SOLUBILITY OF OXYGEN AND SULFUR-DIOXIDE IN MOLTEN SODIUM-SULFATE AND OXYGEN AND CARBON-DIOXIDE IN MOLTEN SODIUM CARBONATE

A manometric technique has been used to determine the solubility of O2 and SO2 in Na2SO4 and of O2 and CO2 in Na2CO3. The solubilities calculated as Henry's law (Cxz = KhPxz) coefficients (mole cm-3 atm-1) can be expressed analytically by the equations In KH = -7.111 (103/T) - 9.425 for 02 in Na2SO4 and by In KH = -1.491 (10/T) - 1.003 for S02 in Na2SO4. The Henry's law coefficient for CO2 dissolved in Na2CO3 has been determined to be 9.6 X 10-6 mole cm-3 atm-1 at 880C. Oxygen dissolved in Na2CO3 does not seem to follow Henry's law; instead a mechanism of reaction between O2 and Na2O in the carbonate to form Na2O2 and NaO2 is proposed. The absorption of O2 by the carbonate at 872°C and 701 Torr oxygen pressure corresponds to a concentration of dissolved oxygen in the melt equal to 2.3 X 10-6 mole cm-3. The accuracy of the reported solubilities is generally about 10%. For certain conditions, especially at higher temperatures, the values are accurate only to within about 30%. © 1979, The Electrochemical Society, Inc. All rights reserved.