Dynamics of liquid–liquid systems based on linear thermodynamics of irreversible processes

The use of non-equilibrium models for integrated processes involving liquid–liquid systems has increased in recent years. These processes often exhibit complex dynamic behavior. These dynamical systems still pose many open questions, e.g. with regard to the sources of multiple steady states (MSS). This article analyzes the effect of mass transfer on the MSS of these systems. A generalized non-equilibrium modeling approach based on linear thermodynamics of irreversible processes (LTIP) is presented, and the dynamics of the system is studied systematically. It is shown that the non-linearity present in even the simplest non-ideal activity model acts as a source for MSS. The parameters that affect the solubility, e.g. temperature, can play a critical role on the existence of MSS in the system. A geometrical visualization of the MSS is also illustrated.