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By R. J. Schaefer, M. E. Glicksman

Direct, in situ observation of metallic alloys during solidification reveals that in some systems crystal multiplication occurs by means of a dendrite remelt-ing process, without the necessity of independent nu-cleation events. The solidification is observed on optically clean surfaces of supercooled molten alloys. In one system (Sn-3 wt pct Bi) , a fine-grained equi-axed structure is produced by the complete disintegration, via remelting, of transient initial dendrites. In contrast, several other metallic systems show little or no evidence of remelting activity. The behavior of these metallic systems is consistent with that expected on the basis of published observations of dendrite remelting in transparent organic alloy systems. It is concluded that dendrite remelting is an important crystal multiplication process in some metallic alloys, but is velatively unimportant in some other alloys. The detachment of dendrite branches from the primary stem by a remelting process has been observed by Jackson, Hunt, Uhlmann, and seward1 during the solidification of some transparent organic alloy systems. The branches released by this remelting process can drift free of the primary stem and serve as seeds for the formation of numerous independent crystals. This proliferation of new crystals does not require repeated independent nucleation events, but only modification of the initial solidification structure. The mechanism of dendrite remelting, as described by Jackson et a1.1 and by Tiller and O''Hara,2 is dependent on the transport of both heat and solute and is, therefore, expected to operate only in alloys, and not in pure substances. It was found in the transparent organic alloy systems that remelting occurred primarily in the constricted regions near the base of dendrite branches, where the branches had grown through the solute-rich liquid layer surrounding the primary dendrite stem. It was suggested that impure solid had formed in these constricted regions at a relatively low temperature and had later become unstable as further solidification of purer material raised the temperature. Jackson et al. proposed that the equiaxed zone of metal alloy castings originates from a similar remelting process, and they demonstrated the operation of this mechanism in "ingots" poured from saturated salt solutions. Although these substances were especially selected to show solidification behavior similar to that of metals,3 the remelting mechanism has, until now, been subject to the objection that its operation has not been directly observed in a metallic system. Considering the fact that thermal properties such as diffusivity may differ by as much as two or three orders of magnitude between metals and organic compounds, this objection was considered to be possibly serious. A method has now been developed by which it is possible to make direct optical observations of metals during solidification. This method has revealed transient solidification processes which would not be detected by metallographic examination of totally solidified specimens. In particular, a grain-refinement process in a metallic alloy has been observed to be a direct consequence of the total disintegration of an initial dendritic structure. The influence of an initial, transient solidification structure on the final solidification structure is demonstrated here for the first time in a metallic system. I) EXPERIMENTAL The technique of using a transparent flux to maintain an optically clean metal surface during solidification has been described by us elsewhere.* The

Jan 1, 1968

By Homer F. Staley, C. P. Karr

The casting alloy 88 copper, 10 tin, 2 zinc, commonly known in England as Admiralty metal and in this country as Government bronze, gun metal, or Naval Department composition G, has, at its best, many valuable properties. However, its physical properties are known to vary widely with slight changes in method of manufacture of the castings, such as slight variations in composition, variation in pouring temperature, kind of mold used, method of pouring and gating of molds, size and shape of castings, amount and kind of heat treatment, and so forth.' The microstructure of castings made from this alloy is influenced by slight variations of composition, rate of cooling, and kind and length of heat treatment. This is best understood by reference to the equilibrium diagram. The part of the diagram in which we are interested and the effect of the thermal equilibrium relations on the physical properties of the alloy 88 copper, 10 tin, 2 zinc, have been discussed by Hoyt, Campbell, Primrose, and Rawdon.2 In Fig. 1 is given the equilibrium diagram of the copper-tin alloys. Briefly stated, the relations of composition and temperature changes are as follows. Compositions between A and a consist of but one constit ent—the a bronze, which is a solid solution of copper and tin, rich in copper. On cooling from the molten state these compositions gradually crystallize, at temperatures above 790°, into a mass of interwoven treelike crystals or dendrites. The cores of the dendrites are rich in copper and the percentage of tin gradually increases as the surfaces are approached. AS cooling progresses, after a11 the metal has crystallized, no further changes occur in the crystals other than diffusion within the crystals, which tends to erase the dendritic pattern and to render the structure more homogeneous. * Metallurgical Ceramist, U. S. Bureau of Standards, Associate Physicist, U. 8. Bureau of Standards. A. D. Flinn: Iron. Age (1915) 96, 1292-3. C. P. Karr: U. S. Bureau of Standards Tech. Paper 59, Pt. 1. S. L. Hoyt: Enging. (1913) 96, 667-7, 704-5. William Campbell: Trans. Am. Inst. Met. (1912) 6, 158-172. H. S. Primrose: Metal Ind. (1916) 14, 202-4. H. S. Rawdon: U. S. Bureau of Standards Tech. Paper 59, Pt. 11.

