Abstract: Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that are widely used as fuels, solvents, and raw materials. In this article, we will explain how to calculate how much hydrocarbon you can fit in a 200-liter steel drum, using four examples: n-pentane, n-heptane, cyclopentane, and isohexane. We will use their densities and a safety filling factor of 95% to account for possible expansion or contraction due to temperature or pressure changes.
Keywords: hydrocarbons, density, net weight, safety filling factor, steel drum
Text:
Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that consist of only carbon and hydrogen atoms. They have different shapes and sizes, which affect their physical and chemical properties. Some hydrocarbons are straight chains, such as n-pentane and n-heptane. Some are rings, such as cyclopentane. Some have branches, such as isohexane. These hydrocarbons are widely used as fuels, solvents, and raw materials for various industries.
But how much hydrocarbon can you fit in a 200-liter steel drum? This is an important question for storing and transporting hydrocarbons safely and efficiently. To answer this question, we need to know two things: the density and the safety filling factor of the hydrocarbon.
The density of a substance is the mass per unit volume. It is usually expressed in grams per milliliter (g/mL) or kilograms per liter (kg/L). The density of a hydrocarbon depends on its molecular structure, temperature, and pressure. For this article, we will use the density values at 20°C and 1 atm, which are available from various sources¹²³⁴.
The safety filling factor is the percentage of the drum volume that can be safely filled with the hydrocarbon. We cannot fill the drum completely, because the hydrocarbon may expand or contract due to temperature or pressure changes. This could cause the drum to leak or burst, which could be dangerous and wasteful. Therefore, we need to leave some empty space in the drum to allow for possible expansion or contraction. For this article, we will use a safety filling factor of 95%, which means that we will fill the drum with 95% of its volume.
The net weight of a hydrocarbon in a drum is the mass of the hydrocarbon that fills the drum. To calculate the net weight, we need to multiply the volume of the drum by the density of the hydrocarbon and by the safety filling factor. The formula is:
$$W = V \times D \times F$$
where W is the net weight in kilograms (kg), V is the volume of the drum in liters (L), D is the density of the hydrocarbon in kilograms per liter (kg/L), and F is the safety filling factor as a decimal number (0.95).
The volume of a drum is the space that it occupies. It is usually expressed in liters (L) or cubic meters (m^3^). The volume of a drum depends on its shape and size. For this article, we will assume that the drum is cylindrical, with a height of 0.9 m and a diameter of 0.6 m. The volume of a cylindrical drum can be calculated by multiplying the area of the base by the height. The area of the base is the area of a circle, which can be calculated by multiplying pi (π) by the square of the radius. The radius is half of the diameter. Therefore, the volume of the drum is:
$$V = \pi r^2 h$$
$$V = \pi (0.3)^2 (0.9)$$
$$V = 0.254 m^3$$
$$V = 254 L$$
Now, we can calculate the net weight of each hydrocarbon in the drum, using the formula and the density values from the sources. The results are:
- The net weight of n-pentane in the drum is:
$$W = 254 \times 0.626 \times 0.95$$
$$W = 150.7 kg$$
- The net weight of n-heptane in the drum is:
$$W = 254 \times 0.679 \times 0.95$$
$$W = 164.1 kg$$
- The net weight of cyclopentane in the drum is:
$$W = 254 \times 0.746 \times 0.95$$
$$W = 180.1 kg$$
- The net weight of isohexane in the drum is:
$$W = 254 \times 0.659 \times 0.95$$
$$W = 159.1 kg$$
In conclusion, we have explained how to calculate how much hydrocarbon you can fit in a 200-liter steel drum, using four examples: n-pentane, n-heptane, cyclopentane, and isohexane. We have used their densities and a safety filling factor of 95% to account for possible expansion or contraction due to temperature or pressure changes. This article can help us understand how to store and transport hydrocarbons safely and efficiently.