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By Michael Tenenbaum, C. C. Brown

Numerous investigatiolls have been carried out to determine the total oxygen present in the basic open-hearth bath and the results of these studies have clearly defined the factors controlling the bath oxidation during the period prior to deoxidation. On the other hand, very little is known concerning any changes in total oxygen content that may occur during deoxidation, tapping and teeming. The need for such additional data is continually becoming more apparent, since there is no strict technical basis for selecting any particular deoxidation practice. Many steels are made for the same purposes and to the same chemical analyses by widely differing practices. Apparently, each practice is satisfactory. However, it would be desirable to establish more definitely the effects and relative merits of the individual practices. Such information could be used to give a definite foundation for evaluating various types of deoxidation. In order to approach this problem, a study was made of the changes effected in the total oxygen content of several grades of steel by representative open-hearth deoxidation practices. To carry out such studies, it was necessary that a reliable testing procedure for determining the oxygen content of the steel bath and the ingot mold be established. Before entering on any extensive testing program, consideration was given to the available methods of obtaining steel samples and analyzing for oxygen. Testing Procedures It has been shown5-9 that in solidified steel oxygen may ekist in combination with iron, manganese, silicon, aluminum, titanium, chromium and carbon, depending upon the amount of these elements in the sample. In molten steel, however, there has been no direct distinction of the various oxides. Accordingly, the total active oxygen in the molten steel bath is designated by the symbol 0. During deoxidation, various oxides may be present either in solution in the molten steel or as solid or liquid inclusions. Any sample taken from the molten steel for oxygen analysis will include both the dissolved and the mechanically included oxygen. Similarly, samples of the solid steel product will also include the two forms of Oxygen' Methods of Samplirzg the Molten Steel Bath In order to obtain a true oxygen analysis from liquid steel, this element must be completely retained in the solidified sample. Several methods have been proposed whereby this stabilization can be effected. As early as 1915, Kichlinelo proposed a method for testing molten steel, in which the oxygen combined with some added aluminum. The concentration of the resultant aluminum oxide was determined by chemical analysis. This method was

Jan 1, 1945

By C. D. Hunter, I. B. Browning, N. W. Shiarella

The oil industry in Kentucky during the year 1937 shows some improvement over that of 1936, although not to as marked a degree as 1936 over 1935. Oil in Eastern Kentucky In eastern Kentucky more than 150 new inside wells were completed in the pools of Estill, Powell and Lee Counties. Also, a number of wells were completed to be used as intake wells in repressuring operations. Repressuring is proving more successful in this area than was expected, as the producing formation was the Corniferous limestone. However, when the repressuring work was started, cores taken of this formation showed that the oil in the second and third pays was from a true sand, only the first pay in the top being a sandy lime formation. In the Weir sand fields of Magoffin, Johnson and Lawrence Counties, continued repressuring operations caused an increase in the quantity of oil. These operations and the completion of 20 new wells in the Maxon sand and the Big lime (Mississippian) in Martin and Floyd Counties produced an increase in the oil production from eastern Kentucky of 100,000 bbl. over that of 1936. As an illustration of what may yet be done in the fields of eastern Kentucky, one repressuring operation involving four oil wells and one pressure well produced an increase in production, or an additional recovery of 7200 bbl. of oil during the year. This amounts to a recovery of 2000 per acre for the 3.6 acres involved. In other fields of eastern Kentucky, as in the Corniferous pools of Estill, Powell and Lee Counties, increases in the runs are noted as follows: In the area of the Estill County pool from which the oil passes through the Revena pumping station, the production in 1935 was 88,175 bbl.; in 1936, was 102,849 bbl.; and in 1937 was 107,704 bbl. This pool was

Jan 1, 1938

By George Bain

SOME problems concomitant with commercial exploitation of marble are presented as examples of interesting, useful and profitable fields for application of scientific knowledge. The marble industry is only one such field and is selected because its varying new aspects are familiar to the author. However, what is true for marble is equally so in principle for many industrial minerals. The problems of any stone industry are to maintain markets, create new outlets for stone already in demand, and develop varied uses for varieties that are not so popular. Here the geologist has a different role from most of his colleagues in metal mining. The producing branch may ask about the expectable variation in thickness or size of a deposit as development proceeds. The stock department may call for the available amount of a given type of stone before accepting a large order. The sales force requires data on the use for stone from certain parts of deposits in order to divert grades to the most suitable use. The service depart-ment wants defects rectified and the cause determined to avoid recurrence. The mills want data on durability and cutting quality of abrasives. The geologist occupies no special department; he is on general call, as may be illustrated by a few types of problems that may be classified as: (1) dominantly geological in character, (2) dominantly chemical in character, (3) dominantly physical in character.

Jan 1, 1940

By R. D. Caudle, Yoginder P. Chugh, V. K. Agarwala

Longwall coal mining is a growing mining technique in the United States. However, very little premining exploration data are collected presently by coal companies to 1) select coal winning equipment, 2) select and design face supports and supports in gate and tail entries, or 3) optimize operational parameters such as length, width, and orientation of face. The authors are of the opinion that much of the data needed for mine planning and design for longwall mining can be obtained during exploration. In this paper, the authors identify the data requirements, discuss how these data can be obtained during exploration, propose an exploration program and estimate the cost to obtain the necessary data.

