Ideal gas law.

The kinetic theory of gases postulates that gases are composed of a very large
number of particles called molecules. For an ideal gas, the volume of these
molecules is insignificant compared with the total volume occupied by the gas.
It is also assumed that these molecules have no attractive or repulsive forces
between them, and that all collisions of molecules are perfectly elastic.

Based on the above kinetic theory of gases, a mathematical equation called

equation of state can be derived to express the relationship existing between
pressure p, volume V, and temperature T for a given quantity of moles of gas n.
This relationship for perfect gases is called the ideal gas law and is expressed
mathematically by the following equation:

Where: is absolute pressure, psia

is total volume, ft3

is moles, Ib-mole=wt./Mw

is absolute temperature °R(Rankine)

is the gas constant=10.73 psi. ft3 /Ib-mole. ⁰R

Noting that:

⁰R = ⁰F + 460 psia = psig + 14.7 bbl = 5.615 ft3

H.W: drive the ideal gas law.

The petroleum industry works with a set of standard conditions, usually 14.7
psia and 60 ⁰ F, the volume at S.C. will be in SCF. The volume that 1 Ib-mole
occupies at S.C. is 379.4 SCF (Avogadro’s law).

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1 Ib-mole contains 2.733 x 1026 (Avogadro number) 0f molecules.

Example 1: Determine no. of Ib-mole of 100 Ib of CH4 and 200 Ib of H2O.

Solution:

Mw of CH4 = (1 x 12) + (4 x 1) = 16

Mw of H2O = (2 x 1) + (1 x 16) = 18

Note: you can use the table of hydrocarbons physical properties for Mw.

For CH4 : n = 100/16 = 6.25 Ib-mole.

For H2O : n = 200/18 = 11.11 Ib-mole.

Example 2:

Calculate the contents of a tank of ethane (C2H6) in moles, pounds, molecules

and SCF.

Given: a 500 cu.ft. tank of ethane at 100 psia and 100 ⁰F.

Solution:

( )

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Ideal gas law in metric units.

Where: is absolute pressure, Pa.

is total volume, m3

is moles, mole

is absolute temperature °K(Kelvin)

is the gas constant=8.314 J /mole. ⁰K.

I mole of gas has a volume of 0.0224 m3 at S.C. (P= 1 atm, T = 0 ⁰C).

P = 1 atm * 101325 = 101325 Pa.

T = 0 ⁰C + 273 = 273 ⁰K.

Example 1: Calculate the volume of 40 Kg of C2H4 in m3 at standard conditions.

Solution:

1 mole of gas has 0.0224 m3 ⇒ 1428 * 0.0224 = 32 m3 is the volume of 40 kg of

C2H4 at S.C.

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Example 2: Calculate the volume of 200 kg of C3H8 in m3 at 50 ⁰C and 70 bar.

Solution:

Mixture of gases.
Natural gases are mixtures of hydrocarbons which may be characterized by
composition. The composition of any mixture may be reported in terms of
weight %, volume % or mole %. For gases, according to Avogadro’s law, mole
and volume percent are identical, since 1 mole of any gas occupies the same
volume at the same conditions of pressure and temperature.

1. Volume fraction (or Volume %).

Example 1: given the table below, find the volume percent for each
component.

(3) (4)
(1) (2)
= (2) / 30 = (3) * 100
Component Volume (ft3) Volume fraction Volume %
CH4 15 0.500 50.0
C2H6 10 0.333 33.3
C5H12 5 0.167 16.7
Total vol. = 30 ft3 ∑ = 100%

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2. Mole fraction (or mole %).

1 Ib-mole of any gas at S.C. has the volume of 379.4 ft3.

Example 2: use the date in example no.1 to find the mole % for each
component.

(3) (4) (5)

(1) (2)
= (2) / 379.4 =(3)/0.079 = (4) * 100
Component Vol. (ft3) Ib-mole Mol. fraction Mole %
CH4 15 0.040 0.50 50.0
C2H6 10 0.026 0.333 33.3
C5H12 5 0.0132 0.167 16.7
∑ = 0.079 ∑ = 100%
It can be noticed from examples 1 and 2 that the volume % and mole % are
same as described before.

3. Weight fraction (or Weight %).

Example 3: given the table below, find the weight percent for each
component.

(3) (4)
(1) (2)
= (2) / 14 = (3) * 100
Component weight (Ib) Weight fraction Weight %
C2H6 4 0.286 28.6
C4H10 8 0.571 57.1
C6H14 2 0.143 14.3
Total Wt. = 14 Ib ∑ = 100 %

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 Converting from Mole % to Weight % use Wt = n Mwt .

Example 4: Calculate the mass% given:

(3) (4) (5) (6)

(1) (2)
= (2) / 100 = (3) * (4) = ((5) /53.8) *100
Component Mole % Ib-mole Mwt Weight Weight %
C2H6 40 0.4 30 12 22.3
C4H10 35 0.35 58 20.3 37.7
C6H14 25 0.25 86 21.5 40
∑ = 100 % ∑ = 53.8 ∑ = 100 %

Converting from Weight % to Mole % use n = Wt / Mwt .

Example 5: Calculate the mole % given: (Mwt N = 14, O = 16)

(3) (4) (5) (6)

(1) (2)
= (2) / 100 = (3) / (4) = ((5) /0.041) *100
Component Mass % Wt Mwt Mole Mole %
CH4 25 0.25 16 0.016 39
C2H4 28 0.28 28 0.010 24.4
N2 33 0.33 28 0.012 29.3
CO2 14 0.14 44 0.003 7.3
∑ = 100 % ∑ = 0.041 ∑ = 100 %

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