Liquid–liquid equilibria for n-alkanes (C12, C14, C17) + propylbenzene + NMP mixtures at temperatures between 298 and 328 K

Liquid–liquid equilibria for three ternary systems: dodecane, or tetradecane, or heptadecane + propylbenzene + NMP was studied over a temperature range of 298–328 K. The three systems studied exhibit type I liquid–liquid phase diagram. The effect of temperaure and n-alkane chain length upon solubility, selectivity, and distribution coefficient were investigated experimentally. The experimental results were regressed to estimate the interaction parameters between each of the three pairs of components for the UNIQUAC and the NRTL models as a function of temperature. Both models satisfactorily correlate the experimental data, however the UNIQUAC fit was slightly better than that obtained with the NRTL model. The values of distribution coefficient and selectivity were predicated from the equilibrium data.