Jan 1, 1921

By James Douglas

Though liberality is not supposed to be a prominent trait of the Scottish character, Canada owes to a Scotchman, Sir Wm. Macdonald, more than to any other of its people, not only wise ideas, but pecuniary help towards extending education: and another Scotchman, in New York, has sumptuously housed under one roof three branches of the engineering fraternity, of which we are one. Having thus created us members of the same family—for the metaphorical meaning of house and kinship is identical—Mr. Carnegie expresses more emphatically than even he could in words, that, by aff'ording facilities for closest intercourse, he invites the mechanical, electrical and mining engineers to participate in the freest interchange of idea and experience, and to correlate and combine the results of their studies and activities; and, being members of the same household, to banish reserve and secrecy. And now we, the members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, meet as though we were at home in a neighboring country. For whether we meet in Canada, in England, or elsewhere, the Institute is always received as though no political or geographical divisions separated its members from those of congenial associations in the land of its host. In truth, the title which we have assumed claims for the sphere of our activities the whole American continent, regardless of such trifling details as boundary-lines. The fact that we meet to communicate each other's experience, to discuss our difficulties, and to seek each other's aid in solving the intricate problems that so often present themselves in the course of our professional life, is an acknowledgment of our individual helplessness; and therefore an argument for united effort. But no effort can be of any value if there is an underlying suspicion

Jan 1, 1908

By E. J. Roberts, E. B. Fitch

Most classifiers in use today are, in function, settling pools. A fluid suspension of particles is passed through a pool at such a rate that only a fraction of the particles-the coarser fraction-has time to settle out of suspension. The rest are carried on out of the pool as overflow. The most fundamental way in which such classifiers differ is in the mechanism used to remove the settled particles from the pool. The particles may gravitate from the pool, as in the various sand cones, or they may be conveyed mechanically from the pool by drags, spirals, or reciprocating rakes. The mechanism of settling pool classification and its limitations are discussed. A method for calculating countercurrent classifications is presented. The practical validity of the calculation method has been confirmed through 20 years of use within The Dorr Co. During this time it has been used on diverse feeds and has been checked against many types of settling pool classifiers, with close agreement in nearly every case. Excellent elimination of third critical mesh particles and finer ones may be obtained in a countercurrent classifications series where all stages separate at the same mesh, but elimination of first and second criticals is inherently limited. Spectacular elimination of all criticals may be obtained by arranging successive stages to classify at successively coarser mesh. Improvement in elimination is obtained at the cost of an increased internal recirculation, but this may be tolerable in many cases.

Nov 1, 1956

By Melvin H. Podwysocki

Lineament and fracture analysis have enjoyed a resurgence of interest over the last several years, particularly since the advent of the Landsat series of Earth resources satellites. Some applications for lineament analysis include mineral, petroleum and ground- water exploration, engineering studies such as highway routing, mine roof stability, dam and power plant siting and general tectonic studies. The needs of each study may be different, but the general problem of large masses of data is common to all. Methods for efficient handling of the information and some statistical methods for its evaluation are discussed. These include comparing the lengths of the fracture population against known distributions, trend surface analysis of fracture lengths and number per unit area and multivariate analysis of rose diagrams. Examples are shown in an experimental program for predicting the presence of reef structures, areas of potential petroleum production.

