Liquid phase activity coefficient UNIFAC method

Perhaps the most important term in Eq. (5.2-3) is the liquid-phase activity coefficient, and methods for its prediction have been developed in maiiy forms and by many workers. For binary systems the Van Laar (Eq. (1.4-18)], Wilson [Eq. (1.4-23)], NRTL (Eq. (1.4-27)], and UmQUAC [Eq. (t.4-3ti)] relationships are useful for predicting liqnid-iffiase nonidealities, but they require some experimental data. When no dim are available, and an approximate nonideality correction will suffice, the UNIFAC approach (Eq. (1.4-31)], which utilizes functional group contributions, may be used. For special cases involving regular solutions (no excess entropy of mixing), the Scatchard-Hildebrand method provides liquid-phase activity coefficients based on easily obtained pure-component properties. 

The liquid phase activity coefficient, which is a function of the subgroups, composition and temperature, can be evaluated using the UNIFAC group contribution method (Freedunslund et al., 1975). 

The liquid phase and polymer phase activity coefficients were combined from different methods to see if better estimation accuracy could be obtained, since some estimation methods were developed for estimation of activity coefficients in polymers (e.g. GCFLORY, ELBRO-FV) and others have their origins in liquid phase activity coefficient estimation (e.g. UNIFAC). The UNIFAC liquid phase activity coefficient combined with GCFLORY (1990 and 1994 versions) and ELBRO-FV polymer activity coefficients were shown to be the combinations giving the best estimations out of all possible combinations of the different methods. Also included in Table 4-3 are estimations of partition coefficients made using the semi-empirical group contribution method referred to as the Retention Indices Method covered in the next section. 

Finally, we must select appropriate methods of estimating thermodynamic properties. lime (op. cit.) used the SRK equation of state to model this column, whereas Klemola and lime (op. cit.) had earlier used the UNIFAC model for liquid-phase activity coefficients, the Antoine equation for vapor pressures, and the SRK equation for vapor-phase fugacities only. For this exercise we used the Peng-Robinson equation of state. Computed product compositions and flow rates are shown in the table below. 

The UNIFAC method for predicting liquid-phase activity coefficients is based on the UNIQUAC equation (5-72), wherein the molecular volume and area parameters in the combinatorial terms are replaced by... 

At 20°C, estimate with the UNIFAC method the liquid-phase activity coefficients, equilibrium vapor composition, and total pressures for 25 mole% liquid solutions of the following hydrocarbons in ethanol. 

A group contribution method called UNIFAC, an acronym which stands for the UNIQUAC Functional Group Activity Coefficient (UNIQUAC stands for the Universal Quasi-chemical Activity Coefficient), has been developed for estimating liquid-phase activity coefficients in non-electrolyte mixtures. The UNIFAC method is fully described by Fredenslund, Jones and Prausnitz (1975) and Skold-Jorgensen, Rasmussen and Fredenslund (1982). 

Modeling of a semibatch reactor (Figure 16.1) enables to determine the reaction rate pseudoconstants. For lack of physical data, a number of assumptions have to be made. The volume of the liquid phase is the function of composition, temperature, pressure, and mass of EO reacted with raw material. At a constant temperature (185 5°C), the volume of the liquid phase increases due to an increased solubility of EO. However, the rate of change is relatively low compared to the reaction rate. The universal functional activity coefficient (UNIFAC) method [43] was used to calculate the activity coefficients. The method was adopted for the heterogeneous liquid-liquid-vapor system as the limited solubility of liquid components was observed. The... 

More reliable phase behaviour predictions for binary ionic liquid systems with carbon dioxide or organics come from group-contribution equations of state, such as the universal functional activity coefficient (UNIFAC) method, the group-contribution nonrandom lattice ffuid equation of... 

The UNIFAC model predicts liquid-phase activity coefficients for nonideal mixtures when no VLE data are available [4]. This model uses a group contribution method with about 50 identified functional groups. The liquid-phase activity coefficients are calculated from an equation by use of molecular configuration. The parameters calculated are independent of temperature. This method is restricted to systems in which all components are condensable. It is as accurate as the Wilson method, but has a more theoretical basis. However, despite the theoretical basis of UNIFAC, the constants for each functional group are essentially empirical. 

