Investigation of critical lines and global phase behavior of unequal size of molecules in binary gas-liquid mixtures in the combined pressure-temperature-concentration planes around the van Laar point

We investigate critical curves and global phase behavior of unequal size of molecules in binary gas-liquid mixtures at the van Laar point and its vicinity. The van Laar point is only point at which the mathematical double point curve is stable, and also the intersection of the tricritical point and the double critical end point. The critical line structure is displayed for various combinations of the chain length and system parameters in the reduced pressure (P*) temperature (T*) plane, as is usually done with experimental results and temperature concentration (T, x) plane. The P*, T* diagrams are discussed in accordance with the Scott and van Konynenburg binary phase diagram classification. We found that our P*, T* plots correspond to the type II, type III, type IV phase diagram behaviors and they are in good agreement with the theoretical and experimental studies. It is also found that the critical lines and phase behavior are extremely sensitive to small modifications in the system parameters. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved