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Jan 6, 1953

By John Edgar, Eugene P. Pfleider

Breakage of rock in mining operations as a part of the overall comminution process is examined. Examples of blasting practice are examined, and the energy expended is related to the comminution work accomplished. Costs for the comminution effected are examined, and an attempt is made to evaluate overall mining practice to determine the range of incremental costs for breaking the ore to a finer size in the mining step.

Jan 1, 1973

By C. E. Schwab

A lead-zinc orebody, in fairly strong quartzite and with a dip of 35° to 60°, is block-caved by use of scrams in a stair-step pattern up the ore footwall. Scram linings to handle coarse muck and permit the use of folding scrapers are developed by the use of end-grain wooden blocks to reduce maintenance and keep operating cost to a minimum.

Jan 10, 1953

By M. J. Miller

In modern mill design, a stockpile storage system for raw and/or semiprocessed ore has become almost indispensable. This paper discusses the benefits of such stockpile storage as well as the available types of belt conveyor stockpiling units. Alternative reclaiming arrangements for stockpiles are reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages of each arrangement are discussed.

Jan 1, 1982

By R. C. Craze

During the past 20 years. research and development in the study of reservoir behavior have dealt principally with flow of oil through sandstones. Many reservoir studies of sand fields have proved valuable in promoting recovery efficiency. This paper discusses fundamental principles governing oil and gas production from sandstone and limestone alike and presents the results of investigations relating to the application of analytical techniques used for sandstone reservoir studies to the study of limestone reservoir performance. The characteristics of limestone porous systems, porosity-permeability relationships, distribution and occurrence of oil, and characteristics of flow through such systems are discussed. Recognition is made of the similarities or differences which these factors exhibit in limestone and sandstone systems. Comparisons between operating data for typical limestone and sand reservoirs are presented. It is indicated that the distribution and movement of fluids in and through porous limestones follow the same fundamental principles underlying such processes in sandstones. This fundamental similarity may readily be discernible in the performance of many limestone reservoirs. The volumetric balance and unsteady state radial flow equation, the fluid displacement equation, use of electrical analogue devices, and other analytical techniques to study the behavior of limestone fields appear fundamentally applicable, but do require thorough understanding of the properties of the formation, of the fluids, their behavior during flow, and adequate production operating data. Need for more complete coring and comprehensive examination of core properties is stressed. The results of "active oil" studies, and of flow and interference tests are presented. Well spacing, well completion, and efficient rates of production in limestone reservoirs are briefly discussed. INTRODUCTION Limestone and dolomite reservoirs constitute the largest source of supply of crude oil in the world. an estimated 60 per cent of present production coming from carbonate reservoirs. In many large geologic provinces such as Mexico. the Middle East, and more recently Canada, almost all the oil is found in this type of rock. In the United States, all of the major oil-producing areas except California and Pennsylvania contain oil-bearing carbonate formations. The discovery in recent years of large oil reserves in the Silurian, Devonian, and Ordo-vician formations in West Texas, in addition to the large reserves in the Permian, has accentuated the interest of operators, geologists, and engineers in limestone formations and in the many problems associated with understanding the performance of these reservoirs. The rapid increase in discovery of oil in limestone formations and the present-day position of prominence held by these fields in the production and reserve picture in all parts of the world emphasize the horizons opened to the reservoir technologist in the field of geological and production research. Pertinent to an interpretation of the behavior of limestone reservoirs are the methods of analysis which may be utilized and a possession of full knowledge of the many factors which influence the analytical procedures. During the past 20 years a well-developed science of reservoir engineering has been built upon the research of many workers who studied the fundamental nature of oil reservoirs, characteristics of the porous media, properties and behavior of the contained fluids, and the mechanics of flow. Application of these studies to production practice has resulted in greater recoveries and more efficient field operation. The major portion of this evolutionary process has been founded upon studies of sand fields. The applicability of these more thoroughly developed techniques for studying sand fields to the study of the behavior of limestone fields becomes a factor of technical and practical significance. In the light of the technological background available to the reservoir analyst, this paper discusses fundamental principles governing oil and gas production from sandstone and limestone alike and presents the results of investigations relating to the application of analytical techniques used for sandstone studies to the study of limestone reservoir performance. LIMESTONE RESERVOIR CHARACTERISTICS The characteristics of limestone and sandstone reservoirs are similar in many respects and they both may occur under similar structural conditions. Fundamentally, the distribution and movement of fluids in and through the porous limestone media follow the same basic principles which dictate such processes in sandstones. Herein lies a fundamental similarity, which may readily be discernible in the performance of many limestone reservoirs. In some limestone fields, as in many sand fields, widely varying formation properties and distribution may reveal themselves in deviations in the performance of the reservoir, in the behavior of wells, and in fluid flow through the rock, and make difficult the delineation of reservoir behavior. Only by reservoir studies, core analyses, and coordinated laboratory and field experimentation can the effects of the many influencing factors upon the nature of limestone production be determined. FORMATION CHARACTERISTICS The chief difference between limestone and sandstone, aside from their chemical compositions, is the difference in the geometry and origin of the porous systems in the two kinds of rock. In sandstone the porous system results entirely from the openings among individual sand grains which occur during deposition. The geometry of the openings between the sand

