Chapter 22 - Conversion Factors

Units of measurement from one system to another

Viscosity - equivalents of absolute viscosity
General liquid density nomograph
Chart gives specific gravity/temperature relationship for petroleum oils
Weight density and specific gravity of various liquids
Metric conversions - metric to English, English to metric
Temperature conversion - centigrade to Fahrenheit, Fahrenheit to centigrade
Viscosity - equivalents of kinematic viscosity
Viscosity - equivalents of kinematic and Saybolt Universal Viscosity
Viscosity - equivalents of kinematic and Saybolt Furol Viscosity at 122F
Viscosity - general conversions
Pressure conversion chart
A simple method to detemine square root
SI data
Energy conversion chart
Flow conversion chart
Conversions involving different types of fuel
Weight of water per cubic ft. at various temperatures
Engineering consultants
Mensuration units
Minutes to decimal hours conversion table
How to compare costs of gas and alternative fuels
Typical characteristics of fuel oils

Units of Measurement From One System to Another

Viscosity - Equivalents of Absolute Viscosity

General Liquid Density Nomograph

Chart Gives Specific Gravity/Temperature Relationship for Petroleum

Oils

Weight Density and Specific Gravity of Various Liquids

Metric Conversions - Metric to English, English to Metric

Temperature Conversion - Centigrade to Fahrenheit or Fahrenheit to

Centigrade

Viscosity - Equivalents of Kinematic Viscosity

Viscosity - Equivalents of Kinematic and Saybolt Universal Viscosity

Viscosity - Equivalents of Kinematic and Saybolt Furol Viscosity at

122F

Viscosity - General Conversions

Pressure Conversion Chart

This line chart provides an easy method for converting units of pressure. Draw a line
perpendicular to the scale lines through a known value of flow and read the equivalent value on
any of the other scales. For values off the scale, known values can be read in multiples of 10 or
100.
Example. Known value - 120 psi is equivalent to:
278 ft of water
1,920 ounces per in.2
17,400 lb/ft2
3,300 in. of water
242 in. of mercury
6,180 mm of mercury

A Simple Method to Determine Square Root

Problem. Determine the square root of the number 6,280
Solution.
1. Guess the square root to an even number. For the example, use the 80 since (80)2 equals
6,400.
2. Divide the number used into the number of which the square is desired and carry the
quotient to only two figures. Thus
6,280 / 80 = 78
3. Average this quotient with the divisor
80 + 78 = 158, and 185 / 2 = 79
4. Divide this figure into the number and carry quotient to four or five figures, if desired.
6,280 / 79 = 79.5
5. Average this quotient with #3 for the square root
79 + 79.5 = 158.5, and 158.5 / 2 = 79.25
6. To check answer, multiply answer by itself.
79.25 x 79.25 = 6.280.5

SI Data

Energy Conversion Chart

This nomograph provides an easy method for determining the fuel requirements for various types
of fuel. Since the Btu content per unit volume of natural gas and crude oil vary other a limited but
significant range of values, nomographs for the energy value of several gases and oils are included
rather than using an average value.
Example. 30 cubic ft of a gas with 1,100 Btu per cubic ft yields 33,000 Btu. Conversion of 33,000
Btu to the other units of energy is obtained by drawing a straight line connecting the values 33,000
on two end Btu scales. Using the right-hand nomograph, an oil with 11,000 Btu per gallon (about
4.6 million Btu per barrel) will produce 33,000 Btu from 0.3 gallon (about 0.0072 barrel).

Flow Conversion Chart

This line chart provides an easy method for converting units of volume flow. Simply draw a line
perpendicular to the scale lines through a known value of flow and read the equivalent value on
any of the other scales.

