| abstract |
A device for and method of measuring hydrogen concentration in liquid sodium to detect water leaks into the sodium. A thin-wall, tubular, annealed nickel probe in contact with liquid sodium is connected to an ion pump. A vacuum is created within said nickel probe by the ion pump, causing hydrogen atoms in the liquid sodium to diffuse through the wall of the probe and be drawn into the ion pump wherein the hydrogen atoms are ionized. The current generated within the ion pump by the ionization of hydrogen atoms is measured, this current being indicative of the hydrogen concentration in the liquid sodium. |