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No phase of the steel industry is more typical of its remark- able progress than is the evolution and development of the modern American blast furnace. The founding of the Institute in 1871 also marked the beginning of a new era in the pig-iron industry. The rapidly expanding westward development of the country, with its seemingly unlimited markets, gave rise to unprecedented demands for blast-furnace products. The manner in which the iron industry responded provides a fascinating chapter in the history of industrial development. Prior to this period, the iron industry of the United States, largely concentrated in the East, was based upon the consumption of local iron ores and local fuels, the latter predominately charcoal and anthracite. Small, isolated furnaces were located near scattered ore and fuel sources, and the completely integrated ironworks and steelworks were yet to be developed. In about 1860 exploitation of the newly discovered rich ore deposits in Michigan and the successful adaptation of blast furnaces to coke produced from coal of the great Pittsburgh seam in western Pennsylvania proved to be major factors in firmly establishing the general westward shift of the industry. But these were largely economic in character, and it was not until about 1870 that the aggressive, individualistic nature of the ironmaster asserted itself in no uncertain manner. No longer limited by relatively inadequate equipment and inferior raw materials, and spurred as well as encouraged by those who supplied capital for these new enterprises, furnacemen began to establish unheard of records in iron production. It is not surprising that Pittsburgh was the center of this new activity. Its tenor is best indicated by the following account :l

Jan 1, 1948

By Leonard D. Jaffe, Donald C. Buffum

THE importance of temper brittleness in alloy steels has long been realized in Europe, In the United States recognition of its importance has developed within the last several years. Many brittle failures encountered in parts made of alloy steel are undoubtedly attributable, wholly or in part, to temper brittleness. These failures have occurred particularly at low temperatures, under shock loading, and in the presence of notches, restraints and combined stresses. It has been almost universally accepted that plain carbon steels are not susceptible to temper brittleness. As a result, considerable effort has been expended in attempts to discover the manner in which alloying elements introduce temper brittleness. It is desired to raise the possibility that plain carbon steels are not only susceptible to temper brittleness, but are much more susceptible than alloy steels, in the sense that they embrittle much more rapidly. It is suggested that previous views, (that plain carbon steels are not susceptible), are based upon an erroneous interpretation of the experimental results. INTERPRETATION OF PREVIOUS DATA For many years the standard criterion for susceptibility of a steel to temper brittleness consisted of comparison of the energy absorption, in a notched-bar impact test at room temperature, of specimens that had received two heat treatments.1 One specimen (or group of specimens) was quenched, tempered, and quenched from the temper. The other specimen (or group) differed only in having received an embrittlement treatment, which might consist of a slow cool from the tempering temperature, or of an isothermal hold in the range 450-550°C subsequent to quenching from the temper. If the energy absorption of the specimen receiving the embrittlement treatment was lower than that of the specimen not given this treatment, it was said that the steel was susceptible to temper brittleness, If the energy absorptions were the same, it was said that the steel was not susceptible. Several investigators2,3 found that plain carbon steels showed negligible difference in energy absorption in such tests (at least when their manganese content was below 0.60 pct), and concluded that plain carbon steels are not susceptible to temper brittleness. Recently the deficiencies of the criterion mentioned above have been pointed out.4-6 The criterion now generally used for susceptibility to temper brittleness retains the heat treatments used in the earlier scheme, but instead of the notched-bar impact tests being made only at room temperature, they are made over a range of temperatures, covering the transition from ductile to brittle fracture, If the transition temperature of the specimens receiving the embrittlement treatment is higher than those

