Chapter 27: Physical Properties

Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers, 5th Edition

by Stephen Hall

This Excel workbook includes Visual Basic for Application function subroutines.
Macros must be enabled for them to work.

Problem Statement:
Calculate the viscosity of a mixture of n-hexane (10 mole%), n-heptane (50 mole%), and noctane (40 mole%), at 20 degC

Input
Component
n-hexane
n-heptane
n-octane

Calculations
Component
n-hexane
n-heptane
n-octane

mole%
0.1
0.5
0.4
1.0

mol% x MW
8.62
50.11
45.69
104.42

MW
Viscosity at 20C, cP
86.18
0.310
100.21
0.409
114.23
0.540

wt%
0.08
0.48
0.44
1.00

ln(viscosity)
wt% x ln(mu)
-1.171182982
(0.10)
-0.894040123
(0.43)
-0.616186139
(0.27)
(0.80)
Answer:

0.451 cP

Problem Statement:
Estimate the viscosity of an emulsion

Inputs
Continuous Phase
Viscosity

20 cP

Dispersed Phase
Viscosity
Volume Fraction in the emulsion

30 cP
0.3

Output
Viscosity of the emulsion

36.29 cP

Problem Statement:
Calculate Antoine Coefficients

Procedure

1. Choose a fluid from the pull-down menu in cell C10

2. Enter row numbers to use for the calculation in cells A13:A15
3. Read answers in cells F13:F15
Fluid

Ethyl Alcohol

row Temp, Deg C

9
11
12

12
log10(p) = A - (B/(C+t))
Intermediate:
0.818814902
A
7.998329425
B
1524.182273
C
218.9511066

VP, mm Hg
63.5
97.5
126

400
1520
3800

Data (from Perry's)

Pressure, mm Hg
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

1.0
5.0
10.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
100.0
200.0
400.0
760.0
1,520.0
3,800.0
7,600.0
15,200.0
22,800.0
30,400.0
38,000.0
45,600.0

Temp, C
Methyl Alcohol Propane
Toluene
-44
-128.9
-25.3
-115.4
-16.2
-108.5
-6
-100.9
5
-92.4
12.1
-87
21.2
-79.6
34.8
-68.4
49.9
-55.6
64.7
-42.1
84
-25.6
112.5
1.4
138
26.9
167.8
58.1
186.5
78.7
203.5
94.8
214
224

-26.7
-4.4
6.4
18.4
31.8
40.3
51.9
69.5
89.5
110.6
136.5
178
215.8
262.5
292.8
319

Acetic Acid
-17.2
6.3
17.5
29.9
43
51.7
63
80
99
118.1
143.5
180.3
214
252
276.5
297
312.5

Same calculation procedure, but choosing from different mixture concentrations instead of a list of pure compounds

Acetic Acid Concentration

row

Temp, Deg C
1
10
17

25%
VP, mm Hg

20
65
100

16.3
178
743

Fit:

100.0%
1
log10(p) = A - (B/(C+t))
Intermediate:
0.768492861
A
8.377414641
B
1902.80986
C
245.5616982

Acetic Acid in Solution

deg C
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100

mm Hg
25 wt%
16.3
22.1
29.6
39.4
51.7
67
87.2
110
141
178
223
277
342
419
510
618
743

50 wt%
15.7
21.4
28.8
38.3
50.2
65
85
107
138
172
216
269
331
407
497
602
725

75 wt%
15.3
20.8
27.8
36.6
48.1
62
80.1
102
130
162
203
251
310
376
458
550
666

Over the data range

Over the selected range

Nitrogen

Ammonia
-226.1
-221.3
-219.1
-216.8
-214
-212.3
-209.7
-205.6
-200.9
-195.8
-189.2
-179.1
-169.8
-157.6
-148.3

a list of pure compounds

-109.1
-97.5
-91.9
-85.8
-79.2
-74.3
-68.4
-57
-45.4
-33.6
-18.7
4.7
25.7
50.1
66.1
78.9
89.3
98.3

