Thermal diffusion in kinetic and equilibrium measurements by levitation technique

Abstract

This manuscript reports an experimental investigation of thermal diffusion using a levitated iron droplet and the binary gas H2-H2S. A range of temperatures, gas flow rates, and compositions were studied. Interpretation of the rate data for sulfurization and desulfurization of the iron showed a pronounced effect of thermal diffusion on rate and equilibrium measurements. A rate expression which accounts for thermal diffusion has been developed and shown to agree with experiment for sulfurization and desulfurization. Equilibrium data in the literature have been corrected for thermal diffusion error using this expression. These corrected equilibria are in better agreement with data found using crucible techniques.