Measurement and calculation of solid–liquid equilibrium for ternary systems of 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene + 2,3-dichloronitrobenzene + ethanol/n-propanol

Abstract

The stable (solid+liquid) phase equilibrium in ternary systems of 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene+2,3-dichloronitrobenzene+ethanol and 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene+2,3-dichloronitrobenzene+n-propanol at three temperatures was determined by means of an isothermal solution saturation method under pressure p=101.2kPa. The isothermal phase diagrams of the two ternary systems were plotted on the basis of the experimental mutual solubility data. The equilibrium solids formed in the two systems were identified by Schreinemakers’ method of wet residues. It was found that each phase diagram included one co-saturated point, two co-saturated curves and three crystallization zones in the ternary systems of 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene+2,3-dichloronitrobenzene+ethanol and 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene+2,3-dichloronitrobenzene+n-propanol. Two pure solid phases were formed in the studied systems, which were pure 2,3-dichloronitrobenzene and pure 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene. The crystallization zone of 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene was smaller than that of 2,3-dichloronitrobenzene at a given temperature, which showed that 2,3-dichloronitrobenzene could be easily separated from the solution. Furthermore, the solid–liquid phase diagrams were calculated by using NRTL model. The calculated phase diagrams agreed well with the experimental ones. Knowledge of (solid+liquid) phase equilibrium and ternary phase diagrams would be very valuable to design and optimize the solvent crystallization process of 2,3-dichloronitrobenzene and other crystallization processes involving the two ternary systems.