Jan 1, 1950

By A. Lubinski, J. L. Logan, W. S. Althouse

A4ost gas twells and flowing oil wells are completed and treated through a string of tubing and a packer. Changes in temperature and in pressure inside or outside the tubing will: (I) if free motion of the tubing inside the packer is permitted, increase or decrease the length of the rubing; or (2) if free motion is prevented, induce forces in the tubing and on the packer. If pressure inside the tubing is greater than outside, the tubing may buckle helically even in the presence of a packer-to-tubing tension. The tubing will always buckle, and much more severely, if free motion is permitted. The buckling may be prevented by pulling the tubing in sufficient tension. The prediction of these forces and tubing movement has here to fore been based upon calculations that did not inciude helical buckling. This paper preseitts means with which these length or force changes can be calculated while taking into account the effect of helical buckling. To avoid damaging formations, failure of remedial operations, or damage to the tubing or packer, application is made to practical problems involving calculations of the required length of seals, amount of sluckoff or tension, and prevention of permanent corkscrewing. INTRODUCTION Leakage of a packer may result in costly failures of such operations as squeeze cementing, hydraulic fracturing, etc. To avoid such failures, the authors are often asked questions pertaining to the length of necessary seals, the amount of necessary slackoff, etc. Published work' does not take into account helical buckling of tubing. Investigation of helical buckling was prompted by the fact that allowance must be made for this phenomenon in order to provide relevant answers. In the past, theoretical work on helical buckling was confined to conditions for which such buckling does not The mathematical treatment of behavior in a buckled condition, given in the Appendix, is novel. Assumptions upon which this investigation is based are listed and discussed in a special section. The following are a few of the many kinds of problems which may be solved with this paper. 1. Consider a packer in which tubing may move. Such movement will occur after pressures and temperature are changed. The paper provides means for: (a) calculating the amount of such movement and, therefore. the required length of seals; and (b) calculating the necessary amount of initial slackoff, for which there is no danger of unsealing the packer, if the length of seals is given. Such calculations, as well as those which follow, tully take into account the fact that part of the movement ib due to elastic helical buckling of the lower part of the string. This buckling may occur even in tubing under tension. Insufficient initial slackoff for a given length of seals, or insufficient length of seals for a given slackoff, may result in costly failures. A field case of such a failure will be given further in this paper. 2. In the case in which tubing cannot move in the packer, changes of pressure and temperature result in tubing-to-packer forces and forces in the tubing above the packer, both of which may be calculated. This knowledge is important because, if these forces are too large, the) could damage the packer or the tubing. 3. For wells in which wireline tools are to be run through the tubing, the paper provides means to keep the tubing from buckling, thereby permitting free passage of tools. 4. In deep wells, mainly in the presence of large casing, tubing may become "corkscrewed", i.e., take a permanent helical set. A field case is described further in the text. Using this paper, one may calculate in advance conditions under which permanent corkscrewing would occur, and then take preventive steps. HELICAL BUCKLING Consider a string of tubing, freely suspended in the absence of any fluid inside casing, as shown in Fig. I(a). Now consider an upward force F applied at the lower end of this tubing. This force compresses the string; and if the compression is large enough (which is always the case in actual problems), the lower portion of the string will buckle into a helix, as shown in Fig. 1 (b). The lower end of the tubing is subjected to a compression F. This compression decreases with the distance from the bottom and becomes nil (neither compression nor ten-

