Thermophysical properties of sodium, potassium, and cesium at high temperatures - density of liquid potassium and vapor pressure of cesiu

Ewing, C. T.

Miller, R. R.

Spann, J. R.

Stone, J. P.

English

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NRL R e b r t  6213 . 
High Temper=ture PrGperties sf 
Sodium, Potassium, and Cesium 
Thirteenth Progress Report 
J. P. STONE, C. T. EWING, J. R. SPANN, AND R. R. MILLER 
Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry Branch 
Cliemzstrj Division 
January 15, 1965 
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High Temperature Properties of 
Sodium, Potassium, and Cesium 
Thirteenth Progress Report 
J. P. STONE, C. T. EWING, J. R. SPANN, AND R. R. MILLER 
Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry Branch 
Chemistry Dikion 
An experimental program to measure various thermo-physical properties of sodium, potassium, 
cesium, and their vapors at elevated temperatures has been completed at NRL. Preliminary data for 
are presented in this report. 
the density of liquid potassium (1099" t o  2287°F) and the vapor pressure of cesium (1214" 
INTRODUCTION 
In the development of compact turboelectric 
systems, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration is sponsoring a property measure- 
ment program for the evaluation of several liquid 
metals as possible working fluids. As an integral 
part of this program, the Naval Research Labora- 
tory is engaged in the measurement of various 
thermo-physical properties of sodium to 2500"F, 
potassium to 2300"F, and cesium to 2300°F. 
SUMMARY OF EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM 
For the three alkali metals, the properties which 
are being determined experimentally include 
vapor pressure, specific volume of liquid, specific 
heat of liquid (except for resium), surface tension 
of liquid (except for sodium), and specific volume 
of saturated and superheated vapors (PVT 
studies). Additional thermodynamic properties 
including latent heat of vaporization, enthalpy, 
entropy, and specific heat of the vapor will be 
calculated from the measured properties. 
The  experimental phases of the PVT studies 
for both sodium and potassium have been com- 
pleted. The  thermodynamic properties of potas- 
sium including specific volume, enthalpy, entropy, 
S K I .  Pi-obleni CO5-15; NASA Contract NAS C-76320. This is an 
interim report f o i -  the period I October to 31 December 1963. While 
this report nuineri<,illy precedes the 14th progress report. it has been 
wl-ittcn afterwiirds t o  c~inil~lrte his sei-ies. The experimental work was 
Ici miiiated (in I Oitoher 1964. Three technical reports will follow. one 
each nn potassium, sodium. and cesium. Manuscript submitted Nov. 3. 
1964. 
1 
and specific heat were obtained from a compre- 
henisve thermodynamic treatment of the vapor 
and liquid properties. A preliminary reporting 
of this treatment and tables of the thermodynamic 
properties were included in the Twelfth Progress 
Report ( 1 ) .  A treatment of the sodium data similar 
to that described for potassium ( 1 )  is in progress, 
and tabular properties should be available for 
inclusion in the next quarterly report. PVT mea- 
surements for cesium are in progress, and pre- 
liminary saturation pressures are reported. 
Densities of liquid potassium from 1099" to 
2287°F have been completed, and final values are 
reported. Densities of sodium for the tempera- 
ture range from 2100" to 2500°F were reported 
in the Sixth Progress Report (2). Additional so- 
dium nieasurements at lower temperatures and 
the cesium measurements are in progress. 
The  surface tension measurements of liquid 
potassium and cesium have been delayed by the 
PVT work and by problems experienced in the 
welding of the maximum-bubble-pressure appara- 
tus. However, measurements are expected to be 
made during the last quarter of this fiscal year. 
DENSITY OF LIQUID POTASSIUM 
The final density measurements of potassium 
are reported in Table 1. Pycnometers of Cb-1 %Zr 
with 30 cc nominal volumes are used for the 
determinations. The  method employed is as 
follows. 1 he alkali metal is distilled into the pyc- 
nometer, and a n  overflow vessel is welded to the 
2 S T O N E .  E W I N C ; .  S P A N N .  A N D  M I L L E R  
TABLE 1 
Density of Liquid Potassium 
Temperature Density 
( O F )  (Ib/cu ft) 
1099.0 43.973 
1562.6 40.066 
1747.0 38.423 
1928.0 36.783 
2121.7 35.047 
2286.7 33.713 
top with an interconnecting capillary (3). The 
apparatus is pressurized (1 atm overpressure at 
all temperatures), heated to the desired equilib- 
rium temperature, and the weight of metal re- 