Jan 1, 1948

By William B. Senseman

FoR reasons well known to mining engineers, wet grinding is quite universal in plants having to do with the extraction of metallic values from crude ores. In the processing of the nonmetallic and industrial minerals, dry grinding is the more common method. The crude materials usually contain less moisture than is required for wet grinding and the products usually are marketed in dry form; most of them as powders. To grind wet, therefore, would entail the addition of water and an expense for drying the product, which is not justified. Furthermore, the material would be a dried cake that would still have to be pulverized or disintegrated before use. For producing fine products, air separators have largely replaced the earlier practice of sizing with screens and bolting reels. Mills in which the air-separating feature is an integral part of the design are now commonplace. Mill designs are many and air systems have developed along various lines, but for the purpose of this discussion, only the fundamental idea need be emphasized— the idea of using air for sizing and removing pulverized material from a grinding mill. About 20 years ago, when the use of mills equipped with air separation had become common practice, heated air or gas was introduced to such a system for the removal of moisture. The purpose of this discussion is to outline the developments and trends that have followed this experiment. It is an important development, for mills equipped with air separation are now universally used for pulverizing not only nonmetallic and industrial minerals, but a great variety of other materials. All such mills are essentially the same. Dried material is pulverized, removed by an air stream, trapped in a cyclone collector, and relatively clean air from the cyclone is returned through a fan to the mill. There is no theoretical need for a vent from the system. The practical need is to vent the air that leaks into the system; and, since the cyclone is not 100 per cent efficient as a dust collector, this vented air carries some dust with it. The initial attempt at drying was made on a system like that described, by the addition of a furnace. The minus pressure within the mill draws hot gas from the furnace. Infiltration air, along with the drying gases and evaporated moisture, is vented as before. The first application was made to a mill used for pulverizing coal. The coal contained very little moisture, so very little drying effect was needed for the success of this experiment. Actually, some calculated efficiencies of over 100 per cent were obtained before due allowance was made for the conversion of mill power into useful heat. When moisture is low, the heat obtained from the conversion of milt power is an appreciable part of that required. That drying can be effected in the short time interval available in a grinding mill of this type is better understood by visual-

Jan 1, 1948

By Lester Guttman

THE connection between short-range order and thermodynamic activities in binary solid solutions has been pointed out by Birchenall1 who calculated approximate values of the energy of interaction of Zn and Cu and of the degree of short-range order in alpha-brass at one composition and two temperatures. The purpose of this note is to call attention to a somewhat more accurate theory than that used by Birchenall and to extend the calculations to a wider range of temperatures and compositions as a means of testing its applicability. This is an example of the well-known general method of comparing measured thermo-dynamic functions of a system with those calculated from a microscopic model by means of statistical mechanics. In this case, mathematical approximations must be used which make difficult any decision about the validity of the model. Birchenall's statistical method resembles closely that called by Fowler and Guggenheim2 the "quasi-chemical" method which has been shown to lead in certain cases to results identical with those obtained by the method of Bethe.3 The quasi-chemical method has been extended by Takagi4 to give general formulae for the free energy of binary solid solutions based on several lattices at all compositions and temperatures. Specifically, he treats the four systems typified by: I. ß-brass; 2. a- brass; 3. AuCu3; 4. AuCu. When the temperature is so high that no long-range order exists, these formulae reduce to the same form for all lattice types, namely: [ ] Here the symbols have the following meanings: [F-Helmholtz free energy E-energy S-entropy k-the gas constant per molecule z-coordination number, (e.g. 12 in. a-brass). N-total number of atoms c-atomic fraction of A] VAA, VBB, VAB-energy per bond of the corresponding bonds log means log, throughout The superscript 0 denotes the thermo- dynamic function in the standard state, which has been chosen to be pure A or B with the same crystal structure as the solid solution. The quantity x is the ratio of the number of A-A bonds to the total number and for minimum F satisfies the equilibrium condition [ ] The free energy may also be written in terms of µA and µB, the chemical potentials or partial free energies per atom:

Jan 1, 1948

On Feb. 16, 1948, the Board of Directors of NME authorized the publishing of "Technical Notes" in METALS TECHNOLOGY. The purpose is to provide prompt publication of very short items of the following general types: I. Results of short investigations which do not warrant a paper. 2. The conclusions of extensive investigations of insufficient general interest to justify a regular paper. 3. Conclusions arising in the course of an investigation, which, because of interest to others in the field, the author wishes to present prior to completion of the investigation. 4. Pertinent factual comment (not mere argument) on the subject matter of previous "Notes." Such Notes will be subject to the approval of the Auxiliary and AIME Publications Committees, but can be handled more promptly than regular papers because they need not be referred to readers. The recommended maxi- mum length is 500 words; notes in excess of 1,000 words will not be considered for this type of publication. A graph or photograph may be included as part of the note when particularly illustrative. As with regular papers, contributions to the new section should be submitted to the Secretary of the AIME. Please furnish two copies each complete with illustrations.

