A cargo of fuel oil is loaded whose temperature is 66? F. API gravity is 36?. The volume correction factor (VCF) is .0005. A cargo temperature of 80? F is expected at the discharge port. If 9,000 barrels were loaded, how many barrels would you expect to unload?
• Volume correction factor (VCF) as a change in volume per degree Fahrenheit • How to calculate temperature change (ΔT) between loading and discharge • Whether fuel oil volume increases or decreases when temperature rises
• First, determine if the cargo will expand or contract going from 66°F to 80°F. How does this affect the number of barrels at discharge compared to loading? • How do you apply VCF = 0.0005 with the temperature change to find the fractional change in volume? • Once you know the percentage change in volume, how do you apply that to 9,000 barrels to estimate the expected outturn?
• Calculate ΔT correctly: discharge temperature minus loading temperature • Apply the VCF as VCF × ΔT to find the proportional volume change (check if you should add or subtract from 1.000) • Compare your final volume with 9,000 barrels and make sure the direction of change (higher or lower) matches your expectation about thermal expansion.
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