Liquefaction of

gases
BHARAT GROVER
2013PHM2738

Methods of liquefaction of gases

Direct liquefaction by isothermal compression.
Making the gas perform work against external forces
at the expense of its internal energy.
Joule-kelvin expansion (Joule Thomson expansion)

 Isothermal compression.
Andrews curves

P-V isotherms for hypothetical gas (ideal

gas)

 Liquefaction of gas at the expense of its internal energy :-

In this process gas is thermally isolated (adiabatic process).

Gas work at the expense of its internal energy, its thermal
energy is expended (& hence its temperature is lowered).
In practice gas is isothermally compressed (which involves
removing the heat corresponding to the work done on the gas).

 Gas is then allowed to expand adiabatically, which leads to cooling.

Cycle is repeated till the gas is liquefied.
For adiabatic process V -1 T = constant ( =Cp / Cv )
since -1 =R/Cv > 0 i.e. Expansion leads to cooling

 Joule-kelvin expansion (Joule-Thomson expansion)

The gas does work against its own internal forces.
For a real gas, this process leads to cooling if Tgas < Tinv .
Gas is expanded via small nozzle/porous plug, which is
thermally isolated from surroundings.

 This method is also isenthalpic expansion i.e. enthalpy is constant

through out the process.
H =E +PV = E(T)+ RT constant i.e. H(Ti) = H(Tf)
Therefore if the initial temperature (Ti) is known of gas we can find the
final temperature (Tf) of gas by isoenthalpic curve.
Since E(Ti) > E(Tf) therefore Ti > Tf

Joule Kelvin
coefficient
(=T/ P)

P-T Isenthalps for nitrogen gas

 For a starting point on left of the inversion curve, the expansion always leads to
cooling.
For starting temp T>Tinv (max), expansion results in heating.
N2 has Tinv =607K; (starting out at RT, expansion always yields cooling) [O 2 :
762 K; H2 : 203 K; He : 43.2 K]
At very low T, some isenthelps cross Liquid-Vaopr equilibrium curve at which
some of the gas liquefy.
Temperature of the ideal gas does not change during isenthalpic or J-K
expansion (as there are no internal forces for the gas to do work against)

Cascade process of liquefaction of

gases