Natural Gas Fundamentals

Table 1-1 Properties of Natural Gas

Properties

Value

Relative molar mass

Carbon content, weight %
Hydrogen content, weight %
Oxygen content, weight %
Hydrogen/carbon atomic ratio
Relative density, 15
C
Boiling point,
C
Autoignition temperature,
C
Octane number
Methane number
Stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, weight
Vapor flammability limits, volume %
Flammability limits
Lower heating/calorific value, MJ/kg
Stoichiometric lower heating value, MJ/kg
Methane concentration, volume %
Ethane concentration, volume %
Nitrogen concentration, volume %
Carbon dioxide concentration, volume %
Sulfur concentration, weight % ppm
Specific CO2 formation, g/MJ

1720
73.3
23.9
0.4
3.04.0
0.720.81
162
540560
120130
6999
17.2
515
0.72.1
3850
2.75
8099
2.74.6
0.115
15
<5
3850

heating value (frequently called higher heating value) in custody transfer.

Obviously, the numerical difference between the two net and gross heating
values is the heat of condensation of water at the specified conditions. Heating values for custody transfer are determined either by direct measurement,
in which calorimetry is used, or by computation of the value on the basis of
gas analysis (Gas Processors Association, 1996). The heating value of natural
gas is measured in British thermal unit (Btu). A British thermal unit is the
energy required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1
F. For
larger industrial customers, the abbreviations MBtu (thousand Btu) or
MMBtu (million Btu) are more commonly used. Since meters measure
volume and not energy content, a conversion factor of 1,000 Btu/ft3 is commonly used by gas companies to convert the volume of gas used to its heat
equivalent, and thus calculate the actual energy use.
The Wobbe Index (defined as the gross heating value of the gas divided
by the square root of the specific gravity) gives a measure of the heat input to
an appliance through a given aperture at a given gas pressure. Using this as a
vertical coordinate and the flame speed factor as the horizontal coordinate, a
combustion diagram can be constructed for an appliance, or a whole range of