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Flash Calc 152
Flash Calc 152
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Abstrac-Because of its inherent advantages, the equation-of-state (EOS) approach is preferred to the
mixed-model approach for VLE calculations at high pressures. In flash calculations at high pressure, there
are certain computational dficulties like trivial solutions and false convergences, especially with the EOS
approach. These problems arise because of poor initial guesses of phase compositions and vapor fraction.
A systematic analysis is presented here to show that the importance of these initial values depends on the
calculation scheme adopted. Appropriate physical constraints are suggested to avoid these problems and
an algorithm is proposed for the flash calculations.
Scope-The equation-of-state approach for flash calculations has been the most popular method in gas
processing for over a decade because of the development of simple equations of state like Soave [I],
Peng-Robinson [2] etc. However, calculations of VLE at high pressures, especially with the EOS approach,
lead to convergence problems, typically yielding trivial solutions and false convergences. In spite of its
use in the hydrocarbon industry, either enough attention has not been paid to this important aspect or
the experience gained has remained unpublished. Only in recent times has some attention been paid to
this important aspect. Veeranna and Rihani [3] analyzed this probleni for phase-boundary calculations.
However, more general flash calculations, have not been thoroughly considered.
In this article a thorough analysis is made to identify the reasons for the above-mentioned problems.
A typical eight-component natural gas system with the Soave EOS is used for illustration. The conclusions
and the proposed algorithm are applicable to any EOS, including the BWR type of EOS.
colidlwlom aad s@Bcamz-In this work it is shown that the method of solving the EOS is not the real
cause for convergence problems in VLE calculations and an analytical solution procedure can be used.
The real factors affecting the convergence are the initial estimates for: (i) Phase compositions or K-values
and (ii) vapor fraction. The relative importance of each one depends on the calculation scheme.
Application of suitable physical constraints suggested in this work leads to a physically acceptable
solution. The proposed algorithm can be used to perform flash calculations for systems close to critical
conditions. The Soave EOS is used for illustration and the algorithm is general and can be used with any
equation-of-state including the BWR type of equation.
According to Harmens [12], trivial solutions may [3] suggested to impose a constraint on calculated
occur at relatively high temperature and high pres- liquid- and vapor-phase densities to avoid trivial
sure where cubic equation-of-state gives a single real solutions and false convergences in phase.-boundary
root for both liquid- and vapor-phases; the problem calculations in vapor-liquid equilibria. However, gen-
is least likely to occur in multicomponent systems eral flash calculations were not considered.
which are of practical importance. He suggested to In this work, a systematic study was carried out to
use different values for each phase for the constant R analyze the problem in isothermal flash calculation
in the Redlich-Kwong equation-of-state. Huron et al. usingan eight-component natural gas system with the
[13] proposed determining the limits for pressure by Soave EOS [l] through the application of density
trial and error. According to Asselinea et al. [14], constraint to identify the correct solution. Through-
convergence problems may arise at high pressure if out this work, only analytical solution method is used
the solution is near to extrema of temperature or to solve the Soave EOS. Because of its simplicity
pressure in dew-point calculations or near to critical [24,25], univariate algorithm is followed in this work.
point. They suggested that initial estimates for dew-
point calculations should be provided by means of SCHEME FOR R%Yl’HERMALFLASH CALCULATIONS
pseudocritical constants. Coward et al. [ 151also men-
tioned the problem of trivial solutions in the region In isothermal flash calculations, feed composition,
of cricondenbar, critical point and cricondentherm. temperature and pressure are given, and vapor frac-
Khoury [16] observed that the problem of trivial tion (V/F) and individual phase compositions are
solutions in flash calculations with an equation-of- calculated. The equations used to establish the phase-
state arise because of the selection of incorrect densi- equilibrium conditions are the fugacity equality:
ties from the EOS for liquid- and vapor-phases. He f*=f;, i=l,...n. (1)
suggested to give a small perturbation to temperature
(positive for vapor and negative for liquid). If the and the material balance relation:
perturbation gives three roots, the smallest one is F (V/F) = E r,(& - l)/[l + (& - 1) (VP91= 0 (2)
taken for vapor and the largest one for liquid;
otherwise the previous density is taken as correct. La1 To initiate the calculations, equilibrium ratios, K’S,
and Mukhopadyay [17] observed trivial solutions and the vapor fraction (V/F) are assumed. The
both in univariate approach and multivariate ap- relative importance of these estimates depends on the
proach in phase-boundary calculations. According to calculation scheme adopted. Equations (1) and (2)
Gundersen [18], this problem is created by the use of can be solved in two ways:
analytical solution method to solve the cubic (i) the material balance equation is in the inner
equation-of-state. He proposed an algorithm to nu- loop and the fugacity equality is checked outside,
merically solve the cubic equation. Poling et al. [19] (ii) the material balance equation is in the outer
suggested changing phase compositions, guided by loop and the fugacity equality is checked inside.
the numerical value of the derivative of the com-
These two schemes are examined using a typical
pressibility factor. These techniques are helpful at
eight-component mixture whose composition is given
moderate pressures only, i.e. up to pseudocritical
in Table 1. In all the illustrations, the calculations are
conditions. But the problem is more deep rooted.
made with the Soave EOS [l].
There are trivial solutions (Ki + 1.0) as well as phys-
Scheme 1. In this scheme, with initially assumed
ically nonexistent convergences at high pressure
K-values, equation (2) is solved iteratively for V/F
where the above techniques fail. Further, there is
followed by calculations of the phase compositions.
some confusion in literature as to the real cause of
Then the conditions for equation (1) are checked. The
this problem. According to Gundersen [18], use of
process is repeated until equation (1) is satisfied.
analytical solution methods to solve cubic equations
Normally, the initial K-values, so-called ideal K-
results in these failures. Baker et al. [20] rightly
values are generated from Raoult’s law using vapor
pointed out that solution techniques for phase-
pressure correlations. In gas processing, where the
equilibrium problems give mathematical solution for
operations are carried out at high pressures, some of
the set of equations which satisfy the usual restriction
the components would be supercritical at the given
on equality of chemical potentials of components in
each phase and conservation of moles in the system,
but it may be an incorrect physical solution. They Table 1. Composition of
test mixture
applied the constraint that the system of predicted
Component mol %
phases at equilibrium state must have the lowest
Nitrogen 0.54
possible Gibbs energy at the system temperature and M&halle 72.80
pressure. Michelson [21,22] discussed the numerical Ethane 5.46
implementation of this approach. Grens [23] in a PrOpant 3.06
n-Butane 3.07
review of computational methods, indicated that n-Rntane 6.88
free-energy minimisation increases the efficiency of n-Hexane 4.38
phase equilibrium calculations. Veeranna and Rihani n-Hcptane 3.75
An algorithm for llash calculations using an equation of state 491
conditions. Hence the vapor pressure would be an achieve a V/F between 0.0 and 1.0. A similar sug-
extrapolated value. Such Raoult’s law K-values gestion is made by Poling et al. [19]. However, it is
would be totally different from actual K-values and not known a priori which component K-value should
hence, in such a situation equation (2) may give V/F be altered and by how much. If initial K-values are
< 0, or > 1.O, whereas in reality the mixture might be taken as the arithmetic average of the K-values for
in the two-phase region. In the first iteration, the the bubble- and dew-point temperatures at the given
calculations would be terminated and there would be pressure, a two-phase mixture is initially predicted
no way to revise the K-values. A few such cases for and used to revise the K-values. Convergence is then
the eight-component mixture are shown in Table 2. achieved irrespective of the initially assumed value of
As can be seen, the ideal K-values are very much V/F, as shown by the results presented in Table 3 for
different from the true K-values and, hence, for a the test mixture. For all three cases of initial assumed
two-phase mixture a single liquid-phase is incorrectly V/F (0.1, 0.5 and 0.9), the results are the same,
predicted. For point 2 and 4 in Table 2, even the indicating that with this scheme the initial guess for
K-value for the lightest component is less than unity. V/F has no bearing on final convergence. However,
If in the first iteration, a two-phase mixture is pre- in this scheme, the convergence is very sensitive to the
dicted, then the K-values are revised and there is a initial K-values. At high pressure, there are multiple
chance for proper convergence. This prediction can convergences depending on the initial K-values. Re-
be accomplished by altering the K-values so as to sults presented in Table 4 at two pressures with three
different sets of K-values each clearly indicate that
fmal convergence is sensitive to the initial K-values
Table 3. Effect of initial V/F on flash calculations in Scheme 1
and the problem of selecting the acceptable solution
V/F predicted
arises. This may be resolved by applying the density
Temperature Pressure Initial V/F constraint suggested later.
