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Propane Standby Systems: An Overview

Table 3 Physical Constants of Hydrocarbons

Enthalpies and Entropies are referred to saturated liquid at -200 °F where the values are zero.

    Methane Ethene Ethane Propene Propane Iso-Butane N-Butane Air Water
           Formula CH4 C2H4 C2H6 C3H6 C3H8 C4H10 C4H10 H2O
Vapor Pressure @ 100 °F
    PSIG (gauge)     ..... ..... ..... 212.5 174.8 58.8 37.3 ..... .....
    PSIA (absolute)     ..... ..... ..... 227.2 189.5 73.5 52 ..... 0.95
 Normal State @ STP (*)   GAS GAS GAS GAS GAS GAS GAS GAS LIQUID
  Boiling Point of Liquid @ atmospheric pressure
    °F     -258.5 -154.7 -128.2 -53.9 -43.8 10.9 31.1 -317.7 212
    °C     -161.4 -103.7 -89 -47.7 -42.1 -11.7 -0.5 -194.3 100
 Weight of Liquid @ 60 °F
    Pounds / gallon     2.5 3.3 3.11 4.35 4.23 4.69 4.86 7.136 8.337
    Specific Gravity     0.3 ..... 0.374 0.5218 0.508 0.563 0.584 0.856 1
    API Gravity     340 ..... 247 139.7 147 119.8 110.8 165.3 10
Cubic Feet of Vapor @ STP   formed from
    1 Gallon Liquid @ 60°F   59 44.6 39.35 37.9 36.45 30.65 31.79 ..... .....
    1 Pound Liquid     23.6 13.21 12.65 8.71 8.62 6.53 6.54 ..... .....
 Weight of Vapor @ STP
    Pounds / hundred cubic foot 4.227 7.393 7.923 11.09 11.62 15.31 15.31 7.64 .....
    Specific Gravity (Air=1) 0.554 0.9684 1.038 1.4527 1.522 2.006 2.006 1 .....
 Gross Heat of Combustion
    Btu / pound     23,920 21,650 22,350 21,060 21,690 21,290 21,340 ..... .....
    Btu / cubic foot @ 60°F 1,011 1,601 1,771 2,335 2,521 3,259 3,267 ..... .....
    Btu / gallon @ 60°F ..... 70,910 68,900 87,740 91,300 99,300 103,000 ..... .....
 Cf of Air to Burn 1 cf of Gas @ STP 9.55 14.29 16.71 21.44 23.87 31.03 31.03 ..... .....
 Pounds of Air to Burn 1 pound of Gas 17.24 14.76 16.13 14.76 15.71 15.49 15.49 ..... .....
 Explosive Limits
    Lower % in Air     4.9 - 6.2 2.75 3.0 - 3.3 2 2.0 - 2.4 1.8 1.5 - 1.9 ..... .....
    Upper % in Air     12.7 - 16.0 28.6 10.6 - 15.0 11 7.0 - 9.5 8.44 5.7 - 8.5 ..... .....
 Heat of Vaporization of Liquid @ boiling
  point & atmospheric pressure
    Btu / pound     245 208 211 189 183 158 166 92 970.3
    Btu / gallon     712 686 696 822 774 741 797 656.5 8089.4
 Ratio of Liquid Volume @ 60 °F to
  Gas Volume @ STP   443 333.7 294.3 283.5 272.7 229.3 237.8 ..... .....
 Freezing Point of Liquid @ atmospheric pressure
    °F     -296.5 -272.6 -297.8 -301.4 -305.9 -255.3 -216.9 ..... 32
    °C     -182.5 -169.2 -183.2 -185.2 -187.7 -159.4 -138.3 ..... 0
 Molecular Weight     16.042 28.052 30.068 42.079 44.094 58.12 58.12 28.966 18.016
 Gallons / pound mol @ 60 °F 6.4 8.5 9.64 9.7 10.41 12.38 11.94 4.06 2.16
 Specific Heat @ STP
    Cp Liquid - Btu / pound /°F ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .55@32°F ..... .....
    Cp Vapor - Btu / pound /°F 0.526 0.362 0.413 0.352 0.39 0.406 0.396 ..... .....
    Cv Vapor - Btu / pound /°F 0.402 0.288 0.347 0.298 0.346 0.373 0.363 ..... .....
    Cp/Cv Vapor - Btu / pound /°F 1.306 1.258 1.189 1.18 1.128 1.088 1.09 ..... .....
   
 Critical Conditions
    Temperature - °F   -116.5 49.8 90.1 196.5 206.2 273.2 305.6 -221.3 705
    Temperature - °C   -82.5 9.9 32.3 91.4 96.8 134 152 -140.7 374.1
    Pressure - PSIA   673 742 708 667 617 530 551 547 3206
    Pressure - atmospheres 45.8 50.5 48.2 45.4 42 36.1 37.5 37.2 218.2
    Density - pounds / gallon 1.351 ..... 1.695 ..... 1.888 1.946 1.891 ..... .....
    Volume - cubic feet / pound mol 1.586 ..... 2.371 ..... 3.123 3.99 4.13 ..... .....

* STP = Standard Temperature & Pressure Conditions = 60°F & atmospheric pressure.
Based on material from Handbook Butane-Propane Gases , Third Edition, 1951, Jenkins Publications, Inc.