Method of locating extrema in multicomponent three phase systems

摘要

Extrema in intensive physical properties in a multicomponent fluid system having at least four components, which system exhibits three phases in equilibrium are located by analyzing each of the three phases or an "averaged" representation of the three phases for the concentration of each of the components and thereafter subjecting the resulting analysis to a Gram-Schmidt Orthogonalization to determine the composition of at least one pseudocomponent which is orthogonal to the other components. By this means it is possible to go more quickly in a direction whereby a property in question changes most rapidly. such techniques have wide applicability in optimizing compositions for a desired intensive property such as interfacial tension. This can be useful in designing surfactant systems for oil recovery, for instance.