A Lab Experiment to Introduce Gas/Liquid Solubility

Authors

  • I.M.A. Fonseca Universidade de Coimbra
  • J.P.B. Almeida Universidade de Coimbra
  • H.C. Fachada lnstituto Politecnico de Coimbra

Abstract

A simplified version of a volumetric apparatus for gas/liquid solubility measurements is proposed. The procedure familiarizes undergraduate students with the experimental study of the solubility of a gas in a liquid and contributes to the understanding of this important phase equilibrium concept. The experimental results report the determination of the solubility of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in water, in the temperature range [290 - 303K]. The accuracy of the method was found to be about 1% which is quite acceptable for didactic purposes. The determination of the solubility uncertainty provides use of the propagation law of errors, and enables the student to evaluate which of the experimental uncertainties affect more the final result.

Author Biographies

I.M.A. Fonseca, Universidade de Coimbra

Isabel M.A. Fonseca is an associate professor in the chemical engineering department, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal. She received her M.S. in 1985 and her Ph.D. in 1991 from Universidade de Coimbra. Her academic research has been developed in the experimental thermodynamic domain, particularly VLE at low temperatures, determination of thermodynamic and transport properties, and treatment of experimental data.

J.P.B. Almeida, Universidade de Coimbra

Jose P.B. Almeida received his B.S. in chemistry in 2005 from the chemical department of Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal. Presently he is developing a research work in the area of gas/liquid solubility of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) supported by FCT, Fundar;ao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (Portugal), and FEDER.

H.C. Fachada, lnstituto Politecnico de Coimbra

Horacio C. Fachada is a professor adjunto in the electrical engineering department of lnstituto Superior de Engenharia de Coimbra, Portugal. He received his M.S. in 1991 from Universidade de Coimbra. His research interests are in the areas of control, mobile robotics, and vision navigation.

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Published

2008-07-01

Issue

Vol. 42 No. 3 (2008): Summer 2008

Section

Manuscripts