By A. Muan

Liquidus data are presented for mixtures in the ternary system FeO-Fe2O3-SiO2 in equilibrium with a gas phase with O2 pressures ranging from 10-10.9 to 1 atm. Data obtained are combined with previously published data to construct lines of equal 02 pressures and lines of equal CO2/H2 mixing ratios along the liquidus surface. Courses of crystallization of selected mixtures under conditions of constant total composition, constant O2 pressures, and constant CO2/H2 mixing ratios are discussed. PHASE equilibrium studies of silicate systems where iron is one component are complicated by the fact that iron readily occurs in three different states of oxidation: Fe3+, Fe2+, and Fe0. Success or failure in work with iron silicate systems is to a large extent dependent on control of the oxidation state of iron and all investigations therefore must be carried out under carefully controlled atmospheric conditions. Silicate systems containing only strongly electropositive metals (like Na+, Ca2+, Mg", etc.) can, for simplicity, be treated as condensed systems, that is, the gas phase can be neglected and the phase relationships discussed in terms of the phase rule written in the well known simplified form P + F = C + 1. In the case of iron silicate systems, however, the composition of the condensed phases varies with the gas composition, and a complete picture of phase relationships can be obtained only by varying the gas composition over a wide range. In order to understand the phase relationships in the more complicated multicomponent silicate systems with iron oxide as one of the constituents, a knowledge of the ternary system FeO-Fe2O3-SiO2 is essential, since it constitutes a bounding portion of all such systems. It was with this in mind that the present study was undertaken. Previous Work A considerable amount of work has been done on various aspects of the chemistry and metallurgy of systems containing silica and iron oxides. The two bounding binary systems FeO-Fe2O3 and FeO-SiO2" The first attempt to obtain information on phase relationships of iron oxide-SiO, mixtures at different 0, pressures was made by Greig.' Darken" determined the melting points of iron oxide on solid silica under various atmospheric conditions. Darken did not determine experimentally the composition of the melts at liquidus temperatures but discussed very ably the principles involved in applying the phase rule to the system. In a recent study Schuhmann, Powell, and Michal8 determined experimentally the liquidus surface of a portion of the ternary system and combined the new information with data in the literature to construct a phase diagram. Their method was briefly as follows: Homogeneous mixtures with various contents of SiO2, FeO, and Fe2O3 were made up by melting together stock mixtures in various proportions. Samples of the homogeneous mixtures, the compositions of which were determined by chemical analysis, were then heated in platinum crucibles in an inert atmosphere until equilibrium among the condensed phases was achieved. The samples were quenched to room temperature and the phases present determined by microscopic examination. Assuming that no change in composition takes place during the equilibration run in inert atmosphere, the liquidus surface can be determined, but no information is obtained regarding the partial pressures of 0, of the gas phase in equilibrium with the condensed phases. The author's method, to be described in the next section, permitted the location of points at the liquidus surface as well as a calculation of the corresponding partial pressures of O2. Experimental Method General Procedure: The standard quenching technique was adapted for a study under controlled variable atmospheric conditions. Premelted mixtures of silica and iron oxides in platinum envelopes were held at constant temperature under chosen atmospheric conditions until equilibrium was reached among solid, liquid, and gas phases. The sample was then quenched to room temperature, the phases present identified, and, for the most significant runs, the composition was determined by chemical analysis. The corresponding partial pressure of 0, was calculated from known equilibrium constants of the gas reactions occuring in the furnace atmosphere. Materials: Starting materials were oxides of commercially highest available purity; cp silicic acid was dehydrated by heating to 1350°C for 6 hr and cp Fe2O3 was dried at 400° C for the same length of time. Samples of 10 g were made up by mixing

