API TECHNICAL DATA BOOK Introduction Chapter 2 - Characterization of Hydrocarbons For correlational pusposes, it is often necessary to designate the individual hydrocarbons in the various series by aumerical parameters, which characterize them Hydrocarbons are partly characterized by such physical properties as the boiling point, critical point, and the liquid density. Their molecular size and shape are simultaneously indicated by the acentric factor (10, 11). The acentric factor is useful for comelating physical and thermodynamic properties and is defined as: = -log p,* -1.000 01) There: p:* = reduced vapor pressure, p*/p. p= vapor pressure at T = 0.7 T. in pounds per square inch absolut. pe= critical pressure, in pounds per square inch absolute The acentric factor is used in hydrocarbon comrelations in several chapters of this book, Accordingly, Procedure 2AL.1 is presented as a general method of estimation consistent with Procedure SAL.14, Alternately if experimental vapor pressure data are available, the defining equation (2-0.1) should be used. For mixtures of identifiable hydrocarbons, the acentric factor is given by the following equation: 202) smmber of components in the mixture. ‘mole faction of component i. centric factor of component i ‘This equation is an oversimplification, but it is quite satisfactory in most cases. No better substitute is currently available For hydrocarbon mixtures for which the composition is known, the pure-component physical properties and acentric factors adequately characterize the system. For more complex mixtures (1999) such as petroleum fractions itis impractical and not always possible to analyze the entire mixture to define the concentration of all the components ‘These undefined mixtures are usually characterized by parameters that are derived from the nonmal inspection tests, an ASTM D86 or D1i60 distillation, and the specific gravity of the mixture Many characterizing parameters have been proposed, but very few are generally useful ‘Among the useful parameters are five different boiling points and the Watson (19) characterization factor, K Each boiling point reduces fo the normal boiling point for pure hydrocarbons and is significant for a different group of correlations. These five quantities are defined by the following equations (16) Volumetric average boiling poi (2-03) rasp = ¥ x,1, Either Fahrenheit or Rankine units may be used for volumetric average boiling point, molal average boiling point, and weight average boiling point to give the same units for the average boiling point Rankine units must be used for cubic average boiling point, however. The MABP and CABP must be in the same units to calculate mean average boiling point (both defined below). Molal average boiling point: MABP => x7, 04) Weight average boiling point: WABP= > x,.T, 205) There: ‘qi weight fraction of component i.