GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATIONS OF RARE GASES

Technical Report · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1961

OSTI ID:4827294

Carnahan, C L

A procedure was developed for the separation of the rare gases argon, krypton, and xenon from mixtures containing oxygen and nitrogen by use of gas- chroniatographic columns packed with molecular sieve type 5A. Helium was the carrier gas. The method is applicable to mixtures which are considerably enriched in the rare gases. The procedure involves: separation of xenon froim oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and krypton on a short column at or above room temperature; separation of krypton from oxygen, nitrogen, and argon on a long column at -20 deg C; and separation of argon from oxygen on the long column at - 50 deg C. The net reduced retention volumes and heats of adsorption were determined for oxygen, nitrogen, argon, krypton, and xenon on molecular sieves types 4A, 5A, and 13X. Voltage output of the differential thermal conductivity detector was measured as a function of the quantity of gas being measured. lt is estimated that the presence of about 6 x l0-/sup -11/ mole, or 0.l ppm in 25 cc of sample, can be detected. Quantitative measurements can be made down to about 5 x l0/sup -9/ mole, or l0 ppm in 25 cc of sample. (auth)

• Research Organization: Naval Radiological Defense Lab., San Francisco
• NSA Number: NSA-16-004228
• OSTI ID: 4827294
• Report Number(s): USNRDL-TR=kok
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ADSORPTION
ADSORPTION HEAT
ARGON
CARRIERS
CHEMISTRY
CHROMATOGRAPHY
EXTRACTION COLUMNS
HELIUM
KRYPTON
LOW TEMPERATURE
MIXING
NITROGEN
OXYGEN
RARE GASES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMODYNAMICS
XENON