Continuous thermodynamics

Abstract

A consistent building of “continuous thermodyna- mics is presented; it is applicable to all mixtures containing a large number of very similar chemical species. Instead of identifying the components by a discontinuous index, a continuous identification variable is used such as the boiling-point temperature. This permits to differentiate, to integrate, or to develop a power series with respect to this variable. These operations are impossible for a discontinuous index. To demonstrate, continuous thermo dynamics is applied to flash calculations of petroleum fractions described by a True Boiling Point (TBP) curve, to the liquid-liquid equilibrium and to the fractionation process of polymer solutions described by the well-known molar mass distribution. © 1989, IEEE. All rights reserved.