Search Documents

By L. J. M. Smits

A theoretical equation is developed describing membrane potentials of shaly sands as a function of the cation-exchange capacity per unit pore volume of the rock and saturating water salinity. This equation is based on the same simple physical model as that employed earlier7 describing the electrical conductivity of shaly sands. Experiments conducted with NaCl solutions showed that the equation is obeyed, except in the case of saturated salt solutions where minor deviations were observed. A possible explanation is given for this discrepancy. As the clay content and the porosity of shales may vary appreciably, shale membrane potentials also vary. It was found that membrane potentials of shales can be calculated accurately with the aid of the same theory. Consequently, changes in membrane potentials can be accounted for by simple measurement of cation-exchange capacities per unit pore volume of both shales and shaly sands. Charts are given to facilitate interpretation of the electrochemical part of the SP in terms of cation-exchange capacities and the salinities of mud filtrate and formation water. INTRODUCTION A spontaneous potential (SP) log is a record of the way in which the electrical potential of a sonde varies as it passes down a borehole. Such variations frequently reflect rock texture, e.g., permeable beds intercalated in an impermeable series often are indicated by a sharp change in potential. Nowadays it is recognized that SP logs may be interpreted in terms of formation-water salinity and formation shaliness. The four sources of the SP are illustrated in Fig. 1. El and E4 represent streaming potentials generated by the flow of mud filtrate through mud cake opposite permeable formations and through shale, respectively. An extensive review of the literature on the evaluation of these streaming potentials is given by Lynchl and will not be discussed here. The remaining part of the SP generally is called the electrochemical potential, which is divided into two parts: a membrane potential across the shale (E3, Fig. 1) and a membrane potential in the permeable sand at the diffusion boundary between formation water and mud filtrate (E2, Fig. 1). It was found by wyllie2 that the membrane potential across the shale, E3, is the most important contribution to the electrochemical potential, the shale acting as a semi permeable membrane. When the sand is clean it does not influence the diffusion process, so E2 equals the value of the so-called liquid-liquid junction potential observed when the two solutions diffuse freely into each other. When the sand contains clay, however, this interferes with the diffusion process and affects the diffusion potential generated. The greater the proportion of clay, the stronger this effect will be. Wyllie,3 Doll4 and Poupon et al.5 took this effect into account theoretically, starting from a physical

Jan 1, 1969

By W. F. Rogers, J. A. Stewart, P. J. Kalish, E. O. Bennett

Detailed descriptions are given of materials, apparatus and the experimental procedure used to study the effect of bacteria on sandstone permeability. The factors affecting permeability during injection of bacterial suspensions which have been investigated are: (I) concentration of bacteria; (2) core permeability and median pore size; (3) species of bacteria, mode of aggregation and relative size; (4) injection rate or pressure differential; (5) mean pressure; and (6) depth of penetration of bacteria. The investigation demonstrated that bacteria cannot reduce core pertneability to zero and that their effect on permeability is subject to definite limitations. Remedial or permeability restoration studies also were made. Acidization in combination with reverse flow war found to be an effective method for restoring permeability In cores partially plugged with bacteria. The relationship between the bacterial quantities in the laboratory tests and those found in field operations is discussed. The linear laboratory flow data have been translated into terms of field radial systems; these data indicate the most practical methods of maintaining injection rates in the presence of bacteria are to increase injection pressures or hydraulically fracture the formation. INTRODUCTION It has long been known that various bacteria flourish in the above-ground components of oil field water-injection systems. The presence of these bacteria has led to the suspicion that they might enter into the causes for reduction of injection well permeability, but only recently has an attempt been made to describe the effects quantitatively.1 Biocides are used in many cases without a firm knowledge as to whether the bacteria are killed, or if they are, whether the dead cells affect formation permeability. This project was undertaken as part of a study to determine the effect of bacteria, residual oil and precipitated solids such as iron sulfide or calcium carbonate on the permeability of sandstones and to learn whether any of these materials adversely affect brine injectivity in secondary recovery or disposal operations. This report deals with that portion relating to the effect of bacteria. MATERIALS CORES Three different permeability ranges of Berea sandstone cores were used in the study. The range of initial, absolute brine permeabilities kj were: high — 278 to 400 md: medium—130 to 162 md; and low—17.7 to 48.3 md. The permeability data for the cores used in the tests are included in Table 1. All cores were cut to a nominal 1 in. diameter. Following air permeability determinations, they were molded with an epoxy resin in 1.5 in. ID aluminum sleeves. The sleeves had drilled and tapped holes for intermediate pressure connections along the length of the cores. After molding, the high- and medium-permeability cores were trimmed to 4 in. in length and the low-permeability cores to 2 in. These lengths resulted in pore volumes of approximately 10.9, 10.4 and 4.4 ml, respectively, for the high-, medium- and low-permeability cores. Pressure-transmitting channels were drilled through the plastic into the core proper, using the sleeve holes as drill guides. Width and depth of channel penetration into the core proper were approximately 0.03 in. and 0.05 in., respectively. Three pressure taps were used with all cores; for the high- and medium-permeability cores the taps were spaced 1 in. apart; for the low-permeability cores the taps were spaced 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 in. from the inlet end. Pore size distributions were calculated from restored-state capillary pressure curves for representative cores in each of the three permeability ranges. In each case the pore size range with the greatest percentage of the pore space included the very small pores up to 0.5 micron in radius. The median pore radii were in the 5.5 to 6 micron range for the high-permeability cores; in the 4.5 to 5 micron range for the medium-permeability cores; and in the 3.5 to 4 micron range for the low-permeability cores.

