Note: Plasma optical emission spectroscopy for water vapor quantification and detection during vacuum drying process

Journal Article · 28 November 2018 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5047210 · OSTI ID:1613867

Tahiyat, M. M.  ^[1]; Knight, T. W. ^[2]; Farouk, T.  ^[2]

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1. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States); DOE/OSTI
2. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States)

In this work, a methodology involving plasma optical emission spectroscopy driven by a direct current (dc) plasma source is developed to quantify water vapor concentration in a gaseous stream. The experimental setup consists of a dc driven low-pressure plasma cell in which the emission from the plasma discharge is measured by using an optical emission spectrometer. The emission from Hα at 656.2 nm—the first transition in the Balmer series, was found to be the most sensitive to the water vapor concentration in the gas stream. Consistent linear trends of the emission signals with respect to variation in concentration of water are observed for multiple combinations of operating parameters. This method has been applied to a vacuum drying process of a mock nuclear fuel assembly to quantify the concentration of water vapor during the drying process.

• Research Organization: Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• Grant/Contract Number: NE0008273
• OSTI ID: 1613867
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 89; ISSN 0034-6748
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English