Sublimation: Solids Do Volatilize

Chemical engineers typically do not encounter processes involving sublimation. However, solids do sublimate. Chemical engineers become involved with sublimation in laboratories and pilot plant areas where various solids may accumulate. If these solids are hydrocarbon-based, then the chemical engineer supervising the area must calculate the exposure limits for personnel working there. The same calculation must be done for any volatile inorganic substances in the laboratory or pilot plant as well.

We generally calculate these exposure limits by assuming a CSTR approximates the laboratory or pilot plant area. However, such models require a rate constant --- a rate constant that describes the generation of the sublimating chemical.

This presentation describes a method for measuring a sublimation rate constant and discusses the exposure level calculation using that rate constant. The experiment described in this presentation is the sublimation of naphthalene.