maining in the known volume determined both 
by weight difference and by chemical analysis. 
The maximum difference of these two weight 
determinations in all cases has been less than 
0.1%. 
The  recommended density equation for liquid 
potassium is 
d = 52.759 - 7.4392 X 10w3t - 0.5784 X 
io-st* + 0.0780 x 10-9t3 (1) 
where d is density in lb/cu ft and t is temperature 
in OF. Equation ( I ) ,  for the temperature range 
from the melting point to 2300"F, was derived by 
fitting the best curve to the density determinations 
of' Hagen (4) and NRL (5) at lower temperatures; 
Novikov-<G), MSA (7), and Rinck (8) at moderate 
temperatures; and NRL (Table 1) at higher tem- 
peratures. For each literature investigation, the 
average deviation of the observed densities from 
those calculated using Eq. (1) is presented in' 
Table 2. It will be noted that overlapping density 
determinations have been made from the melting 
point to 2300°F and that the bulk of these deter- 
minations are represented by Eq. (1)  with devia- 
tions of less than 0.2%. This indicates a confidence 
limit for Eq. (1) of +0.2 to 20.3%. 
SATURATED VAPOR PRESSURE OF CESIUM 
Saturation pressures were obtained for cesium 
from 0.88 atm at 1214°F to  33.5 atm at 2345°F 
with the null-point apparatus. The  data for the 
full temperature range from the normal boiling 
point to 2345°F were effectively titted with one 
three-term equation. 
7 W  69 
T log p = 5.87303 - - *53290 log T 
where p is vapor pressure in abs atm and T is 
temperature in O R .  The average deviation of the 
observed vapor pressure data from corresponding 
values computed using Eq. 2 is 20.35%. 
TABLE 2 
Fit of General Density Equation for 
Potassium to Literature Data 
Average Deviation of All Observed 
Values of Each Investigator from 
Investigator Range Corresponding Values Calculated 
Temp 
with Eq. (1) 
___ 
Hagen (nip t o  229.6) -0.17 
NRL (1111) 1 0  499.1) 20.05 
Novikov  (190 to 1352) 20.20 
MSA (257 1 0  1281) +0.81 
Rinck (li 17 l o  1 104) 20.46* 
N K L  ( 1  099 t o  2287) k0.11 
*Excrpt 1111 I W I  wwIt \ ,  11w d a t z l  K i m  k show il l ,  ;~veragc dcviati<>ii c r f  * O . Y l % .  
3 N R L  REPORT 6 2 1 3  
REFERENCES 
1. Ewing, C.T., Stone, J.P., Spann. J.R.. Steinkuller, E.W.. 
Williams. D.D., and Miller, R.R.. “High Temperature Prop- 
erties of Sodium and Potassium - Twelfth Progr-ess Report 
for Period 1 July t o  30 September 1963,” NRL Report 6094, 
June 9. 1964 
2. Stone, J.P., Ewing, C.T., Spann, J.R., Steinkuller, E.W., 
Kovacina, T.A., and Miller, R.R., “High Teniperature 
Properties o f  Sodium - Sixth Progress Report for Period 
1 January to 31 March 1962,” NRL Memo. Report 1312, 
Apr. 1962 
3. Ewing, C.T., Stone, J.P., Sprnn, J.R., Kovacina, T.A., and 
Miller, R.R., “High Temperature Properties of Sodium - 
Fourth Progress Report tor Period I April to SO Sepr 1961 ,” 
NRL Memo Report 1236, Oct. 1961 
Hagen, E.B., Ann. Physzk. 255:437 (1883) 
Ewing, C.T., Atkinson, H.B., Jr., and Rice, T.K., NRL 
Report C-3287, May 1948 
Novikov, I . I . ,  Soloviev, A.N., Khabakhpashe\a, E.M., 
Cruidev, V.A., Pridantsev, A.I., and Vasenina, M.Y.. 
Atontncqa Energiya, 1 (No. 4):92 (1956) 
Jackson, C.B.. Wierzorek, G.A.. and Van Andel, A., “Den- 
sity o f  the System K-Na,” Appendix (: in “Quarterly Prog- 
ress Report on the Measurement of the Physical and Chem- 
ical Properties of the Sodium-Potassium Alloy, No.  1,” by 
Ewing, C ,  and Miller, R.R.. NRI. Report P-3010, Sept. 30, 
I946 
Rinck, E., Compt. rend. 189:39 (1929) 
Security Classification 
K E Y  WORDS 14. 
Sodium 
Potassium 
Cesium 
High Temperature Properties 
Thermodynamic properties 
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I. REPORT T I T L E  
“High Temperature Properties of  Sodium, Potassium, and Cesium -Thirteenth 
Progress Report” 
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1. DESCRIPTIVE NOTES (Type 01 report and Inclusive date.) 
i. AUTHOR(S) (Last name. f i rs t  name, Initial) 
Stone, J.P., Ewing, C.T., Spann, J.R., and Miller, R.R. 
i. R E P O R T  D A T E  
.January 15, 1965 
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3. ABSTRACT 
An experimental program to measure various thermo-physical properties of‘ sodium, 
potassium, cesium, and their vapors at elevated temperatures has been completed 
at NRL. Preliminary data for the density of liquid potassium (1099” to 2287°F) and the 
vapor pressure of cesium (1214” to 2345°F) are presented in this report. 
5 
security E a  ssifi ca ti on 


High temperature properties of sodium, potassium, and cesium thirteenth progress report

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