IK) (atm) 0.1 0.5 0.90
Scheme 2. In this scheme, the material balance
100.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 equation (2) is in the outer loop and equation (1) is
180.0 1.0 0.773 0.773 0.773
260.0 1.0 0.887 0.887 0.887 checked in the inner loop. With an assumed value of
340.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 V/F, phase compositions and new K-values are calcu-
140.0 8.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
220.0 8.0 0.757 0.757 0.757
lated. Hence, even if the initial K-values are poor,
300.0 8.0 0.870 0.870 0.870 they are revised in the subsequent iterations and thus
380.0 8.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 the initial K-values have no influence on convergence.
180.0 32.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
260.0 32.0 0.726 0.726 0.726 On the other hand, the initial value of V/F plays a
340.0 32.0 0.862 0.862 0.862 vital role in avoiding a trivial solution, just as tem-
400.0 32.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
perature and pressure do in phase-boundary calcu-
250.0 128.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
280.0 128.0 0.424 0.424 0.424 lations.
320.0 128.0 0.620 0.620 0.620 There can be a vapor-phase trivial solution or a
360.0 128.0 0.773 0.773 0.773
400.0 128.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
liquid-phase trivial solution [3] depending on
280.0 160.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 temperature-pressure conditions. Figure 1 shows a
300.0 160.0 0.323 0.323 0.323 case of a vapor-phase trivial solution. Any value of
320.0 160.0 0.486 0.486 0.486
340.0 160.0 0.613 0.613 0.613 V/F below 0.43 leads to a vapor-phase trivial solu-
360.0 160.0 0.756 0.756 0.756 tion, irrespective of initial K-values. Figure 2 shows
380.0 160.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
the case of a liquid-phase trivial solution, where any
300.0 172.0 0.149 0.149 0.149
320.0 172.0 0.363 0.364 0.363 value of V/F greater than 0.90 leads to a liquid-phase
340.0 172.0 0.555 0.555 0.555 trivial solution. This kind of sharp change to a trival
360.0 172.0 0.863 0.863 0.866
solution exists at low pressures.
492 D. V-A et al.
Temperature (K)
280.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
300.0 0.323 0.323 0.663 0.149 0.0 0.079
320.0 0.486 0.488 0.487 0.363 0.874 0.361
ZZ:8 , 0.613
0.766 0.615
0.760 0.616
0.769 0.863
0.555 0.941
0.571 0.558
1.0
380.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
At high pressure, the direct substitution of com- creasing pressure. At high pressures, the function
position in the inner loop will not lead either to may be so small at all V/F that it may be confused
equality of fugacities or constant K-values even after for convergence. This behavior is illustrated by the
a large number of iterations. If the substitution is results presented in Table 5, where the deviation
continued until equation (1) is satisfied, it will ulti- function is shown for three different pressures. Fur-
mately lead to a trivial solution. But there is very little thermore, the deviation function may exhibit a max-
change in K-values after the first few iterations and imum or a minimum as shown in Fig. 4. If the initial
it is common practice in VLE calculations to stop the estimate is on the wrong side of the stationary point,
iterations prematurely. In such an event, there are the search process may have difficulty in reaching the
cases where the deviation function actually passes required convergence point.
