Today, natural gas is the most important source of energy. All gaseous combustible compounds from the bowels of the earth are odorless, contain many impurities that affect the density of natural gas.
Such gases do not have the usual physical indicators for humans - taste, color, smell - by which we are able to determine their presence. And yet they are characterized by characteristic indicators, such as: density, combustion temperature, calorific value, composition, maximum concentration for the occurrence of an explosion, pressure during an explosion.
One of the many significant physical indicators is the density of natural gas. This is a value that is calculated as the ratio of mass to its volume and is written by the formula r \u003d t / V. The density of natural gas under normal conditions ranges from 0.73 to 0.85 kg / m3.
Gas Features
Produced from deposits, it consists of methane in the range of 82-98% of the total mass, often with impurities of other hydrocarbons. Combustible gas in its composition also contains non-combustible substances: oxygen,carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water vapor. Immediately after pumping out of the subsoil, the gas is released from toxic hydrogen sulfide, bringing its content to the permissible 0.02 g/m3. The highest density of natural gas is created by the content of non-combustible mixtures N2, CO2, H2S or heavy hydrocarbons. The lowest indicators are given by dry methane environments. It is well known that an increase in the physical quantity index entails an increase in the temperature of hydrate formation. Although a small weight is also able to give hydrates. With high reservoir pressure in the deposit, the gas liquefies, and such a deposit is called a gas condensate field.
Compared to other fuels (solid, liquid), natural gas, the density of which depends entirely on its composition, is beneficial in several ways:
- cheapness - as a result of a much easier method of extraction and transportation;
- no ash or solid particles are formed during combustion;
- relatively high calorific value;
- no need for preliminary preparation of blue fuel for combustion;
- significantly facilitates the work of service personnel;
- significantly improving the sanitary and hygienic conditions of workers;
- simplify the conditions for automation of technical processes.
In everyday life, there are cases when gas pressure on the upper floors of the house runs the risk of being greater than on the lower ones. This is because the densitythere is much more air than a combustible medium. At altitude, static air pressure decreases greatly, and gas pressure decreases less.
Methods for measuring density
The density of natural gas is determined in the laboratory. Due to technical and economic feasibility, it can be calculated in the following ways:
- manually;
- using tables, graphs, charts;
- using computers and automated devices.
The most accurate method is to place the test sample in a thin-walled glass container with further weighing on an accurate balance. There are also special devices that measure the density of natural gas. These are density meters of the most diverse type - vibration, pycnometric, acoustic, hydrometric, radiation and others. Among them, the Solartron 7812 and Solartron 3098 models are very famous. They are able to provide continuous measurement in the stream. As a rule, these models are used in systems for commercial accounting of gas.