Jan 1, 1965

By Luckie. Peter T., Deurbouck. A. W., Harold L. Lovell, E. R. Palowitch, James K. Kindig

PART 1: DENSE MEDIUM SEPARATION by E. R. PALOWITCH and A. W. DEURBROUK INTRODUCTION During 1974, 43.9% of the 603,406,000 tons (549,099,000 mt) of bituminous coal and lignite produced was cleaned mechanically, of which 82,280,000 tons (74,875,000 mt) was cleaned by dense medium processes.l The percentage of bituminous coal and lignite cleaned mechanically by dense medium processes increased from 7 to 31 % between 1938 and 1974. Dense medium separations include those coal preparation processes which clean raw coal by immersing it in a fluid having a density inter- mediate between clean coal and reject. As there is a general correlation between ash content and specific gravity, it is possible to achieve the required degree of removal of ash-forming impurities from a raw coal by regulating the specific gravity of the separating fluid. Dense medium processes offer the following advantages over other coal cleaning processes: 1) Ability to make sharp separations at any specific gravity within the range normally required even in the presence of high percentages of the feed in the range of 2 0.1 sp gr units. 2) Ability to maintain a separating gravity that can be controlled with ± 0.005 sp gr units.

Jan 1, 1979

By Ronald K. Linde

Metastable Ag-Cu solid solutions at two compositions beyond the maximum limits of solubility obtainable by quenching from the solid state were obtained by rapid quenching from the liquid state. The process of transformation of the metastable solid solutions into the equilibrium phases was studied by means of X-ray diffraction intensity measurements and electrical-resistance measurements; metallographic examination was also performed. Results are compared with those for an alloy quenched from the solid state at a composition which exists as a solid solution at elevated temperatures. Activation energies for the trans-formation were computed to be 33,600 * 2500 and 33,100 * 2000 cal per g mole for the 60.1 and 75.0 at. pct Ag;Cu compositions, respectively THE kinetics of precipitation in supersaturated solid solutions obtained by quenching from high temperature has been thoroughly studied in many alloys, and detailed investigations of the early stages of nucleation and subsequent growth of the equilibrium phases have been carried out. All of these studies have been made on alloys quenched from the solid state, however, and it is the purpose of this paper to present some of the results on the kinetics of transformation of metastable solid solutions in Ag-Cu binary alloys whose compositions lie outside of the solid-state limits of solubility. Limits of solubility in the solid state can be increased by rapid quenching from the liquid state. This was first demonstrated by Falkenhagen and Hofmann, who obtained appreciable increases in solubility limits of the elements of the first transition series in aluminum by rapid cooling of liquid alloys through contact with a copper mold maintained at liquid nitrogen temperature.' The same basic idea of cooling a liquid alloy by conduction onto a substrate rather than by convection of a gas or liquid (conventional quenching) has been recently revived and extended to very high rates of cooling by Duwez and his collaborators. The new technique was first applied to Ag-Cu alloys because the existence of a eutectic in this system is not predicted by the Hume-Rothery rules of alloy phase formation. Rapid quenching from the liquid state resulted in metastable solid solutions at all concentrations. The kinetics of decomposition of these metastable solid solutions containing 60.1 at. pct Ag;Cu (eutectic composition) and 75.0 at. pct Ag;Cu is the subject of the present paper. EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES Alloys were made in 10- to 20-g heats using silver of purity 99.99 pet and copper of purity >99.999 pct. Components were weighed accurately to 0.1 mg and melted by induction heating in an alumina crucible under an atmosphere of hydrogen. Weight losses amounted to less than 0.02 ~ct in all cases. Rapid cooling from the liquid state was achieved in an apparatus of the type described by Pietrokowsky. 3 In this technique a freely falling drop of molten alloy is caught between a stationary anvil and a fast moving piston, both anvil and piston being lined with copper. The resulting foils were approximately circular (about 2 cm in diam) and from about 50 to 150 u in thickness, depending on the pressure driving the piston. Metallographic samples were prepared for polishing by edge-mounting foils in Quickmount. The mostef-fective etching procedure was found to be: 10 parts NH4OH (concentrated), 1 part H2O2 (30 pct), 5 parts H2O, swab for 5 to 10 sec. The transformation of the metastable alloys to equilibrium was followed by X-ray diffraction and electrical-resistivity measurements. The peak intensity and the integrated intensity of suitable Bragg reflections of the metastable and stable solid solutions were studied with a Norelco dif-fractometer, using nickel-filtered copper KO radiation. The peaks were step-scanned at intervals of 0.05 deg. Using either a Kelvin bridge or a null circuit with a Leeds and Northrup K-2 potentiometer, the changes in electrical resistance due to phase transformation were measured for specimens cut into strips about 20 mm long and 4 mm wide. All resistivity measurements were carried out at liquid-nitrogen temperature. The isothermal heat treatment was accomplished by sealing the samples in argon-filled aluminum containers with stainless-steel O-rings. Containers were then suspended in wax baths with temperatures in the