Jan 1, 1977

Jan 1, 1927

By Herbert Dlaska

The BBU - rotary hearth treats lead concentrates and battery scrap by the roast-reaction process. It corresponds in principle to the long-known Newnam hearth, however its hearth-basin is not straight but curved to a closed ring. In operation this annular hearth is filled with liquid lead and rotates around a central blast-box. The charge, heated to a glowing-red, floats on top of the lead bath, into which air is blown from the blast-box through a horizontal slot-type tuyere. Ore pellets and brown coal are continuously charged onto the reacting mass from two storage bins. Lead is set free by the roasting reactions and trickles through the charge into the lead bath from where it is tapped from time to time. The reacting mass is continuously stirred by a mechanical agitator and backed, by a mechanical shovel, against the water-jacketed wall of the blast-box. The gangue of the charge forms lumps of scorified character, the so-called hearth slag or grey slag, which are discharged from the hearth. The waste gases are collected in a hood and conducted to a baghouse from where the fumes and dust are automatically transported to the pelletizing installation and are recycled with new material. The daily output of lead bullion depends mainly on the lead content of the charge. With lead concentrates containing 74% lead, about 24 tons of lead bullion per day are produced on the hearth at a direct lead recovery of about 89 per cent. Approximately 10 per cent of the lead content of the new material passes into the hearth slag from where it can be recovered in a blast furnace or in a rotary furnace. For small lead smelters the BBU-process represents the most economical way of melting high-grade lead concentrates. The process requires a relatively small capital investment, consumes little fuel, utilizes cheap fuel and is very flexible. Further, of great importance, is the fact that battery scrap can be treated by the BBU-process with very good results.

Jan 1, 1970

Jan 1, 1894

By E. W. Davis

IF the tonnage of merchantable iron ore remaining in the Lake Superior district is divided by the average of the annual shipments for the past 20 years, it will be found that this ore supply will be exhausted in approximately 35 years. This computed exhaustion period would be an indication of the future activities of the iron-mining industry if it were not for the fact that merchantable ore is being manufactured from low-grade ore, of which there is an almost inexhaustible supply in the Lake Superior district. It is true that at present only the simplest of these low-grade ores are being concentrated to any considerable extent, but progress is being made with the treatment of the more complex ores, and now, in addition to 20 washing plants on the Mesabi Range, three plants are equipped with jigs for the treatment of ore that cannot be concentrated simply by washing. The latest addition to the ore-treating plants of the Mesabi Range is a magnetic roasting and concentration plant at Cooley, Minn., in which ore that cannot be concentrated either by washing or by jigging is roasted to the magnetic state and concentrated on magnetic separators. This plant is beginning its third season of operation, and while it is too soon to make definite predictions, there are strong indica-tions that this new process may make commercially possible the manu-facture of high-grade, merchantable iron ore from large quantities of low-grade ore now considered worthless. After the iron oxide contained in an ore has been converted to mag-netite, almost any desired grade of concentrate can be produced, using magnetic-concentration equipment of the types now in general use for the concentration of the natural magnetites of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The conversion of hematite (Fe2O3) to magnetite (Fe3O4) is easily accomplished by heating the ore to a dull red tempera-ture in a reducing atmosphere. The reaction is slightly endothermic, and while it requires 200 B.t.u. to heat to 900° F. one pound of hematite ore containing 45 per cent Fe, it requires only 100 B.t.u. to convert the oxide into magnetite. In the laboratory, using small quantities of ore, this conversion is very simple, but large furnaces suitable for commercial