Jan 1, 1982

By William F. Haddon, Phillip J. Maddex

Marco Polo brought the first borax to Europe late in the 13th century. It was especially treasured then for one of its many qualities-that of working with gold as a soldering flux. Georgius Agricola in 1556 gave it the name chrysocolla (which the Moors called borax)-literally, "gold glue." Deposits of borax have been elusive and widely scattered-first found only in Tibet and Italy, and, in 1836, at Iquiqui, Chile. Dr. John Veatch made the first California discovery in 1856 while examining a mineral spring east of Red Bluff. This "Borax Lake" soon supplied 90% of U.S. demand, but flooding and other production problems caused the scene to shift from Borax Lake to Little Borax Lake and then to Nevada in 1871. Early transportation was by "Twenty-Mule Teams."

Jan 1, 1971

By J. Chipman, N. J. Grant, H. L. Bishop

In a recent review1 of the iron-oxide activity of simple open-hearth type slags containing lime, magnesia, silica, and iron oxide, it was established that activity values were lacking in the range of slag composition most interesting to open-hearth operators. That is, laboratory experimental results were not available for simple slag compositions having basicity ratios ranging from about 1.5 to 4.0 and iron-oxide concentrations ranging from about 10 to 30 pct. However, in order to estimate iron-oxide activities for the range of slag compositions of interest to open-hearth operators, activity values were calculated using ionic concepts of slags by following the treatment of Flood and Grjotheim.2 A study of these data indicated that the desired slag compositions were probably not obtained due to the limited solubility of the basic constituents lime and magnesia. Thus, it was decided to make additional heats equilibrating molten carbon-free iron with slags containing MnO, P2O5, and A12O3 in percentages commonly found in open-hearth refining slags, and to examine the liquid slag field over a greater composition range than that of the simple slags studied previously. The ranges of the constituents used in the present study are summarized as follows: Metal Pct 0 0.070-0.201 PctMn 0.005-0.142 Slag Pet CaO 24.45-41.90 Pct MgO 3.23- 9.21 Pct MnO 1.13- 9.62 Pct FeO 20.08-48.7 Pet Fe2o3 2.23-10.14 Pct SiO, 3.51-28.50 Pct P2O5 0.23- 3.65 Pct A12O3 0.43- 3.38 The experimental procedure consisted of equilibrating the slag and metal in an induction furnace provided with a carbon-arc slag heater as described previously by Winkler and chipman.3 The data obtained were used to establish both the iron-oxide activity values and the activity coefficients for FeO and MnO in the open-hearth type slags. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION I) Iron-Oxide Activity of Open-Hearth Type Slags—The iron-oxide activities of various iron-oxide contents of the open-hearth type slags, as calculated from the oxygen content of the metal by the method of Taylor and Chipman, 4 are plotted against the molar ratio of bases to acids in Fig. 1. The data represent slag-metal studies carried out in the temperature range 1530" to 1700°C. For the purpose of this study, the constituents CaO, MgO, and MnO are assumed equal on a molar basis in their effect on the iron-oxide activity; and, PO2,5 is calculated as an equivalent to SiO2 and A12O3 on a molar basis. The total iron content of the slag is calculated to FeO and is represented by the symbol (FeO) The points presented in Fig. 1 represent the results of this investigation for iron-oxide slags containing between 1 and 8 mol pct MnO and less than about 2 mol pct each of A12o3 and PO2,5 The curved lines shown in Fig. 1 represent the results of the summary1 of the iron-oxide activities of simple slags of the system (CaO + MgO) - SiOz - (FeO),. The solid portions of the curved lines represent experimental data, and the broken portions represent iron-oxide activities calculated from ionic concepts of slags. The iron-oxide values of the open-hearth type slags of this study are in good agreement with the values of the simple iron-oxide slag system. Only a slight modification is indicated. The results of this study suggest that the line for 20 mol pct (FeO), should be lowered slightly in the basicity range 1.5 to about 3.

Jan 1, 1959

By Frederic Benard

RECOVERY of selenium and tellurium at Copper Cliff by the Ontario Refining Co. has been previously described by the writer.1 During 1935 a new building was erected to house this operation and description of the new plant and process form the subject of this paper. The building, of modern steel and tile construction, covers an area of 5900 sq. ft. with a volume of approximately 165,000 cu. ft. The large monitored center bay is flanked by two smaller outside bays, one of which is devoted to the tellurium section. All equipment, ceilings and upper walls, are treated with aluminum paint, giving good illumination and facilitating good housekeeping, essential from a health standpoint in handling material of this nature.

