Barometric equation with gasses and tank wall thickness

Due: September 9, 2021

(40/40)

1) A cylindrical vessel, of diameter 4 meters, must be purchased for the storage of a high-pressure liquid at 37 atm. The
container is available in a material that has a design tensile stress of 111 MPa. What wall thickness, in cm, is required
for this vessel?

Diameter of the cylindrical vessel, D = 4 [m]

Pressure inside the cylinder, P = 37 atm

P = 37 atm

1.01325 x 105 Pa
P = 37 atm ∗ ( )
1 atm

P = 3.749 x 106 Pa

Design tensile strength, τ = 111 MPa → 111 x 106 Pa

Therefore, the wall thickness required for this cylinder

Thickness = PD / 2τ

(3.749 x 106 Pa)(4 m)

Thickness = 2 (111 x 106 Pa)

Thickness = 0.03377 [m] → 3.377 [cm] or 3.38 [cm] ; 1 Meter = 100 Centimeter

2) Consider Earth's atmosphere, which we will assume is isothermal at 296 K and has an average molecular weight of
29.00 g/mol. At what altitude, measured in meters, is the atmospheric pressure 0.76 atm, if the ground-level pressure
is 1.00 atm?

Average molecular weight of air, M = 29.00 [g/mol] = 0.029 [kg/mol]

Temperature, T = 296 [K]
Ground-level pressure, Po = 1 atm
Atmospheric pressure at height (H), P = 0.76 atm

The variation of pressure with height is given by

P gHM
ln (P ) = − TR
o

P TR
H = − ln ( ) ∗ ( )
Po gM

J
0.76 atm (296 K)(8.314 )
mol∗K
H= − ln ( 1 atm ) ∗ ( m kg )
(9.81 )(0.029 )
s2 mol

H = 2373.98 [m]
3) An isothermal (T = -28.5 Celsius) gas tank has a height of 131 m. The gas pressure at the bottom of the tank is 4.75
bar, and at the top of the tank, the pressure is measured to be 4.51 bar. What is the molecular weight of the gas in this
tank, in g/mol?

Let any molecular wt of gas is Mg/mol T = - 28.5 [C] → 244.65 [K]

R = 8.314 [J/(mol*K)] Top gas pressure = 4.51 bar (gauge)
ρ = density Bottom gas pressure = 4.75 bar (gauge)
Height = 131 [m]
According to hydrostatic law
dP/dz = - ρg → Equation 1

ρ = will remain constant because temperature is kept constant (is only function of “P”)
ρ = PM/RT → For ideal gas assumption

From Equation 1
PM
dP/dz = − ∗g
RT

4.51 131
dP Mg
∫ = −∫ dz
P RT
4.75 0

4.51 Mg
ln [ ]= − (131)
4.75 RT

4.51 M ∗ (9.81)
ln [ ]= − ∗ (131)
4.75 (8.314) ∗ (244.65)

M ∗ 1285.11
−0.0518 = −
2034.0201

M = 0.08199 kg/mol
M = 81.99 g/mol
4) A spherical storage tank contains high pressure methane (molecular mass 16.04 g/mol). The tank is constructed out of
a material with a design tensile strength of 146 MPa and a wall thickness of 9 cm, and has a diameter of 20 meters.
The entire container is maintained at 18 degrees Celsius. How many metric tons of methane can be safely stored in
this tank? (Recall that a metric ton is equal to 1000 kg or 1 Mg and assume ideal gas).

Given: Since, gas is assumed ideal

D (diameter) = 20 [m] → r (radius) = 10 [m]
Molecular Weight = 16.04 [kg/kmol] PV = nRT
T (temperature) = 18˚C → 291 K P – pressure internal
Tensile strength [σ] = 146 [MPa] V – volume
Wall thickness [t] = 9 [cm] → 0.09 [m] R – gas constant (8.314 [J/mole * K])
T – temperature

V = (π/6)(D)3
V = (π/6)(20)3
V = 4126.66 [m3]

At equilibrium internal force balances surface stress

σ (2πr) = pπr2
P = (2σt)/r
P = (2 x 146 [MPa] x 0.09 [m]) / (10 [m])
P = 2.628 [Mpa] → 2.628 x 1,000,000 = 2.628 x 106 [Pa]

From ideal gas equation

n = PV/RT
2.628 x 106 [Pa]∗ 4126.66 [m3 ]
n= J
8.314 [ ]∗291 [K]
mole∗K
n = 4.48251 x 106 mol (divide by 1000 to convert to kmol)
n = 4547.68 kmol

Mass which can be stored at the condition

M = 4547.68 [kmol] x 16.04 [kg/kmol]
M = 72944.8 kg

MT = 72944.8 [kg] / 1000

MT = 72.94