Herramientas para la caracterización termodinámica de sistemas ternarios en destilación

Abstract

Innovative numerical tools are presented in this paper, based on the theory of homotopy continuation methods, for the solution of phase equilibrium problems, pertinent in the thermodynamic characterization of ternary mixtures. The main contribution is the strategy to transform phase equilibrium problems in thermodynamic homotopies that can be solved with the continuation methods. Some complex but typical situations are illustrated in processes of azeotropic and extractive distillation, related to the location of azeotropes, the classification of the volatility regions and the liquid-liquid-vapor envelope.