Apparatus Calvet calorimeter

To sum up, the Calvet calorimeter has a very simple exponential apparatus function based on the above assumptions (namely, a very small Rthi and a rapid heat relaxation inside the sample and sample container (calorimeter vessel)). The measured curve can then be desmeared in a simple and accurate maimer according to Eq. (7.9). The assumptions are complied with to some extent if Rth2 is made suitably large by an appropriate design (see Figure 7.16). The large time... 

Figure 7.19 Response of a Calvet calorimeter to a heat pulse" (apparatus function).

In heat-flow calorimeters, it is particularly important, as already indicated in Section II, that the heat sink remain, throughout the experiment, at a constant temperature. The construction of the heat sink and thermostat in the Calvet apparatus is shown in Fig. 3. The calorimetric element fits into a conical socket (A), cut in a cylindrical block of aluminium (B). The block is positioned between the bases of two truncated cones (C and C ), placed within a thick metal cylinder (D). The metal cylinder is, in... 

Chemical composition was determined by elemental analysis, by means of a Varian Liberty 200 ICP spectrometer. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) patterns were collected on a Philips PW 1820 powder diffractometer, using the Ni-filtered C Ka radiation (A, = 1.5406 A). BET surface area and pore size distribution were determined from N2 adsorption isotherms at 77 K (Thermofinnigan Sorptomatic 1990 apparatus, sample out gassing at 573 K for 24 h). Surface acidity was analysed by microcalorimetry at 353 K, using NH3 as probe molecule. Calorimetric runs were performed in a Tian-Calvet heat flow calorimeter (Setaram). Main physico-chemical properties and the total acidity of the catalysts are reported in Table 1. 

A heat-flow calorimeter of Tian-Calvet type from Setaram maintained at a desired temperature, from room temperature up to 400°C, was used in connection with a volumetric apparatus equipped with a Me Leod gauge. Sample weights were typically 100 mg and ammonia doses 0.1 cm NTP. 

An apparatus with high sensitivity is the heat-flow microcalorimeter originally developed by Calvet and Prat [139] based on the design of Tian [140]. Several Tian-Calvet type microcalorimeters have been designed [141-144]. In the Calvet microcalorimeter, heat flow is measured between the system and the heat block itself. The principles and theory of heat-flow microcalorimetry, the analysis of calorimetric data, as well as the merits and limitations of the various applications of adsorption calorimetry to the study of heterogeneous catalysis have been discussed in several reviews [61,118,134,135,141,145]. The Tian-Calvet type calorimeters are preferred because they have been shown to be reliable, can be used with a wide variety of solids, can follow both slow and fast processes, and can be operated over a reasonably broad temperature range [118,135]. The apparatus is composed by an experimental vessel, where the system is located, which is contained into a calorimetric block (Figure 13.3 [146]). 

Methods. The differential heats of adsorption of reagents and the differential heat of their interaction on the nickel oxide surface were measured in a Calvet microcalorimeter with a precision of 2 kcal. per mole. The apparatus has been described (18). For each adsorption of a single gas, small doses of gas are allowed to interact with a fresh nickel oxide sample (100 to 200 mg.) placed in the calorimeter cell maintained at 30°C. At the end of the adsorption of the last dose, the equilibrium pressure is, in all cases, 2 torr. Duplication of any adsorption experiment on a new sample gives the same results within 2 kcal. per mole of heat evolved and 0.02 cc. of gas adsorbed per gram. Electrical conductivities of the nickel oxide sample are measured in an electrical conductivity cell with platinum electrodes (1) by a d.c. bridge. 

The simultaneous measurement of the heat of adsorption and the adsorbed amount of H20 was performed by means of a Tian-Calvet microcalorimeter, operating at 303 K, connected to a volumetric apparatus. The samples were pretreated in vacuo at the chosen temperature and subsequently transferred into the calorimeter without further exposure to air. Small doses of water were subsequently admitted onto the sample, the pressure being continuously monitored by a transducer gauge (Baratron MKS, 0-100 Torr). 

This work is a continuation of our earlier study [1] of the hydrogen interaction with intermetallic compound (IMC) AB2-type Tio.9Zro.1Mn . 3V0.5. The measurements were carried out in twin-cell differential heat-conducting Tian-Calvet type calorimeter connected with the apparatus for gas dose feeding, that permitted us to measure the dependencies of differential molar enthalpy of desorption (AHdes.) and equilibrium hydrogen pressure (P) on hydrogen concentration x (x=[H]/[AB2]) at different temperatures simultaneously. The measurements were carried out at 150°C, 170°C and 190°C and hydrogen pressure up to 60 atm. 

In the course of a eritical analysis by Hayer et al. (1993) of all the thermodynamic data, it was shown that the difference between two sets of measurements at 1000 K obtained either with a Calvet s micro-calorimeter or with the apparatus described above is less than 2%. At higher temperatures, such a comparison was not possible due to the scarce data available. 

The acid-base properties of the samples were investigated using adsorption of appropriate probe molecules, namely ammonia and sulfur dioxide, monitored by microcalorimetry. The microcalorimetric studies were performed at 353 K for sulfur dioxide adsorption and at 423 K for ammonia adsorption in a heat flow calorimeter of Tian-Calvet type (Setaram C80), linked to a conventional volumetric apparatus. Before each experiment the samples were outgassed overnight at 673 K. 

The fluctuations of the apparatus function / result, of course, in a fluctuation Ah of the halfwidth (Figure 6.24). It can be shown that the haUwidth of the steeper arm of the apparatus function measures the resolution of the instmment along the abscissa (usually the time see Theory of Calvet s Calorimeter in Section 7.9.2.3). Accordingly, the fluctuation of the halfwidth provides a measure of the resolution of the desmeared measured curve along the abscissa. 

The measurement of the heat of adsorption by a suitable calorimeter is the most reliable method for evaluating the strength of adsorption (either physical or chemical). Tian-Calvet heat-flow microcalorimeters are an example of high sensitivity apparatus which are suitably adapted to the study of gas-solid interactions when connected to sensitive volumetric systems [10-14, 50-55]. Volumetric-calorimetric data reported in the following were measured by means of either a C-80 or MS standard heat-flow microcalorimeter (both by Setaram, F), connected to ahigh vacuum (residual pressure... 

Most commonly used are heat-flow microcalorimeters of the Han-Calvet type [5, 8]. The detailed theory and operation of this calorimeter can be found elsewhere [11]. The apparatus is composed of an experimental vessel, where the studied system is located, which is placed into a calorimetric block (Fig. 3.1). The temperature of the block, which functions as heat sink, is controlled very precisely. The heat generated in the system flows to the heat sink and is accurately measured by means of detector. This is made of a large numbers of identical thermocouples (a thermopile) that surrounds the vessel and connected to the block (Fig. 3.2) in such a way that vessel and block temperature are always close to each other. A signal is generated by the detector that is proportional to the heat transfer per unit time. Undesired signals due to the external temperature fluctuations in the calorimetric block are minimized by connecting in opposition two heat flow detectors from two identical vessels, one of which is used to perform the experiment, the other being used as a reference. Heat related to the introduction of the probe and other parasitic phenomena are thus compensated. 

A microcaloiimeter of Calvet type or a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) apparatus can be used to measure the heat flow produced or consumed by the reaction at any time. This method is very practical, particularly for gas-sohd reactions, provided that the experimenter controls the initiation of the reaction, but this method is more difficult for decompositions or reactions between sohds. 

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