Modelagem termodinâmica do equilíbrio líquido-vapor para a mistura azeotrópica álcool isopropílico e éter diisopropílico

Abstract

This study presents the thermodynamic modeling of the vapor-liquid equilibrium of the azeotropic system formed between isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and diisopropyl ether (DIPE), two economically relevant solvents in the chemical industry. The main objective was to evaluate the influence of pressure on the system’s behavior and assess the effectiveness of three extractive solvents – methanol (MET), 2-methoxyethanol (2-MEA), and the ionic liquid 1-methyl-3-methylimidazolium dimethylphosphate ([Mmim][DMP]) – in breaking the azeotrope. The modeling was performed based on the correlation of binary experimental data using the NRTL model, supported by the XSEOS and Solver add-ins, to predict the ternary behavior of the mixture. The results indicated that reducing the pressure shifts the azeotropic point and may even prevents its formation. Among the investigated solvents, the ionic liquid [Mmim][DMP] exhibited the highest efficiency in breaking the azeotrope, requiring fractions below 0.10. The 2-MEA also demonstrated good performance, although it required fractions above 0.20 In contrast, MET was found to be unsuitable for the application due to limitations related to its recovery and volatility. Thus, the association of extractive solvents and pressure reduction proved to be a promising strategy for the separation of the DIPE/IPA system.