Jan 1, 1948

By Cyril Stanley Smith

THE art of metallography is mature and the forms in which various micro-constituents appear are well known. Investigations almost without end have disclosed the importance of the exact manner of distribution of phases on the physical properties and usefulness of an alloy. Surprisingly, however, relatively little attention has been paid to the forces that are responsible for the particular and varied spatial arrangements of grains and phases that are observed. Like the anatomist, the metallurgist has been more concerned with form and function than with origins. In this paper it is proposed to develop the simple concept that many microstructures result from an attempted approach to equilibrium between phase and grain interfaces whose surface tensions geometrically balance each other at the points and along the lines where they meet. From this follows a number of principles which may prove to be of interest to the metallographer and of practical use in explaining failures and in designing alloys for particular service. In general, the discussion will be limited to structures obtained after full annealing. The simple principles do not apply to structures resulting from Widmanstatten mechanisms in precipitation, or to other structures not in local equilibrium and in which lattice coherency is a determining factor. INTERFACIAL TENSION Much has been written by physical chemists about the free energy of surfaces, which manifests itself as a measurable surface tension. Two- and three-phase interfaces in fluids seek a condition of minimum energy and approach a geometrical configuration in which the various forces are in vectorial balance.* Measurement of the angles established between the interfaces when in equilibrium provides a quantitative value for the relative value of the surface forces involved. The case of two fluids meeting at the surface of a solid (of great importance in connection with the flotation of minerals) has often been studied, but there have been few investigations of the equally definite interface between two or more crystals of a single solid phase, or the more complex cases where crystal grains of more than one phase are involved. The principles are best illustrated by considering first the case of two and three immiscible liquids. If, as in Fig I, a liquid, 2, is dropped into a less dense liquid, I, it will form a sphere-if gravity and viscosity can be ignored-for in this shape the interface has the smallest possible area. If these two phases should together encounter a third phase in which they are both immiscible, the geometry will change to become that which gives the lowest total energy for all three interfaces. Thus, if the spherical drop of liquid, falling through r, eventually reaches the interface between liquids 3 and I (we are assuming that the density of 3 is greater than 2, and 2 than I), it will assume the shape of a lens, the angle

Jan 1, 1948

By Norman C. Britz, Mortimer P. Buck

THIS PAPER DEALS WITH the practices used at the Huntington, Nest Virginia works of The International Nickel Company, Inc., in hot and cold rolling nickel and high-nickel alloys. The practical metallurgical aspects are discussed and a brief description of equipment given. The alloys covered may he divided into three main groups. based on their major constituents: 1. Nickel alloys, 2. Nickel-copper alloys. 3. Nickel-chromium alloys. The nominal compositions of the various alloys which are produced in most common mill forms are given in Table 1. Nickel, a commercially pure grade of nickel containing about 0.05 pct carbon as' the chief alloying element, is produced in all common Mill forms. "L" Nickel is commercially pure nickel in which the carbon content is held as low as possible, usually less than 0.01 pct. This grade of nickel is used chiefly for spinning and for special high temperature applications where its low carbon content enhances its corrosion resistance. "D" Nickel contains 4.5 pct manganese to provide improved resistance to sulphur embrittlement at elevated temperatures. "Z" Nickel is an age hardening grade of nickel containing carbon, aluminum, and silicon as the age hardening elements. This alloy combines the cor-

Jan 1, 1948

By Robert Maddin

THE application of electrolytic polishing of metals introduced a new technique for preparing surfaces, especially for single crystals. This procedure has generally been assumed to eliminate the strain introduced by mechanical polishing and to result in a more truly representative surface, particularly in the case of soft metallic materials. However, apparently little information is available concerning specific characteristics of a surface prepared electrolytically. The conventional method of mechanical polishing is known to produce a layer of distorted metal which is usually removed by a suitable chemical etchant. To what depth the strain introduced by mechanical polishing penetrates into the lattice is still obscure. The present investigation illustrates the apparently anomalous appearances of glide ellipses on electrolytically polished surfaces of aluminum single crystals. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE AND RESULTS Aluminum single crystals, 99.975 pct pure, remaining from the investigation of Found,1 were polished electrolytically using a solution of fluoboric acid and a low current density. Laue back-reflection technique, interpreted after the manner of Greninger,2 was used to determine the orientation and the specimen axis rotation of the crystals. Three flat surfaces about 4 mm wide parallel to the specimen axis, one perpendicular to the theoretical slip direction and the other two 1200 apart, were polished mechanically and repolished electrolytically. A tensile load was applied using a Southwark-Emery tensile machine at a rate of about 40 lb per min. Elongation was measured by noting the initial and final gauge lengths. X ray diffraction was used to obtain the usual X and X values in order to calculate the elongation and shear by plotting stereographically the specimen axis rotation by means of the Schmid-Boas formula.3 In Table I may be found the value of the gauge diameter, measured elongation, calculated elongation and shear for the crystals investigated. Fig 1 shows the initial and final positions of the specimen axes of the crystals. [ ] At a low magnification the slip lines developed on specimen Al-I appeared straight and rather evenly spaced. However, at a high magnification, the slip lines were seen to be composed of small markings which were present throughout the length of the specimen (Fig 2). The distance between the markings was fairly constant and their directions all parallel to one another. Fig 3-5, photographed on different surfaces of the specimen, illustrate the interesting appearance of these lines. It may be noticed from Fig 4 that the markings, which present the appearance of