Example 8 Calculation of Rate-Based Distillation The separation of 655 lb mol/h of a bubble-point mixture of 16 mol % toluene, 9.5 mol % methanol, 53.3 mol % styrene, and 21.2 mol % ethylbenzene is to be earned out in a 9.84-ft diameter sieve-tray column having 40 sieve trays with 2-inch high weirs and on 24-inch tray spacing. The column is equipped with a total condenser and a partial reboiler. The feed wiU enter the column on the 21st tray from the top, where the column pressure will be 93 kPa, The bottom-tray pressure is 101 kPa and the top-tray pressure is 86 kPa. The distillate rate wiU be set at 167 lb mol/h in an attempt to obtain a sharp separation between toluene-methanol, which will tend to accumulate in the distillate, and styrene and ethylbenzene. A reflux ratio of 4.8 wiU be used. Plug flow of vapor and complete mixing of liquid wiU be assumed on each tray. K values will be computed from the UNIFAC activity-coefficient method and the Chan-Fair correlation will be used to estimate mass-transfer coefficients. Predict, with a rate-based model, the separation that will be achieved and back-calciilate from the computed tray compositions, the component vapor-phase Miirphree-tray efficiencies. 

The compositions of the vapor and liquid phases in equilibrium for partially miscible systems are calculated in the same way as for miscible systems. In the regions where a single liquid is in equilibrium with its vapor, the general nature of Fig. 13.17 is not different in any essential way from that of Fig. I2.9< Since limited miscibility implies highly nonideal behavior, any general assumption of liquid-phase ideality is excluded. Even a combination of Henry s law, valid for a species at infinite dilution, and Raoult s law, valid for a species as it approaches purity, is not very useful, because each approximates real behavior only for a very small composition range. Thus GE is large, and its composition dependence is often not adequately represented by simple equations. However, the UNIFAC method (App. D) is suitable for estimation of activity coefficients. 

The extension of ideal phase analysis of the Maxwell-Stefan equations to nonideal liquid mixtures requires the sufficiently accurate estimation of composition-dependent mutual diffusion coefficients and the matrix of thermodynamic factors. However, experimental data on mutual diffusion coefficients are rare, and prediction methods are satisfactory only for certain types of liquid mixtures. The thermodynamic factor may be calculated from activity coefficient models such as NRTL or UNIQUAC, which have adjustable parameters estimated from experimental phase equilibrium data. The group contribution method of UNIFAC may also be helpful, as it has a readily available parameter table consisting of mam7 species. If, however, reliable data are not available, then the averaged values of the generalized Maxwell-Stefan diffusion coefficients and the matrix of thermodynamic factors are calculated at some mean composition between x0i and xzi. Hence, the matrix of zero flux mass transfer coefficients [k ] is estimated by... 

The application of UNIFAC to the solid-liquid equilibrium of sohds, such as naphthalene and anthracene, in nonaqueous mixed solvents provided quite accurate results [11]. Unfortunately, the accuracy of UNIFAC regarding the solubility of solids in aqueous solutions is low [7-9]. Large deviations from the experimental activity coefficients at infinite dilution and the experimental octanol/water partition coefficients have been reported [8,9] when the classical old version of UNIFAC interaction parameters [4] was used. To improve the prediction of the activity coefficients at infinite dilution and of the octanol/water partition coefficients of environmentally significant substances, special ad hoc sets of parameters were introduced [7-9]. The reason is that the UNIFAC parameters were determined mostly using the equihbrium properties of mixtures composed of low molecular weight molecules. Also, the UNIFAC method cannot be applied to the phase equilibrium in systems containing... 

For the analytical equations, there are two methods to compute the vapour-liquid equilibrium for systems. The equation of state method (also known as the direct or phi-phi method) uses an equation of state to describe both the liquid and vapour phase properties, whereas the activity coefficient method (also known as the gamma-phi approach) describes the liquid phase via an activity coefficient model and the vapour phase via an equation of state. Recently, there have also been modified equation of state methods that have an activity coefficient model built into the mixing mles. These methods can be both correlative and predictive. The predictive methods rely on the use of group contribution methods for the activity coefficient models such as UNIFAC and ASOG. Recently, there have also been attempts to develop group contribution methods for the equation of state method, e.g. PRSK. " For a detailed history on the development of equations of state and their applications, as well as activity coefficient models, refer to Wei and Sadus, Sandler and Walas. ... 

The UNIFAC method considers the liquid phase as a combination of structural elements. It correlates interaction parameters from molecular group stmctures with the activity coefficient. As an incremental method with a large number of parameters, the UNIFAC method provides a means of calculating liquid-liquid phase equilibria and partition coefficients in multicomponent systems [24-26],... 

Liquid-phase fug acities. To proceed we need a method to calculate the activity coefficients in ethanol/water solutions. We will use UNIFAC for this purpose. We also need the saturation pressures of ethanol and water at 120 °C. We use the following values calculated form the Antoine equation ... 

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