GASCalc™ 5.

0 Calculation Reference
Thermodynamic Properties
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Background Information
Equations
Example Calculation
General Calculation Procedures
Notes & Considerations
Screen Description
See Also

General Calculation Procedures

To calculate the various thermodynamic gas properties associated with the thermodynamic properties calculation,
complete the following steps:

! Select the Thermodynamic Properties menu item from the Gas Properties menu list. The Thermodynamic
Properties calculation screen will be displayed.

! Select the Clear command button to set all of the values to an empty (null) value.

! Select the Base Conditions command button. The Base Conditions screen will be displayed.

! Enter the appropriate base pressure and temperature values.

! If the American Gas Association Report 10 - 2003 method is being used, a gas properties file
describing the gas composition will be required. If a gas properties file is required, select an
appropriate file from the Use Gas Properties File list.

! Select an appropriate method from the Atmospheric Pressure Method list.

! Select an appropriate method from the Compressibility Method list.

! Select the Apply command button to save the changes and return to the current calculation screen.

! Select an appropriate method from the Calculation Method data list.

! Select the desired dimensional units for all of the data items.

! Enter a value for all known data items.

! Select the Calculate command button.

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Example Calculation

Calculate the thermodynamic properties of the aga8_92_gcoast gas composition at 100 Psi [7 Bar] at a temperature
of 60 Fahrenheit [15.6 Celsius] and an elevation of 0 Feet [0 Metres], using the American Gas Association Report
10 - 2003 calculation method.

To perform the calculation, complete the following steps.

! Select the Thermodynamic Properties menu item from the Gas Properties menu list. The Thermodynamic
Properties calculation screen will be displayed.

! Select the Clear command button.

! Select the Base Conditions command button. The Base Conditions screen will be displayed.

! For the Pressure, enter 14.73 Psi (Abs) [1016 mBar (Abs)].

! For the Temperature, enter 60 Fahrenheit [15.6 Celsius].

! From the Use Gas Properties File list, select aga8_92_gcoast.prp.

! From the Atmospheric Pressure Method list, select AGA.

! From the Compressibility Method list, select AGA8-92-Detailed.

! Select the Apply command button.

! From the Calculation Method list, select American Gas Association Report 10 - 2003.

! In the Conditions section:

! For the Average Pressure, enter 100 Psi [7 Bar].

! For the Average Temp, enter 60 Fahrenheit [15.6 Celsius].

! For the Elevation, enter 0 Feet [0 Metres].

! In the Calculated Values section:

! From the Real Gas Specific Enthalpy dimensional units list, select Btu/Lbm [kJ/kg].

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! From the Real Gas Specific Entropy dimensional units list, select Btu/Lbm-F [kJ/kg-K].

! From the Real Gas Constant Volume Specific Heat Capacity dimensional units list, select
Btu/Lbm-F [kJ/kg-K].

! Select the Calculate command button.

Results - The results should be similar to the following...

Real Gas Specific Enthalpy: 246.23 Btu/Lbm [572.71 kJ/kg]

Real Gas Specific Entropy: 2.43 Btu/Lbm-F [10.18 kJ/kg-K]
Real Gas Constant Volume Specific Heat Capacity: 0.4 Btu/Lbm-F [1.66 kJ/kg-K]
Real Gas Constant Pressure Specific Heat Capacity: 0.53 Btu/Lbm-F [2.20 kJ/kg-K]

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Screen Description

The various values associated with the thermodynamic properties of a gas composition may be calculated using the
Thermodynamic Properties calculation routine. To perform a calculation, select the Thermodynamic Properties menu
item from the Gas Properties menu list. The Thermodynamic Properties calculation screen will be displayed. The
features associated with the screen are described as follows.

Data Items

Atmospheric Pressure - A data field used to enter a specific atmospheric pressure value for the pipe segment(s). The
item is only displayed and enabled when the Atmospheric Pressure Method in the Base Conditions is set to “None -
Entered Value”. If the field is displayed and enabled, enter a value by typing it into the data field. Ensure the value
is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

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Average Pressure - A data field used to enter the average pressure of the gas. Enter a value by typing it into the data
field. Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Average Temperature - A data field used to enter the average temperature of the gas. Enter a value by typing it into
the data field. Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Calculation Method - A drop-down list used to select the method to be used to calculate the various property values.
Select an item from the list.

Elevation - A data field used to enter the average height above mean sea level. The item is only displayed and
enabled when the Atmospheric Pressure Method in the Base Conditions is not set to “None” or “None - Entered
Value”. If the field is displayed and enabled, enter a value by typing it into the data field. Ensure the value is
expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Calculated Items

Other Values - Additional results displayed for certain calculation methods. When present, refer to the Equations
section in this Calculation Reference for additional descriptions and definitions.

Real Gas Constant Pressure Specific Heat Capacity - Displays the constant pressure specific heat value, adjusted
for the “real gas” conditions.

Real Gas Constant Volume Specific Heat Capacity - Displays the constant volume specific heat value, adjusted
for the “real gas” conditions.

Real Gas Specific Enthalpy - Displays the specific enthalpy value, adjusted for the “real gas” conditions.

Real Gas Specific Entropy - Displays the specific entropy value, adjusted for the “real gas” conditions.

Command Buttons

Base Conditions - A command button used to access the Base Conditions screen. When selected, the Base
Conditions screen will be displayed. Make any desired changes to the settings, then select the Apply command button
to save and apply the changes to the current calculation screen.

Calculate - A command button used to calculate the associated values.

Cancel - A command button used to close the screen without saving any changes.

Clear - A command button used to set all of the data items to blank (null) values.

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Close - A command button used to close the screen and save the current data values.

