A consumer fills up their car's tank at a gas station. To understand the amount of fuel (in kg) being pumped into a
car, the company needs to convert the fuel's volume (typically measured in liters at the pump) into mass, which can
be important for logistical reasons, such as transportation limits or fuel pricing based on weight.
a) An average tank in a standard car is 50L. Estimate the mass (kg) of gasoline in a full tank. At 15°C and latm,
gasoline's specific gravity is approximately 0.70.
At the refinery, gasoline is produced and pumped into transportation vessels. Understanding both the mass and
volumetric flow rates helps engineers optimize the throughput of fuel for shipping and storage, and ensures that tanks
are filled within a certain time frame.
b) The mass flow rate of gasoline exiting a refinery tank is 1150 kg/min. Estimate the volumetric flow rate in
liters/s.
A refinery might blend gasoline with kerosene to create a specific type of fuel for certain applications, such as aviation
or specialized industrial uses. Knowing the correct blending ratios ensures that the final product meets the desired
specifications, such as a specific gravity.
c) Gasoline and kerosene (specific gravity = 0.82) are blended to obtain a mixture with a specific gravity of
0.78. Calculate the volumetric ratio (volume of gasoline/volume of kerosene) of the two compounds in the
mixture, assuming $V_{blend} = V_{gasoline} + V_{kerosene}$.
