Multicomponent systems liquid equilibrium

In Chap. 6 we treated the thermodynamic properties of constant-composition fluids. However, many applications of chemical-engineering thermodynamics are to systems wherein multicomponent mixtures of gases or liquids undergo composition changes as the result of mixing or separation processes, the transfer of species from one phase to another, or chemical reaction. The properties of such systems depend on composition as well as on temperature and pressure. Our first task in this chapter is therefore to develop a fundamental property relation for homogeneous fluid mixtures of variable composition. We then derive equations applicable to mixtures of ideal gases and ideal solutions. Finally, we treat in detail a particularly simple description of multicomponent vapor/liquid equilibrium known as Raoult s law. 

The example discussed here pertains to binary systems. By contrast, multicomponent vapor-liquid equilibrium behavior cannot easily be represented on diagrams and instead is usually calculated at a given state by using the procedures described in the preceding two examples. 

For mixtures containing more than two species, an additional degree of freedom is available for each additional component. Thus, for a four-component system, the equilibrium vapor and liquid compositions are only fixeci if the pressure, temperature, and mole fractions of two components are set. Representation of multicomponent vapor-liquid equilibrium data in tabular or graphical form of the type shown earlier for binary systems is either difficult or impossible. Instead, such data, as well as binary-system data, are commonly represented in terms of K values (vapor-liquid equilibrium ratios), which are defined by... 

The calculation of single-stage equilibrium separations in multicomponent systems is implemented by a series of FORTRAN IV subroutines described in Chapter 7. These treat bubble and dewpoint calculations, isothermal and adiabatic equilibrium flash vaporizations, and liquid-liquid equilibrium "flash" separations. The treatment of multistage separation operations, which involves many additional considerations, is not considered in this monograph. 

Multicomponent distillations are more complicated than binary systems due primarily to the actual or potential involvement or interaction of one or more components of the multicomponent system on other components of the mixture. These interactions may be in the form of vapor-liquid equilibriums such as azeotrope formation, or chemical reaction, etc., any of which may affect the activity relations, and hence deviations from ideal relationships. For example, some systems are known to have two azeotrope combinations in the distillation column. Sometimes these, one or all, can be broken or changed in the vapor pressure relationships by addition of a third chemical or hydrocarbon. 

A significant advantage of the Wilson equation is that it can be used to calculate the equilibrium compositions for multicomponent systems using only the Wilson coefficients obtained for the binary pairs that comprise the multicomponent mixture. The Wilson coefficients for several hundred binary systems are given in the DECHEMA vapour-liquid data collection, DECHEMA (1977), and by Hirata (1975). Hirata gives methods for calculating the Wilson coefficients from vapour liquid equilibrium experimental data. 

These equations can be solved simultaneously with the material balance equations to obtain x[, x, xf and x1,1. For a multicomponent system, the liquid-liquid equilibrium is illustrated in Figure 4.7. The mass balance is basically the same as that for vapor-liquid equilibrium, but is written for two-liquid phases. Liquid I in the liquid-liquid equilibrium corresponds with the vapor in vapor-liquid equilibrium and Liquid II corresponds with the liquid in vapor-liquid equilibrium. The corresponding mass balance is given by the equivalent to Equation 4.55 ... 

Although the methods developed here can be used to predict liquid-liquid equilibrium, the predictions will only be as good as the coefficients used in the activity coefficient model. Such predictions can be critical when designing liquid-liquid separation systems. When predicting liquid-liquid equilibrium, it is always better to use coefficients correlated from liquid-liquid equilibrium data, rather than coefficients based on the correlation of vapor-liquid equilibrium data. Equally well, when predicting vapor-liquid equilibrium, it is always better to use coefficients correlated to vapor-liquid equilibrium data, rather than coefficients based on the correlation of liquid-liquid equilibrium data. Also, when calculating liquid-liquid equilibrium with multicomponent systems, it is better to use multicomponent experimental data, rather than binary data. 

Separation systems include in their mathematical models various vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) correlations that are specific to the binary or multicomponent system of interest. Such correlations are usually obtained by fitting VLE data by least squares. The nature of the data can depend on the level of sophistication of the experimental work. In some cases it is only feasible to measure the total pressure of a system as a function of the liquid phase mole fraction (no vapor phase mole fraction data are available). 

