Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Liquid Phase Inversion

Abstract

THE phase behaviour of the nitrogen–methane–ethane system in the vicinity of −255° F has been reported in an earlier communication1. The system has subsequently been studied at lower temperatures by lowering the freezing point of the isopentane bath liquid with propane gas. It was found that a liquid phase inversion took place between the temperatures −255° F and −263.3° F, the bottom liquid layer being the nitrogen-rich phase at −263.3° F and the ethane-rich phase at −255° F. Binodal curves for the saturated liquids at these two temperatures are shown in Fig. 1, in which BL denotes the bottom layer. The phase inversion temperatures together with the equilibrium liquid–liquid compositions obtained in this investigation are listed in Table 1. In all cases investigated, the nitrogen composition in the equilibrium vapour phase was greater than 97 per cent.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lu, B. C.-Y., Yu, P., and Poon, D. P. L., Nature, 222, 768 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Schindler, D. L., Swift, G. W., and Kurata, F., Hydrocarbon Proc. Pet. Ref., 45, 205 (1966).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Din, F., Thermodynamic Functions of Gases, 3, 139 and 172 (Butterworths, London, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

LU, BY., YU, P. & POON, D. Liquid Phase Inversion. Nature 225, 1128–1129 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/2251128a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2251128a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing