Computing all the azeotropes in refrigerant mixtures through equations of state

Azeotropic mixtures of fluorocarbon (FC) and hydro fluorocarbon (HFC) with hydrocarbons are gaining popularity as drop-in substitutes for CFCs and HCFCs. A method to compute all the azeotropes in a refrigerant mixture through the equation of state approach is described. The method allows prediction of all the azeotropes in a refrigerant mixture and is in close agreement with the experimental data. Both the vapor and the liquid phase non-idealities are incorporated through fugacity coefficients modeled using Peng-Robinson-Stryjek-Vera equation of state with Wong-Sandler and van der Waals mixing rules. Homotopy continuation based methodology guarantees computation of all the solutions of necessary and sufficient condition of azeotropy in multicomponent refrigerant mixtures. The method establishes the pressure dependency of azeotropic composition allowing prediction of bifurcation pressure where refrigerant azeotropes may appear or disappear and predicts azeotropes at elevated pressures. The approach is independent of equation of state and mixing rules but rely on their ability to represent the phase behavior. The approach is tested with R23-R13, propane-R227ea binary mixtures and a ternary mixture of R32-R125-R143a. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.