Summary Correlations from “Feedstocks & Products” 

1. API gravity (G) & specific gravity (  o ). Higher density  lower °API

141.5 141.5
G  131.5   o 
o 131.5  G

2. Watson characterization factor. Tendencies: 12 – 13 (paraffinic) to 10 (aromatic)

3 Tb
KW  Tb in units of °R
o

3. Blending rules

Volume blending Mass blending

V X  mi X i   vi  oi  X i
X mix   vi X i  i i
X mix   wi X i  
V i  mi   vi  oi 

4. Blend specific gravities – directly by volume

Volume blending Alternate blending

Vi  o ,i  Vi  o,i  v  1 w
 i 
M xM
 i i
 o ,mix   i o ,i
Vi V  o ,mix  o ,i  o ,mix  o ,i

5. Blend API gravities – blend specific gravities & calculate from blended value

6. O’Donnell method to correct liquid specific gravity for temperature

T2   2o  0.000601 T  60 with T in °F

Multiply T by the 60°F water density to get the density at the temperature T .

Original equation in terms of liquid density:

T2  o2  0.00108 T T0  with T in °C,  in kg/L, & T0 near 15°C

7. Method in Chapter 12.3 of API Measurement Manual to estimate volumetric shrinkage

VL
S  4.86  108 C 100  C  GL  GH 
0.819 2.28
where C   100
VH  VL

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -1- July 12, 2018
8. Maxwell-Bonnell equations to correct boiling point for pressure (T in °R & P in mmHg)

 3000.538 X  6.761560 X  0.002184346


 43X  0.987672 P vap  1.7 mmHg  

 2663.129 X  5.994296 0.001201343  X  0.002184346
log 10 P  
vap

 95.76 X  0.972546 
1817 mmHg  P vap  1.7 mmHg 
 0.001201343  X
 2770.085X  6.412631

 36 X  0.989679 
1817 mmHg  P vap 
1
 0.0002867  P vap 
X T & TB  TB  2.5 f  K W  12 log10  
1   760 
748.1   0.0002867 
 TB 

 1 P vap  760 mmHg


f    TB  659.67  
Min  1,Max  ,0   P vap  760 mmHg
   200 

9. Interconvert D86 & TBP Temperatures – 1994 API Technical Data Book method

TTBP,50%  0.87180  TD86,50%

1.0258
(TTBP,50% & TD86,50% in °F)
TTBP  A  TD86 
B
( TTBP & TD86 in °F)

Vol% A B Max T [°F]

100% to 90%* 0.11798 1.6606

90% to 70% 3.0419 0.75497 100

70% to 50% 2.5282 0.82002 150

50% to 30% 3.0305 0.80076 250

30% to 10% 4.9004 0.71644 250

10% to 0%* 7.4012 0.60244 100

10. Interconvert D1160 & TBP Temperatures – temperatures evaluated at 10 mmHg

TTBP  a  TD1160   b  TD1160   c  TD1160   d  TD1160 

2 3 4

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -2- July 12, 2018
 Vol%
Distilled a b c d
Range

0% - 10% 2.23652561 -1.39334703×10-2 3.6358409×10-5 1.433117×10-8

10%-30%
1.35673984 -5.4126509×10-3 2.9883895×10-5 -6.007274×10-8
30%-50%

11. Riazi equation to smooth distillation data

1
T  T0  AT  1   BT  B  T  T  BT 
  ln   
 Y  1  exp  T  0
 
T0  BT  1  Y   AT  T0  

12. Excel functions to interpolate/extrapolate distillation data

Transformed Yield: =NORMSINV( Pct_Yield/100 )

From interpolated value: =NORMSDIST( Value ) * 100

Functions return errors for the extreme values of 0% & 100%. Typical practice is to use 0.1% &
99.9% instead.

13. Estimate molecular weight of narrow petroleum fraction

M  20.486TB1.26007  o4.98308 exp  0.0001165TB  7.78712 o  0.0011582TB  o 

14. Estimate heat of combustion of petroleum fraction (Btu/lb, liquid state @ 60°F)

Hˆ LHV  16792  54.5G  0.217G 2  0.0019G3

Hˆ HHV  17672  66.6G  0.316G 2  0.0014G 3

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -3- July 12, 2018
Heating values for the vapor state must take into account the heat of vaporization at the reference
temperature.

