Liquid-(Liquid)-Vapor Equilibrium of Solvents (P-Xylene, Methyl Hexadecanoate, and Methyl Oleate), Binary Systems (Water plus Solvents), and Ternary Systems (Water plus Methyl Hexadecanoate plus Model Molecule of Tar) Issued from the Biomass Gasification Process

As the most promising biomass utilization method, biomass gasification is gaining attention as a route for biomass energy production, but the syngas generated from the process contains unacceptable levels of tar. The syngas in reality leads to a liquid-liquid-vapor equilibrium. This syngas becomes saturated with water steam, solvent, and trace of volatile tar. The aim of this work is to study the liquid-(liquid)-vapor equilibrium of extracting solvents (P-xylene, methyl hexadecanoate, and methyl oleate), binary systems (water + solvents), and ternary systems (water + methyl hexadecanoate + model molecule of tar) and to determine the vapor pressure for those systems from 303.15 to 453.15 K. Vaporization enthalpies of each solvent at 298.15 K are also calculated and compared to the literature. The obtained data were correlated using the nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) model for the liquid phase combined with the perfect gas equation for the vapor phase.