Application of cubic equation of state models in prediction of vapor–liquid equilibria for binary polyvinyl acetate/solvent solutions

Abstract

The cubic equation of state (CEoS) is a powerful method for calculation of (vapor + liquid) equilibrium (VLE) in polymer solutions. Using CEoS for both the vapor and liquid phases allows one to calculate the non‐ideality of polymer solutions based on a single EoS approach. In this research, vapor–liquid equilibria calculations of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc)/solvent solutions were performed. In this approach, eight models containing PRSV and SRK CEoS separately combined with four mixing rules namely vdW1, vdW2, Wong–Sandler (WS), and Zhong–Masuoka (ZM) were applied to calculations of bubble point pressure. For the better prediction, the adjustable binary interaction parameters existing in any mixing rule were optimized. The results were very acceptable and satisfactory. Absolute average deviations (%AAD) between predicted results and experimental bubble point pressure data were calculated and presented. The capability of two cubic equations of state had a good agreement with experimental data and predict the correct type of phase behavior in all cases, but the performance of the PRSV + vdW2 was more reliable than the other models with 2.65% in AAD for total of solution systems. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40651.