Vapour Liquid Equilibrium 0.2

Vapour Liquid Equilibrium (VLE) is the study of the equilibrium relationship between the liquid and vapor phases of a pure component or mixture at a given temperature and pressure.

Several factors influence VLE, including temperature, pressure, composition, and the interaction between the components in the mixture.

VLE plays a crucial role in various industries, including chemical engineering, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and food processing. It helps in understanding the behavior of mixtures and designing processes for separation and purification.

A phase diagram represents the equilibrium relationships between different phases of a substance (solid, liquid, and gas) under specific temperature and pressure conditions. It is often used to analyze VLE behavior.

VLE data can be experimentally obtained using methods such as distillation, gas chromatography, and other equilibrium measurements.

Raoult's law states that for an ideal binary mixture, the partial pressure of each component in the vapor phase is directly proportional to its mole fraction in the liquid phase. Henry's law relates the concentration of a component in the vapor phase to its partial pressure in an ideal solution.

An azeotrope is a mixture that boils at a constant temperature and composition, despite the application of heat or pressure. It represents a special case in VLE where the liquid and vapor phases have identical compositions.

VLE data are crucial for designing processes involving distillation, absorption, stripping, and other separation techniques. It helps in determining the best operating conditions and equipment sizing.

Binary VLE systems involve two components, while multicomponent VLE systems involve more than two components. Multicomponent VLE is often more complex as it involves additional interactions and phase equilibria.

Thermodynamics provides the theoretical foundation for understanding VLE phenomena. It involves concepts like fugacity, activity coefficients, and phase equilibria calculations.