Phase Equilibrium Engineering

E.A. BRIGNOLE; S. PEREDA

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2013 p. 331

978-0-44456364-4

This book aims to fill the gap between the books on reactors and separations design and the book of Prausnitz, to cite a classic book in the field of molecular thermodynamics. The proposed book changes the focus from the use of thermodynamics relationships to compute phase equilibria to the design and control of the phase conditions that a process needs. In this way we can say that we put phase equilibrium thermodynamics at work. Phase equilibrium from a theoretical and experimental point of view belongs to the realm of thermodynamics. The ties to the fundamental laws of thermodynamics are so strong that the teaching of phase equilibria emphasizes more the relationships between the thermodynamic variables of each phase in equilibrium than its engineering applications. The main goal of Phase Equilibrium Engineering is the design of the system conditions to achieve the desired phase equilibrium scenario that the process at hand requires. The mixture under consideration and the process to be accomplished illuminates the search for the thermodynamic and process variables that give the required phase conditions. The synthesis of new processes based on the phase behavior is also discussed in the present book. Dealing with this sort of problems the engineer could make use of several design variables: pressure and temperature, feed composition, entrainers, solvents, supercritical condition, etc. to modify the phase equilibrium.