Book Description

A research program directed toward the goal of developing an improved understanding of contamination effects on liquid rubidium and liquid lithium systems is described. Experimental measurements were conducted on the vapor pressure of pure rubidium, the melting point of pure and oxygen-contaminated rubidium, and the melting point of pure and nitrogen-contaminated lithium. A capillary viscometer was designed and constructed and extensive viscosity data were measured for pure and oxygen-contaminated rubidium from less than 200 F to about 1200 F. Pumping experiments in an isothermal loop re vealed that oxygen contamination is quite deleterious to the electromagnetic pumping characteristics of rubidium.