R2 fit
Max Error
0.996
24.85%
1.000
1.90%

n-Butane n-Pentane
n-Hexane n-Heptane n-Octane
Ethyl Alcohol
-101.5
-76.6
-53.9
-34
-14
-31.3
-85.7
-62.5
-34.5
-12.7
8.3
-12
-77.8
-50.1
-25
-2.1
19.2
-2.3
-68.9
-40.2
-14.1
9.5
31.5
8
-59.1
-29.2
-2.3
22.3
45.1
19
-52.8
-22.2
5.4
30.6
53.8
26
-44.2
-12.6
15.8
41.8
65.7
34.9
-31.2
1.9
31.6
58.7
83.6
48.4
-16.3
18.5
49.6
78
104
63.5
-0.5
36.1
68.7
98.4
125.6
78.4
18.8
58
93
124.8
152.7
97.5
50
92.4
131.7
165.7
196.2
126
79.5
124.7
166.6
202.8
235.8
151.8
116
164.3
209.4
247.5
281.4
183
140.6
191.3
203
218
230
242

Predicted
16.30
22.11
29.66
39.38
51.76
67.40
86.99
111.32
141.31
178.00
222.59
276.41
340.97
417.95
509.21
616.80
743.00

Mean:
SSreg^2
2.13308E-27
0.000113439
0.003927257
0.000418891
0.004000086
0.163194872
0.044046237
1.739239079
0.093935469
8.07794E-28
0.170155263
0.348598421
1.060403485
1.107146335
0.631325489
1.436063167
1.86116E-24
6.802567491
0.999991593

227.9
SStot
error
44774.56
42349.26
39298.04
35539.97
31024.16
25758.97
19855.59
13591.18
7498.436
2490.01
28.22264
2353.179
12784.88
36118.16
79132.75
151244.5
265328
809169.9

0.00%
0.05%
0.21%
0.05%
0.12%
0.60%
0.24%
1.20%
0.22%
0.00%
0.18%
0.21%
0.30%
0.25%
0.16%
0.19%
0.00%
1.20%

Ethyl Alcohol

Range

Predicted
0.8
4.3
9.2
19.2
39.2
59.7
98.6
198.3
400.0
745.5
1,520.0
3,800.0
7,713.7
16,083.1
24,327.9
32,367.4
40,118.5
49172.97784
Error Sum
R2

Mean:
SSreg^2
0.06177444
0.49108192
0.66224024
0.70352376
0.69900355
0.09322951
1.82552225
2.9590412
1.7093E-24
209.523086
3.3087E-24
1.8612E-24
12930.3929
779883.436
2334470.24
3870675.86
4487939.44
12766170.7
24252287.1
0.99557235

1620
SStot
2621966
2610489
2594721
2562685
2499043
2434553
2314509
2021288
1488400
764706.4
10000
4752400
37133325
2.09E+08
5.16E+08
9.45E+08
1.48E+09
2.26E+09
5.48E+09

209.523086
0.99999913

2.4E+08

Total

9,250.9
85565043
85499420
85409068
85224795
84855877
84478051
83763497
81949731
78338234
72341213
59766643
29712190
2362913
46679247
2.27E+08
5.34E+08
9.53E+08
1.59E+09
4.27E+09

Error
24.85%
14.02%
8.14%
4.19%
2.09%
0.51%
1.35%
0.86%
0.00%
1.90%
0.00%
0.00%
1.50%
5.81%
6.70%
6.47%
5.57%
7.84%

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Problem Statement:
Given the air pressure and wet and dry bulb temperatures, calculate the
relative humidity