Jan 1, 1967

By R. W. Lai, I. Iwasaki

Some physical as well as chemical aspects of the methods of dispersion of various corn starches and their derivatives are investigated and their effects as depressants in anionic silica flotation of iron ores ascertained. The adsorption behavior of starches on hematite and quartz is strongly affected by their molecular sizes as inferred from viscosity measurements. The implication of this behavior on flotation and flocculation is discussed. Mechanical treatment of causticized starch solutions is shown to reduce the starch requirements in flotation appreciably. Starches and starch products have been used as depressants for iron oxides both in amine flotation of siliceous gangue and in soap flotation of activated silica from iron ores. Cooke and his associates1,2,3,4 extensively studied the effects of certain starches and their derivatives in the amine flotation of iron ores at near-neutral pH and found that although most starches were good flocculants for hematite and de- pressed that mineral more or less selectively1,3 they did not flocculate quartz suspensions. Further, that replacement of active groups in corn starch modified its behavior as a flocculant for hematite or quartz suspensions1 and as an iron oxide depressant. Schulz and cooke2 showed that many starches and their derivatives, except aminoethyl starch, were abstracted more effectively by Brazilian hematite than by quartz and that the adsorption of a starch product was strongly dependent on pH and on the presence of calcium ion. In soap flotation of calcium-activated quartz, certain starches and their products have been used to depress iron oxides.5'6 The behavior of these substances in flotation appears at times to be at variance with those previously reported and especially with results obtained in the Mines Experiment Station laboratories. This is attributed, at least in part, to differences in flotation procedure and flowsheets and in the method of preparing the depressant. Most of the investigators referred to above, solubilized the starch products by autoclaving at 120°C. Others have used acid,7 alkali8 or oxidizing agents.9 In view of the limited knowledge of the depressing action of starches and their derivatives in iron ore flotation, particularly in soap flotation of calcium-activated silica at high alkalinity, an extensive study

Jan 1, 1965

By F. R. Cattoir, R. W. Kimball, C. T. Anderson, V. V. Donaldson

THIS paper is the second of a series on the effect of various elements on hot-working characteristics of Fe-C alloys to be issued by this laboratory. The investigations being conducted at the Ferroalloy Research Branch of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, Redding, Calif., involve fundamental research on the effects of various alloying materials and impurities on the physical properties of high purity Fe-C alloys. This paper deals with the determination of the limit of forgeability of steels containing varying amounts of manganese and sulphur. A paper discussing the hot-working characteristics and the physical properties of the forgeable alloys is being prepared. One of the principal impurities in all steels is sulphur.. The phenomenon, hot-shortness, commonly attributed to sulphur, has long been a source of expense and inconvenience to both the maker and user of steels. In steelmaking practice, this effect of sulphur has been overcome by the addition of manganese which, apparently, acts as a desulphurizer. Manganese is also used as a deoxidizer and alloying material. The critical and strategic position of man- ganese gives added importance to research which may contribute to its conservation and more effective utilization. It is not the purpose or intention in the present paper to give any explanation of the mechanism of either hot-shortness or its prevention but rather to report the results of forging high purity Fe-C alloys of the range of compositions near the limit of hot-forgeability. Temperatures for each phase of reduction were duplicated within 20" to 30°F for all tests. The starting material was sponge iron, which, after melting and purification, gave a high purity iron containing about 0.001 pct each of silicon and phosphorus. Scrap iron was not considered suitable because of its high percentage of contaminants and wide variation in analyses. The sponge iron was melted and refined for melting stock in a three-phase, direct-arc, size ST, Moore Rapid Lectromelt furnace with a 500 kva rating as described in the preceding paper. Additives were carefully selected to avoid addition of contaminants. The sulphur was added as resublimed flowers of sulphur or purified roll sulphur of analytical grade. The manganese used was dehydrogenated high purity electrolytic material produced by the Bureau of Mines plant at Boulder City, Nev. High purity aluminum in the form of wire was used for deoxidation. The limestone was obtained locally and had the following analysis: CaO, 53.7 pct; MgO, 0.8; ignition loss, 42.4; R2O3, 0.2; SiO2,3.0; and P2O5, 0.014.

Jan 1, 1955

By W. P. Blake

THIS furnace is designed especially for the oxidation of sulphur or arsenic in pyritic ores, but may be used for all oxidizing or desulphurizing operations, and for calcining, roasting and chloridizing ores, or for drying ores in large quantities preparatory to treatment by magnetic separators or otherwise. It is of the tabular, revolving type, with automatic feed and delivery, and is a modification of the Cornish calcining furnace, designed by Brunton, from which it differs, however, not only in construction, but in two or more radical features, for which novelty is claimed and patents have been applied for. The principal of these novelties are: 1. A series of concentric terraced floors, one above another. 2. The introduction of superheated air upon the charge without contact with the fuel. In the furnace which I have had in operation for more than a