Jan 1, 1956

By S. S. Clarke, Douglas C. Brockie

Longhole underground drilling has been carried on in the Tri-State area at various times over the past 35 years or more. W. F. Netzeband reported on this topic in 1926 and in 1930. More recently it has been found that in certain areas of the Picher field, Oklahoma, and under certain conditions, the jackleg or jumbo-mounted drifters can be used more economically and to greater advantage than surface churn drillholes for prospecting. To understand better the problems involved in Eagle-Picher's longhole prospecting program it would be helpful to cover the geologic criteria affecting it. Much has been written about the geology of the Picher field. A more complete description than that given here can be found in a recent paper by J. P. Lyden.

Jan 1, 1956

By L. J. Erck, T. E. Ban

A discussion of laboratory procedures used to determine pellet quality and to simulate handling and firing conditions. Strength- temperature relationships in pelletizing; effect of chemical additives on agglomeration; and crushing, abrasion, and impact resistance of the pelletized products are discussed with respect to five different iron ore concentrates.

Jan 8, 1953

By Karl Sundberg

ElectRical investigations carried out in regions containing sedimentary rocks showed that sediments generally are good electrical conductors, a fact which at the present time is used for structural investigations by electrical methods. It is of fundamental importance, not only for these investigations but also for electrical prospecting in general, to know the electrical properties of various soils and rocks. It will be useful, therefore, to discuss this question with the hope that the general points of view discussed in this paper will perhaps be completed by further observations and determinations of material from various localities. This paper is based principally on the study of literature, and the purpose is primarily a discussion of the main factors that determine the electrical conductivity of soils and rocks. It will follow, however, that the factors discussed here also frequently decide how far a certain orebody can be regarded as a good electrical conductor compared with the surrounding rocks. All rocks are more or less porous, and the pores are filled with liquids and gases. Their electrical conductivity, therefore, depends on the following factors: 1. The electrical conductivity of minerals composing the rock. 2. Electrical conductivity of the liquid filling the pores. 3. Proportion of the volume of liquid filling pores of the rocks to the solid rock material. 4. Shape of the pores. 5. Arrangement of the particles of gas and liquids. 6. Temperature. Dry minerals, with the exception of certain ore minerals, are complete nonconductors from the point of view of applied geophysics; in the present investigation we deal with rocks which have no conducting minerals, and factor 1, therefore, is not important. The same is true of soils. The liquids contained in soils and rocks in most cases are waters, sometimes oil. As oil is a nonconductor of electricity, the impregnating waters will determine the electrical conductivity of soils and rocks.

Jan 1, 1932

By Irwin Roman

PART I. INTRODUCTION THE literature of geophysics as applied to the discovery of mineral deposits has been very extensive during the past few years, but there seem to be few references to the use of the method of least squares for obtaining better interpretations of the observed data .2 There seems to be a general reluctance among geologists and. engineers to acquire the technique of least squares, in spite of the fact that a thorough knowledge of the theory is not necessary for the use of the method.

Jan 1, 1931

A remarkable industrial renaissance is underway in the People's Republic of China (PRC), says USBM's Dr. K. P. Wang in his recently released 96-page report on "The People's Republic of China-A New Industrial Power with a Strong Mineral Base." Dr. Wang's summary of the current mineral position of the PRC includes many insights into its future potential and trade possibilities with the West.

Jan 2, 1976

Jan 1, 1902

By T. A. Rickard

In southeastern France, among the magnificent alpine masses of the Dauphine, there is a group of celebrated mines of silver-, nickel- and cobalt-ores, the deposits of which present many features

Jan 1, 1895

By J. Brian Eby, T. I. Harkins

THIS paper outlines the geophysical investigation of the area covering the Darrow salt dome, Louisiana. Surveys with the refraction seismograph and torsion balance failed to disclose the dome, but reflection dip shooting was successful and was confirmed by later drilling.

