Degassing, or outgassing, is the process in which solids release gas, which can occur naturally or with manufactured products. Outgassing can be a health risk, and organizations in space research use quality controls to reduce errors caused by outgassing. In nature, outgassing can help form atmospheres and is common around volcanoes. Sniffers can measure gas levels to identify outgassing and potential health risks.
Degassing is a process in which a solid releases gas. It is also known as outgassing, especially when referring to outgassing that occurs in enclosed spaces such as offices and homes. This phenomenon occurs in nature as well as with manufactured products and can be involved in a number of different processes.
Solids can release gases for a variety of different reasons. Some undergo phase changes that cause solid-to-gas transitions, resulting in the release of the gas. Others may have trapped gas inside due to how they were formed, in which case the gas will slowly vent over time. Venting can increase if there are defects in the material that create vents for the gas.
Many people are familiar with outgassing because it’s the phenomenon behind that new signature smell associated with many consumer goods. These products release gas for days, weeks, months, and sometimes years, with the odor gradually dissipating as the outgassing rate decreases over time. It can become a problem because sometimes these gases are dangerous to human health and prolonged exposure can make people sick.
Organizations working in the vacuum of space also have to worry about outgassing. Gas can potentially condense on equipment components, hindering operation. For example, a camera lens may be obscured by gas leaking from the camera housing. These organizations conduct research to find out which types of components emit the least gas into space, and use stringent quality controls to make sure the components they use are manufactured to exacting standards that reduce errors.
In nature, things like rocks also give off gases. In fact, outgassing may be at least partially responsible for forming some atmospheres, as rocks release trapped gas early in a planet’s or moon’s forming stages, thus creating a kind of atmosphere. In areas where geological activity is high, outgassing is common, as gases can be trapped in rocks from past geological events. This is especially true around volcanoes and sometimes generates distinctive odors that people can use to identify volcanic activity.
People can identify outgassing with the assistance of sniffers designed to measure the levels of various gases in the air. These sniffers can be used in quality control and safety checks of various environments to determine if the release of gas is a health risk.
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