Phase Equilibria in Chemical Engineering

Book excerpt: Phase Equilibria in Chemical Engineering is devoted to the thermodynamic basis and practical aspects of the calculation of equilibrium conditions of multiple phases that are pertinent to chemical engineering processes. Efforts have been made throughout the book to provide guidance to adequate theory and practice. The book begins with a long chapter on equations of state, since it is intimately bound up with the development of thermodynamics. Following material on basic thermodynamics and nonidealities in terms of fugacities and activities, individual chapters are devoted to equilibria primarily between pairs of phases. A few topics that do not fit into these categories and for which the state of the art is not yet developed quantitatively have been relegated to a separate chapter. The chapter on chemical equilibria is pertinent since many processes involve simultaneous chemical and phase equilibria. Also included are chapters on the evaluation of enthalpy and entropy changes of nonideal substances and mixtures, and on experimental methods. This book is intended as a reference and self-study as well as a textbook either for full courses in phase equilibria or as a supplement to related courses in the chemical engineering curriculum. Practicing engineers concerned with separation technology and process design also may find the book useful.