Ques: recommended density for heavy oil
Ques: recommended density for heavy oil
(OP)
I am currently solving a problem where i am pumping heavy oil from a vented to atmosphere storage tank, through a heat exchanger and along mild steel pipe to furnace where it is then atomised.
Could anybody please recommend a reasinable density to use for this heavy oil, and also if anyone knows what the roughness ratio is for a steel pipe, and how this varies with pipe sizes of 0.25 to 3 inches (0.6cm to 7cm)
thanks
Could anybody please recommend a reasinable density to use for this heavy oil, and also if anyone knows what the roughness ratio is for a steel pipe, and how this varies with pipe sizes of 0.25 to 3 inches (0.6cm to 7cm)
thanks





RE: Ques: recommended density for heavy oil
Fuel oil can be close to the density of water at 60F, you then need to correct that for your operating temperature. Roughness of commercial steel pipe is commonly taken as 0.00015 ft, you then divide this by the ID.
RE: Ques: recommended density for heavy oil
RE: Ques: recommended density for heavy oil
RE: Ques: recommended density for heavy oil
Your assumptions when designing should consider if this is a non-producer of fuels or hydrocarbons who is buying in fuel (where some form of quality control is theoretically possible, some surveys suggest fuel quality can vary significantly e.g. from 150 to 410cst for a fuel nominally of 380cst)or if you are in a refinery or petrochemical plant. In the latter they may say they burn commercial grade fuels but in my experience they often burn processing "mistakes" or the petrochem plant take the out of spec grades from their refining partners.
Density can vary of course, and for heavy fuel oils this varies from 975 to 981 kg/m3 for 10cst oils (density at 15degC and viscosity at 100degC) to between 991 and 1010 kg/m3 for 55cst fuels. Or at least, these are the limits according to the standards.
As 25362 says, these fuels are then heated to obtain the optimum viscosity for atomisation. This is a whole other area and if you need any information here, please say so and i will add some further comments but it would seem to be getting away from your original questions.
You need to discriminate between what the design standard is and what they actually have as a fuel. They should be able to provide you with daily fuel analysis results, or at the very least, with results of samples taken on individual bunkers supplied.
RE: Ques: recommended density for heavy oil
RE: Ques: recommended density for heavy oil
Canadian government has published Oil properties according to Location. You can refer this on http://www.etcentre.org/databases/spills_e.html
regards,
Chem55