Thermodiffusion Coefficient for Binary Liquid Hydrocarbon Mixtures

In this work, the thermogravitational technique has been used to determine the thermodiffusion coefficient of 18 binary mixtures of normal alkanes formed with the n-octadecane as the densest component and mixed with normal alkanes from n-pentane to n-tridecane in two series of experimental tests (nine binary mixtures with mass fraction c = 0.5 and nine binary mixtures with molar fraction x = 0.5 in each component for each mixture). The measurement of the steady separation of these mixtures in the thermogravitational column, as well as their corresponding thermophysical properties, has been determined at the average temperature of 25°C.

The main result shows a linear dependency of the thermodiffusion coefficient on the relative density difference, and this in both series of experimental tests (mass and molar fraction equal to 0.5).