Jan 1, 1948

By H. O. Pickard

The Hoover and Mason Phosphate Co. made extensive tests with a rig manufactured by the Paris Manufacturing CO. as shown in Fig I. It is powered by a 20-hp Wisconsin air-cooled gasoline engine, through a single reduction gear and flexible coupling. The machine operates a 4-in. auger with a detachable cutting head, as shown in Fig I. The auger length is 3 ft 4 in. and the cutting head averages 7 in. The unit has a drilling capacity of 100 ft and can drill an average prospect hole in less than 15 min. The weight of the motor is used for the thrust feed for driving the auger and head down, aided by the spiral shape of the auger. The rate of downward motion—i.e., the feed—is regulated by a handwheel. The string of tools is withdrawn from the hole by a gear train controlled by a hand-operated clutch. In fairly dry strata, not of the consistency of mud, the action of the auger

Jan 1, 1948

By J. D. Cooner

SINCE my working life of 32 yr has been spent in and about the anthracite mines of the Hudson Coal Co., and the previous 4 yr in a college school of mines, I can write best about the safety program of a coal mining company. However, most of the suggestions, statements and practices mentioned herein are applicable to the members of a safety organization and program of almost any industry. It is realized that industrial officials actually interested in real safety work are fully acquainted with the requirements of a practical safety program. Therefore, for such persons there may be nothing new in this paper. The Hudson Coal Co. of Scranton, Pa., employs 7,000 men and produces 5,000,000 tons of anthracite annually at nine collieries scattered for a distance of 40 miles throughout the Lackawanna and Wyoming valleys of northeastern Pennsylvania. For the past 17 yr of the above mentioned 32, I have been engaged in safety work as a safety inspector, assistant mine superintendent, and at present the safety engineer. I have also had the privilege of visiting coal and metal mines in other parts of the United States and Canada. We Americans are the most careless people in the world. If any one doubts this statement why are 100,000 of our people killed accidentally annually? Or why during the almost four years we were engaged in World War II were more of our people killed accidentally at home than were killed in our army, navy, marine corps, coast guard, and other services during the same period? We are careless everywhere in our homes, on the highway, at work and at play. The purpose of this paper is to outline the requisites of a safety department and its program to stop the accidents occurring to employees at work in mines or industrial plants. The first requisite for a safety program is that the management must be convinced of the need and value of a real safety program. By "management" is meant each department head from the president down. Otherwise a good safety department with a good safety program will not succeed because it will not have the proper personnel and equipment to work with, its rules and regulations will not be enforced, and the members of the safety department will be belittled in the eyes of most of the workmen and supervisors. Next, a safety engineer and his inspectors should have worked in the production end of the mines as workmen and also in an official capacity. They are then in a position to have practical and first hand knowledge of the accident hazards of the industry, how to prevent them, and in general the problems of both the workmen and officials. Some men are appointed as safety inspectors when they are physically unable to carry on as mine officials. Such men may know the safety end of the industry and even be safety-conscious, but if they are physically unable to be mine officials they are also physically unable to be safety inspectors, as a safety inspector in our mines must walk from 2 to 4 miles on each daily inspection-and visit each working

