Gas and vapour movements in the soil: I. The diffusion of vapours through porous solids

The dependence of the coefficient of diffusion, D , upon the porosity, S , of a granular solid is investigated experimentally. For steady state conditions, using carbon disulphide and acetone vapours, it is shown that a curve connecting D/D 0 and S can be drawn which is independent of the nature of the solid, its moisture content and, within limits, its texture. For a limited range of values of S (0·0 < S < 0·7) a good approximation is D/D 0 = 0·66 S and over this range the diffusion coefficients are larger than those found by Buckingham for carbon dioxide. Investigation of the non-steady state shows that in soils the attainment of pressure equilibrium is retarded by adsorption, and it is suggested that Buckingham's low values for steady-state conditions can be attributed to premature observations of the diffusion rates; the steady state had probably not been attained when his measurements were made.