Журнал химических наук

A Correlation of the Solubility of Water in Hydrocarbons as a Function of Temperature Based on the Corresponding Vapor Pressure of Pure Water

Abstract

Louis J Kirschenbaum, Ben Ruekberg

A method of estimating the solubility of water in hydrocarbons as a function of temperature is given here. Hydrocarbons, lacking strong permanent dipoles or traditional hydrogen bonding, do not strongly attract water molecules. The extreme case of a medium bereft of attractive forces is a vacuum, into which water, nonetheless, evaporates. The solubility of water in hydrocarbons at various temperatures can be correlated to the vapor pressure of water at those temperatures. A simple thermodynamic explanation of the dependence on vapor pressure is offered.