Physics II Finals Laboratory Manual

Ideal Gas VS. Real Gas: Gas

Compressibility Factor (z) and The
Principle of Corresponding States
Learning Objectives:

Evaluate the compressibility factor (z) of three different gases CH 4, C2H6 and C3H8 as a
function of pressure and temperature.

Define the validity of Standing and Katz Generalized Compressibility Chart in determining z-
factor.

Differentiate Ideal Gas Vs. Real Gas.

Prove that Real Gas does not obey The Kinetic Molecular Theory.

Prove (or disprove) the validity of the Law of Corresponding States.

Compare values of z-factors determined in this experiment with published values from z-
factor charts (Standing-Katz Generalized Compressibility Chart).

General Skills

Use of Excel spread sheets and graphs.

Working with different units and converting one set to another.

Background from Class

Types of System: Close System and Open System

Ideal Gas EOS and Real Gas EOS

Principle of Corresponding States

Reduced properties (Pr and Tr)

Physics II Finals Laboratory Manual

Gas Equation of State (EOS)

Gas Equation of State describes the relationship between Pressure, Volume and
Temperature (PVT). PVT behavior of gases are very important in determining their respective
properties. Such properties are viscosity, density, isothermal compressibility and etc. These
properties characterizes the type of reservoir fluid and the type of reservoir needed to analyze.
It provides an information thatll help petroleum engineers to understand the behavior of gas
reservoirs and gave ideas to how these reservoirs must be extracted, developed and produced.

The real gas equation of state is defined by the equation:

Eq. 1:
PV =znRT
Where:
P = Pressure
V = Volume
z = Compressibility Factor
n = Number of Moles
R = Universal Gas Constant
T = Temperature

The compressibility factor (z) or z-factor, is a correction factor for real gases. It
describes how real gases deviates from ideal gases. It quantifies the behavior of a real gas
compared to an ideal gas. For ideal gases, the z-factor is equal to one. (z = 1)
Thus, the equation of state for an ideal gas:

Eq. 2:

PV =nRT

The kinetic molecular theory defines what an ideal gas is, and also draws the boundary
between real and ideal gas. The 3 major assumptions in the kinetic molecular theory is given
below:
The volume occupied by each molecule of gas is insignificant compared to the volume
of its container.
The collision between gas molecules is always an elastic collision.
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There are no intermolecular forces acting between gas molecules, therefore there are
no attraction and repulsion.

From the theory, we could summarize the difference and define z-factor by the equation
below:
The volume problem:

Eq. 3:

V real
z=
V ideal

The pressure problem:

Eq. 4:

Preal
z=
V ideal

Fig. 1
Figure 1 describes the behavior of z-factor as a function of pressure.

Engineers always find generalized relationships between properties. Correlations are

used to relate properties through data. Correlated properties are properties that dont have
Physics II Finals Laboratory Manual

laws or rules that describes their relationship relative to the other properties. Thus, engineers
try to correlate these properties, for analyzation, estimation and prediction.
One example is The Principle of Corresponding States, which states that:

All gases when compared to the same reduced temperature and reduced pressure, have
approximately the same compressibility factor, and all deviate from ideal gas behavior to
about the same degree. (The Standing and Katz Generalized Compressibility Chart best
describes the Principle of Corresponding States)
Reduced Pressure:

Eq. 5:
P
P r=
Pc

Reduced Temperature:

Eq. 6:

T
Tr=
Tc

Where:
Pr , Tr = Reduced Pressure and Reduced
Temperature
P , T = Pressure and Temperature of the gas

Pc , Tc = Critical Pressure and Critical

Temperature of the gas

Apparatus:

Virtual SOPE PVT Cell

Physics II Finals Laboratory Manual

Procedure:

You must repeat all the following steps for each gas and for each temperature. For three
temperatures and three gases.

Part A: Closed System

The gases are C1, C2, and C3:

1. Set temperatures. These will be determined from their reduced temperatures (1.2,
1.6, and 2.0). The critical temperature of each gas can be found in the table
provided in class. (Physical Properties of Pure Compounds)
2. Fill the cell with gas at low pressure ranging from 1.0 1.2 bar.

3. Determine the mass and the moles charged in the PVT cell and record this value.
(Notice the number of moles. To attain a lower pressure, youll need a very small
value for the quantity of gas.)

