Interfacial behavior of complex hydrocarbon fluids at elevated pressures and temperatures

Unlike all the physical properties of the bulk fluid phases, interfacial tension (IFT) is unique in the sense that it relates to the interface between the two immiscible fluid phases. Hence, interfacial tension between the fluid phases can be used to infer a great deal of information about solubility, miscibility and mass transfer interactions between the two bulk fluid phases in contact.In this paper, we examine the utility of interfacial tension to characterize miscibility and mass transfer mechanisms using complex hydrocarbon fluids at elevated pressures and temperatures.For CO2/n-decane system at 37.8 /spl deg/C the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) determined using the VIT technique (7.9 MPa) matched well with the reported MMPs by slim-tube (8.2-8.6 MPa) and rising-bubble techniques (8.8 MPa). For CO2M-C1+ n-C4+ n-CW techniques system at 71.1 /spl deg/C the VIT technique resulted in an MMP value of 12.2 MPa, which is in good agreement with the published values of slim-tube and phase diagram measurements (11.7 MPa) and analytical model predictions (11.7 MPa). This paper discusses the multiple roles of interfacial tension with supporting experimental data obtained at elevated pressures and temperatures and emphasizes the need to recognize interfacial tension as a good phase behavior indicator in fluid-fluid phase equilibria for more efficient use of this fundamental property in several other applications.