Thermodynamic characterization of conversion-process oils as materials of continuous distribution. Final report, January 1983-December 1985

The proposed description of a continuous oil considers it as made up of a set of fractional continuous oils. The distribution functions of these fractional oils are appropriately based on the vapor pressure-boiling point-temperature dependence so that the form of the functions are maintained in equilibrium vapor-liquid transformations with explicit transformation rules for the parameters. An application of these concepts to sequential operations has shown that accuracy is maintained very well. From measurements of the equilibrium ratios of a shale oil and of a coal oil in a low-pressure batch distillation system, a readily definable function of the boiling point proved to be a suitable characteristic variable for the proposed description. Also the demonstrated ideality of the system, with respect to liquid-phase composition, is convenient to the proposed description. A limited study of the shale oil in a high-pressure batch-distillation system tends to show similar oil behavior at 500 psig.