4. Increase the pressure on the PVT cell by adding weights. The fluid volume will
become smaller and you may not be able to determine these volumes precisely.
However, even if this becomes too small the software evaluates internally the
molar volume (V/n) in cm3/mol (which is an intensive property) that you can use
in determining the z-factor.
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5. Design the pressure steps such that you have enough number of points to
determine z up to the highest allowable number of weights in the cell. (The
maximum pressure, given by the weights on top of your cell is about 175 bar). Be
reasonable 2 points is too little, 50 points is too many!!! Justify your selection of
pressure steps in writing. Calculate the reduced pressure for each pressure for
every gas.

6. Repeat steps 5 and 6 and write down the cell volume, the molar volume, and the
pressure readings for future plotting in an Excel worksheet.

7. Calculate the ideal gas volume and the ideal gas molar volume for every data
point collected.

8. Calculate the z-factor for each pressure and determine the z-factor using Standing
and Katz Generalized compressibility chart (SK chart). Record and compare the
two z-factor by calculating the percentage error.

9. Plot the z-factors versus reduced pressure for each gas along each reduced
temperature Overlap all these plots in one graph (for 3 temperatures and 3
different gases). Draw a trend line or best curve fit for each reduced temperature
that best describe the behavior of the plots.(9 plots overall)

10. Plot the z-factors as a function of pressure for each gas along with each
temperature. Overlap the 3 isotherm plots for each gas. Youll have 1 graph for
each gas containing 3 plots. Draw a trend line or best curve fit for each isotherm.

Part B: Open System

When you made the plots in part A, you may find out that the z-factor obtained
does not cover a range of pressures large enough. Your highest pressure was 175 bar and
you would like to see the behavior at higher pressures.
However, we can be ingenious and take advantage of our knowledge of intensive
properties and evaluate the z-factor at much higher pressures by using a fixed volume
cell.

Procedure

1. Charge the PVT cell with the same gas as in part A and at the same temperature
but begin the experiment at the pressure you ended in the previous experiment
(you already have all the lower pressure points anyway). Start with a fixed volume
of about 30 cm3 (the mass of gas will be determined by this volume). Record the
number of moles and calculate the mass for each component.
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2. Lock the volume (using the v key) now your volume is fixed.

3. Increase the pressure in the cell by charging more mass of the component in
question. This can be physically done, when you open the PVT cell to a cylinder
that is at a higher pressure than the PVT cell otherwise your fluid would flow
in the reverse direction.

4. Record the number of moles that you are filling the cell with and the pressure.
Here milimoles are simply read from the handy molemeter. In real life, you
would have to weigh the gas cylinder before and after the charges and determine
the mass loaded in the PVT cell by converting the weight difference to moles.

5. Be very careful, as you stuff more mass into the cell the pressure will increase
very rapidly. The safe limit is below 900 bar, be careful, the cell may explode!
Your max pressure must be around 900 bar.

6. Record the new pressures, and the number of moles in the cell and calculate the
ideal pressure. The pressure readings which is the real pressure and the ideal
pressure will be used in determining the value of the compressibility factor. Also,
calculate the reduced pressure for each pressure reading.

7. Add these new points to the points you had earlier and finish the z-factor plots for
all the temperatures and gases (part A).

8. Compare these final plots with the charts from class and discuss the results
obtained. Youd have created your own generalized compressibility chart using 3
gases with only 3 reduced temperature. Select 10 reduced pressure and determine
the z factor using your newly created generalized compressibility chart and
compare it to the z-factor determined using the SK chart. Calculate the percentage
error.
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A sample of the way the data should be reported is as follows.

Physics II Finals Laboratory Manual

Discussion of Results

Your individual report must contain the following: (all of your answer must be based on the
data youve gathered and if needed, from the concepts given in the lecture)
Describe the behavior of z-factor as a function of pressure in an isothermal process.
Explain this behavior by comparing real gas and ideal gas, using the kinetic molecular
theory.
Describe the behavior of z-factor with different temperatures (fixed pressure). What
are the effects of temperature? Explain this behavior in intermolecular level. (You can
also describe it using the kinetic molecular theory)
In line with the discussion above, discuss the pressure problem and volume problem at
lower and higher pressures with different temperatures.
Describe the differences between the calculated z-factor from the laboratory
experiment and the z-factor from the SK chart. Explain how close the estimated value
from the laboratory value (accuracy).
Discuss the validity of the principle of corresponding states. Can we recreate the SK
chart in the laboratory? Describe the difference between SK chart and your new
generalized compressibility chart.
Physics II Finals Laboratory Manual