Low-pressure solubility of propane and n-butane in refined soybean oil

This work reports gas-solubility data of pure propane and n-butane in refined soybean oil in the temperature range from (283 to 333) K, and pressures up to 0.4 MPa. For this purpose, a simple laboratory apparatus containing a glass equilibrium cell was used and the methodology consisted basically of injecting and storing the gas in the system at a pre-established pressure and then allowing gas dissolution. The liquid phase compositions were calculated through an iterative procedure considering the pure fugacity in the gas of the lighter component. From the experimental (gas + liquid) equilibrium results, P–x diagrams were constructed and exhibited for both light components an almost linear relationship, with observed negative deviations from ideal behaviour at all temperatures investigated.