Liquid phase equilibria of (water + propionic acid + oleyl alcohol) ternary system at several temperatures

(Liquid–liquid) equilibrium (LLE) data are investigated for mixtures of (water + propionic acid + oleyl alcohol) at 298.15, 308.15 and 318.15 K and atmospheric pressure. The solubility curves and the tie-line end compositions of liquid phases at equilibrium were determined, and the tie-line results were compared with the data predicted by the UNIFAC method. The phase diagrams for the ternary mixtures including both the experimental and correlated tie-lines are presented. The distribution coefficients and the selectivity factors for the immiscibility region are calculated to evaluate the effect of temperature change. The reliability of the experimental tie-lines was confirmed by using Othmer–Tobias correlation. It is concluded that oleyl alcohol may serve as an adequate solvent to extract propionic acid from its dilute aqueous solutions. The UNIFAC model correlates the LLE data for 298.15, 308.15 and 318.15 K with a root mean square deviation of 5.89, 6.46, and 6.69%, respectively, between the observed and calculated mole concentrations.