How Trace Source™ Permeation Tubes Work

KIN-TEK Trace Source™ permeation tubes are small devices that have a permeable membrane and are filled with a pure chemical analyte. When held at a constant temperature, these devices emit a small stable flow of chemical vapor that is measured in nanograms or nanoliters per minute. Trace Source™ permeation tubes are used in KIN-TEK Gas Standards Generators to create traceable calibration standards. Each certified permeation tube is serial numbered and the certification data is kept on file for 5 years.

The emission rate of a permeation tube is dependent on the following factors:

Physical characteristics of its permeable membrane.
Permeability of its chemical analyte through the membrane.
Temperature of the permeation tube.
Partial pressure across its permeable membrane.