Diffusion Coefficient Determination of Sodium Iodide Vapor in Rare Gases with Use of Ionization Sensor.

Abstract

The diffusion coefficients of sodium iodide vapor in the rare gases, argon, krypton and xenon, are determined by a method combining the analysis of measured diffusing mass with continuous monitoring of the sodium iodide vapor concentration in a flowing stream of sodium iodide-rare gas mixture. The flowing sodium iodide vapor is ionized upon its passage over a heated filament, and the generated ions are collected by a negatively-charged arched plate saddling the filament. The resulting ion current, measured by digital current meter, is integrated in time to obtain cumulative values from outset of run. The curve of the integrated values plotted against time approaches linearity with progress of run. The asymptote of the curve intersects the time axis at a point whose position serves to determine the diffusion coefficient, by applying an equation derived from the formula given by Carslaw and Jaeger. The coefficients thus determined for the three rare gases in runs at temperatures between 660°C and 710°C have proved to agree well with the values estimated using the semi-empirical correlation presented by Wilke and Lee.