Measurement of Low-Concentration Hydrogen in Inert Gas Within a Small Closed Volume

Abstract

A technique has been proposed and experimentally tested for measuring the hydrogen concentration in an inert atmosphere within a closed system. This method utilizes a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect capacity-type (MOSFEC) sensor under harsh conditions such as exposure to inert gases, pressure fluctuations, and varying temperatures. The measurement is performed during the thermal decomposition of metal hydrides in a liquid sodium environment. The developed measurement technique for determining hydrogen concentration released from metal hydride samples in a system with a closed gas path is cost-effective compared to standardized, resource-intensive open-volume flow measurement methods. The use of the developed MOSFEC sensor technique allows for rapid and efficient investigation of the in situ real-time dynamics of gas release from various metal hydride materials differing in their hydrogen content within a small closed volume. Additionally, this approach enables precise determination of the specific gas release temperatures.