A new approach in modelling phase equilibria and gas solubility in electrolyte solutions and its applications to gas hydrates

This paper presents a new predictive model for phase equilibria and gas solubility calculations in the presence of electrolyte solutions. It treats salts as pseudo-components in an equation of state (EoS) by defining the critical properties and acentric factor for each salt. The water-salt, gas-salt and salt-salt binary interaction parameters (BIP) have been determined by using available experimental data on freezing point depression and boiling point elevation as well as gas solubility and salt solubility data in saline solutions. The methodology has been applied in modelling sodium chloride, potassium chloride and their mixtures, as well as solubility of methane and carbon dioxide in aqueous single and mixed electrolyte solutions. The developed model is capable of accurately predicting the phase behaviour, gas hydrate stability zone and potential salt precipitation in single and mixed electrolyte solutions. The model predictions are compared with available independent experimental data, including hydrate inhibition characteristics of single and mixed electrolyte solutions, and good agreement is demonstrated. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.