Jan 1, 1938

By H. L. Hartman

The drop tester has proved an invaluable tool for the investigation of percussion drilling in the laboratory in "slow motion". It has allowed the process of rock penetration by impact to be studied a single blow at a time. In the present work, the relation of cratering to indexing has been determined under conditions simulating those in the bottom of the hole at atmospheric pressure. Indexed blows form craters which are influenced by others adjacent to them. Two unique effects are involved: (1) the provision of additional free faces in proximity to the point of impact and (2) the creation of subsurface damage by the previous blow(s). Both have a pronounced influence on the volume of rock removed per blow, which governs the rate of penetration in actual drilling. The emphasis in this study was placed on determining effects of index distance and impact energy on crater volume when blows were struck on a previorusly "drilled" or damaged surface, a situation most representative of down-hole conditions. The results indicated that (I) the optimum index distance on a damaged surface is greater than on a fresh, undamaged rock surface; (2) the volume of rock broken at optimum index distance is about the same for both surface conditions with die-shaped chisels but tends to be greater on a cratered surface with wedges; (3) the optimum index distance and maximum crater volume are proportional to the energy level; (4) at a given energy level, the volume of rock broken by dies generally exceeds that by wedges; and (5) maximum crater volume varies, approximately, inversely with width of die but is nearly independent of included angle of wedge. INTRODUCTION This is the third of a series l,2 of papers reporting on one phase of a continuing program of drilling research being conducted in the Rock Mechanics Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State U. The phase under consideration is crater geometry — blow energy relations in percussion drilling. While the previous papers have discussed mainly craters produced by single blows, indexed-blow studies are the subject of this paper. The basic mechanism of drilling under study here — that of penetration of a chisel-shaped bit subjected to impact — is the one employed in probably 90 per cent of all rock drilling in mining, percussion drilling. It also forms the fundamental action in nearly all oil well drilling with the so-called rotary (roller-bit) method. Here, the action is more complex, however, and may in actuality comprise rotary-percussion drilling. Certainly, the down-hole air and mud hammer drills, which superimpose percussion on rotation, belong in this latter category. In any event, impact blows constitute one of the principal mechanisms in the vast majority of drilling, mining or petroleum, and it is essential in drilling research to study percussion in all its basic aspects. Percussion drilling can be simulated in the laboratory by means of an impact drop tester. Striking one blow at a time with chisel-shaped bits, the drop tester permits study of most of the parameters in the drilling process except blow frequency and the interrelationship of certain variables. Single-blow craters, the simplest to produce, allow the determination of basic relationships, such as volume vs blow energy; while indexed craters most closely resemble the action in real drilling and provide data for the establishment of optimum operating criteria. Indexed-blow craters are those which are influenced by others in proximity. The simplest case to visualize, and the one studied in detail here, is that in which a given crater is formed adjacent and parallel to a previous crater, such that the second crater breaks into the first. A more complex situation usually exists downhole, where indexing is achieved by rotation of a radial-winged or rolling-cutter bit. But, admittedly, the phenomenon of indexing is more likely to be understood eventually if it is first studied in its simplest form, that related to parallel craters. Limited research has been conducted on indexed blows. The most complete study was that by Simon, 3,4 who proposed universal indexing curves to relate the important variables. His work, however, was conducted entirely with rows of craters formed on a

By George A. Colligan, John M. Lo

Electrical resistivity as a function of temperature was investigated in undercooled gallium and under-cooled Ga-In alloy of eutectic compositian to examine structural changes in undercooled melts. A continuous linear extension of the resistivity was determined for 99.999 pct pure gallium when undercooled below the stable Ga(l)-liquid, and the metastable Gafl)-liquid equilibria. In icndercooled Ga-In, a significant continuous negative departure from linear resistivity behavior was observed below the eutectic temperature. All resistivity measurements were made by the four-point probe technique. ThE temperature range for investigations into the physical properties of liquids before freezing has been greatly extended with the undercooling of massive melts of pure metals and alloys. Experimental determinations of thermal and transport properties and diffraction patterns in undercooled systems should throw further light on the structural behavior of liquids. Many measurements showing prefreezing anomalies in viscosity1'5 have been regarded677 as evidence for structural groupings in the liquid state. However, the majority of viscosity results,~)~-~~ conforming to the law 17 =A exp(~/RT), do not support theories of atomic aggregation. For the system Cd-Sb, which exhibits a metastable solid phase, Fisher and Phillipsg reported that, in undercooled alloys, the activation energies for viscous flow below the stable liquidus are much higher than those above it. Similarly, Miller et a1." observed a doubling of the activation energies for electrical conductivity in undercooled Cd-ib alloys. These effects were suggested as indicative of atomic association and clustering in the liquids at lower temperatures. With the recent establishment of metastable phases in pure gallium22 and its alloys,23 attempts were made during this investigation to undercool bulk samples and to determine the temperature dependence of electrical resistivitv. Pure gallium, when undercooled below -17°C at atmospheric pressure, can crystallize to either a stable Ga(1) phase (mp, 29.78"C) or a metastable phase identi-

