Thermodynamic Models
In the following sections, the available thermodynamic models are described:
Equation of State Models
An equation of state (EOS) model is an algebraic relation between the absolute pressure (P), the molar volume (V), and the absolute temperature (T). An equation of state that is at least cubic in volume and in the form of
(6-8)
where Z is the compressibility factor and R the universal gas constant, can be used to describe both gases and liquids. The cubic equations of state are widely used to describe the gaseous and liquid volumetric behavior of pure fluids and also all other properties with extensions to mixtures. A comprehensive comparisons of different cubic EOS can be found in Ref. 4 and Ref. 5.
The equation of state models available in the thermodynamic properties database are:
Ideal Gas Law
The ideal gas law equation of state is
(6-9)
As the name suggests, the ideal gas law is only applicable to gases. In fact, its use is limited to gases at low to moderate pressures.
Peng-Robinson
The classical Peng-Robinson (PR) equation of state Ref. 7 is given by
(6-10)
where for species i,
(6-11)
(6-12)
(6-13)
(6-14)
The alpha function, αi, is given by
(6-15)
For mixtures
(6-16)
(6-17)
The binary interaction parameters (BIPs), kPR, are symmetric with zeros in the diagonal:
(6-18)
(6-19)
When binary interaction parameters are missing in the database for a set of species, the value is set to zero (a warning node is created). The values for critical temperature, Tc, critical pressure, Pc, and acentric factor, ωi must be specified for all species.
Peng-Robinson (Twu)
For the Twu modificationRef. 8 of the Peng-Robinson model, the alpha function, αi, is replaced by
(6-20)
The binary interaction parameters kPR, are used for the Twu modification. Acentric factor, ωi, is not used in this model but critical temperature and critical pressure must be specified for all species. The species specific fit parameters Li, Mi, Ni can be determined by fitting the pure species phase equilibrium to the vapor pressure curve.
Soave-Redlich-Kwong
The classical Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state Ref. 9 is given by
(6-21)
with
(6-22)
and for the pure species i,
(6-23)
(6-24)
(6-25)
(6-26)
For mixtures
(6-27)
(6-28)
The binary interaction parameters, kSRK, are symmetric with zero in the diagonal:
(6-29)
(6-30)
If a value is missing for kSRK,i,j in the database, it is set to zero (a warning node is created). The Values for critical temperature, Tc, critical pressure, Pc, and acentric factor, ωi, must be specified for all species. The Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state is a version of Equation 6-21 modified by Soave Ref. 10, where for pure species i, the alpha function is modified to
(6-31)
Soave-Redlich-Kwong (Graboski-Daubert)
The Graboski and Daubert Ref. 11 modification of the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state replaces alpha function by
(6-32)
except for H2, where it is replaced by
(6-33)
Water (IAPWS)
The International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS) provides a set of correlations to compute properties of water in different states. The correlations available in COMSOL correspond to the version named Industrial Formulation 1997 (IF-97) Ref. 12 - Ref. 14. The correlations are valid in the following ranges:
(6-34)
(6-35)
The following water and steam properties, available by creating a Species Property, are computed using the IAPWS correlations: density, volume, enthalpy, internal energy, Helmholtz energy, heat capacity at constant pressure, and heat capacity at constant volume. The amounts present in the vapor and liquid phase can be computed using an Equilibrium Calculation.
Other parameters and thermodynamic properties available for the system are provided from COMSOL database.
Liquid Phase Models
Activity coefficient models
Activity coefficient models are used to describe liquid mixtures at low to moderate pressure and temperature but where equations of state are inadequate. When using activity coefficient models, the partial fugacity for species i in the liquid phase is defined as
(6-36)
which yields
(6-37)
where the activity coefficient, γi, describes the nonideal liquid phase and is the fugacity at the vapor-liquid phase boundary at equilibrium for the pure species i. The Poynting correction, Fi, describes the pure species fugacity deviation from the boiling curve and can be expressed as
(6-38)
For an incompressible liquid, an approximation of the Poynting correction can be done according to
(6-39)
The Poynting correction can often be ignored for moderate pressure. Hence, Equation 6-37 can be expressed as
(6-40)
If the vapor phase is considered ideal, then and the above equation reduces to
(6-41)
This reduction can be selected explicitly in case the vapor phase is not ideal.
