How much will a fuel gas line that is 500 m long increase in length when carrying fuel gas at 250°C from an ambient temperature of 20°C?

To determine the increase in length of a fuel gas line due to temperature changes, it is essential to understand the concept of thermal expansion. The linear expansion of materials can be calculated using the formula:

ΔL = L0 * α * ΔT

where:

• ΔL is the change in length,

• L0 is the original length of the material,

• α is the coefficient of linear expansion (specific for the material),

• ΔT is the change in temperature.

In this case, the original length of the fuel gas line is 500 m, and the temperature change (ΔT) is from 20°C to 250°C, which is a difference of 230°C.

The coefficient of linear expansion (α) for steel (a common material for gas lines) is typically around 11 to 12 x 10^-6 /°C. For calculations, we can use a value of 12 x 10^-6 /°C for this example.

Plugging in the values:

• L0 = 500 m

• α = 12 x 10^-6 /°C

• ΔT = 250°C - 20°C = 230°C

Calculating the change in length:

ΔL