Jan 1, 1967

By A. McLean, D. W. Gomersall, R. G. Ward

An experimental study has been made of the solubility of nitrogen in liquid iron and liquid Fe-C alloys using levitation melting and a rapid quenching device. Iron alloy droplets were equilibrated with nitrogen gas at 1 atm pressure, quenched, and analyzed. Previous techniques for studying the Fe-C-N system have produced data which me in marked disagreement. This disagreement is due largely to errors caused by reaction between the molten alloy and the crucible material. With the levitation procedure, errors from this source have been eliminated and precise solubility data obtained for temperatures between 1450° and 1750°C. C-N interactions in molten iron have been expressed in terms of first- and second-order free energy, enthalpy, and entropy parameters. ALTHOUGH the solubility of nitrogen in iron base alloys is in general small, the effects of nitrogen on the properties of steel may be quite profound. For most purposes nitrogen in finished steels is undesirable, particularly in the low-carbon grades, since on cooling to room temperature the solubility limit of nitrogen in the steel may be exceeded and this can lead to embrittlement and loss of ductility on aging. On the other hand, nitrogen can improve the work-hardening properties and machinability of steels while in certain stainless grades nitrogen is important in order to stabilize the austenite phase. It is, therefore, desirable that one should be able to predict the solubility of nitrogen in liquid iron alloys. To do this, information is required concerning the interactions between nitrogen and the various alloying elements which may be present in liquid iron. There have been several investigations of these effects in recent years1"7 and the interactions between nitrogen and many elements dissolved in liquid iron are now known to a high degree of precision at steel-making temperatures. Unfortunately, a number of iron alloy systems which are of interest in steelmaking have been difficult to deal with by the experimental techniques generally used for this type of investigation. Among the most important of these are the Fe-C alloys. In the past, two methods have been widely used for determining nitrogen solubilities: the Sieverts' technique, in which the amount of nitrogen required to saturate a given mass of liquid metal at a particular temperature and pressure is measured volumetrically, and the sampled-bath technique in which liquid metal held in a crucible is equilibrated with a gas phase containing a known partial pressure of nitrogen, and samples drawn from the melt are quenched and analyzed. These two methods have been discussed in detail elsewhere.5,8 With the Sieverts' technique, errors may be introduced from the following sources: i) Gas adsorption on metal films which have condensed on the cooler parts of the reaction chamber. ii) Uncertainty in the determination of "hot volume" calibrations. iii) Crucible-melt interaction, particularly if a gaseous reaction product is formed or if the melt becomes contaminated with material from the crucible walls. The sampled-bath method may also suffer from errors due to reaction between the melt and the crucible material. In addition, there is the possibility that gas may be lost from the sample during solidification and cooling. In the present investigation, the solubility of nitrogen in liquid iron alloys has been studied by means of a new technique based on the use of levitation melting equipment and a rapid quenching device. In addition to the fact that problems of the type outlined above are avoided, this particular approach has the following advantages: i) The high-frequency current induces vigorous stirring within the levitated droplet so that gas-metal equilibration is rapidly attained. ii) The gas phase surrounding the melt can be changed very quickly and is easily controlled. For example, a droplet may be levitated in helium, deoxidized in hydrogen, equilibrated with nitrogen, and quenched, within a period of 15 min. ii) Melts can be readily under cooled or superheated, thus extending the effective temperature range of an investigation and allowing temperature-dependent data to be determined with a high degree of precision. Excellent reviews of levitation melting techniques and their application to physical-chemistry studies at high temperature have been published recently by Jenkins et al.,9 Peifer,10 and Rostron.11 In the present investigation a levitation melting technique has been used to obtain data for the solubility of nitrogen in pure liquid iron and liquid Fe-C alloys at temperatures between 1450° and 1750°C. The solution of nitrogen in liquid iron can be described by the reaction:

Jan 1, 1969

By ED. E. Furman, R. H. Atkinson

HITHERTO the practical creep testing of precious metals has received little or no attention. The only previous creep tests of precious metals have been made with wires under conditions such as to yield much more rapid rates of creep than in engineering tests.', ' Up to the present time the value of creep bars of adequate size, in the absence of real need for engineering data, has deterred investigators. However, the increasing use of platinum at high temperatures has demonstrated the need for reliable creep data for the guidance of engineers, especially those engaged in designing certain specialized chemical plant equipment. In order to supply this need, creep tests were conducted at 1382°F (750°C) on 0.290 in. diam specimens of platinum, 90 pct Pt, 10 pct Rh and palladium. The platinum was high purity, nominally 99.95 pct Pt. The 90 pct Pt, 10 pct Rh was of the same high quality as is used for making gauzes for the catalytic oxidation of ammonia. The palladium was also of high purity; two batches of palladium bars were tested, one deoxidized with calcium boride and the other with aluminum. Spectrographic examination of the palladium confirmed its good quality; the only significant impurities apart from the residual deoxidizers were traces of silicon and lead. Procedure The creep bars, which were furnished by Baker and Co. to our specification, were 6 ¾ in. in overall length with a 4½ in. (4 in. gage length) reduced section 0.290 in. in diam and had the ends threaded (?-NC16). It may be of interest that the bars were valued at up to $600 each. The specimens were supplied in a 50 pct cold-worked condition to facilitate attachment of the creep extensometer, which was of the push rod type. Because of the softness of the platinum and palladium, the extensometer rings were secured to the test section by means of circular knife edges instead of the usual pointed set screws. The extensometer rods extended through the bottom of the furnace and readings were taken with a 0.0001 in. "Last Word" dial gage fastened to the rods for the duration of the test. The bars were directly loaded by hanging weights from the lower specimen grip. All tests were conducted at 1382°F ± 2°F, and an effort was made to maintain the temperature gradient over the test section within 2°F. The ends of the furnace tube were packed with asbestos wool, which allowed a very slow circulation of air through the tube. Annealing was accomplished in the creep furnace before the load was applied. The platinum and palladium specimens were annealed at the test tem- perature for about 17 and 24 hr respectively; in the case of the rhodioplatinum it was found expedient to anneal for 1 hr at 1922°F (1050°C). Pilot samples cut from the same stock as the bars were used to check annealing procedures. Pertinent measurements of grain size and hardness were recorded. Results and Discussion The creep data obtained are given in Table I and the creep curves are plotted in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Two platinum specimens, tested under a stress of 250 psi, had almost identical creep rates at 2000 hr, namely 0.000008 and 0.000009 pct per hr. A third platinum specimen, stressed at 400 psi, had a creep rate at 2000 hr of 0.000026 pct per hr; the reason for a rather sharp decrease in creep rate during the period from 1200 to 1600 hr is unknown. As it was thought that 90 pct Pt, 10 pct Rh would have a lower creep rate than platinum, the first sample was tested at 400 psi; however, the creep rate was approximately 50 pct greater. Microex-amination revealed that differences in grain size might be responsible for the unexpected result, as annealing at 1382°F developed an average grain diameter of 0.0021 in. in the rhodioplatinum specimen compared with 0.004 in. in the platinum bar. Annealing the alloy for 1 hr at 1922°F (1050°C) increased the average grain diameter to 0.0032 in. and materially improved the creep resistance, making it much better than platinum. A second specimen annealed at 1922°F (1050°C) and tested under a stress of 550 psi had a creep rate of 0.000022 pct per hr at 2000 hr, which was still substantially lower than that shown by the specimen annealed at 1382°F (750°C) and stressed at only 400 psi. In contrast to the creep behavior of the platinum and rhodioplatinum specimens, the palladium bars, whether deoxidized with calcium boride or aluminum, were characterized by high first stages of creep. However, after about 1200 hr of test, the creep

Jan 1, 1952

By I. Stapf

Systematic investigations on silver-rare earth metal systems have been extended on the Ag-Ce system in order to clarify the discrepancies reported in literature. The phase diagram has been reinvestigated on the base of thermal analyses and of microstructure examination on cast and annealed specimen. All intermetallic phases Ag4Ce, Ag3Ce, Ag2Ce and AgCe show no extended range of homogeneity, they melt congruently fm), or decompose peritectically (d) at 815 °C (d), 1030 °C (m), 855 °C (d) and 855 °C (m), respectively. The system shows eutectics at 793 °C/10 at.%, 780 °C/42 at.%, and about 505 °C/81 at.% Ce. d-Ce dissolves up to 2 at .% Ag and decomposes metatectically at 710 °C. Furthermore, the phase transformation of the intermetallics would be clarified. The phases Ag5Ce and Ag51Ce14 reported in literature could not be verified.

Jan 1, 1984

By Paul H. Lu

This report by the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, presents several practical and inexpensive types of rock mechanics instrumentation for ground control around longwall panels. Application of these critical parameters, determined by this instrumentation, to the design and modification of rational longwall-mining systems is also discussed. In order to design or select an optimum mine structure or system, realistic and precise values of the design parameters must be determined in operating mines by measuring (1) existing ground stresses, (2) mining induced load transfer, and (3) strata movements as well as deformation moduli and rock strengths. Based on these parameters, rational and realistic criteria for mine design can be established by conducting case studies. It was found that several basic design parameters can be easily measured or determined in situ with simple, inexpensive, and practical instruments such as hydraulic borehole pressure cells, automatic recording convergence meters, automatic recording multiple-anchor-point extensometers, and hydraulic pressure recorders.