Conversions Involving Different Types of Fuel

Natural Gas
The calorific value of natural gas varies according to its composition, and virtually no two fields
produce gas of identical quality; the composition of gas from any one field can vary over its
producing life. Thus there is no such thing as a "standard" natural gas, nor a corresponding
"standard" calorific value. However, when referring to natural gas in hypothetical cases it is
common to indicate an "average" gross calorific value of 1,000 Btu/ft3 (the equivalent of which is
taken, for purposes here, to be 94,00 kcal/Nm3 gross; see note on Table 3). Although in the U.S.
most natural gas transmitted is at or slightly above this heat natural gas transmitted is at or slightly
above this heat value, this does not generally apply in other countries. As an important example,
Groningen (Netherlands) gas, because of a high nitrogen content, has a gross calorific value no
greater than 898 Btu/ft3 measured at 60F, 30 in Hg, dry (7,980 kcal/m3s or 8,420 kcal/Nm3).

When precise values are required, reference should be made to the proprietors of the gas field
concerned or to published data.
Manufactured Gases
These are derived from primary energy sources by processes involving chemical reaction, e.g.,
gases produced from coal and naphta, also propane, butane, etc. Gas as pipe to consumers can
comprise both manufactured gases and natural gas used for enrichment. Calorific values of the
component gases can thus vary widely depending on origin, but the resulting blend of what is
known as town gas has a fairly constant heating value which, depending on locality, is usually
about half that of natural gas. Exact figures can only come from the distribution company
concerned.
Solid Fuels
The calorific value of solid fuels varies widely between countries, grades, qualities, and even from
seam to seam. It is particularly important, therefore, to use local data wherever possible.
Measurements in Btu/lb or kcal/kg will normally include moisture and ash content as received.
N.B. Btu/lb x 0.5556 = kcal/kg
kcal/kg x 1.8 = Btu/lb
Where actual values are not known, an average gross calorific value of 12,400 Btu/lb (6,890
kcal/kg is consider reasonable for hard coal grades of good quality. This also serves as the basis of
a common unit, "coal equivalent," to which the many grades of solid fuel and other forms of
energy may be reduced for the purposes of aggregation. Standard fuel for the purposes of
European Economic Community statistics is considered to have a heat value of 7,000 kcal/kg.

Electricity
The basic unit of electric power is the watt (W), with the kilowatt-hour (kWh) as the derivative of
most importance.
1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3,412.14 Btu = 859.845 kcal = 3,600 kJ
See note to Table 4.
Liquid Fuels
In the case of liquids fuels, the actual calorific value of the particular fuel under consideration
should be used where possible for conversions to other units, for example when calculating the
natural gas equivalent of some specific application. For more general conversions, refer to Table 1.
Standard Reference Fuels

To convert different types and grades of fuel to a common basis for the purposes of presentation or
comparison, it is the practice to express them in terms of some standard unit of a defined calorific
value, for example:
Barrel of Oil Equivalent (b.o.e.), with a heat content of 5.8 x 106 Btu gross
Tons of Oil Equivalent (t.o.e.), simply a hypothetical "ton of oil" with an average heating value of
43 x 106 Btu gross.
Oil equivalents may, if required, also be expressed in terms of standard fuel oil equivalent with a
calorific value of 41.4 x 106 Btu per ton gross, i.e., 18,500 Btu/lb x 2,240.
Metric Tonne Coal Equivalent (t.c.e.), with a heat content of 27.337 x 106 Btu gross, i.e., 12,400
Btu/lb x 2,204.62.
The heat values of these different units and conversions between them are given in Table 3,
together with natural gas equivalents.

Weight of Water per Cubic Feet at Various Temperatures

Engineering Constants

Mensuration Units

Minutes to Decimal Hours Conversion Table

How to Compare Costs of Gas and Alternate Fuels

Growing shortage of natural gas prompts consideration of practical replacements, including coal,
heavy fuel oil, middle distillates and LPG
Conversion from natural gas to other fuels has progress from possibility for many others in months
and years ahead.
Fuels considered practical replacements for gas include coal, heavy fuel oils, middle distillates
(such as kerosine-type turbo fuel and burner fuel oils) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
To compare relative costs of fuels, the quoted prices normally are converted to the price per
million British therm units (Btu). The HHV being the higher (gross) heating value of the fuel, the
following equations may be used.

Typical Characteristaics of Fuel Oils