A3.4.6 Vapour Pressure ofa Mixture ‘The saturated vapour pressure of a mixture of individual liquefied gases (e.g. LPG) differs from the vapour pressure ofits components. However, the total vapour pressure can be calculated (see A344), From Dalton’s Law and the General Gas Equation, it can be shown that, for ideal gases, the partial pressure of any component of a mixture is equal to the pressure that would have been created by that component alone multiplied by the mole fraction of that component in the liquid phase. The méle fraction is the mole percentage divided by 100; the mole fraction factor accounts, for the different weights of the individual gases. For example, for an LPG of the following, composition at 40°C: Pressure of Partial Pressure ‘Component Mole % pure component ‘of component at 40°C (kg/cm?) at 40°C tkg/om* tor Ethane 37 778 Tob 0.288 Propane 86.1 13 Le 0973 nBulane 21 017 O17 0.0036 ‘Butane 81 02 Oke 0.0234 Total vapour pressure of mixture at -40°C = sum of partial pressures = 1.288 kg em *Pressure of pure component x mole % 100 The components of the mixture are in solution with each other, andl this is why the low boing fractions (eg. ethane in the above example) remain in the liquid phase even at temperatures above the saturation temperature of the pure material, However, the example shows how the addition of a small quantity of a volatile fraction can increase the vapour pressure considerably: The vapour phase will contain a larger concentration of volatiles than the liquid phase, and figure A3.3 shows that for propane with 4 mole % ethane in the liquid phase, the vapour phase contains 22% ethane.40° 60° se" TEMPERATURE 80° ar so" er 4 22 Ol, 50 100 5° (00's Figute A223 Propane Ethane aquirium diagram Pressure™= 1.1 bar (A) Mote propane = 100-Riole % ethane (roti a g m=O) Werm Hcodins gp 4 102-03 04 ii Figure A3.4 Simple gas reliquefaction cycle TASKER SAPELY GEIDE G1QUE FIED Gass 181