Solvent Recovery by Condensation: An Application of Phase Equilibrium and Sensitivity Analysis
Abstract
Entry in "Class and Home Problems" Series.
Condensation may be used for partial recovery of a volatile solvent from a gas mixture with a noncondensable substance. In this "class and home problem," some features of the process are developed quantitatively to illustrate applications of phase equilibrium and sensitivity analysis. These include temperature-pressure-composition relations both for initiation and continuation of condensation, limits for allowable values of system (operating) variables and corresponding limits for fraction of solvent recovered, expressions for sensitivity coefficients of the fraction recovered to show the effects of changing variables, and a measure of uncertainty in the fraction recovered. A numerical example is included.