Interdiffusion of Gases in a Low Permeability Graphite at Uniform Pressure

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Abstract
An experimental investigation of the interdiffusion behavior of gases in a low permeability graphite was performed by sweeping the opposite faces of a graphite septum with helium and argon at uniform pressure and measuring the diffusive flux of both gases. The objectives were to ascertain the diffusion mechanism, to verify the applicable equations and associated theories, and to determine the parameters required to use these equations. At all experimental pressures, contributions of both normal and Knudsen diffusion effects were detectable via the pressure dependence of the diffusion fluxes. It was found that a previously proposed dusty‐gas model formed an excellent basis for correlating the results. The dusty‐gas model yields flux equations which predict the diffusion behavior over a wide range of pressures for particular gas concentrations at the boundaries. Only two experimentally determined parameters (characteristic of the gases and graphite) are required. These are: an effective normal‐diffusion coefficient obtained through interdiffusion experiments and a Knudsen coefficient obtained through single‐gas (permeability) experiments. The procedures used to evaluate these parameters in terms of the experimental data are described in detail.

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