Vasileios Papaioannou

Group contribution methodology based on the statistical associating fluid theory for heteronuclear molecules formed from Mie segments.

A generalization of the recent version of the statistical associating fluid theory for variable range Mie potentials [Lafitte et al., J. Chem. Phys. 139, 154504 (2013)] is formulated within the framework of a group contribution approach (SAFT-γ Mie). Molecules are represented as comprising distinct functional (chemical) groups based on a fused heteronuclear molecular model, where the interactions between segments are described with the Mie (generalized Lennard-Jonesium) potential of variable attractive and repulsive range. A key feature of the new theory is the accurate description of the monomeric group-group interactions by application of a high-temperature perturbation expansion up to third order. The capabilities of the SAFT-γ Mie approach are exemplified by studying the thermodynamic properties of two chemical families, the n-alkanes and the n-alkyl esters, by developing parameters for the methyl, methylene, and carboxylate functional groups (CH3, CH2, and COO). The approach is shown to describe accurately the fluid-phase behavior of the compounds considered with absolute average deviations of 1.20% and 0.42% for the vapor pressure and saturated liquid density, respectively, which represents a clear improvement over other existing SAFT-based group contribution approaches. The use of Mie potentials to describe the group-group interaction is shown to allow accurate simultaneous descriptions of the fluid-phase behavior and second-order thermodynamic derivative properties of the pure fluids based on a single set of group parameters. Furthermore, the application of the perturbation expansion to third order for the description of the reference monomeric fluid improves the predictions of the theory for the fluid-phase behavior of pure components in the near-critical region. The predictive capabilities of the approach stem from its formulation within a group-contribution formalism: predictions of the fluid-phase behavior and thermodynamic derivative properties of compounds not included in the development of group parameters are demonstrated. The performance of the theory is also critically assessed with predictions of the fluid-phase behavior (vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid equilibria) and excess thermodynamic properties of a variety of binary mixtures, including polymer solutions, where very good agreement with the experimental data is seen, without the need for adjustable mixture parameters.

SAFT-γ force field for the simulation of molecular fluids: 3. Coarse-grained models of benzene and hetero-group models of n-decylbenzene

In the first paper of this series [C. Avendaño, T. Lafitte, A. Galindo, C.S. Adjiman, G. Jackson, and E.A. Müller, J. Phys. Chem. B 115, 11154 (2011)] our methodology for the development of accurate coarse-grained (CG) SAFT-γ force fields for the computer simulation of molecular fluids was introduced with carbon dioxide as a particular case study. The procedure involves the use of a molecular-based equation of state to obtain effective intermolecular parameters (from experimental fluid phase equilibrium data) appropriate for molecular simulation over a wide range of fluid conditions. We now extend the methodology to develop coarse-grained models for benzene (C6H6) that can be used in fluid phase simulations. Our SAFT-γ CG force fields for benzene consist of a simple single-segment spherical model, and a rigid three-segment ring structure of tangent spherical groups interacting via Mie (generalized Lennard-Jones) segment–segment interactions. The description of the fluid phase behaviour of benzene with our simplified CG force fields is found to be comparable to that obtained with the more sophisticated models commonly used in the field; a marked improvement is seen with our SAFT-γ models for the vapour pressure, particularly at lower temperatures. These models of benzene together with the previously developed SAFT-γ three-segment chain model of n-decane are used to develop hetero-group force fields for n-decylbenzene, in the spirit of a group contribution methodology. In our approach, the parameters of the phenyl and n-decyl groups are obtained transferably from the individual models of benzene and n-decane, respectively, and the unlike energetic parameters between the phenyl and decyl segments can be obtained from vapour–liquid equilibria data for n-decylbenzene using the SAFT-γ equation of state. The resulting CG hetero-group models are found to describe the fluid properties of n-decylbenzene over a wide range of conditions, exemplifying how our approach can be used as a group contribution methodology. This is the first example of the development of hetero-group SAFT-γ force fields for molecules formed from Mie segments of different size, energy, softness/hardness, and range.

gSAFT: Advanced physical property prediction for process modelling

Advances in the area of thermodynamic modelling have led to the development of accurate and versatile physical property prediction frameworks that can significantly impact reliable process modelling. PSE’s gSAFT technology is an example of such a thermodynamic framework that encompasses state-of-the-art thermodynamics in a robust and efficient implementation. In this contribution we demonstrate the predictive capabilities of the gSAFT physical property package by studying two challenging applications, namely the prediction of fluid phase behaviour in polymer systems and the solid-liquid equilibrium of complex organic molecules.

Simultaneous prediction of phase behaviour and second derivative properties with a group contribution approach (SAFT-γ Mie)

Abstract We present a new group contribution approach, the SAFT-γ Mie method based on an intermolecular potential of variable attractive and repulsive range. The method employs a more realistic intermolecular potential compared to the previously proposed SAFT-γ method (SAFT-γ SW), where interactions are modelled based on the square-well (SW) potential. SAFT-γ Mie is shown to lead to a marked improvement in the prediction of the phase behaviour and the second-order derivative properties of the chemical family of the n -alkanes.