Jan 1, 1893

By Stephen H. Stow

A relationship exists between the color and the chemical composition of the pebbles from the Bone Valley Phosphate Formation. Darker-colored pebbles are relatively high in iron oxide and relatively low in calcium phosphate when compared to lighter-colored samples; the brown color of the phosphate pebbles can be correlated with their iron content and the black and gray colors with their organic carbon content.1,3 It was anticipated that the darkness of a phosphate sample might be quantitatively measured by a simple reflectivity test and that the amount of reflected light could be correlated with the chemical composition of the rock, especially with the elements which cause the color and darkness of the Florida phosphates. Twenty-one samples of production grade phosphate rock from Hillsboro County, Fla., were studied. All samples were ground to -200 mesh for reflectivity tests and analyses. All analyses are accurate to well within ±2% of the reported value, except for aluminum and organic carbon, which are accurate to only ±15% of the reported amount. Reflectivity measurements were taken with a model 610 Photovoltmeter for tri-stimulus amber, blue and green, and white lights. Experimental procedures and data are available upon request. Results Table 1 contains linear correlation coefficients (LCC) for the element-reflectance relationships for the samples. The top portion of the table refers to the LCC between the percent of light reflected off the samples and the percent of a given element (or its oxide) as analyzed. In the lower portion of the table the LCC refers to the relationship between the same reflectance data and the chemical analyses which have been corrected on the basis of 0% acid insoluble material (chiefly quartz) in the phosphate rock. Each LCC presented in Table I is computed for the 14 coarser samples exclusive of the seven concentrates since the concentrate samples appear to have anomalous reflectivities upon comparison with the coarser grades. Only the most significant LCC for each element is presented in graphical form. Discussion of Data Iron: [Fig. 1] is a graph of the relationship between iron and reflectivity (LCC = - 0.98). A good correlation with Fe2O3, is expected due to the relationship between the tan (or brown) color and the abundance of iron oxide, the principal mode of occurrence of iron in Florida phosphates.8 Note the location of the seven triangles which repre-

Jan 1, 1972

By Eugene Holman

UINQUESTIONABLY the petroleum industry not only can supply the world's present oil requirements but even can meet a considerable increase in demand if it should come. The United States produced last year 1 1/3 billion barrels of crude oil, or more than 60 per cent of the world's total. It could have provided more, if needed, because we has a large shut-in crude producing capacity. Our refining capacity of 4,500,000 0 barrels per day is more than 2 per cent above our average refinery run for 1940. Adequate crude supplies and manufacturing facilities also exist outside of the United States. Large crude reserves exist in South America, in Iran and Iraq, in Russia and Romania, in Sumatra and adjacent islands. The refineries of the Dutch West Indies, of Iran, and of the Netherland East Indies are well located in relation to crude reserves and world trade lanes. Furthermore, flexibility in the manufacturing facilities permits adjustment of yields to meet a considerable range in variations between demands for products. Only with regard to 100-octane aviation gasoline is there any apparent refinery problem. Even here so far as this country is concerned, additional refining facilities can be installed well within the time that would be required to turn out the airplane engines which will use this super fuel.

Jan 1, 1941

By Alan Stanley

THE Maclntyre Development of National Lead Co. is located at Tahawus, N. Y., in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Operations involve the mining and concentrating of a titaniferous iron ore to produce ilmenite and magnetite concentrates. A general description of the operation and metallurgy has been given by Frank R. Milliken.1 Pigment plant production demands that the MacIntyre mill produce a 44.7 pct. TiO2 ilmenite concentrate. To achieve the required ilmenite grade and tonnage it is important that the table concentrate grade be closely controlled. Unfortunately, however, the titaniferous orebody which feeds the Maclntyre mill is not uniform. Ore dressing characteristics vary from one end of the orebody to the other, and from one level to the next.. The changeable nature of the mill feed precludes a single adjustment of the equipment for long periods of time. Thus the operators must constantly watch the equipment to insure a uniform concentrate from the fine and coarse tables and Wetherills, or dry magnetic separators. Chemical assaying of mill products requires about 4 hr from the time the sample is taken until assay results are obtained, and this is available only on a two-shift basis. The ore may change rapidly, even several times during a shift, so that assay results lose most of their control value by the time they are reported to the mill operating crew. Members of the crew have therefore tried to evaluate the table and Wetherill concentrate by visual inspection, since through long experience the shift operators, under most circumstances, can gage closely the grade of the mill products. However, there are times when the, physical nature of the ore is radically different from normal. Under these conditions visual inspection is of no value, and at such times final ilmenite as low as 43 pct TiO2 has been produced and shipped before the assay results have been received. The specific gravity method of assaying for TiO2 has been attempted to eliminate the shipping of ilmenite below normal grade as well as to help control day to day and hour to hour mill production. Table I shows the minerals found in the Maclntyre ore along with their average weight proportions and specific gravities. The first two products considered for the specific gravity method were fine and coarse table concentrates. It was reasoned that these products were essentially ilmenite with the higher specific gravity gangue minerals. Since they were always produced the same way, and the desired grade of TiO2 was always constant, the specific gravity of these materials would increase or decrease as the amount of ilmenite increased or decreased. Thus for table concentrates which assayed 40 pct TiO2 a constant gravity would invariably be obtained, and as the TiO2 value changed the specific gravity would change in direct proportion. The third product considered was Wetherill ilmenite. It was assumed that a desired grade of 44.7 pct TiO2 would also always contain the same amount and type of gangue minerals along with the ilmenite, and thus would always have the same specific gravity. As the TiO2 value of the ilmenite concentrate changed so would its specific gravity. Dr. Kenneth Vincent, chief metallurgist of the Baroid Division of National Lead Co. at Magnet Grove, Ark., ran specific gravity tests on 17 samples of the desired products. The lowest specific gravity reading assayed the lowest in TiO2 and as the specific gravity increased the trend was for the TiO2 assay to increase, see Fig. 1. Since these results warranted further investigation, a 500-g capacity Torsion balance and 250 ml Le Chatelier specific gravity bottles were obtained. [ ] Shift samples of fine table concentrate, coarse table concentrate, and final ilmenite were tested. Each sample was split and 85 g weighed on the Torsion balance. The Le Chatelier bottle was filled with water to a zero mark. To avoid wetting the neck of the bottle it was found necessary to do this

Jan 1, 1952

By Charles F. Park

Mining in the Pacific Coastal Region has passed through three stages of development. First came the gold rush days, a period when gold and silver were the objects of intensive search. Second was the development of the high-grade base-metal deposits and of the smaller and more refractory precious metal deposits. And third was the modern period that covers the discovery and development of the rarer metals, of large low-grade deposits, and of the industrial and nonmetallic minerals. Brief discussions of the salient geologic features of the region and of a few of the better known mineral deposits are given. The regional geology is favorable for continued exploration and discovery of new deposits and districts.

