Threshold Concepts

Equilibrium

Matthew Konetschka
Kaiheng (Richard) Lu
Parth Shah
Thomas Worley
2015
1

Phase Equilibrium
Equilibrium is a dynamic process not a static
one
When two phases are in equilibrium there is:
No net mass transfer between phases
Rate of heat transfer between the two is zero

Vapour
Liquid

Gibbs Phase Rule

F=CP+2
F degrees of freedom = number of independently specifiable
variables
C number of components present in the system
P number of phases present

Water and Steam

C=1
P=2
F =1

Binary distillation (2 components and 2 phases)

F=2
3

Equilibrium Constant
=
= concentration of component i in phase 1
= concentration of component i in phase 2

Function of T, P and composition

Experimentally determined

Separation Factor
Indicates degree of separation which can be
achieved in a separation process
=
=Equilibrium constant for component i
=Equilibrium constant for component j

Three scenarios
> 1 component i in phase 1
= 1 no separation
< 1 component i in phase 2

Vapour Liquid Systems: Binary Mixtures

Two components (A & B) and two phases (L &
V)

In equilibrium

= concentration of component A in liquid

= concentration of component A in vapour
6

Liquid-Liquid Systems
Two immiscible or partially miscible liquid
phases

A: solute
B: diluent
S: solvent

Raffinate is diluent rich (L-phase) and extract is

solvent rich phase (V- phase)
Represented on equilateral triangle diagrams
and right angled triangle diagrams 7

Solid-Liquid Systems
Two immiscible or partially miscible liquid
phases

A: solute
B: inert solid
S: solvent

Underflow slurry is inert-rich (L-phase) and

overflow is solvent rich (V- phase)
8

Conclusions
Equilibrium is a dynamic process
Gibbs Phase Rule determines the degrees of
freedom of a system in equilibrium
For a binary system, an equilibrium curve can
be generated if is known