The same reference (standard) state, f is chosen for the two phases, so that it cancels on both sides of equation 39. The products stffi and y" are referred to as activities. Because equation 39 holds for each component of a liquid—liquid system, it is possible to predict liquid—liquid phase splitting when the activity coefficients of the individual components in a multicomponent system are known. These values can come from vapor—liquid equilibrium experiments or from prediction methods developed for phase-equilibrium problems (4,5,10). Some binary systems can be modeled satisfactorily in this manner, but only rough estimations appear to be possible for multicomponent systems because activity coefficient models are not yet sufficiendy developed in this area. 

When applying an equation of state to both vapor and liquid phases, the vapor-liquid equilibrium predictions depend on the accuracy of the equation of state used and, for multicomponent systems, on the mixing rules. Attention will be given to binary mixtures of hydrocarbons and the technically important nonhydrocarbons such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide -Figures 6-7. 

In Sec. 10.5 we treated dew- and bubble-point calculations for multicomponent systems that obey Raoult s law [Eq. (10.16)], an equation valid for low-pressure VLE when an ideal-liquid solution is in equilibrium with an ideal gas. Calculations for the general case are carried out in exactly the same way as for Raoult s law,... 

Soils are multicomponent systems consisting of solid, liquid, and gaseous phases. These three phases are constantly in a dynamic state, trying to maintain equilibrium. Any type of perturbation in one phase influences the other two phases so that a new equilibrium state is approached. An equilibrium process that has been extensively investigated in soil systems employing the Freundlich equation involves sorption. Consider the reaction... 

Calculations of multicomponent liquid-liquid equilibrium are needed in the design of liquid (solvent) extraction systems. Since these operations take place considerably below the bubble point, it is not necessary to consider the equilibrium-vapor phase. The equations to be solved are ... 

The Non-Random, Two Liquid Equation was used in an attempt to develop a method for predicting isobaric vapor-liquid equilibrium data for multicomponent systems of water and simple alcohols—i.e., ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-methyl-l-propanol (2-butanol), and 3-methyl-l-butanol (isoamyl alcohol). Methods were developed to obtain binary equilibrium data indirectly from boiling point measurements. The binary data were used in the Non-Random, Two Liquid Equation to predict vapor-liquid equilibrium data for the ternary mixtures, water-ethanol-l-propanol, water-ethanol-2-methyl-1-propanol, and water-ethanol-3-methyl-l-butanol. Equilibrium data for these systems are reported. 

Adsorption Chromatography. The principle of gas-solid or liquid-solid chromatography may be easily understood from equation 35. In a linear multicomponent system (several sorbates at low concentration in an inert carrier) the wave velocity for each component depends on its adsoiption equilibrium constant. Thus, if a pulse of the mixed sorbate is injected at the column inlet, the different species separate into bands wliich travel through the column at their characteristic velocities, and at the outlet of the column a sequence of peaks corresponding to the different species is detected. Measurement of the retention time (tl) under known flow conditions thus provides a simple means of determining the equilibrium constant (Henry constant) ... 

The general VLE problem involves a multicomponent system of N constituent species for which the independent variables are T,P,N -I liquid-phase mole fractions, and N - I vapor-phase mole fractions. (Note that = 1 and yi = 1, where Xi and yi represent liquid and vapor mole fractions respectively.) Thus there are 2N independent variables, and application of the phase rule shows that exactly N of these variables must be fixed to establish the intensive state of the system. This means that once N variables have been specified, the remaining N variables can be determined by simultaneous solution of the N equilibrium relations ... 

Calculation of Bubble-Point Pressure and Dew-Point Pressure Using Equilibrium Constants. Since the total pressure P

bubble-point and dew-point pressure as was done in the case of ideal solutions. A method will now be presented for calculating the bubble-point pressure and the dew-point pressure, which is applicable to both binary and multicomponent systems which are non-ideal. At the bubble point the system is entirely in the liquid state except for an infinitesimal amount of vapor. Consequently, since ti, = 0 and n — n% equation 19 becomes... 

If you apply the Gibbs phase rule to a multicomponent gas-liquid system at equilibrium, you will discover that the compositions of the two phases at a given temperature and pressure are not independent. Once the composition of one of the phases is specified (in terms of mole fractions. mass fractions, concentrations, or. for the vapor phase, partial pressures), the composition of the other phase is fixed and, in principle, can be determined from physical properties of the system components. 

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