Fluid properties at high pressures and temperatures: Experimental and modelling challenges

Abstract

Thermophysical properties impact many aspects of the chemical process industries. Here three example areas, primarily in the energy sector, are highlighted to provide context for the experimental and modelling challenges associated with obtaining fluid property data at high pressures and temperatures (HPHT). These three areas include the recovery of petroleum reserves in ultra-deep reservoirs, the use of lubricants to reduce frictional losses in the automotive industries, and the use of high-pressure, common rail diesel fuel delivery to reduce soot emissions for greener environments. The accurate knowledge of thermodynamic and transport properties in these three focused areas minimizes associated operating uncertainties and accelerates safe, reliable, and robust process and product development.

Density and Volumetric Behavior of Binary CO2 + n-Decane and Ternary CO2 + n-Decane + Naphthalene Systems at High Pressure and High Temperature

“…New developments have been made on the enhanced oil recovery for ultradeep reservoirs, for example, the injection of nonhydrocarbon gas such as carbon dioxide, to improve oil displacement . Based on that, there is a need to collect experimental HPHT data for volumetric and transport properties for hydrocarbons + carbon dioxide. − Furthermore, fundamental thermodynamics studies of hydrocarbons + carbon dioxide intermolecular interactions are important for the development of compressed phase density predictive models. ,,, …”

Assessment of a Parachor Model for the Surface Tension of Binary Mixtures

“…Surface tension is an important physical property that has long had significance in the oil and gas industry, and is also of interest in applications as varied as pharmaceuticals [ 1 , 2 ], heat transfer in low-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants [ 3 ], ink-jet printing [ 4 , 5 ] and diesel engine design [ 6 ]. Specific examples in the pharmaceutical industry include [ 2 ] the importance of controlling the surface tension of coating solutions of tablets to improve product appearance and control the rate of drug release, the effect of surface tension on the size of droplets in a nebulizer, and control of the size of eye drops.…”

“…In ink-jet printing, From [ 5 ] analyzed the fluid flow behavior of impulsively driven laminar jet flow in terms of dimensionless parameters involving the surface tension, density, viscosity, and a characteristic dimension, and made recommendations for when the fluid has stable drop formation. In order to optimize engine performance to reduce soot emissions, there is a need for surface tension data at high pressures and high temperatures [ 6 ]. Accurate property values for surface tension are necessary for successful analysis of all these processes.…”