The logarithmic transformation of Equation 6-37 is:
(6-42)
Ideal Solution
For an ideal solution the activity coefficient is equal to one, which gives:
(6-43)
Regular Solution
The Scatchard-Hilderbrand equation Ref. 16 for a nonpolar mixture is
(6-44)
where Vi is species molar volume and δi is species solubility parameter, and δav is
(6-45)
The volume parameter, Vi, is set equal the liquid volume, Vi,l,b at normal boiling point which must be specified for all species. The solubility parameter, δi must be specified for all species and can be estimated from the normal heat of vaporization, ΔHvap,i and the liquid volume at normal boiling point as below:
(6-46)
Extended Regular Solution
The extended Scatchard-Hildebrand equation adds the Flory and Huggins correction to the regular solution model Ref. 18:
(6-47)
where
(6-48)
Wilson
Wilson Ref. 19 derived his activity coefficient model from a consideration of probabilities of neighboring molecules in a liquid
(6-49)
(6-50)
where the Wilson volume parameter, Vw,i, is a species-specific parameter describing volume. If the volume parameter is not available, the liquid volume at normal boiling point is used. The Wilson binary interaction parameters λi,j are specified in terms of absolute temperature. The binary interaction parameter matrix is nonsymmetric and with zeros in its diagonal. All off-diagonal values must be specified
(6-51)
(6-52)
NRTL
Renon and Prausnitz (Ref. 20) formulated a three parameter activity coefficient model that is able to describe liquid-liquid equilibrium; the nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) model:
(6-53)
(6-54)
(6-55)
The three parameters are Ai,j, Aj,i, and αi,j. A more general form is implemented here:
(6-56)
(6-57)
The binary interaction parameters, Ai,j, are specified in terms of absolute temperature. The diagonal values are zero and the matrix is nonsymmetric. All off-diagonal values must be specified.
The binary interaction parameters, Bi,j, have values of zero on the diagonal and the matrix is nonsymmetric. For each pair of species at least Ai,j or Bi,j should be specified.
The randomness parameters, αi,j, have values of zero on the diagonal and the matrix is symmetric. All off-diagonal values must be specified. Alternatively one can set the more generic form directly specifying parameter βi,j for which diagonal values are zero and the matrix is nonsymmetric. For each pair of species at least αi,j or βi,j should be specified.
If any value for these parameters is missing in the database, it is set to zero (warning node is created).
(6-58)
(6-59)
(6-60)
(6-61)
(6-62)
(6-63)
(6-64)
UNIQUAC
Abrams and Prausnitz followed up with another two-liquid model known as Universal Quasi Chemical equation (UNIQUAC) Ref. 21 which is formulated in terms of two activity coefficients:
(6-65)
The first term is the combinatorial part contributes to the Gibbs free energy originating from size and shape effects as
(6-66)
and the second term is the residual part from chemical interactions between the molecules,
(6-67)
where
(6-68)
(6-69)
(6-70)
The coordination number is taken equal to z = 10. The binary interaction energy parameters, ΔEi,j, are specified in terms of absolute temperature (K). The diagonal values are zero and the matrix is nonsymmetric. All off-diagonal values must be specified.
(6-71)
(6-72)
The volume parameters, ri and surface area parameters, qi are model-specific parameters for each species. If the parameters are not specified then they can be derived from the van der Waals volume, VVDW,i, and area, AVDW,i, respectively
(6-73)
(6-74)
For all species ri or VVDW,i and qi or AVDW,i must be specified.
UNIFAC
The UNIQUAC Functional-group Activity Coefficients (UNIFAC; see Ref. 22) uses the same equations as UNIQUAC but the parameters are constructed from group contributions. The model can be used if UNIQUAC parameters are not available for all species. The activity coefficients are calculated from Equation 6-65. The combinatorial part follows from equation Equation 6-66, where
(6-75)
(6-76)
where rk and qk are the values for group k in species i, andνk,i is the number of occurrences of group k in molecule. The residual term in Equation 6-65 is calculated from a summation over functional groups:
(6-77)
The values for ln(γk,res) are calculated from the mixture containing all species at a specified composition x. The values for ln(γi,k,res) are calculated for a mixture of group k considering only pure species i. Both are defined, for functional group k, by
(6-78)
where xl and xm are the compositions of functional group l and m in the mixture
(6-79)
For the calculation of a pure species’ i residual activity we get:
(6-80)
The volume parameters rk and surface area parameters qk are model-specific parameters for each group. The binary interaction between groups k and m is
(6-81)
The binary interaction parameters, Ak,m, are specified in terms of absolute temperature. The diagonal values are zero, the matrix is nonsymmetric. All off-diagonal values must be specified.