Jan 1, 1948

By A. R. Brown, D. Silverman

EquipmENT and methods for locating the points of entry of salt water into oil wells are described. These techniques make it possible to delineate accurately the top and bottom boundaries of water zones whether bottom water or intermediate zones of production, Data are given on tests by this survey method on a number of producing wells, Complete results were obtained on wells shelving water percentages ranging from high values to as Little as 10 pct salt water. A number of the wells tested were plugged back and the results are reported in detail. While not all the work-overs were successful, evidence, including the results of reruns by this survey method, points to failure of the plugback operations. The data provided in the tests discussed show, contrary to general opinion, that a large percentage approaching 50 pct of the wells showed intermediate water instead of bottom water. Furthermore, approximately a third of the wells tested showed multiple zones of water production. The equipment comprises a long pipelike assembly carrying 10 pairs of electrodes spaced apart a distance of 4 ft. A surface-controlled solenoid-operated switch is provided to connect each of the individual pairs of electrodes in turn to a single-conductor steel-armored cable by means of which the conductivity of the fluid in the vicinity of each of the electrode pairs can be continuously recorded at the surface. Any number of electrode pairs and any spacing can be used. This assembly is lowered on tubing and placed in position opposite the section of the well to be studied. A conventional rod pump is used to produce the well for the survey. The pump inlet is placed below the lowest electrode pair. The well is conditioned by pumping Out the salt water normally standing in the well and introducing fresh water into the annulus at the surface. When the resistivity of the water standing in the well has been increased to a sufficiently high value, the inflowing fresh water is stopped and the drawdown operation of the survey is started. As the fluid head is lowered by pumping, fluids flow into the well and the entry Of salt water is indicated by the change in resistivity of the fresh water opposite the 'Ones Of water entry, The process can be repeated as Often as necessary with little effort and without moving any well equipment to be sure that the fluids produced from each zone are representative Of the true reservoir content. Introduction The oil industry has been concerned from its inception with the control of fluids entering its wells. In order to effect the greatest economy of operation and to get the greatest total production of petroleum liquids out of the ground, the flow of gas and water must be controlled and often extensive workovers are planned and carried Out for this purpose. This has become even more important in recent Years because of the need for the conservation of natural resources. Whereas producing operations concerned with the original completion of a well are assisted to a great extent by a wide variety of instruments developed and perfected for that purpose, workover operations on oil wells have been greatly hindered by a lack of suitable instrumentation. The industry has searched for many years for a satisfactory instrument and process that

Jan 1, 1948

Jan 1, 1948

Prospecting methods used in Tennessee have gradually improved with the years, as required by depletion of the easily accessible and shallow deposits and the universal trend toward mechanization, and as necessitated by exploring deeper beds, often occurring under limestone and flinty overburden. In the early days it was a very simple matter to dig pits by hand, using a plentiful supply of local farm labor to expose relatively shallow deposits of "brown rock" under shallow clayey overburden that would stand up without timbering. Visual inspection of the exposed phosphate and expert judgment of the "grade" analysis, aided by a "biting" test to reveal presence of unwanted silica, furnished most of the information required. All this might be helped by a few samples sent to the local chemist† who supplemented his income by judicious trading or tanning a few bear skins. The extra curricula activities did not affect the accuracy of the analysis which hold up even under present day standards. Some shot and core drilling was done in Hickman County, mostly for the limestone-like blue Phosphate deposits. The next step was the use of a 4-in. posthole auger, hand operated as described by Guenther, followed by a completely mechanized rig, as described by Pickard. Both these methods are practically adapted to the prospecting of the relatively soft brown rock deposits at moderate depths of clay overburden. For prospecting in areas of deeper overburden, such as are often found in Hickman County, up to 150 or even 200-ft depths, a modified core-drilling method is described by Guenther. Johnston describes a special diamond-drilling technique, developed by TVA, to penetrate flint horizons, which was adopted by the International Minerals in chemical corporation to prospect in Hickman County where deposits had previously been prospected at considerable expense and with difficulty, by small, temporary, hand-dug shafts.

Jan 1, 1948

By T. W. Guy

THE increased moisture due to water¬spraying for coal dust control is of interest even for mines from which the coal is to be wet-washed before screening, because in many cases wet coal dust materially decreases the loading efficiency of men an equipment at the faces. It also causes serious increase in the normal wear and deterioration of all equipment with which it comes in contact. It is important to the consumer if it increases his as-receive moisture. No attempt will be made in this paper t cover the entire subject of water-spraying of coal for dust control. It will be confine to discussion and data on (r) percentages c dust in bituminous coals, (2) moisture increases due to spraying for dust control in mines or plants by methods which have proven satisfactory for periods of one to five or more years, and (3) a few suggestions for research. SIZE AND PERCENTAGE OF COAL DUST The U. S. Bureau of Mines1 classifies a coal dust all bituminous coal passing 20-mesh sieve (0.0328 in. square opening; The percentage of such dust to be found is ROM coal, of course, varies widely wit. the characteristics of the seam, and with the methods used in the mining and in the preparation of the coal. ROM screen analyses of 12 U. S. coals selected at random from personal files given in Table I show: A few other screen analyses examined indicating 40 pct or more of 2o-mesh X o dust in 3/8 in. X o-sizes were not included because of uncertainty that they were representative. The number of results in Table I is not sufficient to give a reliable estimate of the average, or of the range to be expected, but it indicates that in every case the coal dust is a relatively large percentage of the total ROM coal, and, of course, a progressively larger percentage of resultants as the larger sizes are separated for marketing.

