PVT & thermophysical properties (DK4.4)

High-pressure PVT and thermophysical properties

The PVT apparatus is designed for studying high-pressure phase equilibrium and phase transition of fluid mixtures, including mixtures encountered in CO2 transport and storage. The PVT apparatus is equipped with other supporting units, which can be operated individually for measuring various thermophysical properties. In general, the facility can be used to study phase behaviour in CO2 transport and storage and to measure the relevant density, viscosity, heat properties.

The PVT apparatus 240/1500 FV from Sanchez Technologies has a stainless-steel cell with a motor driven piston at one end to vary the cell volume precisely. It has a maximum volume of 240 cm3 and can operate up to 200 oC and 150 MPa. There is a sapphire window at the other end of the cell which allows visual observation of all the space inside the cell. The sample inside the cell can be agitated by means of a mechanical stirrer attached to the head of the piston. The stirrer has retractable blades to reduce the dead volume of the PVT cell. The apparatus can be used for phase equilibrium and phase transition studies for high-pressure fluid mixtures in general.

The system is equipped with other supporting units: a recombination unit for high-pressure fluid mixtures, a gas meter for measuring released gas from samples, a high-pressure pump with a filter for organic deposit study, a high-pressure capillary viscometer, a high-pressure vibrating tube density meter, and a Setaram C80 calorimeter. In addition, we also have low-pressure density and viscosity meters, and a quartz crystal resonator for viscosity measurement. This allows for a systematic study of phase equilibrium and thermophysical properties (density, viscosity, heat properties).

The facilities at the CERE PVT laboratory are supported by skilled technical and scientific staff. They have been used for various projects and therefore under constant use and maintenance. They are often used in connection with other facilities in the same lab including various analytical instruments and core flooding units.

The PVT 240/1500 FV works up to 200 oC and 1500 bar with full visibility and small dead volume. The density meter can work up to 200 oC and 1400 bar. The viscosity meter can work up to 200 oC and 1500 bar. The calorimeter with specially designed cells can work for high pressures (maximum pressure depending on mixtures).