Input
Dry bulb temperature
Wet bulb temperature
Pressure

100 deg F
80 deg F
760 mm Hg

Constants
Critical Pressure
Critical Temperature

37.77778 deg C
26.66667 deg C

559.67 deg R
539.67 deg R

166818 mm Hg
1165.67 deg R

Equation Parameters
C0
C1
C2
C3

4.39553
-0.0034691
3.0721E-06
-8.8331E-10

K0
K1
K2

0.000367
1571
32

Step-by-Step Calculation in Excel, Following the Procedure

PD1
PW1
PD2
PW2

-1.9415512
-1.8721692
0.962275446
0.894729798

PD3
PW3

-0.15484929
-0.13883468

KD
KW

3.261404955
3.279255917

PD
PW
PM

49.07449487
26.2065928
5.748841248

Output
RH

41.69

Calculated using the VBA

function subroutine

41.69

alculated using the VBA

nction subroutine

Problem Statement:
Demonstrate the use of IAWPS VBA functions to estimate the properties of water and steam
Inputs
Temperature
Pressure

deg K
bar, abs

400
3

Note: the answer "-1" is returned if the input data are outside the allowable range
Property
Density, single-phase
Specific internal energy, single-phase
Specific enthalpy, single-phase
Specific entropy, single-phase
Specific isobaric heat capacity, single-phase
Specific isochoric heat capacity, single-phase
Dynamic viscosity, single-phase
Thermal conductivity, single-phase
Boiling point as a function of pressure
Vapor pressure

kg/m3
kJ/kg
kJ/kg
kJ/kg
kJ/(kg-K)
kJ/(kg-K)
Pa-s
W/(m-K)
K
bar, abs

937.5118668
532.6637217
532.9837177
1.601173154
4.258601473
3.634739754
0.000218612
0.683669863
406.6753579
2.457531863

Density in saturation state

Boiling water as function of temperature
Boiling water as function of pressure
Saturated steam as function of temperature
Saturated steam as function of pressure

kg/m3
kg/m3
kg/m3
kg/m3

937.4840056
931.8132267
1.369249628
1.650749356

Specific internal energy in saturation state

Boiling water as function of temperature
Boiling water as function of pressure
Saturated steam as function of temperature
Saturated steam as function of pressure

kJ/kg
kJ/kg
kJ/kg
kJ/kg

532.6844291
561.1334573
2536.231313
2543.156021

Specific enthalpy in saturation state

Boiling water as function of temperature
Boiling water as function of pressure
Saturated steam as function of temperature
Saturated steam as function of pressure

kJ/kg
kJ/kg
kJ/kg
kJ/kg

532.9465703
561.4554103
2715.711505
2724.891667

Specific entropy in saturation state

Boiling water as function of temperature
Boiling water as function of pressure
Saturated steam as function of temperature
Saturated steam as function of pressure

kJ/kg
kJ/kg
kJ/kg
kJ/kg

1.601224944
1.671764673
7.058121754
6.991565929

Specific isobaric heat capacity in saturation state

Boiling water as function of temperature
Boiling water as function of pressure
Saturated steam as function of temperature
Saturated steam as function of pressure

Kj/(kg-K)
Kj/(kg-K)
Kj/(kg-K)
Kj/(kg-K)

4.258746828
4.271993567
2.216019281
2.261816054

Specific isochoric heat capacity in saturation state

Boiling water as function of temperature

Kj/(kg-K)

3.634800437

Boiling water as function of pressure

Saturated steam as function of temperature
Saturated steam as function of pressure

Kj/(kg-K)
Kj/(kg-K)
Kj/(kg-K)

3.602913726
1.641552789
1.669985312

Dynamic viscosity in saturation state

Boiling water as function of temperature
Boiling water as function of pressure
Saturated steam as function of temperature
Saturated steam as function of pressure

Pa-s
Pa-s
Pa-s
Pa-s

0.000218597
0.000206839
1.31925E-05
1.3423E-05

Thermal conductivity in saturation state

Boiling water as function of temperature
Boiling water as function of pressure
Saturated steam as function of temperature
Saturated steam as function of pressure

W/(m-K)
W/(m-K)
W/(m-K)
W/(m-K)

0.68363677
0.68365586
0.028347182
0.029240389

Problem Statement:
Estimate the solubility of a gas in petroleum liquid
Input
Select gas
Temperature
Liquid Density
Pressure
Vapor pressure of liquid
Output
Gas solubility in liquid

