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AssigneeLa Corporation de l'Ecole Polytechnique
InventorsAlain Dubreuil, Arthur D. Pelton
Estimating the term…
The continuous monitoring of an element in a molten substance containing same is effected by monitoring the electromotive force generated between a first electrode in contact with the substance and a second electrode in contact with a reference material which is separated from the substance by a solid electrolyte. The reference material comprises a metal and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of (a) a combined salt of the metal and a monovalent metal, (b) a mixture of a first salt of the metal and a second salt of the monovalent metal, the first and second salts having a common anion, (c) a mixture of the first salt and the combined salt, and (d) a mixture of the second salt and the combined salt, the at least one salt being present in the form of a slurry containing a liquid phase in equilibrium with a solid phase, the liquid phase containing the metal and monovalent metal in ionic form and the solid phase containing the first salt, second salt or combined salt. The use of such a reference material enables one to obtain reproducible results and to minimize the polarizability of the electrodes.
In a method for the continuous monitoring over a predetermined temperature range of a monovalent metal in a molten substance containing same by monitoring the electromotive force generated between the substance and a reference material separated from the substance by a solid electrolyte, the improvement wherein said reference material comprises a metal in liquid state and a salt component selected from the group consisting of (a) a combined salt of said metal of said reference material and a further monovalent metal, (b) a mixture of a first salt of said metal of said reference material and a second salt of said further monovalent metal, said first and second salts having a common anion, (c) a mixture of said first salt and said combined salt, and (d) a mixture of said second salt and said combined salt, said salt component being present in the form of a slurry containing a liquid phase in equilibrium with a solid phase over a predetermined temperature range, said liquid phase containing said metal of said reference material and said further monovalent metal in ionic form and said solid phase containing said first salt, second salt or combined salt, said metal in liquid state and said solid and liquid phases of said slurry providing a three-phase equilibrium fixing an activity of said further monovalent metal.
A high temperature electrochemical probe for use as a reference electrode in the continuous monitoring over a predetermined temperature range of a monovalent metal in a molten substance containing same, which comprises a solid electrolyte defining a reference electrode compartment, a reference material contained in said reference electrode compartment, and an electrolytically inert electrode in contact with said reference material, said reference material comprising a metal and a salt component selected from the group consisting of (a) a combined salt of said metal of said reference material and a further monovalent metal, (b) a mixture of a first salt of said metal of said reference material and a second salt of said further monovalent metal, said first and second salts having a common anion, (c) a mixture of said first salt and said combined salt, and (d) a mixture of said second salt and said combined salt, wherein said metal of said reference material is in liquid state and said salt component is present in the form of a slurry containing a liquid phase in equilibrium with a solid phase over said predetermined temperature range, said liquid phase containing said metal of said reference material and said further monovalent metal in ionic form and said solid phase containing said first salt, second salt or combined salt, said metal in liquid state and said solid and liquid phases of said slurry providing a three-phase equilibrium fixing an activity of said further monovalent metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.