hardly be defined. Summary or Exploration Table 3 gives a summary of important wildcat or exploratory wells drilled during

Jan 1, 1943

Jan 1, 1916