Data
Gas
He
Ne
H2
N2
Air
CO
O2
Ar
CO2
Kr
Xe
NH3

CO2
60
840
1
0

deg C -- applicable range -45 C to 150 C

kg/m3 at 15.5 degC
atm, absolute
atm, absolute -- required if greater than 10% of total pressure

1,495 ppm by weight

Ostwald Coeffcient at 0C Molecular Weight

0.01
4.003
0.021
20.179
0.039
2.0158
0.075
28.0134
0.095
28.850334
0.1
28.0104
0.15
31.9988
0.23
39.948
1
44.0098
1.3
83.8
2
131.3
2.8
17.0304

Notes
Reference: "Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers"
Calculation is performed in a Visual Basic for Applications function call named "GasSol"

er than 10% of total pressure

Problem Statement:
Determine the surface tension of benzene at 100 deg C. Its surface tension is 29 dynes/cm at 20 deg
C and its critical temperature is 288.5 deg C
Input
Chemical
Surface Tension
Surface Tension temperature
Critical temperature
Desired Temperature

Benzene
29.0
20.0
288.5
100.0

dynes/cm
C
C
C

Output
Surface tension at 100.0 C

19.0 The measured surface tension for benzene at 100 C is 18.2 dynes/cm

s/cm at 20 deg

at 100 C is 18.2 dynes/cm

Problem Statement:
Estimate the compressibility factor for steam at 200 kPa, 300 C and 800 kPa, 510 C
Input
Pressure
Temperature

kPa
C

Water
200
300

Water
800
510

Compressibility Factor

0.9956

0.9930

-25
39.89
29.05
35.63
20.88
66.44
83.48
85.28
73.36
67.60
77.33
34.70
29.09
47.13
38.25
142.94
123.40
28.29
33.31
34.30
29.08
29.13
101.90
105.13
64.18
55.88
33.38

Molar Heat Capacity, MCp (ideal-gas state), kJ/kmole-C at temp

0
10
25
50
42.02
42.78
43.93
45.65
29.07
29.08
29.10
29.14
35.64
35.64
35.65
35.65
20.87
20.86
20.86
20.85
74.06
77.03
81.68
89.22
90.08
92.69
96.82
103.62
91.27
93.69
97.45
105.33
79.58
81.96
85.66
91.51
73.27
75.46
78.93
84.51
82.59
84.63
87.82
92.98
35.96
36.41
37.12
38.21
29.12
29.11
29.15
29.15
49.88
50.90
52.67
55.72
40.91
41.94
45.56
46.12
154.54
159.01
165.99
177.14
133.30
137.14
143.11
152.71
28.61
28.69
26.50
28.96
33.67
33.82
34.03
34.38
34.93
35.20
35.72
36.74
29.11
29.09
29.11
29.12
29.24
29.27
29.36
29.48
110.37
113.68
118.79
127.34
112.60
115.57
120.21
130.69
68.78
70.61
73.52
78.56
59.90
61.46
63.90
67.83
33.47
33.49
33.57
33.68

Output

Gas
Acetylene
Air
Ammonia
Argon
Benzene
Butane, isoButane, nButene, 1Butene, cis-2Butene, trans-2Carbon dioxide
Carbon monoxide
Ethane
Ethylene
Heptane, nHexane, nHydrogen
Hydrogen sulfide
Methane
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Pentane, isoPentane, nPropane
Propylene
Water

MW
26.038
28.964
17.031
39.948
78.114
58.124
58.124
56.108
56.108
56.108
44.010
28.010
30.070
28.054
100.205
86.178
2.016
34.076
16.043
28.013
31.999
72.151
72.151
44.097
42.081
18.015

