Vapor–liquid activity coefficients for methanol and ethanol from heat of solution data: application to steam–methane reforming

Abstract

This paper presents equations and curves to calculate vapor–liquid phase equilibria for methanol and ethanol in dilute aqueous solution as a function of temperature, using activity coefficients at infinite dilution. These thermodynamic functions were originally derived to assess the distribution of by-product contaminants in the process condensate and the steam-system deaerator of a hydrogen plant [Paper ENV-00-171 presented at the NPRA 2000 Environmental Conference, San Antonio, TX, 10–12 September 2000], but have general applicability to other systems as well. The functions and calculation method described here are a necessary piece of an overall prediction technique to estimate atmospheric emissions from the deaerator-vent when the process condensate is recycled as boiler feed water (BFW) make-up. Having such an estimation technique is of particular significance at this time because deaerator-vent emissions are already coming under regulatory scrutiny in California [Emissions from Hydrogen Plant Process Vents, Adopted 21 January 2000] followed closely elsewhere in the US, and eventually worldwide. The overall technique will enable a permit applicant to estimate environmental emissions to comply with upcoming regulations, and a regulatory agency to evaluate those estimates. It may also be useful to process engineers as a tool to estimate contaminant concentrations and flow rates in internal process streams such as the steam-generating system. Metallurgists and corrosion engineers might be able to use the results for materials selection.