Device for determining carbon activity through pressure
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Energy Research and Development Administration
InventorMichael F. Roche
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hollow iron capsule of annular shape having an interior layer of Fe.sub.0.947 0 and a near absolute internal vacuum is submersed within a molten metal with the inner chamber of the capsule connected to a pressure sensor. Carbon present in the molten metal diffuses through the capsule wall and reacts with the Fe.sub.0.947 0 layer to generate a CO.sub.2 --CO gas mixture within the internal chamber. The total absolute pressure of the gas measured by the pressure sensor is directly proportional to the carbon activity of the molten metal.
Claims6
A device for measuring the carbon activity of a fluid containing carbon comprising:
- a capsule adapted to contact a fluid of unknown carbon activity having an internal chamber with walls of a material including iron, an iron oxide layer covering the interior surfaces of said capsule walls, pressure-sensor means for measuring the absolute pressure within said chamber, copper tubing interconnecting said internal chamber of said capsule and said means for determining the absolute pressure of said internal chamber and an outer jacket sealingly surrounding said copper tubing over a portion of its length immediately adjacent to said capsule in order to prevent contact of said fluid with said copper tubing.
A method of measuring the carbon activity of a fluid having unknown carbon activity comprising:
- forming a layer of iron oxide on the interior wall surfaces defining an internal chamber of a sealed iron capsule;
- evacuating said chamber;
- submersing said capsule within said fluid of unknown carbon activity;
- and measuring the absolute pressure within said capsule internal chamber to determine the carbon activity of said fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.