Help - A command button used to display this Calculation Reference.

Notes - A command button used to display the Calculation Notes editor screen for the current calculation.

Open - A command button used to open a previously saved calculation file. When selected, the File Selection screen
will be displayed. Enter or select the desired File name, then select the Open command button.

Print - A command button used to print the contents of the calculation screen. When selected, the Print Settings
screen will be displayed. Make any desired changes to the printer settings, then select the Print command button.

Save - A command button used to save the contents of the calculation screen to a calculation file. When selected,
the File Selection screen will be displayed. Enter or select the desired File name, then select the Save command
button.

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Notes & Considerations

! The Calculation Notes editor screen allows the User to add a specific title and/or notes to the current calculation
values.

! The American Gas Association Report 10 - 2003 calculation method requires the use of a gas properties file and
the selection of a compressibility calculation method. To be compliant with the requirements of the method, the
American Gas Association Report No 8 1992 - Detailed method should be used.

! The American Gas Association Report 10 - 2003 calculation method uses an iterative solution algorithm as part
of its computation routine. Because of this, the results are not instantaneous as with most of the other calculation
routines. When the calculation is complete, the results will be displayed.

! The Other Values panel displays additional calculated values depending on the selected calculation method. These
values provide intermediate calculation results which may be used to verify and compare the calculated results against
other calculation procedures or published example calculations.

! To specify the number of digits to display to the right of the decimal indicator, double-click in the associated data
field. The Decimal Specifications screen will be displayed. Enter or select the desired number of digits, then select
the Apply command button to save and apply any changes.

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Background Information

Heat loss and gain calculations, for example gas heater sizing, generally require the use of various thermodynamic
properties in the determination of their results. These values vary according to gas composition and operating
conditions. The behavior of these properties for a real gas composition deviates from those associated with an ideal
gas. Natural gas mixtures represent a combination of real and ideal gases. Calculation of the thermodynamic
properties of these types of mixtures is commonly based on interpolation of extensive data sets of experimentally
determined values for the various individual components, then using a mixing rule to combine the individual values
into a total value representative of the mixture. There are various data sources available and different mixing rules.

The values calculated by GASCalc for the thermodynamic properties are determined using a User selected “method”
which combines the data set, in equation form, with appropriate mixing rules, to compute the “ideal gas” properties.
Then it will compute the “real gas” values based on definitions provided in the method. In order to accurately
compute the real gas property values, a suitable compressibility method must be used in collaboration with the
properties calculation method.

The ratio of the Constant Pressure Specific Heat Capacity (Cp) to the Constant Volume Specific Heat Capacity (Cv)
is often referred to as the isentropic exponent or “k” value. GASCalc in fact uses this definition in some of its
calculations. The true isentropic exponent is related to this ratio, and often approximated by this ratio, however they
are not actually the same value. The Cp to Cv ratio is reported in the results of the thermodynamic property values,
however the true isentropic exponent value is only reported in the sonic velocity calculation, when using the AGA
10 - 2003 calculation method.

In most cases, in the absence of an outside heat source, when the pressure of a real gas is reduced, the temperature
of the gas is also reduced. This is known as Joule-Thomson cooling and is a principal of many refrigeration cycles.
The phenomena is especially prevalent when gas pressure is reduced suddenly, as when gas flows through a regulator,
relief valve, or partially open (throttled) valve. The temperature at the outlet of a regulator is nearly always less than
the inlet temperature. This phenomena also occurs in pipe flow, however in most cases the pressure drop occurs in
very small and gradual increments, and the heat gain from the environment surrounding the pipe is greater than the
cooling affect of the pressure drop. In pipe flow the affect of Joule-Thomson cooling is often offset by the heat gain
from the environment. The downstream temperature of a pipe segment is often nearly equal to the upstream
temperature, regardless of the pressure drop across the segment. The Joule-Thomson coefficient can be used to
estimate the downstream temperature of the gas when the inlet temperature and pressure drop are known. The
coefficient is expressed in terms of temperature difference per pressure difference.

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Equations

The thermodynamic property calculation methods supported by GASCalc are described as follows.

American Gas Association Report 10 - 2003 (AGA10-2003)

With the exception of the Joule-Thomson coefficient, the thermodynamic property calculations are performed using
the procedures outlined in the American Gas Association Report No. 10, "Speed of Sound In Natural Gas and Other
Related Hydrocarbon Gases", 2003. The details of this method are too extensive to include in this document, refer
to Reference 1 for complete information on the detailed calculation method, and the definitions of the parameters
used and reported as part of the method.

Joule-Thomson Coefficient

As performed by GASCalc, the Joule-Thomson coefficient is calculated using the method described by Maric and
Ivek (Reference 2), using various equation-of-state values defined by the American Gas Association Report No. 8
(Reference 3), and using the following equation.

Reference 2, 3

Equation Variables

Unless noted otherwise, the following base units and variable definitions apply to all of the methods and equations
described in this section. Note - All values are in consistent dimensional units.

CP = Constant Pressure Specific Heat

ìJT = Joule-Thomson~Coefficient
P = Gas Pressure
R = Universal Gas Constant
T = Gas Temperature

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References

1. American Gas Association, AGA Report No 10, Speed of Sound In Natural Gas and Other Related Hydrocarbon
Gases, 2003.
2. InTech, Natural Gas, Natural Gas Properties and Flow Computation, Ivan Maric and Ivan Ivek, 2010.
3. American Gas Association, AGA Report No 8, Compressibility of Natural Gas and Other Related Hydrocarbon
Gases, 1992, 1994 Printing.

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See Also

Base Conditions Help Reference

Sonic Velocity Calculation Reference
Line Heater Values Calculation Reference

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