Jan 1, 1982

By G. A. Vissac

MoIstuRe in coal must be considered as an impurity, just the same as ash, from the standpoint of utilization of the coal. Being incombustible, it reduces directly the heating value of the coal, and in addition absorbs heat for its evaporation. Its presence means useless expenditures in handling and transportation. In coke plants, extra moisture reduces capacity and may cause damage to brick work and equipment. Accordingly, the removal of extra moisture can be considered just as important as the removal of other impurities, such as ashes, in the modern coal preparation plant. Moisture, which can be removed by heating the coal up to a temperature of 100°C, may be retained in various forms: 1. As a film, on the surface of each coal particle, and in the interstices between particles, retained by capillary forces. 2. Or "occluded" inside the coal particles. This occluded moisture may be either free moisture (as in a sponge), or hygroscopic moisture which varies with atmospheric conditions, (also called "regain"). These latter forms of moisture are particularly common in "young" coals (subbituminous and lignites); bloom coals (seam outcrops); fusain; and carbonized products. In our study of coal drying, we shall consider only the removal of free moisture, exclusive from hygroscopic moisture. Dewatering If we reserve the name of drying to the removal of water by evaporation, we must consider the initial phase of the mechanical removal of free moisture as a distinct operation covered by the term dewatering. In all cases the free water carried over the surface of the coal particles or in their interstices, or in their pores, is retained by capillary forces. Dewater-ing is accomplished by breaking or counteracting these capillary forces; removal of as much water as possible by dewatering methods is usually advisable, as the cost of these operations is generally much less than by evaporation. The most common methods of me-chanical dewatering are: 1. "Pressure piling," which reduces the interstitial spaces, accomplished in dewatering bins or over dewatering screens. 2. Or dynamic methods, such as used in centrifuges or over vibrating screens. We shall only mention the " preferential wetting" method, in which surface water can be displaced by hydrocarbons, as offering possibilities, but which, to our knowledge, has not reached yet a practical development. But we must point out that the capillary forces retaining water on the coal surfaces, decrease considerably with increased temperatures. This is the principle used in all modern dishwashing machines; by using very hot water, dishes are extracted almost dry. In line with this development, we favor the type of dryers including a dewatering section; as the coal enters the dryer and is gradually brought up to higher temperatures, its dewatering ability is increased and advantage can be taken of this conditioning, resulting in increased drying efficiencies and reductions in drying costs. Heat Drying In the final phase, the remaining moisture must be evaporated. Coal and water must be brought up to the chosen temperature of evaporation, and heat must be supplied to fill the requirements of the latent heat of evaporation of the water to be removed. Accordingly, drying becomes largely a problem of heat transfer, and drying methods can be classified accordingly, namely: 1. Radiant transfer. 2. Transfer by surface contact and conduction. 3. Transfer by hot gas contact. The first method is not applicable to coal drying; the second method is used in the old type rotary dryer. The third method, the most commonly used in modern coal dryers, will be the only one considered here; and, of course, we shall deal with continuous types of dryers only. The mechanism of complete drying is really very complex-—several phases are involved: 1. The constant rate period. 2. The uniform falling rate period. 3. The varying falling rate period. As most of our practical coal drying problems deal with wet coals (over 6 pct of moisture), and do not require complete drying (under 1.5 pct), we shall deal with the first condition only, namely the constant rate drying. Dryer Calculations Instead of presenting the algebraic formulas, we believe a concrete example will provide a clearer illustration. Assume a feed of wet coal at the rate

Jan 1, 1950

By H. G. Papacharalambous, S. C. Sun

Experimental results indicate that wet cyclones could be effectively used for the preliminary classification of the tested synthetic abrasive materials, thus supplementing the currently used sedimentation method. An empirical formula is also proposed on the basis of the test data to calculate the particle size of separation. One of the basic operations in the abrasive industry is the classification of the crushed and ground materials into different sized products. The relatively coarse grains, plus 325 mesh, are commonly sized by dry screening with satisfactory results. On the other hand, however, the currently used grading tank, for classifying grains finer than 325 mesh, is intermittent. Consequently, it is difficult to operate efficiently and keep pace with erratic market requirements. Little success was made in an attempt to substitute air settling and continuous hydraulic settling for the grading tank, because size specifications1 for abrasive powders are very stringent and difficult to meet. Finally, a wet cyclone was chosen for experimentation. Even though wet cyclones have not been extensively used in the classification of abrasives; however, their performance as a classifier has been verified by Driessen2,4 on coal, McCarrel5 with manganese, and Herkenhoff6,7 on iron ore. Experimental work on silicon carbide, boron carbide, and fused alumina has shown that the cyclone

Jan 1, 1963

By E. G. De Coriolis

THE development of huge production facilities and of new or improved processes for manufacturing magnesium from its raw sources has been an outstanding achievement of this war. Furthermore, at least one new method has reached a stage of pilot production that offers promise. Its potentialities seem to indicate that a reduction in cost and simplification or elimination of problems incident to the use of at least one of the present processes are quite within the realm of possibility. Although magnesium of very high purity (99.9 per cent and higher) is obtained, and the rate of recovery reasonable (60 to 70 per cent), the ferrosilicon reduction process is open to a serious objection, which at the time its use was proposed was thought to be sufficient to raise some doubts as to its success, at least on a high production basis. The temperature range at which the reaction is carried out-namely, 2100° to 2150°F.-is very close to the failure temperature of the material of which the retort is made. It is so close that for a time it was assumed it might make commercial use of the process an impossibility. However, at the time under discussion, the demand for magnesium was so great that it was felt by those who had to go ahead and produce this essential metal that the emergency warranted their taking a chance on this process. Subsequent developments have fully justified the soundness of their decision. Fortunately for the war effort, when the plants were put into operation it was discovered that although the retorts did collapse in rather short periods of time, as predicted, they could be blown back into operable shape by application of high-pressure air. This practical method of operation so relieved the situation that the problem disappeared. Nevertheless, if the process had not been successful, or the production of magnesium by the electrolytic process had not been able to keep pace with demands, our war program would have been seriously impaired. "FIRELESS COOKER" PROCESS For this reason a program was set up and assigned for the development of a new method that had been suggested to the War Production Board in 1941. It is believed justifiable in terming the method "new" for several reasons: (1) while utilizing the same (ferrosilicon) process as the Pidgeon, hence involving similar reactions, the type of retort or furnace is essentially different, (2) the method of operation, reaction temperatures, etc., differ materially, and, most important of all, (3) the problems to be overcome in making the process successful were not and could not have been anticipated by anything previously known about the Pidgeon process. As will be shown later, the briquetting process, the condenser, the furnace lining