Jan 1, 1942

Held at San Francisco, Cal., Thursday to Sunday, Sept. 16 to 19, 1915 COMMITTEES Arrangements CHARLES W. MERRILL, Chairman EDWARD H. BENJAMIIN H. C. HOOVER FRED `V. BRADLEY W. C. RALSTON ABBOT A. HANKS G. H. CLEVENGER Excursion and Accommodations ABBOT A. HANKS, Chairman E. T. BLAKE R. H. BEDFORD C. G. DENNIS FREDERICK BRADSHAW C. E. GRUNSKY, JR. EDMUND JUESSEN ARTHUR B. FOOTE F. A. KEITH GEORGE 0. BRADLEY CHARLES JANIN E. N. ENGELHARDT R. S. HASELTINE N. CLEAVELAND

Jan 12, 1915

By H. W. Mead, C. E. Birchenall

The rates of growth of graphite nodules in cast irons are calculated for a model of a growing graphite sphere surrounded by a shell of austenite through which carbon and iron are diffusing. The carbon is supplied by a cementite-austenite mixture at the outer edge of the shell. The calculated rates from carbon diffusion agree fairly well with the measured values, but the rates based on iron self-diffusion are much too low. Because the iron must be removed for the process to continue, o plastic deformation mechanism is suggested. THERE has been an unfortunate tendency in the literature of growth and dissolution reactions to identify the slope of a plot of the logarithm of the growth or dissolution rate vs reciprocal of temperature with the activation energies determined by diffusion measurements in chemically similar systems. If the solubility limits at the growing or dissolving phase interfaces change appreciably with temperature, such procedures may lead to serious errors in specifying the mechanisms controlling the rates of these processes. A reaction involving the simultaneous growth of graphite from and dissolution of cementite in austenite will be discussed here to show that substantial oversimplifications have been made in earlier studies of this process. From a dilatometric study of the overall y-range graphitization process, Bunin and Danil'chenko' found an apparent activation energy of 90 kcal per g-atom. They concluded that, since this value was much nearer the approximately 68 kcal per g-atom observed for self-diffusion in pure iron than it was to 32 kcal per g-atom for diffusion of carbon in iron, the rate-controlling process must be the diffusion of iron away from the growth interface to provide space for graphite to grow. Bunin and Salli' bolstered this agreement with the observation that graphite forms preferentially at surfaces, cracks, and pores where free volume is present initially. Ziegler, Meinhart, and DeaconQ ad found an apparent activation energy for graphitization of 98 kcal per g-atom. This value, like that of Bunin and Danil'chenko, applies to nucleation and growth occurring simultaneously. It is not generally assumed that nucleation is entirely diffusion-controlled. Treatments such as prior cold-working and prequenching, which strongly affect the rate of graphitization, would be expected to have little effect on diffusion processes occurring at the graphitization temperature. In any case 90 kcal per g-atom is not particularly close to the 54 kcal or lower to be expected for diffusion of iron which is carbon-saturated.' The presence of silicon in iron is said to reduce the activation energy for diffusion,' so its presence in cast irons would be expected to have a similar effect. The growth rates of nearly spherical graphite nodules have been studied by Brown and Hawkes." The initial rate of growth before impingement of adjacent carbon-depleted areas was found to be parabolic, and rate constants were measured at several temperatures. Their apparent activation energy for the growth process only was roughly 45 kcal per mol. Burke and Owen' made growth-rate measurements on several alloys, recording appreciable induction periods, initial nucleation rates, and average radial growth rates based on an assumed linear rate of radial growth. They found that increased silicon content increases the ovel-all reaction rate and the initial rate of nucleation, and decreases the induction period. Assuming 1) spherical nodules. 2) constant volume rate of nucleation, 3) austenite in equilibrium with cementite at positions where the cementite is not depleted, and 4) a constant diffusion distance during the growth of a nodule, they calculated an apparent overall activation energy of 68 kcal per mol, which was related to an activation energy for nucleation of 79 kcal per mol and activation energy

