Error Messages

Convergence Failures and Forcing Phase Calculations

When using mixtures, error messages will sometimes be reported when Refprop fails to converge during an iteration, usually during the calculation of a VLE state close to the critical point. In some situations you may know that the point is in the single phase and wish to force the calculation in spite of the error message. This can be done with the '>' and '<' symbols. When one of these is attached to a number in the Specified State Points table, Refprop will assume that the point is in the liquid phase when '>' is attached and in the vapor phase when '<' is attached. Care must be taken because metastable states will be returned in the point is in the two phase. When a state point is above the critical point but Refprop reports a nonconvergence, you can use either of these symbols to force the calculation. For example, a 0.5/0.5 mixture of methane/propane will report a nonconvergence at 300 K and 10 MPa. A P-rho diagram shows that the point is above the critical pressure. Entering '300' for temperature and '10>' for pressure will return the valid state point at 10.826 mol/l. For programming convergence errors, see above.

Mixture Error Messages

The error message "No mixture data are available for one or more binary pairs in the specified mixture. The mixing parameters have been estimated." (message #117) occurs when an interaction parameter for two different fluids is not available in the program. The most common reason for this occurrence is a lack of experimental data to describe VLE, densities, and so forth for the binary pair. In other situations, such as many mixtures with water, interaction parameters have not been fitted to the REFPROP model even though data exist. An estimation scheme is available in the program to approximate one of the interaction parameters that helps improve bubble and dew point pressures. This error message indicates that you should be aware that calculated properties are estimates only. For similar fluids, especially among the refrigerants, the scheme works fairly well. It breaks down with dissimilar fluids and eventually the scheme will produce large interaction parameters and will report the error message "No mixture data are available for one or more binary pairs in the specified mixture. The mixture is outside the range of the model and calculations will not be made."