through zero as shown in Fig. 3, leading to false’
convergence, indicating a two-phase mixture whereas Algorithm to solve the paSh problems
in reality a total liquid exists. In addition to this, the In Scheme 1, as already mentioned, the initial value
deviation function, equation (2) decreases with in- of V/F has no bearing on convergence and only
o.a-
0.6-
0.4-
0.2 -
< 0.0
e
I&
-0.2 -
-0.4 -
-0.6 -
-0.6
0.0 0-f 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 4’6 0,7 0.6 0.9 1.0
Vapor fraction, V/F
a1 -
-0.I -
Region
Of
-0.2 - trivid
SOlUtiOll
- 2.5 - I I 1 1 I I I I I
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.9 1.0
Vapor Fraction V/F
K-values have a strong Muence. To get accurate tions will not satisfy that condition. However, this
K-values a priori is not easy, unless bubble- and cannot be built into the calculation scheme,
dew-point K-values are calculated, e.g. by the method In Scheme 2, initial K-values have little bearing but
suggested in [3]. As mentioned earlier, in Scheme 1, initial V/F has a strong effect on convergence. As
the results at high pressures close to the critical discussed earlier, there are four different types of
conditions are sensitive to the initial K-values. The computational difficulties:
correct solution may be identified by the density
constraint suggested by equation (3), as all the solu- (1) trivial solutions,
0.0008
0.0004
-0.006 -
1 I 4
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
Vapor fraction, V/F
Table 5. Variation of deviation function FNIF) with messwe Table 6. Steps in algorithm for isothermal flash calculations
Pressurelatd 1 32 160 Step No. process
Tempera&e ;K) 180 260 360
0.780 1. Calculate initial K-values
Actual V/F 0.773 0.726
2. Assume a vapor fraction (V/F) of 0.5
V/F F(V/F) 3. Calculate the p* coxn~positions,componmt fugacities
0.02 12.518 0.904 -0.wO2 and new K-va& at the presentGp&X&oC(V/F)
0.10 5.264 0.921 -0.0000 4. Repeat Step 3 until I(f&/fn) - 1.01< L,
0.20 2.898 0.853 0.0002 5. Find out if it is a &al solution or a case. of false
0.30 1.909 0.741 o.ooo7 convergence using the density constraint, i.e. & < 4, or
0.40 1.346 0.608 0.0017
$;;!m
0.50 0.957 0.460 0.003 1 xs not consistent with EOS, some tolerance for its
0.60 0.635 0.290 0.0042 deviation may be provided). If it is not go to Step 7.
0.70 0.307 0.072 0.0027 6. If d,, < &, increase vapor fraction (V/F)
0.80 -0.148 -0.276 -0.0012 If &,, > &, decrease vapor fraction (V/F)
0.90 -1.214 -1.117 -0.0036 7. If I#ji <f2, go to step 10
0.98 -8.455 - 5.598 -0.0036 8. If +,.$,_, c 0 or j < 10, adjust V/F through false posi-
tion method and go to Step 3
(Substitution terminated after 10 iterations in the inner loop).
9. If 4, > 0, increase V/F or vice versa and go to Step 3
10. Convergence achieved; stop
-0-06
I I I 1 I I
0.6
I I
0.7
I
0.8
I
0.9
I’
l-0
00 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Vapor Fraction V/F
Fig. 4. Existence of a max and min on the convergence curve-T = 320 K, P = 128 atm.
An algorithm for flash calculations using an equation of state 495
objective function. At 320 and 340 K, convergence and the number of roots arising out of the EOS for
will be smooth as the initially assumed value of V/F each phase. The fact that the analytical method is
is in nontrivial region and also there are no stationary used to solve the cubic equation throughout this
points on objective function in the range of initial work shows that the method of solving the EOS is not
value V/F and equilibrium value. At 360 K, the initial the real cause for convergence problems.
value of V/F leads to a vapor-phase trivial solution In Scheme 1, even though the correct solution can
with a liquid density lower than the critical density. be identified with the help of the density criterion
Step 6 of the algorithm directs to increase V/F, thus suggested by equation (3), this cannot be incorpo-
leading to nontrivial region whereas Step 9 helps to rated in the calculation scheme. Hence, it is advisable
cross the maximum on the objective function. The to use the second scheme. The required critical den-
results obtained by the proposed algorithm are sity may be calculated from an EOS [26] or an
presented in Table 7. Note that the results for empirical method like that of Prausnitz and Chueh
172atm are different from those in Table 3. [A. The proposed algorithm can be used with any
EOS including that of the BWR type.
DISCUSSION
NOMENCLATURE
At high pressures, the liquid- and vapor-phases
d, = Critical density of mixture
became monotonic even when the mixture is in the d,,,,= Liquid density of mixture
two phase region. This clearly shows that there is no &v = Vapor density of mixture
relation between the number of phases in the system .& = Fugacity of component i in liquid mixture
0.8 -
0.6 -
//
,,
0.4 - ,#’ \
/’ \
.’
\ \
“0 0.2 - \ \
\ 360K
x \
2
5 i I1 .-- /’ ,.---.. -1.
iz
-0.6 - 300K
-08 -
-1.0 -
-1.2 -
-1.4 -
I I I I 1 I I
0.1 0.2 a.3 0.4 0.5 06 0.7 0.0 09 1.0