Jan 1, 1936

By N. J. Myers, S. J. Nemeth

POWER in the mill at Appalachian Sulphides Inc. is provided by 86 electrical motors ranging from 1 to 200 hp and totaling 1200 hp. After a careful study of different types of support for these cables an expanded metal trough was chosen as the most suitable. One hundred and twenty feet of trough were installed in 18-in. width and 150 ft in 6-in. width. This trough carries all the power as well as the control circuits. Now that the electrical distribution system is complete it is clear that this type of cable supporting system offers many advantages. To handle the same amount of cable in conduit, for example, would have required such a jungle that wiring all the different motors and controls would have been very difficult, even for the original hook-up. In the Appalachian Sulphides operation it has been necessary to make changes from time to time in the wiring of the different motors. These changes are readily made with the present cable supporting system because the trough leaves the wires accessible for rerouting as needed.

Jan 1, 1958

By M. I. Sherman, J. D. H. Strickland

PRELIMINARY experiments in these laboratories showed that whereas pyrite1 produced only sul-fate the action of aqueous chlorine solutions on most other sulfide ores resulted in the formation of a mixture of sulfate and elemental sulfur, the production of the latter being favored by a very dilute solution of oxidant. The reactions taking place were obviously complex and only a detailed kinetic study could be expected to clarify the position and enable a prediction to be made of conditions leading to the rapid formation of metal salt and the economically desirable elemental form of sulfur. Galena was chosen for the first investigation as it is of widespread occurrence and is representative of a simple cubic lattice sulfide containing the monosulfide unit, S2-. Experimental Procedure The apparatus and general technique used in this work have already been described.' Analyses for chlorine and sulfate were carried out by the same methods as those used for pyrite. The lead in 1 ml aliquots of solution was determined polarographi-cally, after destroying chlorine with hydrazine hy-drochloride and making solutions 0.5 molar with hydrochloric acid. A large sample of Kansas galena, assaying at better than 98 pet PbS, was crushed and wet sieved to give fractions of —10 + 14, —20 + 28, —28 + 35, and —48 + 65 Tyler screen. The particles were almost perfect cubes and the apparent surface Per gram was calculated assuming each particle a cube Of side equal to the mean mesh opening. A volume shape factor, calculated as for pyrite, was exactly unity. The main apparatus was unsuitable for direct visual examination of the ore particles during the reaction. For this purpose a small cell from a Spekker Absorptiometer optical flats 1 cm apart) was l by a greased microscope slide after filling with oxidant solution. One or two ore particles were placed in the cell and the solution was stirred by a glass covered speck of iron wire activated by an external rotating magnet. The surface of an ore particle was examined under a binocular microscope at between 10 and 40 magnifications. Results Experiments were made under a wide variety of conditions, the form of presentation of the data being illustrated by Fig. 1, where the concentrations of chlorine, sulfate, and sulfur are plotted against time. The fictitious concentration of solid sulfur is used for convenience and is the molarity of sulfur which would be recorded if the elementary sulfur formed during the reaction were dissolved in the liquid iii the reaction vessel. As some lead sulfate is occluded with the sulfur on the ore particles the amounts of sulfur and sulfate formed during a reaction cannot be calculated

Jan 1, 1958

By C. R. Woodcock, J. S. Mason

In almost any situation where particulate or granular bulk solids have to be conveyed, whether for a distance of a few metres or for many hundreds of metres, a pneumatic conveying system may be considered. Conveying by pipeline is convenient and clean, but running costs may be substantial because of the heavy air consumption and the trend has therefore been towards dense-phase transport in which the ratio of conveyed solids to conveying air is kept high. This paper concentrates on air-float conveying, which can be regarded as an extreme form of dense-phase conveying where the bulk solid is fluidised in a channel and then caused to flow, either by inclining the channel or creating a pressure gradient along 'it. Various designs of air-float conveyor for upward, horizontal and down- ward transport of powders are discussed, with special emphasis on the latter case. In situations where a continuous downward slope can be provided, the combination of air-fluidisation and gravity flow results in a conveying system that, for many kinds of bulk particulate solid, would be hard to better in terms of convenience, reliability and economy. The paper is concluded with a discussion of design features and performance of practical air-gravity conveyors, involving the handling of various bulk particulate solids, both in research and in full-scale industria1 applications.

