Permeation rate of hydrogen isotopes through palladium- silver alloy

Abstract

Experiments were performed to study the permeation of hydrogen isotopes through a membrane of palladium-silver alloy in the temperature range of 353 to 673 K using the co-current double tube method. It is observed that permeation is limited by the diffusion process of hydrogen atoms in the bulk of membrane in the larger pressure difference range between inner and outer channels. Whereas the recombination reaction of hydrogen atoms on the outer surface of membrane is the rate controlling step in the lower pressure difference range below 103Pa. There exists a wide intermediate range where the both processes cannot be ignored. The isotope effect ratio and the separation factor in permeation are also quantified. The permeation behavior of multi-component hydrogen isotopes through membrane of palladium-silver alloy is discussed applying observations in this study. © 1996 Taylor and Francis Group, LTD.