Conversion: 1 Btu/lb-F = 4.1868 kJ/kg-C

Source: GPSA, 12th Edition, except

Argon: ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, 1997

Natural Gas
mole frac
Pc
Methane
0.952
45.8
Ethane
0.025
48.2
Propane
0.002
41.9
Butane, iso0.0003
42.7
Butane, n0.0003
37.5
Pentane, iso0.0001
33.4
Pentane, n0.0001
33.3
Hexane, n0.0001
29.3
Nitrogen
0.013
33.5
Carbon Dioxide
0.007
72.8
Oxygen
0.0002
49.8
Hydrogen
0.000001
12.8
Pseudo-Critical Pressure and Temperature

Tc
-82.5
32.3
96.7
151.8
152.1
187.2
196.4
234.3
-146.9
31.1
-118.6
-239.9

y*Pc
43.6
1.2
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.4
0.5
0.0
0.0
45.88 atm

y*Tc
-78.5
0.8
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
-1.9
0.2
0.0
(0.0)
-79.10 C

Tc
-146.9
-118.6
-122.3
373.9

y*Pc
y*Tc
26.1
-114.6
10.5
-24.9
0.4
-1.1
0.2
0.4
37.24 atm -140.24 C

Air
mole frac
Pc
Nitrogen
0.78
33.5
Oxygen
0.21
49.8
Argon
0.009
48.1
Water
0.001
217.8
Pseudo-Critical Pressure and Temperature

eal-gas state), kJ/kmole-C at temperature, C

75
100
125
47.24
48.72
49.98
29.20
29.26
29.34
35.66
35.67
35.68
20.84
20.82
20.81
96.76
104.32
111.32
110.41
117.34
123.93
110.33
117.02
123.33
97.31
103.11
108.49
90.15
95.85
101.32
98.17
103.39
108.43
39.26
40.29
41.20
29.19
29.26
29.32
58.82
62.11
65.29
48.70
51.28
53.75
188.29
199.40
210.05
162.31
171.88
181.08
29.07
29.13
29.16
34.73
35.08
35.43
37.87
39.20
40.53
29.14
29.20
29.22
29.65
29.87
30.05
135.58
144.03
152.01
136.16
144.45
152.18
83.59
88.82
93.82
71.79
75.76
79.58
33.83
34.03
34.21

Function ZSI(P, T, Pc, Tc)

' calculates compressibility factor, Z, using SI units
' P = gas pressure, kPa
' T = gas temperature, C
' Pc = gas pseudo-critical pressure, atm
' Tc = gas pseudo-critical temperature, C

150
51.17
29.43
35.69
20.80
118.20
130.52
130.40
113.86
106.80
113.46
42.10
29.41
68.56
56.21
220.59
190.19
29.18
35.79
41.99
29.28
30.27
160.00
161.45
98.38
83.40
34.42

Pc, atm
60.6
39.0
111.5
48.1
47.9
42.7
37.5
39.7
41.5
40.5
72.8
34.5
48.2
49.7
27.0
29.3
12.8
88.2
45.8
33.5
49.8
33.4
33.3
41.9
45.6
217.8

Critical Properties
Tc, C
Pc, psia
35.2
890.6
-140.0
573.1
132.4
1,638.6
-122.3
706.9
270.6
703.9
151.8
627.5
152.1
551.1
146.4
583.4
162.4
609.9
155.4
595.2
31.1
1,069.9
-240.3
507.0
32.3
708.3
9.3
730.4
267.1
396.8
234.3
430.6
-239.9
188.1
100.1
1,296.2
-82.5
673.1
-146.9
492.3
-118.6
731.9
187.2
490.8
196.4
489.4
96.7
615.8
91.8
670.1
373.9
3,200.1

Tc, F
95.3
-220.0
270.3
-188.2
519.0
305.3
305.7
295.6
324.4
311.8
87.9
-400.5
90.1
48.7
512.7
453.7
-399.9
212.1
-116.5
-232.5
-181.4
369.0
385.6
206.0
197.3
705.1

Perry's, except
water: IAPWS
isopentane: CAMEO Chemicals, NOAA, http://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/
air: CodeCogs, http://www.codecogs.com/reference/engineering/thermodynamics

://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/
ference/engineering/thermodynamics/critical_temperature_and_pressure.php