The default group and interaction parameters are those published by the UNIFAC consortium (Ref. 23 through Ref. 28), with added groups from Balslev and Abildskov (Ref. 29) but can be modified per package or database. The groups must be specified for all species. Note that the interaction parameter matrix is sparse, and a package can only be used if all interaction parameters for all used groups are specified.
Chao Seader (Grayson-Streed)
The Chao-Seader model Ref. 15 correlates liquid phase partial coefficients for pure species, for use of hydrogen and hydrocarbon mixtures at elevated pressure and temperatures. It is expressed by
(6-82)
The activity is based on the Scatchard-Hildebrand equation Ref. 16 and presented in Equation 6-44 to Equation 6-46. Chao-Seader specific values for liquid volume, Vi and solubility parameter, δi are used.
If Vi is unspecified, it can be estimated by
a
b
c
from the Rackett model, Equation 6-79, at normal boiling point temperature.
If the Chao-Seader specific solubility parameter, δi, is not specified, the generic solubility parameter is used.
The fugacity coefficient for pure species i is correlated as
(6-83)
(6-84)
(6-85)
A Chao-Seader specific acentric factor ωi is used. If it is unknown, it can be set equal to the generic acentric factor. The parameter values are taken from the later publication of Grayson and Streed Ref. 17 and given in Table 6-1.
H2
Ai,0
Ai,10
Ai,1
Ai,11
Ai,2
Ai,12
Ai,3
Ai,13
Ai,4
Ai,14
Ai,5
Ai,6
Ai,7
Ai,8
Ai,9
The corresponding vapor phase model is Redlich-Kwong equation of state. The Chao-Seader (Grayson-Streed) model is valid when
-
255 K < T < 533 K
-
P < 6.89 MPa
-
Pr < 0.8
-
0.5 < Tr,i < 1.3, for all hydrocarbons except CH4
-
xCH4 < 0.3
-
The enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy can be calculated from Equation 6-108 to Equation 6-117.
Liquid volume Models
When an activity coefficient model or the Chao-Seader (Grayson-Streed) model is used, a liquid volume model must be explicitly selected. It is also possible to assign a liquid volume model when an equation of state is used.
For liquids the density is defined as the reciprocal of the liquid volume:
(6-86)
Equation of State
When an equation of state is selected as the thermodynamic model, the liquid volume is calculated using the equation of state model. In the other cases, when the thermodynamic model is not an equation of state, an equation of state can be explicitly selected to calculate the liquid volume.
Note, when defining the equation of state for vapor and liquid systems, both phases must use the same equation of state.
Ideal Mixture
For an ideal mixture the liquid volume is computed from the pure species densities:
(6-87)
The pure species densities are evaluated from the built-in database.
COSTALD
Hankinson and Thomson Ref. 30 presented the Corresponding States Liquid Density (COSTALD) equation as
(6-88)
(6-89)
(6-90)
(6-91)
(6-92)
(6-93)
(6-94)
where the volume, Vi and acentric factor, ωi for species i are model specific parameters. If the COSTALD volume parameter is unspecified, it is estimated from the van der Waals volume when VVDW,i> 0.3×10-3 m3/mol
(6-95)
otherwise it can be set equal to the critical volume as
(6-96)
If the COSTALD acentric factor, ωi is not specified then it can be set equal to the generic acentric factor for species i. Critical temperature, Tc,i must be specified for all species.
The correlation parameter values are:
Rackett
The Rackett equation Ref. 31 computes the liquid density at the saturation point, and can be used to describe liquid density at any pressure using the assumption that the liquid is incompressible. The equation and its condition can be expressed as:
(6-97)
(6-98)
(6-99)
Critical temperatures, Tc,i, critical pressures, Pc,i, and molecular weights, Mi, must be specified for all species. The model parameter, Zr,i, must be specified for all species. If the value is not available it can be set to the critical compressibility factor:
(6-100)