Jan 1, 1980

By R. Schuhmann, G. W. Powell

The concept of local equilibrium is examined and, in particular, the applicability of the concept to two-phase binary diffusion couples is discussed. It is concluded that, if binary solid solutions are treated thermodynamically as ternary solutions, vacancies being the third component, then recent experimental observations of nonequilibrium interface compositions (i.e., compositions different from the phase diagram values) are consistent with a state of complete dynamic equilibrium at the interface. CLASSICAL approaches to diffusion and to other irreversible processes often utilize a postulate of "local equilibrium". That is, one assumes even in the presence of gradients, fluxes, and time changes of properties, a) that the Second Law can be formulated locally, and b) that thermodynamic equations of state among intensive properties are identical with those for equilibrium phases. A direct consequence of this assumption, for example, is that one would calculate the total entropy of a nonequilibrium phase simply by integrating the entropy density (eu per unit volume) over the volume of the phase, assuming that entropy density is the same function of energy and particle density as for equilibrium phases. In the study of diffusion and of diffusion-controlled phase transformations, metallurgists take this concept of local equilibrium for granted and utilize it automatically. In fact, experimental evidence of all kinds is overwhelming that "local equilibrium" is a valid limiting law, approached more and more closely as gradients and rates of change approach zero. On the other hand, we have neither experimental nor statistical thermodynamic proof that this principle of "local equilibrium" should remain rigorously valid at high gradients and for rapid processes. Theoretically, in fact, one would expect deviations because interactions between adjacent volume increments of material affect the evaluation of entropy. Also one observes experimentally structural and small energetic differences between equilibrium and nonequilibrium phases. The purpose of this paper is to present a thermodynamic framework for the study and correlation of deviations from strict local equilibrium in isothermal diffusion and related processes. This procedure, in effect, preserves the principle of local equilibrium by thermodynamically assigning the deviations from static equilibrium properties to a defect component. Although this theory is entirely phenomenological, the possibility does exist of correlating the theory with experimental observations of defects under favorable circumstances. The most immediate application appears to be to the equilibria at the interfaces in two-phase binary diffusion couples. A recent pertinent work by Eifert et al.1 has shown that the concentrations of aluminum in the a(fcc) and B(bcc) phases at the 0-8 interface in Cu:Cu-12.5 wt pct A1 diffusion couples are greater than those given by the phase diagram. It is postulated by these authors that the supersaturation of the o phase at the interface provides the driving force for the a-to-B lattice transformation; the excess free energy of the a phase, ?Gaxs, arising from the greater-than-equilibrium aluminum concentration is about 3 cal per g-atom. On the basis of the schematic free energy-composition diagram shown in Fig. 1, Eifert et al. concluded that the thermodynamic situation at the interface is one of the partial equilibrium; that is, = for the more mobile aluminum whereas will be reexamined in the latter part of this paper. THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF DEFECTS A rigorous analysis of the thermodynamics of defects requires an added degree of freedom in the Phase Rule sense, because the standard formulations of solution thermodynamics (partial molal properties of components, free energy minimization, equality of chemical potentials, and so forth) involve the implicit