Jan 1, 1948

By Jerome F. Kuzmick

INTRODUCTION THE use of iron powder during the post-war conversion period has been increasing with great rapidity. This is particularly true in regard to the manufacture of molded mechanical parts such as bushings, gears, cams, small wheels, and the like. Many manufacturers have found it possible to replace machined cast iron and carbon steel with molded iron powder parts, and thereby can not only effect a savings in cost, but can produce a better product as well. As the field of application for iron powder parts widens, greater demands are made upon the powder supplier concerning quality and uniformity characteristics. The following are some of the most important properties parts fabricators desire in the iron powder they use: I. The powder should have high compressibility so that good density can be obtained without the use of excessive pressures. At the same time, it should show low die wear so that a large number of pieces can be produced from the die. This means that the powder must be of high purity and good softness or plasticity. 2. The powder should produce compacts of high green strength, so that unsintered parts can be handled without breakage or fraying of the edges. 3. The sintering properties should be good so that satisfactory strength is obtained in the sintered piece. 4. Compacts made from the powder should show small but, above all, uniform dimensional changes during the sintering operation so that accurate parts can be produced, and warping and other such bad effects eliminated. 5. The powder should have satisfactory flow properties for automatic molding. 6. It is very important that the powder be uniform in sieve analysis, compressibility, flow, purity, and other qualities, from container to container in any given lot and from shipment to shipment. 7. Price-The fabricators desire all these good properties, but in many instances still do not wish to pay a premium price. There has been considerable discussion as to the importance of price of the powder in relation to the cost of the finished product. It is true that in cases where certain special properties only procured by powder metallurgy are required, price is not a criterion. On the other hand, there have been a number of applications recently made which would not be commercially practical with a powder which commands a premium in price. Iron powder parts are compressed in automatic presses to definite size, shape, and density. The powder is compressed to a density figure dependent upon the function the part is to perform, as well as upon such important considerations as press capacity and die wear. Such parts can be roughly broken down into the following density ranges:

Jan 1, 1948

Apparatus and a method for determining the volumetric behavior of hydrocarbons at pressures up to 10,000 psia and at temperatures between 0° and 460°F are described. The equipment is suitable for measuring the total volume of the system and the volume of a liquid phase as functions of state within these ranges of temperature and pressure. Introduction During the past two decades there has been a marked increase in the ranges of temperature and pressure encountered in underground hydrocarbon reservoirs of commercial interest. In addition, greater interest in the intensive characteristics of the fluids found in these reservoirs has developed. Apparatus Several types of apparatus have been developed in the authors' laboratory for volumetric measurements of hydrocarbon systems. The earliest equipment described1 was characterized by constant volume, and the weight of material present was varied systematically in order to attain the different pressures desired in the study. Later another apparatus2 was built in which the effective volume of the cylindrical cell, which confined a hydrocarbon sample of constant weight was varied by injection or withdrawal of mercury. The effective total volume of the equilibrium cell was measured by ascertaining the position of the mercury surface but no measurement could be made which gave knowledge of the volumes of individual phases existing within the hydrocarbon system. A third apparatus3 was designed for use at higher pressures and temperatures than the earlier equipment would tolerate. This apparatus was of the variable volume type but was built in the general form of a U-tube, the mercury level being measured at the surface which was not exposed to the hydrocarbon system. This arrangement avoided the need of subjecting measuring equipment to the extremes of temperature at which studies were made, but it gave no provision for measurement of the volumes of individual phases. Although this last apparatus was satisfactory as to accuracy and convenience for many purposes, need was felt for measurements of the volume of the liquid phase of the hydrocarbon system. For this reason a fourth equilibrium apparatus was designed and constructed, and it is the purpose of the present paper to describe it. The equilibrium cell has a working range of temperature from 0° to 460°F at pressures up to 10,000 psi. Provision for measurement of both total volume and liquid-phase volume makes it particularly suitable for the equilibrium study of heterogeneous systems consisting either of simple mixtures or of complex field samples of hydrocarbons. The general arrangement of the ap-