Jan 1, 1957

By T. D. Mueller, H. Dykstra

This paper describes a method for obtaining compositions of gas and oil phases in equilibrium with each other at a given reservoir temperature and pressure as lean or enriched gas is injected into a reservoir oil not in equilibrium with the gas. The method is based on calculation of equilibrium constants, K, from the equation log Kp = A + B F, where p is pressure and F is component characterization factor. A and B are constants that vary with a composition parameter. The paper explains how A and B could be determined with a minimum amount of data. The method consists of calculating equilibrium constants as a function of liquid composition and using the K's to calculate changes in compositiort of injection gas as it successively contacts original resetvoir oil at the gas-oil front and the change in composition of reservoir oil as it is successively contacted by the injection gas in the vicinity of an injection well. An iterative process is required. Two examples of the method are given which show how oil and gas compositions and properties are calculated with the aid of a computer. INTRODUCTION The calculation of recovery from lean-gas or enriched-gas injection into a saturated or under-saturated reservoir oil requires a knowledge of how phase properties change in a reservoir between injection well and producing well. To determine the phase compositions or properties experimentally would be difficult and time consuming, especially if one wanted to look at the effect of various injection gas compositions. For some fields an engineer would want to make preliminary calculations on the economics of gas injection before he makes the decision to spend a corrsiderable sum of money for laboratory work to obtain the necessary fluid properties. A method for calculatine compositions and properties based on a minimum of laboratory data is described. The minimum amount of data required is injection gas and reservoir oil composition and injection gas solubility as a function of pressure for an undersaturated oil, or the compositions of mixtures of reservoir fluid with two or more enriched gases, which mixtures have a bubble-point pressure that is the same as the expected average displacement pressure. On the other hand, if the economics appear to be attractive, more laboratory data can be obtained in the form of equilibrium constants for three or more mixtures of the reservoir fluid and injection gases. The method is based on the calculation of K's from the equation, log Kp = A + B F, where K is equilibrium constant, p is pressure and F is component characterization factor. This method of plotting K data by means of the above equation is described by Hoffman, Crump and Hocott.1 A and B are constants that vary with a composition parameter. It is shown how experimental data are used to determine how A and B vary with composition. BASIS OF METHOD EQUILIBRIUM CONSTANTS Equilibrium constant (K) data are required for this method. The K of each component is obtained from an equation that gives the product of K and pressure as a function of component characterization factor. The characterization factor F = b(l/Tb — l/T), where b is a constant characteristic of a given component, Tb is the boiling point in OR at atmospheric pressure of the given component, and T is the temperature of the system in OR. This method of plotting K data is described by Hoffman, Crump and Hocott.l The straight-line equation of the log Kp - F plot is log hp = log Kop +BFi, where Kop is at F =0, i designates the component, and B is the slope of the line. The factor F can be