Jan 1, 1970

By Albert J. Phillips

As EARLY AS 1824, Haidinger1 described crystals of native copper that were, according to Dana,2 "probably twinned parallel to the octahedral plane and normal to this axis." In 1837, Rose3 very clearly demonstrated that native copper crystals were commonly twinned on the octahedral plane. Lasaulx,4 in 1882, described polysynthetic octahedral twins and stated that enclosed twinning lamellae were observed. Even on crystals formed artificially by electrolysis, twinning was observed as early as 1886, by Brown.5 Many other descriptions of twinning in native copper and in gold and silver are to be found in the literature, and in every case with which we are acquainted the twinning is conformable to the spinel law; i. e., the octahedral plane is both twinning and composition plane. Metallurgists have long been familiar with the straight-sided bars or bands that commonly occur within the irregularly outlined grains of metallic crystalline aggregates. They are certainly found in nearly all metals of the face-centered cubic type after cold working and annealing. If a specimen showing these bands is rotated, keeping the angle of incidence of the illuminating beam constant, they usually exchange color contrast periodically with their respective matrix crystals. Also slip lines, when produced in these specimens, nearly always show a change in direction upon passing through the bands, giving rise to the "stairway" effect often illustrated in metallurgical textbooks. Apparently the only quantitative observations on bands of this sort were made by Osmond and Cartaud6 on austenitic steel. They selected,

Jan 1, 1928

By R. R. Sayers

IT has long been common knowledge that workers in anthracite are prone to develop a disabling disease of the lungs. Some of the earliest scientific contributors dealing with anthracosis were: Pearson1, in his report in 1813, on the coloring matter of the bronchial glands and black spots in the lungs; Stratton2, in 1838, who first termed the condition anthracosis; Greenhow3, who reported to the pathological society in 1865, on the Black Lung of the Collier, and Pick4 in 1870, who reported on the chemical composition of the ash of a collier's lungs. Visconti5, in 1870, is accredited with being the first to use the term "silicosis" to denote the pathological condition of the lungs resulting from the inhalation of silica. Rovida6 confirmed the reports of Pick and Visconti in 1871, in his report on a case of silicosis and chemical examination of the lungs for silica content. The relationship of pulmonary infection, as associated with disabling pneumoconiosis affecting the coal miner, has frequently been discussed. While most reports have emphasized the role of infection, there has been some disagreement regarding the prevalence of tuberculosis among those suffering from anthracosis. The report by Wainwright and Nichols7 in 1905 has frequently been cited to show that the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among coal miners was -less than that among the general population. It was their opinion that pulmonary tuberculosis was more prevalent among the miners' families than among the miners themselves.. Collis and Gil-christ8, in 1928 in their study of the Effects of Dust upon Coal Trimmers, concluded that among such workers there was an excess of deaths from bronchitis and pneumonia but not from pulmonary tuberculosis. They

Jan 1, 1935

By L. D. Jaffe, J. H. Hollomon

THE effect of tempering temperature and time upon the properties of quenched steel is clearly a subject of great practical importance, as well as of considerable theoretical interest. It would be very desirable to be able to predict the properties of a quenched steel when given any selected tempering cycle, with a minimum of experimental work upon that heat or even type of steel. Two problems are involved: one consists of relating the structure obtained to the physical properties, and will not be discussed here; the other, with which this paper deals, involves the relations of time, temperature and composition with the structure obtained on tempering. Indentation hardness is perhaps the most convenient quantitative measure of the tempered structure, or of what might be called the "degree of tempering." Undoubtedly, it is not an exact measure, and in some cases (as when temper-brittleness occurs) pieces of the same quenched and tempered steel may have widely differing properties at the same hardness. However, hardness has the advantage of being simple to determine and is certainly the most widely used indication of the degree of tempering. Moreover, for fully quenched steels that are not temper-brittle and do not contain retained austenite when quenched, it appears that, in general, if the hardness of the steel is the same, the tensile and impact properties will also be identical, whether a high or a low tempering temperature is used. The tempering charts available in the metallurgical literature usually give the hardness as a function of tempering temperature for only one tempering time. However, in practice, tempering times frequently vary, and a method of converting tempering curves for one time to tempering curves for some other time would be very valuable. It is also advantageous, in determining the tempering treatment necessary for a given part, not to have to temper samples at several temperatures for the time used for the commercial tempering operation. A more satisfactory procedure would be to employ times of the order of 10 to 30 min., rather than 5 or 10 hr., and if possible to use only one temperature. Furthermore, it is frequently desirable, for reasons such as temper-brittleness,* to obtain a given hardness with short times at relatively high temperatures, and it would be convenient to be able to compute without tests the time required to produce this hardness. Remarkably few quantitative studies of the hardness of quenched steel tempered over wide ranges of temperature and time

