Electrochemical carbon meter
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDouglas Noss Rodgers, Prodyot Roy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrochemical carbon meter is described which is especially useful for measuring the concentration of carbon in liquid sodium. The meter includes a carbon activity gas having a known ratio of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide contained within a chamber as an intermediary between a diffusion membrane in contact with the sodium and an electrochemical cell. A calcium carbonate fixing compound is also located within the chamber for maintaining the concentration of carbon dioxide therein at a predetermined level. The chamber is fixed to the end of a probe tube which supports the same fully surrounded by liquid sodium to be maintained thereby at a uniform temperature.
Claims14
An electrochemical meter for measuring the concentration of carbon within a fluid comprising:
- a. a probe having attached at one end
- b. a chamber to be placed within the fluid having the carbon concentration to be measured with the interior of said chamber being physically separate from said fluid and the wall of said chamber including a diffusion membrane transparent to any free carbon within said fluid;
- c. a carbon activity gas within said chamber containing a plurality of carbon containing compounds which will react with any free carbon therein and equilibrate;
- d. an electrochemical cell within said chamber being physically separate from said fluid, said electrochemical being capable of generating an electrical potential proportional to the amount of carbon activity in said carbon activity gas;
- and
- e. fixing compound means in said chamber for maintaining a level of concentration of one of said carbon containing compounds in said carbon activity gas with any variations in such concentration depending only on the amount of free carbon in the gas whereby variations in the carbon activity in said gas are proportional to the amount of free carbon diffusing into said carbon activity gas through said diffusion membrane.
An electrochemical meter for measuring the concentration of carbon within a fluid which is at a generally uniform temperature at the location of said meter comprising:
- a. a probe having attached at one end
- b. a chamber to be placed within the fluid having the carbon concentration to be measured with the interior of said chamber being physically separate from said fluid and the wall of said chamber including a diffusion membrane transparent to any free carbon within said fluid;
- c. a carbon activity gas within said chamber;
- d. an electrochemical cell within said chamber being physically separate from said fluid, said electrochemical cell being capable of generating an electrical potential proportional to the amount of carbon activity in said carbon activity gas;
- e. said chamber for containing said carbon activity gas being capable of being substantially surrounded by said fluid when submerged within said fluid whereby the temperature of said gas is maintained generally uniform throughout its volume by said fluid and convection currents therein are prevented;
- and
- f. a fixing compound in said chamber being positioned to be in contact with said carbon activity gas for maintaining a level of concentration of one of said carbon containing compounds in said carbon activity gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.