Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Diffusional exchange of isotopes in a metal hydride sphere.

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1013224· OSTI ID:1013224
This report describes the Spherical Particle Exchange Model (SPEM), which simulates exchange of one hydrogen isotope by another hydrogen isotope in a spherical metal hydride particle. This is one of the fundamental physical processes during isotope exchange in a bed of spherical metal particles and is thus one of the key components in any comprehensive physics-based model of exchange. There are two important physical processes in the model. One is the entropy of mixing between the two isotopes; the entropy of mixing is increased by having both isotopes randomly placed at interstitial sites on the lattice and thus impedes the exchange process. The other physical process is the elastic interaction between isotope atoms on the lattice. The elastic interaction is the cause for {beta}-phase formation and is independent of the isotope species. In this report the coupled diffusion equations for two isotopes in the {beta}-phase hydride are solved. A key concept is that the diffusion of one isotope depends not only on its concentration gradient, but also on the concentration gradient of the other isotope. Diffusion rate constants and the chemical potentials for deuterium and hydrogen in the {beta}-phase hydride are reviewed because these quantities are essential for an accurate model of the diffusion process. Finally, a summary of some of the predictions from the SPEM model are provided.
Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
1013224
Report Number(s):
SAND2011-2340
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Modeling of temporal behavior of isotopic exchange between gaseous hydrogen and palladium hydride power
Technical Report · Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1986 · OSTI ID:6720738

Unusual isotope effects for diffusion in VH 0. 50 and VT 0. 50
Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Scr. Metall.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5414599

A phase-field model for hydride formation in polycrystalline metals: Application to δ-hydride in zirconium alloys
Journal Article · Sat Sep 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Acta Materialia · OSTI ID:1573172