Jan 1, 1968

By Alvin H. Lense

In the spring of 1967, after a careful study of existing geology along the Pacific Coast including Alaska, the USBM, in conjunction with the USGS, decided that the offshore area around Nome, Alaska, presented an unparalleled land-to-sea comparison site for the evaluation of marine core drilling techniques and sampling equipment. Considering the geological evidence available and the production history of the Nome Beaches (5-6 million oz. of gold recovered), it appeared likely that gold in commercial quantities could occur in the offshore area. A 180 sq mi area of Norton Sound, extending roughly 14 miles to the east and west of Nome and averaging 6 miles to the south, was tested by approximately 530 line-miles of sub-bottom profiling. A total of 4043 ft (56 holes) were drilled in unconsolidated sediments, yielding mixtures of gravel, sand, silt and clay. Of the total holes drilled, 16 went to bedrock and six were terminated short of their intended depths due to boulders which halted penetration, or rough seas which caused the ship to move as the anchors slipped over hard sea-floor surface. The rest of the holes were terminated when the penetrative capabilities of the drills were reached, or when the required amount of geological data were attained.

Jan 8, 1968

By N. J. Grant, Per Knudsen, J. T. Blucher

The fatigue behavior of three SAP alloys was studied in ternzs of strain rate and temperature, at high strains. The k values in the modified Manson-Coffin equation, Nk4 = C, were less than 0.5 under all test conditions, and change with strain amplitude for the lower-oxide alloys at about 2 pct strain. Lowest k values were near 0.25. Strain rate had no effect on life at 80 F, but had an increasingly greater effect with increasing temperature above 500". Life decreased with decreasing strain rate, above 500"F, and with increasing temperature. Ductility at fracture in a tension test was indicated to be an important factor in determining 1ife in these big+-strain tests with the SAP alloys. INEVITABLY, in the course of mechanical tests at elevated temperatures, particularly if significant time at temperature is involved, there are large changes in structure; these changes make it difficult to relate behavior patterns over ranges of temperature or strain rates at high temperatures. Such changes are to be expetted in low cycle fatigue at low strain rates and high temperatures. Accordingly, it was of great interest to examine the low cycle fatigue behavior of SAP / an aluminum oxide dispersion-strengthened aluminum, a type of alloy which had shown unusual structure stability to temperatures as high as 1000" to 1150°F and resisted recrys-tallization essentially to the melting temperature.'j3 Since the matrix is pure aluminum, there are no complications of averaging, agglomeration, or phase solution. It was also desirable to check the Manson-Coffin equation4?' for the SAP alloys, namely N~E~ = , where ep is the total plastic strain amplitude, k and C are constants, and N is the number of cycles to failure. Here, too, was an opportunity to check the roles of temperature and strain rate with a very stable material. Tavernelli and coffin6 had concluded that k had a value of about 0.5 for many alloys and C was equal to ~/2, where E is the fracture ductility determined from a static tension test. The results were obtained from low-temperature tests where creep and diffusion processes are unimportant. Manson7 found k = 0.6 fitted his data reasonably well; however, in later analyses of a large amount of low cycle fatigue data generated at room temperat~re@"~ he found k to vary from 0.6 for short lives to 0.21 for long-life fatigue tests. In the latter studies,89g Manson separated the total strain range into elastic and plastic components when he found that k was influenced by the nature of the strain. The use of EL (total strain) instead of EP (total plastic strain)4'5 makes a difference in the resultant k value. The ratio of changes with temperature, strain rate, and strain; further, there are the problems in the determination of the elastic strain. Based on these considerations, and the improved fit of points in a plot of by Wells and Sullivan,' is also utilized in these studies. Anderson and wahl,14 using commercial 1100 aluminum, and Blucher and Grant,15 using 99.99 pct pure aluminum, found an increase in life with increasing test temperature. Anderson and Wahl were the first to report low cycle fatigue results from SAP materials. With increasing temperature, the role of strain rate becomes more important. In this regard, care must be exercised to differentiate between frequency (wherein strain rate may vary from zero to a maximum in each cycle, sinusoidally, for example), and constant strain rate, as used in the present study, in a saw-tooth type cycle; in the latter case, the frequency is not specified but can easily be calculated from the strain and strain rate data. It has generally been found that life in low cycle fatigue tests decreases with decreasing frequency16 or with decreasing strain rate at elevated temperatures.15 Coffin,17 reviewing Eckel's work,16 also reported that k increased with decreasing frequency for acid lead, yielding values from 4.0 at a frequency fo 6.6 cycles Per day to 1-46 at a frequency of 7440 cycles per day; the value of k decreased to 0.58 at a frequency of 2.38 x lo6 cycles per day. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Three SAP alloys, of two nominal compositions, were tested. Alcoa supplied XAP 005 as 2-in.-diam extruded bar, of nominal composition A1-7 wt pct A1203. The Danish Atomic Energy Commission supplied SAP 930 (A1-7 wt ~ct Ala3) and SAP 865 (A1-13 wt pct Al&) manufactured by Swiss Aluminium Ltd., in the form Of $-in.-diam extruded rod. Metallographic comparison of the structures of XAP 005 and SAP 930 showed the former to have a more uniform oxide distribution. Button-head specimens were machined in the longitudinal direction of the bar with 0.4 in. gage length by 0.2 in. diameter, with a fillet radius of j-B in. After machining, the specimens were electropolished in a 1 to 4 mixture of perchloric acid to methanol to remove all machining marks. All test bars were in the as-extruded condition. The fatigue tests were performed on a hydraulically activated, axial strain machine, with complete reversal of strain.15 Test conditions were:

Jan 1, 1969

By C. A. Fothergill

An improved blotter model is described which makes use of a plastic sheet as base for the blotter field and pins to represent the input wells. The model is simple to construct and adapt and is particularly useful for demonstration purposes. Operational details are given. INTRODUCTION The blotter model was first applied to the investigation of oilfield problems by Wyckoff, Botset and Mus-kat,' primarily in order to demonstrate the flood patterns which could be expected from various arrangements of input and output wells in waterflooding projects. In recent years the model has been largely superseded for analog studies by the potentiometric and electric analog models which are more refined and versatile, since they can simulate the form, and, in certain cases, permeability variations which it is not possible to do with the blotter model. However, the latter is still used for analog studies where the reservoir can be represented as being uniform in thickness and permeability, and where a visual record of the flood advance is required. Ramey andNabor,2 for example, have applied the model to the investigation of areal sweeps in oil recovery by in-situ combustion. Because of its limitations, the blotter model can be used in general for only very simple arrangements of input and output wells, but within these limitations it has a definite advantage over all other types, in that it provides a picture of the advancing flood using the simplest and most easily constructed apparatus, by contrast with the gelatin model, for example, which requires more elaborate equipment. Moreover, the experiments can be quickly repeated and modified if necessary, whereas considerable time is required to prepare a gel field, compared with that required for the preparation of sheets of conducting blotting paper. For these reasons the blotter model can be very useful for demonstration and teaching purposes, enabling the student to experiment for himself with different arrangements of input and output wells. A model has been constructed for this purpose which is simple to operate and adapt. The model (Fig. 1) consists of a base platform or box, approximately 12-in. square, on top of which are screwed three lathes of 1/2 -in. square section to form three sides of a square 6 in. in length. This forms the support for a sheet of Cobex, transparent plastic, thickness .003 in., on which is carried the blotting paper representing the field. The plastic is flexible and relatively soft, and can be attached to the support by cellulose tape so that it can be easily removed when required. The input wells are represented by brass drawing pins pressed through the plastic sheet from the underside until the points are just projecting through the top; these are connected in the circuit as shown in Fig. 2. The sheet of blotting paper of required shape and size is saturated with a solution of 0.2 n-potassium sulfate to which has been added a saturated alcohol solution of phenol-phthalein at a strength of 10 cc/liter of stock solution. The surplus water is removed and the blotting paper placed in position on the plastic sheet making contact with the drawing pins and the sheet (which is an insulator). The anode consists of a second sheet of blotting paper cut as shown and saturated with the same solution. This is suspended from a laboratory stand, being connected to the conducting wire by means of a crocodile clip and making contact with the horizontal blotting paper at the projecting point. This is the method used by Ramey and Nabor and which permits the hydroxyl ions or colored front to reach the anode. As shown in Fig. 2, the electrical voltage used is 220-v DC and a shunt is placed across the terminals to step down the voltage as required. Further adjustment can be made as necessary using a lamp board in series with the shunt to obtain the

Jan 1, 1958

By C. E. Taylor, L. V. Fegan

With on-stream electrical-resistance measurement as a basis, Bethlehem Steel developed a system for the completely automatic control of moisture in the feed to pelletizing. This system was later successfully adapted to the sintering process, with automatic control of moisture serving to maintain the air permeability required for effective burnthrough. Control of moisture content is an important factor in the agglomeration processes by which iron ores are converted into either pellets or sinter for use in blast furnace burdens. In both pelletizing and sintering the iron ore feed must be mixed with the proper amount of water so that capillary attraction and surface tension forces can be utilized to cause the ore particles to coalesce and form larger agglomerates. The success or failure of the entire pelletizing or sintering process depends on maintaining the proper moisture. Therefore, continuous automatic control of moisture is one of the conditions for the automation and optimum use of both pelletizing and sintering processes. In pelletizing, variation in moisture can cause ball size to change and is a common cause of cycling which results in a fluctuating feed to induration. Excessive moisture can cause lumps to form at the cutter bar and contributes to the formation of buildup on the green pellet screens. Green pellets with excess moisture deform and reduce bed permeability. In sintering, accurate control of moisture is also important because moisture must be within the limits that give the bed the required permeability for good burnthrough. In response to these problems, a moisture meter, based on the principle of electrical resistance measurement, was developed. This moisture meter has been a key factor in the development of systems for providing uniform feed of concentrates in most of Bethlehem's pelletizing and sintering plants. The automatic moisture control system for pelletizing was successfully plant-tested and resulted in the following: (1) Control of moisture in the green pellets to +0.2%. (2) Up to 50% reduction of bentonite consumption. (3) Control of unscreened green pellets so that 85% of the furnace product at Cornwall was within the size range of -5/8 +3/8 in. (4) Improved quality of product with a tumble test of 94 and a "Q" index of 90 as the result of feeding a consistently uniform feed to a shaft furnace. In sintering, where sinter-mix temperature change and variable feed could cause errors in moisture measurement, the system was designed to maintain the correct moisture under virtually all plant operating conditions. It was successfully plant-tested and is now in use in most of Bethlehem's sintering plants. The system achieves: (1) Control of moisture within the desired limits for optimum production. (2) Continuous measurement and control of moisture even with intermittent feeding of mix, so that attention by the operator is seldom required. The two automatic control systems provide smoother startup, minimize upsets and contribute to the consistent control of process variables in pelletizing and sintering. MOISTURE-CONTROL SYSTEM FOR PELLETIZING Fig. 1 shows the general arrangement of the system for automatic control of moisture in pelletizing.1 In this system a bin level controller, using a single probe which regulates filter speed, maintains a uniform low concentrate level in the bin.' The moisture meter, comprised of an analyzer and control components, continuously measures the moisture in the bed and adds water to adjust to the desired level. The meter is placed in an open-loop (feed-forward) control, i.e., water addition occurs downstream from the probes. Filter vacuum must be set so as to produce a filtercake moisture which is below the optimum for pelletizing. Bentonite is added after the

