| abstract |
A device for and method of measuring the hydrogen concentration in liquid sodium. A thin-wall, tubular, annealed nickel probe in contact with liquid sodium is connected to an ion pump and a vacuum gauge. A vacuum is created within the nickel probe by the ion pump, which thereafter is isolated from the remainder of the device. Hydrogen atoms in the liquid sodium diffuse through the wall of the probe and into the interior thereof until an equilibrium between hydrogen atoms within the probe and hydrogen atoms in the liquid sodium is obtained. Such diffusion by hydrogen atoms into the probe results in a pressure change within the probe. The pressure change occurring between the time of initial probe evacuation and the time equilibrium of the hydrogen atoms is obtained is measured by the vacuum gauge, and this pressure change is indicative of the hydrogen concentration in the liquid sodium. |