Centrifugation Experiments

Previous experience has shown that particulate matter containing carbon is present in sodium and that these particles can pass through a 5 _μ porosity filter. The feasibility of centrifugal segregation of particulate carbon in liquid sodium at 200°C was previously tested using forces of 300 to 625 g. No significant segregation was found, which indicated that the carbon-containing particles were probably less than 1/x in diameter. The use of larger centrifugal forces was recently tested with a 56 w/o Na-44 w/o K alloy. This alloy melts at 19°C, and was substituted for sodium because of the unavailability of a high speed centrifuge capable of operation above the melting point (98°C) of sodium.