Pressure of the Metallic Elements — Equations

This table gives coefficients in an equation for the vapor pressure of 65 metallic elements in both the solid and liquid states. Vapor pressures in the range lO to ICf Pa (10 to atm) are covered. The equation is ... 

The critical temperatures of most metals can only be estimated and most lie well above those of mercury and the alkali metals (7. > 3000 K). Conventional measurements under static, equilibrium conditions are nearly impossible at such extreme temperatures and pressures. Transient methods such as shock waves, exploding wires, and laser heating have been developed to study at least a few properties of the high critical-point metals. These include the equation of state and the velocity of sound. But these techniques are less accurate than static measurements and it has not been possible to obtain measurements very close to the critical point, or indeed, even to determine with any reasonable level of precision the location of the critical points of most of the metallic elements. 

Examples of this procedure for dilute solutions of copper, silicon and aluminium shows the widely different behaviour of these elements. The vapour pressures of the pure metals are 1.14 x 10, 8.63 x 10 and 1.51 x 10 amios at 1873 K, and the activity coefficients in solution in liquid iron are 8.0, 7 X 10 and 3 X 10 respectively. There are therefore two elements of relatively high and similar vapour pressures, Cu and Al, and two elements of approximately equal activity coefficients but widely differing vapour pressures. Si and Al. The right-hand side of the depletion equation has the values 1.89, 1.88 X 10- , and 1.44 X 10 respectively, and we may conclude that there will be depletion of copper only, widr insignificant evaporation of silicon and aluminium. The data for the boundaty layer were taken as 5 x lO cm s for the diffusion coefficient, and 10 cm for the boundary layer thickness in liquid iron. 

Next, let the example of vanadium, which, in the as-reduced condition, may contain a variety of impurities (including aluminum, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, molybdenum, nickel, lead, titanium, and zinc) be considered. Vanadium melts at 1910 °C, and at this temperature it is considerably less volatile than many of the impurity metals present in it. The vapor pressure of pure vanadium at this temperature is 0.02 torr, whereas those of the impurity elements in their pure states are the following aluminum 22 torr calcium 1 atm, chromium 6 torr copper 23 torr iron 2 torr molybdenum 6 1CT6 torr nickel 1 torr lead 1 torr titanium 0.1 torr and zinc 1 atm. However, since most of these impurities form a dilute solution in vanadium, their actual partial pressures over vanadium are considerably lower than the values indicated. Taking this into account, the vaporization rate, mA, of an element A (the evaporating species) can be approximated by the following free evaporation equation (Langmuir equation) ... 

La.mina.r Flow Elements. Each of the previously discussed differential-pressure meters exhibits a square root relationship between differential pressure and flow there is one type that does not. Laminar flow meters use a series of capillary tubes, roUed metal, or sintered elements to divide the flow conduit into innumerable small passages. These passages are made small enough that the Reynolds number in each is kept below 2000 for all operating conditions. Under these conditions, the pressure drop is a measure of the viscous drag and is linear with flow rate as shown by the PoiseuiHe equation for capilary flow ... 

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