Models for mixed-solvent strong electrolytes, using an equation of state (EoS) are reviewed in this work. Through the example of ePPC-SAFT (that includes a Born term and ionic association), the meaning and the effect of each contribution to the solvation energy and the mean ionic activity coefficient are investigated. The importance of the dielectric constant is critically reviewed, with a focus on the use of a salt-concentration dependent function. The parameterization is performed using two adjustable parameters for each ion: a minimum approach distance () and an association energy (). These two parameters are optimized by fitting experimental activity coefficient and liquid density data, for all alkali halide salts simultaneously, in the range 298K to 423K. The model is subsequently tested on a large number of available experimental data, including salting out of Methane/Ethane/CO 2 /H 2 S. In all cases the deviations in bubble pressures were below 20% AADP. Predictions of vapor-liquid equilibrium of mixed solvent electrolyte systems containing methanol, ethanol are also made where deviations in bubble pressures were found to be below 10% (AADP).

International audienceThis paper presents a general methodology for exergy balance in chemical and thermal processes integrated in ProSimPlus® as a well-adopted process simulator for energy efficiency analysis. In this work, as well as using the general expressions for heat and work streams, all of exergy balance is presented within only one software in order to fully automate exergy analysis. In addition, after exergy balance, the essential elements such as source of irreversibility for exergy analysis are presented to help the user for modifications on either process or utility system. The applicability of the proposed methodology in ProSimPlus® is shown through a simple scheme of Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) recovery process and its steam utility system. The methodology does not only provide the user with necessary exergetic criteria to pinpoint the source of exergy losses, it also helps the user to find the way to reduce the exergy losses. These features of the proposed exergy calculator make it preferable for its implementation in ProSimPlus® to define the most realistic and profitable retrofit projects on the existing chemical and thermal plants

Accurate analytic thermodynamic modeling of water and its mixtures with hydrocarbon and oxygenates is difficult even with new and advanced equations of state such as the perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory (PC-SAFT). Several attempts have been made in the past by various authors to solve this issue. However, current models generally fail to describe simultaneously and accurately pure water properties (especially its liquid density) and liquid–liquid equilibria for mixtures involving water, hydrocarbons, and oxygenates. In the current work, this problem is dealt with by modification in the fundamental structure of the model. It was established that the temperature dependent diameter d(T) does not behave in the same way for water as it inscribed in the original model. Hence, a modification was proposed for d(T) of water in order to correctly represent the phase behavior of pure water and its mixtures with hydrocarbons and oxygenates. The deviations in saturated liquid densities and vapor pressure for pure water were reduced to 0.6% and 2.2%, respectively, in a large temperature range. The results for liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE), vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) and vapor–liquid–liquid equilibrium (VLLE) of various water–hydrocarbons and oxygenates show the accuracy of this new model and its predictive capability when coupled with a group contribution approach. For certain oxygenated mixtures such as water with aldehydes, ketones, ethers, and esters a new contribution to the Helmholtz energy, known as the “non-additive hard sphere” contribution, was used. The cross-interaction parameters obtained for mixtures were validated qualitatively by calculating octanol/water partition coefficients and the Gibbs free energy of hydrogen bonding (ΔG HB). Results are found in good agreement with experimental data.

OATAO is an open access repository that collects the work of Toulouse researchers and makes it freely available over the web where possible.

In this paper, optimisation of batch distillation processes is considered. It deals with real systems with rigorous simulation of the processes through the resolution full MESH differential algebraic equations.Specific software architecture is developed, based on the BatchColumn® simulator and on both SQP and GA numerical algorithms, and is able to optimise sequential batch columns as long as the column transitions are set.The efficiency of the proposed optimisation tool is illustrated by two case studies. The first one concerns heterogeneous batch solvent recovery in a single distillation column and shows that significant economical gains are obtained along with improved process conditions. Case two concerns the optimisation of two sequential homogeneous batch distillation columns and demonstrates the capacity to optimize several sequential dynamic different processes. For such multiobjective complex problems, GA is preferred to SQP that is able to improve specific GA solutions.

Two industrial examples of coupling experiments and simulations for increasing quality and yield of distilled beverages. (2014) Food and Bioproducts Processing, 92 (4). 343-354.

The condensable fraction of the gaseous effluent from the torrefaction process of wood is a complex mixture of more than one hundred oxygenated species (alcohols, acids, aldehydes, ketones, furans, phenolic, gaïacols and sugars) diluted in water where some of them are likely to react. This effluent is currently burnt to provide energy but it could be valorized as bio-sourced chemicals. To recover target products like acetic acid, glycolaldehyde, furfural and eugenol a first step of thermodynamic modeling of this complex mixture is required to be able to propose different strategies of separation-purification. This was done here by coupling the UNIQUAC model with chemical equilibria involved in the reactive mixture. Binary interaction parameters were identified using vapor-liquid equilibria data from the literature. The predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental data of systems containing water, methanol, formaldehyde, acetic acid, formic acid, propionic acid, furfural and furfuryl alcohol, main components of the considered mixture and their associated reaction products.

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