Jan 1, 1969

[United Engineering Trustees, Inc. ALBERT ROBERTS. '47 R. M. ROOSEVELT, '49 RALPH B. WILLIAMS, '48 The Engineering Foundation F. F. COLCORD. '46 M. A. PRENTIS. Jn.. '48 It. >I. ROOSEVELT. '49]

Jan 1, 1946

By Glenn A. Marsh, George Bernard

It is often assumed that aerated oil field brines which are to be injected underground contain dissolved oxygen in amounts which will cause appreciable corrosion. Through the use of a new portable dissolved oxygen meter, accurate determinations were made at three brine conditioning plants. At two older plants, dissolved oxygen concentration in the final treated brine was found to he almost zero In spite of aeration during the conditioning process. At a new plant, dissolved oxygen was initially present but disappeared soon after the brine was "inoculated" with oxygen-free brine from one of the other plants. Corrosion tests at the two older plants have substantiated predictions that the brines would lint be corrosive. These results show that mechanical deaeration may not always be required in brine treating plants. INTRODUCTION The present work was undertaken to add to our knowledge of aeration and deaeration of oil field brines in brine conditioning plants. It is commonly assumed that brines which are exposed to the air soon become more or less saturated with dissolved oxygen. Since oxygen-containing brines are known to be corrosive, precautions are often taken to keep air out of brine through the use of closed systems or mechanical deaeration. The study of oxygen in brine has been seriously hampered in the past because of the lack of a suitable analytical tool. The standard Winkler method for the determination of dis-solved oxygen is satisfactory for use in fresh water, but not in many oil field brines. Corrections have to be made for a number of reducing substances such as ferrous iron and hydrogen sulfide which are commonly present in natural brines. Very often the correction factors are much greater in magnitude than the amounts of oxygen which are to be determined, and consequently erroneous results are obtained. Also. erratic Winkler data are obtained when appreciable concentrations of calcium and magnesium salts are present. The first step in carrying out a systematic study involved designing a portable dissolved oxygen apparatus which would operate in natural brines. Subsequently, this apparatus was used in three brine conditioning plants. Dissolved oxygen data obtained here, and certain corrosion rate data, illustrate the interesting behavior of oxygen in these oil field brines. APPARATUS A portable dissolved oxygen meter described in detail elsewhere,' was developed specifically for use with oil field brines. It is a polarographic apparatus employing a small rotating platinum electrode (cathode) and calomel reference electrode (anode). A potential of 0.7 volts is applied across the electrodes while they are immersed in the brine to be tested. 4References given at end of paper.

Jan 1, 1952

By Ben Gumpertz

THE important factors in any study of the screening of sand with a gravel enve-lope, as applied to use in oil wells, are: (r) sand size and shape, (2) gravel size and shape, (3) ratio of gravel size to sand size, (4) flow velocity, (5) viscosity of the fluid. Perhaps the first extensive investigation of the function of gravel in screening sand was performed by Coberly and Wagner,1 from which the following conclusion was drawn: "The diameter of the largest grains in a single classified sand suitable for gravel packing is approximately 23 times the grain size at the ten-percentile analysis of the formation sample." This applies to sands classified by Tyler screens and is for gravel grains of the maximum size that could be used to form a stable bridge. Field practice has shown that the screening effect of a given gravel for a given sand apparently varies with the flow velocity.2 Also, it has been assumed by some opera-tors that the thickness of the walls of the gravel envelope surrounding the well has little effect upon the screening process. It is thought by others that a narrow envelope of gravel might form an ineffec-tive screen. Thus the purposes of this work are: I. To investigate the effect of gravel-sand size ratio upon screening action under the condition of varying flow velocities. 2. To investigate the effect upon screen-ing action of varying the thickness of the gravel screen.

Jan 1, 1940

By Frank Julian

The determination of manganese by precipitation with potassium chlorate from a solution in concentrated nitric acid, filtration through asbestos, and solution in a reducing agent whose excess is estimated, is open to the objections that the filtration and subsequent solution of the binoxide are apt to be very slow, and that the asbestos may (according to Troilius), unless perfectly purified, affect the titration. In the following modification, filtration is avoided. I give the method as I use it for Bessemer steel. In an 8-ounce Griffen beaker dissolve 1 gramme drillings in 15 c.c. nitric acid (1.2 sp. gr.). Evaporate to 5 c.c.; add 20 c.c. concentrated nitric acid and precipitate with chlorate as usual, avoiding a large excess; then add about 60 c.c. warm water, and 10 c.c. of the oxalic solution; stir until of a clear light yellow color, and titrate with permanganate while the solution is at about 80' C. The binoxide should dissolve immediately when the oxalate isadded. The titration is rapid, and the end-reaction, though transient, easily caught after a little practice. The standard solutions used are: 15 grammes crystallized ammonium oxalate to a liter, and 1.6 grarnmes potassium permanganate to a liter. For standardizing the permanganate, to 10 c.c. of the oxalic solution is added 50 c.c. of hot water, and a solution of 1 gratnme of steel in concentrated nitric acid, from which the manganese has been removed by potassium chlorate and filtration through asbestos. I have made a large number of determinations in steel, pig-iron,

Jan 1, 1888

By P. M. Robinson, M. B. Bever

The heats oj formation at 273°K of the compounds CdTe, I)z2Te, InTe, In2Te3. In2Te5, SrzTe, and PbTe have been rleasrred in a liquid metal solutiotz caloritrete? 1.t1itlz bismuth as solvent. The?, are iterpretecl in yelation to tlze stability and bonding of the cott/pozltzds. Tile heats of fusion atzd the melting- points of tlze cotlzpounds InTe and Itzz,Te3 1lcti.e been measured in a cotrslant-temperature gradient calorimeter. The entropies of fusion are disc,ztssecl in YIIIS 01. the degree of order in the solid at the melting point. THE heats of formation of the tellurides of cadmium, indium, tin, and lead have been measured as a continuation of research on the thermodynamic properties of compounds of tellurim.' The tellurides of these metals were selected with a view to examining the relation between the heat of formation and the position of the metal in the periodic system. The elements cadmium, indium, and tin are in the same period and tin and lead are in the same group of the periodic system. The tellurides of indium are of special interest because four compounds, In2Te, InTe, In2Te3, and InzTe5, occur in this system. The available information on the heats of formation of the compounds investigated consists of values for CdTe, SnTe, and PbTe derived from electromotive-force measurements,J a value for CdTe obtained by tin solution alorimetr, and values for InTe and In2Te3 determined by combustion calorimetry.5 These values, however, refer to various temperatures ranging from 273' to 673°K and some of the reported error limits are large. Liquid metal solution calorime-try may be expected to yield more accurate values for the heats of formation than electromotive-force measurements or combustion calorimetry. The heats of fusion and the melting points of the compounds InTe and In,Te3 were determined in a constant-temperature gradient calorimeter. No published information appears to be available on the heat of fusion of these compounds. The results reported here give an indication of the degree of order in the solid compounds at the melting point. 1) MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Materials. Samples of the compounds SnTe and PbTe were obtained from the Westinghouse Research Laboratories and samples of the compound InTe from Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology. Additional samples of the compounds InTe, SnTe, and PbTe and samples of CdTe, In2Te, In2Te3, and In,Tes were prepared from 99.995 pct Cd (Baker Chemical CO.), 99.999+ pct In (American Smelting and Refining Co.), 99.99 pct Sn (Baker Chemical Co.), 99.999+ pct Pb (Fisher Scientific Co.), and 99.999+ pct Te (American Smelting and Refining Co.). Stoichiometric amounts of the component elements were melted in sealed, evacuated Vycor tubes. The melts were held at approximately 100°C above the liquidus for about 16 hr and shaken repeatedly. The melts of the compounds In2Te and InzTe5, which form by peritectic reactions, were quenched into iced water. The melts of the other compounds, which have congruent melting points, were slowly cooled to room temperature. The samples were then annealed for 5 days at approximately 50°C below their respective solidus temperatures. Metallographic examination did not reveal any evidence of second phases or segregation. At least two batches of each compound were prepared. Samples from each batch were used in determining the heats of formation and, in the cases of InTe and In,Te3, the heats of fusion. The Heats of Formation. The heats of formation at 273°K of the compounds were measured by metal solution calorimetry with liquid bismuth at 623" as solvent. In this technique, the heat of formation is determined from the measured heat effects on dissolution of the compound and of a mechanical mixture of the component elements. The difference between these heat effects adjusted for changes in the composition of the bath gives the heat of formation at the temperature from which the samples are added to the bath (273°K). The experimental technique and method of calculation have been described in detail elsewhere.= It should be emphasized that the reported heats of formation depend on the thermodynamic data used in calculating the heat effects for the calibration additions. In the present investigation, the calorimeter was calibrated by adding pure bismuth at 273°K to the bismuth bath at 623°K. The reported heats of formation are based on a value of 4.96 kcal per g-atom for the difference in the heat contents of bismuth at 623" and 273". If a new value for this quantity becomes available, the reported results may be adjusted in direct proportion. The concentration of solute in the bath at the end of a calorimetric run did not exceed 1.7 at. pct and was usually less. In this range, the heat effect on dissolution of the solute was a linear function of the concentration of solute. In determining the heats of formation of the compounds in the system In-Te, a few runs were carried out in which two neighboring compounds such as InTe and In,Te3 and the corresponding mechanical mixtures of the components were added to the calorimeter. The

Jan 1, 1967