Experimental Investigation of Lead-Bismuth Evaporation Behavior

Abstract

An experimental study on the equilibrium evaporation of lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) was conducted to acquire essential and fundamental knowledge about the vaporization of LBE. The experiments were conducted using the transpiration method in which saturated vapor in an isothermal evaporation pot was transported by inert carrier gas and collected outside of the pot. The weight of the LBE pool in the pot was about 500 g. The investigated temperature range was from 450 to 750° C. We obtained data on the saturated vapor pressure of LBE, the vapor concentration of Pb, Bi and Bi2 in the LBE saturated gas phase, the activity coefficient of Pb in the LBE, and the LBE evaporation rate. The LBE vapor pressure equation is represented by logP LBE(Pa)=10.2–10, 100/T(K) in the temperature range from 550 to 750°C.