Jan 1, 1945

By John Chipman, Theodore B. Winkler

In order to understand more fully the complexities of the reactions occurring between the liquid steel and the slag in the basic open-hearth steelmaking furnace, investigations in this country and. abroad have turned to laboratory equilibrium studies. This paper is one of a series of reports on investigations being conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The experimental work was completed early in 1942. The slag systems found in the basic open hearth are very complex, being made up of at least eight major components and as many others whose effect might be classified as minor. The first two papers of the series, by Fetters and Chipman,l,2 as well as the paper by Taylor and Chip-man,3 dealt with the simplest possible slag system that would resemble those found in the basic ope), hearth—the slag system consisting of CaO-MgO2-SiOz-FeO. (Taylor's rotating induction furnace eliminated the necessity of contamination of the slag by MgO.) Having arrived at some reasonable conclusions regarding the physical chemis- try of the reactions between molten iron and the simple slags at equilibrium, the next step was to investigate more complex slag systems. The major purpose of the present investigation was to determine what factors control the distribution of phosphorus between molten iron and the more complex basic slags at equilibrium, and to what extent these factors are influential. The slags used contained CaO, MgO, SiO2, FeO, Fe2O3, P2O6, MnO, Al2O3 and CaF2, but not all of the slag samples contained all of these components at one time. Review of Literature Although a number of interesting papers have been published on the subject of dephosphorization of an iron bath, there are as yet no results from laboratory studies that give thoroughly reliable information on the dephosphorization reaction. Even for the supposedly simple Fe-O-P system involving iron-phosphorus melts and iron oxide-iron phosphate slags, the experimental results are contradictory and no formulas have been established that adequately fit the equilibrium conditions. The Fe-O-P system has been studied by Schackmann and Krings,4 von Samson-Himmelstjerna,6 Oelsen and Maetz,6 Bischof and Maurer,7 Diepschlag and Schürmann,8 and Herty,9 and the results of their investigations appear in Table I. A number of different equilibrium constants and distribution . Ratios

Jan 1, 1947

By Theodore B. Winkler, John Chipman

In order to understand more fully the complexities of the reactions occurring between the liquid steel and the slag in the basic open-hearth steelmaking furnace, investigations in this country and. abroad have turned to laboratory equilibrium studies. This paper is one of a series of reports on investigations being conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The experimental work was completed early in 1942. The slag systems found in the basic open hearth are very complex, being made up of at least eight major components and as many others whose effect might be classified as minor. The first two papers of the series, by Fetters and Chipman,l,2 as well as the paper by Taylor and Chip-man,3 dealt with the simplest possible slag system that would resemble those found in the basic ope), hearth—the slag system consisting of CaO-MgO2-SiOz-FeO. (Taylor's rotating induction furnace eliminated the necessity of contamination of the slag by MgO.) Having arrived at some reasonable conclusions regarding the physical chemis- try of the reactions between molten iron and the simple slags at equilibrium, the next step was to investigate more complex slag systems. The major purpose of the present investigation was to determine what factors control the distribution of phosphorus between molten iron and the more complex basic slags at equilibrium, and to what extent these factors are influential. The slags used contained CaO, MgO, SiO2, FeO, Fe2O3, P2O6, MnO, Al2O3 and CaF2, but not all of the slag samples contained all of these components at one time. Review of Literature Although a number of interesting papers have been published on the subject of dephosphorization of an iron bath, there are as yet no results from laboratory studies that give thoroughly reliable information on the dephosphorization reaction. Even for the supposedly simple Fe-O-P system involving iron-phosphorus melts and iron oxide-iron phosphate slags, the experimental results are contradictory and no formulas have been established that adequately fit the equilibrium conditions. The Fe-O-P system has been studied by Schackmann and Krings,4 von Samson-Himmelstjerna,6 Oelsen and Maetz,6 Bischof and Maurer,7 Diepschlag and Schürmann,8 and Herty,9 and the results of their investigations appear in Table I. A number of different equilibrium constants and distribution . Ratios

Jan 1, 1947

By W. C. Krumbein

GEOLOGICAL problems are approached from a geometrical (space relations) viewpoint, a kinematical (time sequence) viewpoint, or a dynamical viewpoint. The first two require sound training in conventional geology and in field methods. The third approach requires a solid foundation of chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Modern training for geologists should include close integration of basic sciences with geological principles. INTRODUCTION Our knowledge of the earth has increased tremendously during the last half century. We know more about its surface configuration, the distribution of its natural resources, the procession of living forms that inhabited it in the past, the chemical composition of its oceans, the areal distribution of its surface rocks, the movements of its atmosphere, and so on. Not only do we know more facts about the earth, but we have a better understanding of the processes that take place on and within it, such as the nature of earthquakes, the thermodynamics of the atmosphere, the chemical equilibria involved in the formation of igneous rocks, the mechanics of stream flow, the dynamics of the earth's origin, and so on. Many sciences contributed to the sum total of this knowledge, including such established disciplines as geology, geography, physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology. Out of this accumulation of new knowledge grew also a group of new sciences, such as seismology, oceanography, meteorology, volcanology, hydrology. Collectively these latter are known as the geophysical and geochemical sciences, and to a large extent they began as branches of geology. Until the turn of the century, for example, the study of earthquakes (seismology) was a part of geology, although as early as 1846 Mallet, a physicist, had suggested that the subject could be investigated by elastic-wave theory. Comparatively little progress was made along these lines until the seismograph was developed near the turn of the century; since then, additional earthquake data have accumulated rapidly, but more important, the interpretation of these data essentially has kept pace with their accumulation. In similar fashion, meteorology, was generally considered a branch of geology as recently as one or two decades ago. Considerable progress had been made in such aspects as weather forecasting, but the science dates its recent rapid rise from the year 1911, when Bjerknes first applied the principles of dynamics to the analysis of air masses. The rapid development of such disciplines as oceanography, volcanology and hydrology was due in part to the application of principles of chemical equilibrium, of dynamics, and of thermodynamics to earth problems, by men who were essentially physicists or chemists by training. The last half century, therefore, and particularly the last two decades, saw the influx of numerous chemists and physicists into the realm of the earth sciences. In the meantime the main body of geology itself showed a marked growth, and

Jan 1, 1941

By H. Wilton Clark

VARYING in thickness and in number from place to place, coal seams in the Canadian Rockies also range in pitch from nearly horizontal to vertical, sometimes with overturns. Over the entire coal-bearing area there are considerable differences of rank in coals of the same geological age, and there are marked differences in ash content and wash-ability characteristics. Correlation of seams at mining operations within a few miles of each other has often proved impossible. These factors influence mining methods, and, of course, production results. The oldest coal formations of western Canada are of Lower Cretaceous age, as the carboniferous sediments are marine and contain no coal. Coal is also present in formations of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary ages. The rank of coal varies from semi-anthracite in some operations in the Kootenay and Luscar formations of the Lower Cretaceous in the Rockies to lignite in the Tertiary fields of the Saskatchewan prairies. Fig. 1 shows the general extent of the formations. The pitching seams, chiefly Lower Cretaceous, occur in the western belt of the Rocky Mountain foothills and the eastern slopes of the Rockies themselves. (The road to Tent Mt. strip pit, elevation 7000 ft, is shown on p. 832.) Formations extend from the U. S.-Canadian boundary for several bundred miles in Alberta and continue for a similar distance in British Columbia. Present geological estimates show a probable reserve of the order of 25,000 million tons of coal ranging from high volatile bituminous to semi-anthracite, with a large percentage of coking coal, constituting one of the major world reserves of that type. It should be noted that although the quoted estimate probably errs on the conservative side, the question of access to the seams in a mountainous terrain will always be a problem; a wide divergence may exist between actual reserves and the quantities of coal economically recoverable. An excerpt from the Canadian government Report of the Royal Commission on Coal 1946 states that conditions favorable to coal formation were intermittent and these intervals relatively brief in comparison with periods in which no coal was formed. Conditions were favorable to the growth or accumulation of vegetation in one area, while fresh water sediments and marine shales were being deposited in other areas. During periods of emergence the coal deposits were subjected to erosion or were covered by coarse sands and gravels from the mountains, whereas during submergence they were covered by fine clays deposited in embayments of the sea. During some of the periods of coal formation, volcanic activity deposited beds of fine volcanic ash and dust with the coal-forming vegetation. Coal deposits reach their greatest development in the mountains and thin rapidly to the east into the plains area, where they are deeply buried beneath younger sediments. For example, in the Fernie area of southeastern British Columbia there are in places 22 seams having an aggregate thickness of 150 ft in a stratigraphic interval of 3500 ft, whereas at Cole-man in the Alberta Crowsnest area the measures are only 800 ft in thickness and contain a maximum of five seams aggregating about 47 ft of coal. At Belle-vue, 10 miles further east, the measures are reduced to 430 ft with only three seams aggregating about 37 ft of coal. Subsequently the tremendous forces involved in the upthrust of the Rocky Mountains produced great displacement of the coal-bearing formations and at the same time a change in geologically young coals from low to high rank. The floor or footwall of most seams consists of carbonaceous shales, which are almost as adaptable to bending as the coal seams themselves. The seams show very few cleats or cleavage planes and have been so weakened structurally that as mined 50 pct or more will pass through a ¼-in. screen, seldom

Jan 1, 1955