Instructions

DEWCALC.XLS
This workbook will calculate dew point temperatures and pressures using Modified Raoult's Law.
DewCalc

This is the worksheet that carries out the calculations. The method uses iterative
It is currently provided to perform calculations using the one-term Margules equat
be modified for other activity relations. As provided, the spreadsheet uses the An
equation for vapor pressure.

Background

This worksheet provides background on the iterative calculations.

Worksheets are protected. Values in blue may be changed without unlocking the spreadsheet, which
permit most common calculations. To unprotect, use Tools...Protection...Unprotect. Enter "thermo" fo
password.
Copyright 1997, Carl Lira
For use with "An Introduction to Applied Thermodynamics" by J.R. Elliott, C.T. Lira
www.egr.msu.edu/~lira/thermtxt.htm

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Instructions

odified Raoult's Law.

e method uses iterative calculations.

one-term Margules equations, but
preadsheet uses the Antoine

g the spreadsheet, which will

rotect. Enter "thermo" for the

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291309799.xls

Dew Point Calculator

protected without password
Modified Raoult's Law, One term Margules
GE/RT = A *x1*x2
System

Acetone(1)-Methanol(2), B = 0.64

T(C)= 55.1

P=

Margules Parameter
component
y
Antoine A
Antoine B
Antoine C
Psat(mm Hg)
x'
xn

1
0.3
7.11714

629 (mm Hg)

A
0.64
For Dew Temperature
Calculation, adjust T until
xT = 1.
2
0.7
8.08097

1210.595 1582.271
229.664
239.726
734.3751 517.8142
Err:522
Err:522
Err:522
Err:522

For Dew Pressure

calculations, adjust P until
xT = 1.

Err:522
Err:522

xT

Err:522
This spreadsheet uses circular references.
If you receive an error "Cannot resolve circular references", then Excel is not expecting
circular references. To permit circular references, choose Tools..Options... Calculation... and click
on the box for Iterations. Click on the "Background" tab to learn more about circular references.
Occasionly, circular references don't work. In that event a macro can be written to perform succesive su
See the appendix of the text for instructions on writing macros.

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291309799.xls

adjust T until

s, adjust P until

is not expecting
ns... Calculation... and click
about circular references.
be written to perform succesive substitution.

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Background

The iterations in this spreadsheet involve the rows for x', x(n), gamma.
1. each x' is calculated from the appropriate y * P / (* Psat).
2. xn is the normalized composition calculated using the x' values.

3.

The worksheet "DewCalc" uses circular references to set up iterative calculations. For a dew calculation,

the value of depends on x, which is not known until the answer is obtained. Therefore, the initial guess

from the last converged answer. This value is used to calculate a new value for x, which in turn changes

value of , which is used to calculate a new value for x. Programming the cells sets up a circular referenc

the values in the cells for and x reference each other. Iteration procedes until the values change by les

value of the "Maximum Change" variable or the number of iterations set in the "Maximum Iterations" va
Iteration is controlled by choosing Tools... Options...Calculations...
This spreadsheet was converged using Maximum Iterations = 100, Maximum Change = 0.0001.
Note that in a spreadsheet using circular references, a large change in parameter/variable values
from one problem to the next can create a poor first guess which causes the calculations
to diverge. If you have problems with this, load your saved version, and change the
values gradually over wide ranges.
To set up your own iterative spreadsheet:
Before entering a circular reference, choose Tools... Options... Calculation .... and click on Manual
to set the calculations to manual. (F9 will start the calculation in Manual mode.)
You must enter formulas in the order the iteration should procede. In this example,

finally C15, where the order is important. Reasonable values for all cells should be used because
the initial guess is established as you type in the formulas. When all the formulas are entered,
the calculations may be turned back to Automatic.
Save the spreadsheet after it is set up. A poor guess can cause an interative calculation to
diverge, giving a error, and the best way to recover is to reload the saved spreadsheet.

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Background

s. For a dew calculation,

erefore, the initial guess is taken

x, which in turn changes the

ets up a circular reference which

he values change by less than the

Maximum Iterations" variable.

ange = 0.0001.

er/variable values

d click on Manual

be used because
s are entered,

culation to

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