Abstract:
Based on the thermodynamic perturbation theory an equation of state (EOS) for molecular fluids has been formulated which can be used for many fluid species in geological systems. The EOS takes into account four substance specific parameters. These are the molecular dipole moment, the molar polarizability and the two parameters of the Lennard-Jones potential. For many fluids these parameters can be evaluated directly or indirectly from experimental measurements. In the absence of direct experimental determinations, as a first approximation, for a pure fluid the parameters of the Lennard-Jones potential can be evaluated using the critical temperature and the critical density if for polar molecules in addition the dipole moment is known with reasonable accuracy. The EOS with its model potential has the appropriate asymptotic behaviour at high pressures and temperatures and can be used to calculate both vapor-liquid equilibria and thermodynamic properties of single phase fluids up to at least 10 GPa and 2000 K. Currently, parameters for 98 inorganic and organic compounds are available. In this article the EOS for pure fluids is presented. In a further communication the EOS is extended to fluid mixtures (Churakov and Gottschalk, 2003).