Part -3 - Azeotrope Formation and Distillation Curve of Gasoline – Alcohol Mixtures

Abstract

Mixing of alcohol with hydrocarbon base gasoline causes an increase in the vapour pressure of the mixture .This is because alcohol (methanol or ethanol) combines with certain low molecular weight Hydrocarbons to form  azeotropes.Azeotropes have lower boiling points than the hydrocarbons from which they are made, resulting in an increase in vapour pressure . This paper presents the estimation of the areas under the distillation curves of gasoline – methanol mixtures and that of the hydrocarbon base gasoline. Calculation of areas was carried out using the Numerical Trapezoid rule and Calculus Definite Integration method. Linear equations were developed relating the logarithmic values of the areas resulted from azeotrope formations and the alcohol concentrations ,  Also , correlation between  azeotropic area and some volatility terms were discussed