A thermodynamic property model for fluid-phase isobutane

A Helmholtz free energy equation of state for the fluid phase of isobutane (R-600a) has been developed on the basis of the ITS-90 temperature scale. This model was developed using selected measurements of the pressure-density-temperature (P, rho, T), isobaric heat capacity, speed of sound, and saturation properties. The structure of the present model consists of only 19 terms in its functional form, which is the same as those successfully applied to our recent modeling of R-290 and R-600, and a nonlinear fitting procedure was used to determine the numerical parameters of the present equation of state. Based on a comparison with available experimental data, it is recognized that the model represents most of the reliable experimental data accurately in the range of validity covering temperatures from 113.56 K (the triple-point temperature) to 573 K, at pressures up to 35 MPa, and at densities up to 749 kg-m(-3). Physically sound behavior of the derived thermodynamic properties over the entire fluid phase is demonstrated. The estimated uncertainties of properties calculated using the model are 0.2% in density, 1% in heat capacities, 0.02% in the speed of sound for the vapor, 1% in the speed of sound elsewhere, and 0.2% in vapor pressure, except in the critical region. In addition, graphical and statistical comparisons between experimental data and the available thermodynamic models, including the present one, showed that the model can provide a physically sound representation of all the thermodynamic properties of engineering importance.