Flash point is the most important variable used to characterize fire and explosion hazard of liquids. Even that has been listed in a variety of MSDS sheet, it is only valid for pure substance or specific compound composition.
The partially miscible mixtures are used in liquid-liquid extraction process and heterogeneous distillation processs. This study intended to present a model for predicting the flash point of ternary partially miscible mixtures of flammable solvents. In this manuscript, the predicting model was derived based on the theory of Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium (VLE), Liquid-Liquid Equilibrium (LLE) and Le Chateliers’ rule. The experimental flash point data were used to validate this proposed model. The flash point analyzer, HFP 362-Tag, manufactured by Walter Herzog GmbH (Germany) was used to measure the flash point of studied mixtures, methanol + toluene + 2, 2, 4-trimethylpentane and acetone + methanol + n- decane.
Our results reveal that immiscibility in the two liquid phase should not be ignored in the prediction of flash point. The predictive results of the proposed model could descryibe the experimental data well even it was applied to an immiscible solution. Based on this evidence, therefore, it appears reasonable to suggest potentiall application for our model in assessment of fire and explosion hazards, and development of inherently safer designs for chemical processs containing ternary partially miscible mixtures of flammable solvents.
