Anomalous gravitational instability of mechanical equilibrium during diffusion mixing in isothermal three-component gas mixtures

Abstract

A theoretical model determining the condition of onset of free gravitational convection in an isothermal ternary gas mixture with inhomogeneous concentrations and stable vertical density stratification (the density is lower at the top than at the bottom) is developed. The model is in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data on the determination of the boundaries between diffusion zones under conditions of mechanical equilibrium and convective mixing in a gravity force field in a vertical capillary connecting two vessels with ternary gas mixtures.