Development of a New Measurement Technique for Phase Equilibria of Fluid Mixtures

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The key objective of the proposed research project is the development of a new measurement technique for phase equilibria of fluid mixtures based on microwave re-entrant cavity technology. This new technique will yield a full phase description (incl. pressure, temperature, composition and density) for the vapour-liquid equilibrium of fluid mixtures from a single device, in a single and fast measurement, without sampling. The resulting device will advance the current state-of-the-art in measurement science associated with thermodynamic property research.Overall, the continual drive to more efficient and environmentally friendly energy conversion is exposing the limitations of existing thermodynamic models, often resulting in over-engineered and inefficient process design. The solution lies in the development of more accurate and comprehensive predictive equations of state for fluids important for technical applications. Therefore, progress is ultimately reliant on the availability of accurate data for relevant fluid mixtures. Acquiring such data by traditional means is usually a very slow process employing a suite of different apparatuses (e.g., for phase equilibrium and density). Each instrument focusses on measuring a single property, thus requiring mixtures to be loaded into multiple devices and often characterised using analytical methods at the expense of time and increased uncertainty. To address this ongoing challenge, this proposal aims to develop a new measurement technique for the phase properties of fluid mixtures that is faster and simpler than conventional techniques. Achieving this aim includes (1) the construction of a microwave re-entrant cavity based on a new design derived from finite element modelling, (2) the development of the mathematical framework required to obtain the full phase description and (3) a thorough proof of principle of the new technique.