Distillation is the primary choice for separations in the petrochemical industry. Because the majority of chemical processing involves separations/purifications, that makes distillation the biggest economic driver in all of chemical production. Therefore, it is very important for chemical engineers to understand how distillation works (21min, uakron.edu) and how VLE plays the major role. This video is a bit long, but it puts into context how phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties relate to very important practical applications. You may find it helpful to reinforce the conceptual video with some sample calculations.(12min) At the end of the video, you should be able to answer the following:

Consider the acetone+ethanol system. Use SCVP (Eqn 2.47) to answer the following.

1. Sketch a Txy diagram for acetone+ethanol at 1 bar with accurate Tsat's. Label completely.
2. Which component pertaining to #1 would have enhanced concentration in the distillate?
3. Accurately sketch the yx diagram pertaining to #1
4. Use Raoult's Law to estimate α_LH pertaining to #1.
5. Use your sketch from 3 to estimate N_min  to go from x1=0.1 to 0.9.
6. Use the Fenske equation to estimate N_min  with splits of 0.9 and 0.1.

When expressing the derivative of the total Gibbs energy by chain rule, there is one particular partial derivative that relates to each component in the mixture: the "chemical potential." By adapting the derivation from Chapter 9 of the equilibrium constraint for pure fluids, we can show that the equilibrium constraint for mixtures is that the chemical potential of each component in each phase must be equal. That is fine mathematically but it is not very intuitive. By translating the chemical potential into a rigorous definition of fugacity of a component in a mixture, we recognize that an equivalent equilibrium constraint is that the fugacity of each component in each phase must be equal. (8min, Live, uakron.edu) This offers the intuitive perspective of, say, molecules from the liquid escaping to the vapor and molecules from the vapor escaping to the liquid; when the "escaping tendencies" are equal, the phases experience no net change and we call that equilibrium. 

Introduction to Phase Behavior (9:37) (msu.edu)
Students tend to be distracted with the algorithms for bubble, dew, and flash, and often miss the important concepts of the relation of the calculations to the phase diagram. This screencast discusses the pure component endpoints, the trends in phase behavior at the bubble and dew conditions, and the qualitative relation between the P-x-y and T-x-y diagrams.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Referring to the Txy diagram on slide 3, estimate T, nature (ie. L,V, V+L, L+L), composition(s), and amount of the phase(s) for points: a, b. d, g.
2. Referring to the Txy diagram on slide 3, suppose we had T = 340K and zA = 0.40. Estimate T, nature (ie. L,V, V+L, L+L), composition(s), and amount of the phase(s) for that point.
3. Which component is more volatile, A or B?

1. Peng-Robinson PVT Properties - Excel (3:30) (msu.edu)

Introduction to PVT calculations using the Peng-Robinson workbook Preos.xlsx. Includes hints on changing the fluid and determining stable roots.

Comprehension Questions:

1. At 180K, what value of pressure gives you the minimum value for Z of methane? Hint: don't call solver.

2. At 30 bar, what value of pressure gives Z=0.95 for methane?

3. Compute the molar volume(s) (cm³/mol) for argon at 100K for each of the following?
(a) 3.000 bars (b) 4.000 bars (c) 3.26903 bars.