Apparatus for determining the metal oxide content of an alkali liquid metal

摘要

PICT:0883632/III/1 PICT:0883632/III/2 In apparatus for determining the oxide content of an alkali liquid metal, the rate of flow of the metal through orifices in two barriers is compared, one barrier being resistant to corrosion whilst the other is resistant to corrosion by the metal but corroded by the oxide. As shown, liquid sodium and/or potassium flows under control of a valve 21 into a chamber 37 and then through a perforated barrier 47 of stainless steel and through a further barrier 48 of niobium. The outputs from the barriers are taken via pipes 23, 24 to electric flowmeters 74, 75 comprising a permanent magnet 68 having two pairs of pole pieces 71, 72. The voltage induced in each pair of electrodes 81 brazed to the pipes is proportional to the rate of flow. The two voltages are fed to a recorder. The oxide content may be determined from the gradient of a graph plotted against time of the difference between the flows divided by the sum.