Thermodynamics Research Center / ThermoML | Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics

ABSTRACT

A single-sinker densimeter was built to specifically investigate the (p,q,T,x) behavior of fluid mixtures relevant for carbon capture and storage (CCS). Due to the use of a magnetic-suspension coupling, the densimeter enables measurements over the temperature range from (273.15 to 423.15) K with pressures up to 35 MPa. A comprehensive analysis of the experimental uncertainties was undertaken. The expanded uncertainties (k = 2) are 35 mK for temperature, 3.39 kPa for pressure, and 0.033% for density determination. The apparatus was used for measurements on the binary systems (nitrogen + carbon dioxide) and (argon + carbon dioxide). The compositions for both systems were (0.05 and 0.01) mole fraction carbon dioxide. Density measurements were carried out at temperatures from (298.15 to 423.15) K with pressures from (11 to 31) MPa. The relative combined expanded uncertainty (k = 2) in density was 0.15% for the (nitrogen + carbon dioxide) mixtures and 0.12% for the (argon + carbon dioxide) mixtures. A major contribution to this uncertainty emerged from the uncertainty in the gas mixture composition. The new experimental data were compared to the GERG-2008 equation of state (EOS) for natural-gas mixtures as implemented in the NIST REFPROP database and to the EOS-CG, another new Helmholtz energy model for CCS mixtures as implemented in the TREND software package of Ruhr-University Bochum. Relative deviations were mostly within 0.5%. The agreement of the new density values with the only available literature data closest to the composition range under study was better than 0.1%.