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Prof Cara Schwarz

Inaugural lecture:

September 18, 2019 @ 17:3018:30

Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Phase equilibria of fluid phase systems

Phase behaviour information describes the equilibrium relationship between temperature, pressure and composition at the phase boundary – information that is crucial in chemical engineering processes. Thermodynamic models are able to predict the phase boundary within a limited range, yet experimental data are crucial for fitting model parameters and testing the validity of the model. While a vast amount of experimental data already exists, considering the multitude of components and possible combinations thereof, data are at times scarce, necessitating additional measurements.

Phase behaviour measurements usually entail either quantification of the limits of the phase boundary or determination of the compositions of coexisting phases at a set physical condition. Irrespective of the measurement technique used, the system must be at equilibrium, i.e. all forces (mechanical, thermal and chemical) are to be balanced. However, attaining equilibrium is a kinetic process, with the deviation from equilibrium being the driving force. While detection of mechanical and thermal equilibrium is usually straightforward, chemical equilibrium, manifested through stable compositions, is difficult to detect and quantify, even if periodic sampling is possible. Significant experience and skill are therefore required to ensure that equilibrium is attained. The measurement of phase behaviour is at times more of an art based on experience than an exactly defined science.

WATCH THE INAUGURAL LECTURE HERE

Short biography

Cara E. Schwarz is an experimental thermodynamicist with nearly 20 years of experience in phase behaviour measurements. To date she has published 70 publications in international peer-reviewed journals and a further 112 conference contributions, of which 30 were peer-reviewed, and 3 book chapters. Prof. Schwarz supervised/co-supervised five PhDs and twelve master’s projects, with a further seven PhD and seven master’s students enrolled. She has a Scopus h-index of 16 (10 excluding self-citations) with 679 citations (369 excluding self-citations) and is a regular reviewer for, among other journals, Fluid Phase Equilibria, the Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data and The Journal of Supercritical Fluids. She is a member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data and chair of the Phase Behaviour and Fluid Properties Symposium of the International Conference on Chemical Thermodynamics in London, 2020.

Details

Date:
September 18, 2019
Time:
17:3018:30

Organizer (event)

Marilie Oberholzer
Phone:
021 808 9320
Email:
marilie@sun.ac.za

Venue

Room E202 – Electrical and Electronic Engineering building, Faculty of Engineering, c/o Banhoek & Joubert Street
22 Joubert Street
Stellenbosch, Western Cape 7600 South Africa
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Website:
Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
English