Jan 1, 1948

By R. W. Hyde, B. S. Old, S. E. Eaton

INTRODUCTION ONE of the most important problems facing the steel industry at the present time is that of maintaining at a minimum the sulphur content of many grades of steel where sulphur is known to have harmful effects on both quality and yield. The present outlook in this struggle to reduce the amount of sulphur in steel is rather gloomy since the sulphur content of the raw materials available in the United States is gradually rising, with little relief in sight. A flow sheet of sulphur in the steel process is shown in Fig I. The values used here were obtained by averaging coke oven and blast furnace data at No. 5 furnace in Cleveland and are considered typical for high top pressure practice. The sulphur evolved in the blast furnace top gas was obtained by difference and since the amount is relatively small, little significance should be attached to this particular value. From Fig I it is apparent, however, that coals used in the production of metallurgical coke represent by far the largest single source of sulphur in steelmaking. As an indication of the decrease in quality of these coals as regards sulphur content the weighed average annual sulphur analysis of the coals supplied to two different steel plants, since 1925, is plotted in Fig 2.1 The sharp rise since 1940 is strikingly apparent. Another indication of this trend is found in estimates of coking coal reserves. Thus in the case of Pittsburgh seam coals available in Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties in Pa. as of Jan. 1937 only 25 pct of the coal reserves would contain less than 1.50 pct sulphur after washing.2,3 Many of these lower sulphur reserves have been seriously depleted in recent years because of accelerated war demands. Still another demonstration of the increasing sulphur content of coals on a country-wide basis is found in a report by the Bureau of Mines4 which shows a steady increase in the sulphur content of coke made in the United States, It should be noted that this increase continues in spite of the wider use of coal washing in recent years. Sulphur occurs in coal in three forms, pyritic (FeS2), organic sulphur, and a small amount of sulphate sulphur (CaSO4), The sulphur is subsequently found in the coke in combination with carbonaceous material of unknown composition and as calcium and iron sulphides: In considering the general problem of sulphur elimination, the Republic Steel Corp. was interested in determining which, if either, of the two major forms of sulphur in coal contributes the greater portion of sulphur to the coke, Since the ratio of pyritic to organic sulphur varies widely in different coals, it was thought that if it could be shown definitely that the major part of the sulphur occurring in coke originates from one of the two major forms of sulphur in the coal, it would then be possible to select with confidence coal which, although high in total sulphur, would yield coke of fairly low sulphur content, Using the new

Jan 1, 1948

By Russell G. Wayland

This paper gives the author's personal idea of the general viewpoint of the world's largest mica consumer, the U. S. Army, toward the supply, uses, and conservation of mica. However, to cover so broad a subject in a brief paper will require the dismissal of many phases with little or no mention. For example, it will be necessary to omit further reference to phlogopite or amber mica, even though amber block and splittings for certain spark plugs and commutator segments present some supply problems. This paper will deal entirely with muscovite, or white mica. Muscovite Mica Muscovite mica is available commercially in four general forms; namely, as block mica, as splittings, as washer punch, and as scrap mica.1 No strategic importance is attached to washer punch and scrap mica, even though scrap has found some use in military construction and in electrical ceramics. The use of washer punch as such has fallen off with the non-manufacture of household electrical appliances. Some qualities of block mica are also of little or no interest, but other qualities of block mica and all splittings are considered of vital importance. Army equipment requires large amounts of muscovite mica splittings in the form of built-up mica commutator segments and coil insulation in motors and generators. Other military items using significant amounts of muscovite splittings are transformers, switchboards, and blasting apparatus. Flexible mica tape, made from bookform or loose-dusted splittings cemented to paper, linen, glass cloth, and other backing, is widely used in coil insulation in heavy electrical equipment and in aircraft generators. All muscovite mica splittings come from India, principally because of the enormous amount of hand labor required in their preparation. In this emergency, the need for them was anticipated and large industry and government stocks were on hand, while shipments have continued to come by sea in spite of wartime hazards. With the possible exception of certain bookform splittings, no trouble is anticipated in supply. Accordingly, the remainder of this paper is devoted to block (or sheet) muscovite mica, including condenser film that is split from block. The Mica Problem Block muscovite mica is commercially classified into the following general qualitie3, beginning with the best quality: 1. Clear and Slightly Stained (C & SS). 2. Fair stained (FS). 3. Good stained (GS). 4. stained (s). 5. Heavy Stained (HS). 6. Black spotted. The ratio of relative commercial abundance in the present new supply of these micas is approximately 1 C & SS to 4 FS to ro GS to 14 S to whatever the

Jan 1, 1948

By David K. Mitchell

The mineral pyrite (or marcasite) occurs in coal beds as balls, lenses, veinlets and bands. Several million tons are w-asted annually on the refuse dumps from coal mining and coal-preparation activities. Sporadic attempts have been made in the United States to recover this pyrite for manufacture of sulphuric acid but only a few plants have succeeded in recovering it on a commercial scale. Shipments of pyrite from coal mines during 1941 were reported as follows: Illinois -The Midland Electric Coal Corp., Henry County, shipped 12,026 long tons containing 46 pct sulphur, at its Atkinson preparation plant. Indiana—The Snow Hill Coal Corp. produced pyrite from its Talleydalc preparation plant in Vigo County. Kansas—The Mineral Products Co. produced 3902 long tons of pyrite containing 44 pct of sulphur from picking table and washery refuse. Specifications for coal pyrite for acid manufacture rangc from 5 to 8 pct maximum carhon limit, and 42 to 45 pct minimum sulphur limit. Where flash roasting is practiced, the pyrite must be minus 100-mesh. Most companies give no size specifications. One company specifies 20- mesh or finer. Impurities in pyrite other than carbon may limit its use—for instance, arsenic, probably as arseno pyrite-—even though a concentrate can be made complying with specifications otherwise. Pyrite-recovery Plants Bradford breakers and picking tables may be used to make a marketable product where the pyrite occurs largely in sizes coarser than about I in. To make a grade of concentrate acceptable to sulphuric-acid plants the pyrite must break freely from the accompanying coal and slate, which is a rare condition to find. Most pyrite occurring in coal beds requires crushing and an abrasive type of grinding to free it of entwined coal and slate, followed by mechanical concentration by jigs, tables or other concentrating devices suitable for heavy ores, to make a satisfactory concentrate. At the Snow Hill Coal Corporation's plant in Indiana and at the Midland Electric Corporation's plant at Xtkinson, Ill., the final concentrate is made by a mechanical jig. The most recent and complete mill for concentrating pyritc from coal-mine refuse is that of the Mineral Products Co. at West Mineral, Kans., in which jigs and tables are used. Many regrinds and recirculations of products are necessary to get a concentrate of uniform grade. Trends On the whole, the economics of recovering pyritc from coal is not favorable. Cer-

Jan 1, 1948

By J. T. Crawford

ALTHOUGH nearly 10 pct of the total tonnage of coal produced annually within the United States is handled by bulk freighters on the Great Lakes, very little of the detail connected with it has been published other than occasional newspaper stories and publication of tonnage statistics. Of the total tonnage floated on the Lakes each year some 10,000,000 is stored and distributed from the port of Duluth Superior, at the western end of Lake Superior commonly known as the Head of the Lakes. This port has the largest single area concentration of coal docks in the world. Since this area contains the largest ore docks, the largest movable material handling bridge, the largest and highest grain elevator and the largest coal briquetting plant in the world, it is entirely fitting and proper that here also should be located the largest coal dock and what we believe to be the worlds largest clam shell. Of the sixteen coal docks operated by ten companies, five are owned and operated by the North Western-Hanna Fuel Co. which has two docks on the Superior, Wis. water-front and three docks in Duluth, Minn. It is with these five docks that we are primarily concerned. GENERAL HISTORY In the summer of 1871 a small sailing vessel entered the harbor of Duluth Superior with the first commercial coal cargo. All the coal brought up that first year did not amount to more than 3000 tons. During the year 1877 the first dock equipped for handling coal was built in Duluth. Coal receipts increased to 52,785 tons in 1879 the first year for which an official record was kept. Since then the volume of water-borne coal to the Head of the Lakes steadily increased to a maximum of 12,688,321 tons in the year 1923. This tonnage was nearly equalled in the year 1927 and the next highest tonnage recent year was in 1946 when 10,105,703 tons were unloaded. The average annual bring-up over a ten year period 1938 to 1947 was 8,605,231 tons. Approximately 30 pct of the coal unloaded at the Head of the Lakes is handled over the docks of the North Western-Hanna Fuel Co. Competition of other fuels coupled with expansion of coal fields in the mid-west have held coal receipts for Duluth-Superior at a relatively constant figure during the last eight years although the total tonnage of coal floated on the Great Lakes has more than doubled in the past 25 years. From the shovel and wheelbarrow method of unloading early cargoes to the horsepowered windlass derrick with a wooden tub was but a short step. The first movable coal handling, steam operated,

Jan 1, 1948