Jan 1, 1945

The First Conference of the Powder Metallurgy Committee convened in the East Foyer of the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, New York City, at 9:45 a.m., on Feb. 21, 1944, Mr. John Wulff, General Chairman, presiding. THE CHAIRMAN.-In behalf of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers I welcome all members and guests to this conference on Powder Metallurgy. We hope that this meeting will give expert and novice in the field a chance for discussion. Unfortunately, the subject has been overemphasized by some, and, of late, severely criticized by others. We have here today powder producers, fabricators, and engineers of different viewpoints, who can make the meeting a success. Such success depends not only on the caliber of the papers presented but more so on the discussion. To give you time for a free exchange of views, the papers have been shortened purposely. With the hope that you will all benefit by this conference, I shall turn the meeting over to the Chairmen of the morning session, Mr. Roland P. Koehring, of Moraine Products Division of General Motors, and Dr. R. K. Waring, of the New Jersey Zinc Company. SESSION ON DESIGN FACTORS IN POWDER METALLURGY R. P. Koehring and R. K. Waring presiding The opening paper of the session was presented by Mr. Fred P. Peters, as follows:

Jan 1, 1945

?AARONSON, ALFRED E, .Vice-Pres, Mid-Co Petroleum Co , Mid-Co Bldg, Tulsa, Okla '18 ABADIE, EMILE R, Min Engr - Box 927, Porterville, Cal '76 ||ABADILLA, QuiRiCo A, Student, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo. '20 ABBOTT, CLARENCE E, Gen'l Supt, Iron Mines Div, Tenn Coal, Iron & R R Co , 1405 Minnesota Ave, Bessemer, Ala. '04 ABBOTT, Louis BENJAMIN, Chief Engr, Consolidation Coal Co-, Elkhorn Div, Jenkins, Ky '15 ABBOTT, ROBERT R Met. Engr, Peerless Motor Car Co, Cleveland, Ohio. '12 ABE, ASAKA Fujita Min Co, Dojima, Osaka, Japan '14 ABEEL, GEORGE H, JR, Cons Min Engr, 633 St Paul Ave, Los Angeles, Cal '18 ABEL, ALBERT E, Mgr., Pittsburgh Dist, Valley Mould & Iron Corpn, 28th St & R R Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa '19 ABEL, W D, Min. Engr. 3897 Sacramento St , San Francisco, Cal. '19 ABELL, 0 J, Pres & Treas, Abell-Howe Co, 332 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, Ill '19 ABERNATHY, G E Willow Springs, Mo '20 ABEY, HIROSHI, Min & Met Engr, Arakawa Mine, Mitsubishi Co, Senpoku-gun, Akitaken, Japan '17