Jan 1, 1966

By G. M. Yocom

Blowing acid Bessemer converters with oxygen-steam produces steel of below 0.002 pct N2 content. This method of blowing, combined with a dephosphorizing treatment in the steel ladle, results in low-carbon steels of low nitrogen and low phosphorous (under 0.035 pet) contents, which has physical properties equivalent to open-hearth steels of similar analysis. Using a 50-50 mixture of oxygen and steam, the refinitzg rate is increased 25 pct over blowing with natural air, and scrap charge increased from 3 to 10 pet. Bottom life is normal with proper tuyere area and arrangements, fumes are decreased, yields increased, and hydrogen content is normal. THE acid Bessemer plant at the South Works of Wheeling Steel Corp., consists of two 15-ton bottom blown converters with a monthly capacity of 57,000 N.T. The product of the shop is skelp billets for continuous welded pipe and slabs for ordinary drawing and forming quality sheets. Approximately 50 pct of ingot production is regular Bessemer steel of natural Phos content and the remainder is a dephosphorized grade of steel made by a special treatment of the blown metal as it is poured into the steel ladle. The low Phos grade of steel has certain advantages over the higher Phos grade but since both grades were produced by blowing natural air, the N2 content was in the range of 0.015 pct which limited its application. In 1954 it was decided to explore the possibilities of blowing with a steam-oxygen mixture for the production of steel of both low N2 and low Phos contents. The necessary equipment was installed to operate one converter in this manner and early in 1955 an experimental run of 160 heats was made by blowing with a steam-oxygen blast and excluding natural air entirely. During this period the proper operating techniques were established, such as blast pressures, steam-oxygen mixtures, valves and instrumental control equipment, tuyere arrangement in the bottoms, blowing times and production rates, and a thorough study made of the final steel quality. Also during this experimental period the dephosphorizing practice was improved by the use of a tap hole below the lip of the vessel. This provided a clean separation of the acid converter slag and blown metal which made the dephosphorizing treatment more effective. The results of this experimental run dictated further development of this practice and a second run of 720 heats was made in 1957. The quality features and conversion cost results were in line with expectations and accordingly a 400-ton per day oxygen plant is now being installed. The plant is scheduled for completion in September of this year. This will provide sufficient oxygen to operate both vessels on steam-oxygen blast and delete natural air blowing entirely. The steel will then be below 0.002 pct N2 bar content and the dephosphorized grades will be between 0.015 and 0.040 pct Phos. STEAM-OXYGEN BLOWING The steam for the process is fed to the plant at 220 psig pressure through a 6-in. line. The high-purity oxygen is compressed to 200 psig and conducted through an 8-in. line. The oxygen from the main line is valved down to 100 psig and passed through a steam heated heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is regulated to supply oxygen at 300°F to the steam-oxygen mixing station. It is essential that the incoming oxygen be held at this temperature to avoid condensation of the steam with resulting excessive erosion of the clay tuyeres in the vessel bottom. Oxygen is admitted to the mixing chamber by a 6-in. hydraulically operated valve driven by the ratio control regulator on impulse from the flow of steam. Steam is admitted to the steam-oxygen mixture station through a 2 1/2-in. hydraulically driven valve. The ratio control regulator acts to increase or decrease oxygen input as the steam flow increases or decreases with changing positions of the Blower's control lever. The important point to note here is that steam flow always precedes the oxygen flow as a safety measure. The control valves have sufficient capacity to afford protection should blow pipe trouble develop. A 50-50 mixture for these 15-ton heats demands an oxygen flow of 3800 standard cu ft per min along with 317 lb of steam. The Blower's stations is provided with an indicating blast pressure gage, and indicating steam and oxygen flow meters. Signal and warning lights indicate the valve positions and line pressures. A control room at the real of the Blower's pulpit room houses the ratio control and pressure regulators, as well as the various meter bodies. The hand actuated wheels used to change the conditions are mounted on a panel on the front of the meter control house. The recording steam and oxygen meters used for totalizing and accounting purposes are also mounted on this panel.

Jan 1, 1962

By John Sherbourne

Much valuable scientific research has been performed in recent years on the subject of phase behavior of hydrocarbons. ? 1-11 Engineers employed in petroleum production are interesting themselves in this work as well as in methods of applying the fundamental data available to the solution of their various problems. Recently a number of papers have been published in which applica-tions of phase behavior have been made to specific cases pertaining to critical phenomena.)12-16 Little effort, however, has been made in the literature to show the relation between changes occurring in the critical region and the more common phase behavior, therefore it is believed that a presentation of the fundamentals of phase behavior with reference to hydrocarbons is timely. Study of phase behavior is not new. In the metallurgical field, knowledge of heterogeneous equilibria has advanced tremendously, particularly with reference to solid-solid and solid-liquid behavior. Much is known about vapor-liquid equilibria too, but few engineers are familiar with this subject. ?

Jan 1, 1940