15. Approximate method to blend individual Watson K factors (by weight)

K mix   wi K i 
v  K
i oi i

v i oi

16. 5 definitions for different types of average boiling points:

n
 Volume average boiling point (VABP) Tb v   viTb ,i
i 1

n
 Weight average boiling point (WABP) Tb w   wiTb ,i
i 1

n
 Molar average boiling point (MABP) Tb M   xiTb ,i
i 1

3
 n 
 Cubic average boiling point (CABP) Tb cubic    vi 3 Tb ,i 
 i 1 

Tb M  Tb cubic

 Mean average boiling point (MeABP) Tb mean 
2

17. Estimate average boiling points from ASTM D 86 distillation values (in °F)

T10  T30  T50  T70  T90

 VABP  
5
T T
SL   90 10
90  10
 WABP   VABP   1

 MABP    VABP   2
CABP    VABP   3
 MeABP    VABP    4

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -4- July 12, 2018
 ln  1   3.062123  0.01829  VABP   32  4.45818  SL 
0.6667 0.25

ln  2   0.563793  0.007981  VABP   32  3.04729  SL 

0.6667 0.333

ln  3   0.23589  0.06906  VABP   32  1.8858  SL 

0.45 0.45

ln   4   0.94402  0.00865  VABP   32  2.99791  SL 

0.6667 0.333

18. Vapor pressure approximation using acentric factor definition

 P vap  7  Tci 
log10  i   1  i   1  
 Pci  3  T 

19. Volumetric blending with “RVP Blending Indices”

1.25 1/1.25
 RVP mix   vi  RVP i  RVP mix   vi  RVP i 
1.25 1.25



20. Non-linear octane blending equations – Ethyl Corporation models

A is %aromatics (0 to 100) & O is %olefins (0 to 100)

      
R  R  a1 RJ  R  J   a2  O 2  O 2   a3  A2  A2 

2
 A2  A2   
 


  
M  M  b1  MJ  M  J   b2 O  O  b3 
 2
 100 

2

 
RM
"Road" Octane 
2
Sensitivity  J  R  M

Volume Average  X 
v  X
i i

v i

75 Blends 135 Blends

a1 0.03224 0.03324
a2 0.00101 0.00085
a3 0 0
b1 0.04450 0.04285
b2 0.00081 0.00066
b3 -0.00645 -0.00632

21. Driveability Index

DI  1.5 T10  3  T50  T90   2.4°F  EtOH vol% 

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -5- July 12, 2018
22. Estimate Flash Point
For pure components or well‐defined pseudo‐components
Method of Lenoir


i
x i M i  i Pivap  1.3
1
where  i is the liquid activity coefficient

Method of Gmehling & Rasmussen

N
x i  i Pivap  T  25 
 Li
 1 with Li  Li  25C   0.182 
 H 
i 1  c ,i 

For petroleum fraction characterized by distillation

curve
API Procedure 2B7.1 (using ASTM D86 T10 value)
1999 Version (units of °F)

TF  0.69 T10  118.2

1987 Version (units of °R). Questionable accuracy

above T10 of 500°F.

1 2.84947
 0.014568   0.001903 ln T10 
TF T10

23. Estimate Cetane index by ASTM D 976 (using

ASTM D 86 T50 value in °R)

Index  420.34  0.016G 2  0.192G log T50   65.01  log T50    0.0001809T502
2

24. Relationship between octane & cetane numbers

CN  60.96  0.56  MON 

CN  68.54  0.61  RON 

25. Interrelate SUS viscosity with cSt viscosity (T in °F)

 1.0  0.03264 
SUS  1.0  0.000061 T  100   4.6324  

 
3930.2  262.7  23.97 2   3  105 


John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -6- July 12, 2018
26. Adjust kinematic viscosity for temperature using Walther equation. Provides a framework to
regress viscosity data with respect to temperature.

log  log    0.7    A  B  log T     1010

A BlogT 
 0.7

Can also use natural logarithms:


ln  ln    0.7    A  B   ln T     exp exp  A  B   ln T    0.7 . 

27. Adjust viscosity for temperature using ASTM D341 for viscosities above 0.21 cSt. An adjustment
to the “shift factor” of the Walther equation for applicability to viscosities lower than 0.3 cSt.

log  log  Z    A  B  log T 

Z    0.7  C  D  E  F  G  H
C  exp  1.14883  2.65868 
D  exp  0.0038138  12.5645 
E  exp 5.46491  37.6289 
F  exp 13.0458  74.6851 
G  exp 37.4619  192.643 
H  exp  80.4945  400.468 
   Z  0.7   exp  0.7487  3.295  Z  0.7   0.6119  Z  0.7   0.3193  Z  0.7  
2 3

 

28. Blend viscosities

“log-log” method as volume blend

Wi  log  log   mix  0.7  

Wmix   vi Wi 
V W i i
  mix  1010
Wmix
 0.7
V i

Will also work with natural logs:

Wi  ln  ln  mix  0.7  

Wmix   vi Wi 
V W i i
  mix  exp  exp  Wmix    0.7
V i

ASTM D 7152 extends the validity of method to lower viscosities

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -7- July 12, 2018
 
Z i   i  0.7  exp 1.47  1.84 i  0.512i 
Wi  log  log  Z i  
WB   vi Wi
WB
Z B  1010  0.7
 B  Z B  exp  0.7487  3.295Z B  0.6119Z B2  0.3193Z B3 

Chevron Method 2. Volume blend the viscosity indices:

ln   i 
Wi 
ln 1000  i 

Wmix   vi Wi 
V W i i
 ln   mix   ln 1000  
Wmix
V i 1  Wmix

29. Relationship of Ramsbottom to Conradson Carbon

RCR  exp  0.236  0.883ln  CCR   0.0657ln2  CCR  

Additional Useful Correlations

30. Critical temperature & pressure for a narrow boiling fraction. Lee & Kesler method also
published as Procedures 4D3.1 & 4D4.1 (4th ed., 1987). Temperatures are in °R & pressure is in
psia.

 
Tc  10.6443 exp 5.1747  104 Tb  0.5444  o  3.5995  104 Tb  o  Tb0.81067  0.53091
o

..

31. Heat of Vaporization. Kistiakowsky equation (The Properties Of Gases And Liquids, 3rd ed., p
215):

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -8- July 12, 2018
 Tb
Hvb 
Tc
 8.75  R log Tb  

where temperatures are in units of K & the heat of vaporization are in units of J/g.mol. The effect of
temperature can be estimated using the Watson method (The Properties Of Gases And Liquids, 4th
ed., p 228):

0.38
 1  Tr 2 
Hv 2  Hv 1  
 1  Tr 1 

32. Prediction of kinematic viscosities @ 100 & 210°F. Correlation by Abbott included in old
editions the API Technical Data Book:

log  100F   4.39371  1.9473 K W  0.12769 K W2

3.2629  104 G 2  1.18246  102 K W G
0.171617 K W2  10.9943G  9.50663  102 G 2  0.860218 K W G

G  50.3642  4.78231 K W

log  210F   0.463634  0.166532G  5.13447  104 G 2  8.48995  103 K W G

8.0325  102 K W  1.24899 G  0.19768 G 2

G  26.786  2.26296 K W

where the units on kinematic viscosity is cSt. However, this technique does not extrapolate well & is
only valid for boiling points 600‐ 700°F or so.

Once these values are known then the temperature dependency can be determined from:

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 -9- July 12, 2018
 log log    0.7  cT   A1  B1 log T 
0.085  T  1.52 if T  1.5 cSt
cT  
 0 if T  1.5 cSt

The latest API Technical Data Book (10th ed.) has a better Procedure 11.A4.2:

log10   ref   1.35579  8.16059  104 Tb +8.38505  107 Tb2

log 10  cor   A1  A2 K W
A1  34.9310  8.84387  102 Tb  6.73513  105 Tb2  1.01394  108 Tb3
A2  2.92649  6.98405  103 Tb  5.09947  106 Tb2  7.49378  1010 Tb2
100F   ref   cor
log 10  210F   1.92353  2.41071  104 Tb  0.511300 log10 Tb 100F 

where the boiling point is in units of °R. The recommended equation to modify these viscosities
with respect to temperature is:

log10  T   0.86960  To 
S

 where S  0.28008 log10  0   1.8616 .

log10  0   0.86960  T 

This procedure gives viscosity curves those shown below.

33. Freezing point, pour point, & cloud point. If kinematic viscosities are not known then
Procedures 2C5.1, 2C2, & 2C6.1, respectively (10th ed. API Technical Data Book) can be used:

TFPT ,R  2390.42  1826  o  122.49 K W  0.135  MeABP  .

Tpour , R  3.85  108  MeABP 

5.49
10

 0.712 MeABP 
0.315
 0.133  o   1.4 .

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 - 10 - July 12, 2018
 log 10 TCPT , R   7.41  5.49 log10  MeABP   0.712  MeABP 
0.315
 0.133  o .

If kinematic viscosity is known:

Tpour , R  753  136 1  e 0.15100 F   572  o  0.0512 100 F  0.139  MeABP  .

If cloud point is known then (Procedure 2C8.2):

Tpour , R  0.9895 TCPT , R  1.4 .

The correlations using MeABP, specific gravity, and/or Watson K factor are depicted in the
following figures.

John Jechura, jjechura@mines.edu

CBEN 409, Rev 1.2 - 11 - July 12, 2018