Jan 1, 1923

By C. E. Cottrell, G. W. Preckshot, N. D. Delisle, D. L. Katz

Most crude oils contain asphaltic substances that may be naturally or artificially precipitated. In the Greeley field, California, this asphaltic bitumen is precipitated during the flow of the oil from the reservoir to the stock tank The mechanism of such precipitation is not well understood. This paper presents the progress that has been made by using the electron microscope as a new tool and by observing the effects of the streaming potential on the formation of bitumen particles. Crude oils at atmospheric pressure viewed in the electron microscope in very thin films under a vacuum showed no asphaltic particles. A technique of preparing slides of thin films by dilution of the oil with benzene and washing in petroleum ether was used at first, and these observations showed that the solvents caused the formation of the particles, varying from 0.01 to 0.2 micron in diameter. The electrical effects of fluids flowing through porous solid were studied, with emphasis on the formation of colloidal particles by the streaming potential. The streaming potential of crude oil flowing through sand was measured and was shown to be responsible for the formation of bitumen particles. These results bring out a new phenomenon, which may occur when crude oil flows through the porous oil reservoir. mechanisms. Asphalt has been the subject of widespread investigation but, owing to the complexity of the substances being considered, progress has been slow. Investigators working primarily with the asphaltic substances have treated the subject from the colloidal standpoint and have developed theories that picture the asphaltic particles as surrounded by adsorbed materia1s.14,15,17,24 The deasphaltization of lubricating oil by the use of solvents treats the subject primarily from the standpoint of liquid-liquid equilibria.'' A complete understanding of asphaltic substances would make possible the following of the material from its initial state in the crude oil through precipitation processes to the final plastic stage, the most common form of which is used in asphaltic pavements. Since these asphaltic particles are very small, it appears 'hat the electron microscope4 might be a useful tool in studying the precipitation processes. Specimens are examined by the electron microscope in a vacuum and as very thin films, requiring special techniques in preparation of samples. A brief description of the electron microscope and its operation will bring out the difficulties and advantages of its use for this problem. The first work was done with crude oils that had been diluted with solvents for the preparation of the film to be examined. Later a technique was developed by which the undiluted oil film could be made thin enough for direct examination. These two techniques show vastly different results Asphaltic particles have been precipitated from crude oils by a variety of

Jan 1, 1943

By G. W. Preckshot, C. E. Cottrell, D. L. Katz, N. D. Delisle

Most crude oils contain asphaltic substances that may be naturally or artificially precipitated. In the Greeley field, California, this asphaltic bitumen is precipitated during the flow of the oil from the reservoir to the stock tank The mechanism of such precipitation is not well understood. This paper presents the progress that has been made by using the electron microscope as a new tool and by observing the effects of the streaming potential on the formation of bitumen particles. Crude oils at atmospheric pressure viewed in the electron microscope in very thin films under a vacuum showed no asphaltic particles. A technique of preparing slides of thin films by dilution of the oil with benzene and washing in petroleum ether was used at first, and these observations showed that the solvents caused the formation of the particles, varying from 0.01 to 0.2 micron in diameter. The electrical effects of fluids flowing through porous solid were studied, with emphasis on the formation of colloidal particles by the streaming potential. The streaming potential of crude oil flowing through sand was measured and was shown to be responsible for the formation of bitumen particles. These results bring out a new phenomenon, which may occur when crude oil flows through the porous oil reservoir. mechanisms. Asphalt has been the subject of widespread investigation but, owing to the complexity of the substances being considered, progress has been slow. Investigators working primarily with the asphaltic substances have treated the subject from the colloidal standpoint and have developed theories that picture the asphaltic particles as surrounded by adsorbed materia1s.14,15,17,24 The deasphaltization of lubricating oil by the use of solvents treats the subject primarily from the standpoint of liquid-liquid equilibria.'' A complete understanding of asphaltic substances would make possible the following of the material from its initial state in the crude oil through precipitation processes to the final plastic stage, the most common form of which is used in asphaltic pavements. Since these asphaltic particles are very small, it appears 'hat the electron microscope4 might be a useful tool in studying the precipitation processes. Specimens are examined by the electron microscope in a vacuum and as very thin films, requiring special techniques in preparation of samples. A brief description of the electron microscope and its operation will bring out the difficulties and advantages of its use for this problem. The first work was done with crude oils that had been diluted with solvents for the preparation of the film to be examined. Later a technique was developed by which the undiluted oil film could be made thin enough for direct examination. These two techniques show vastly different results Asphaltic particles have been precipitated from crude oils by a variety of

Jan 1, 1943