Densities of Vegetable Oils and Fatty Acids

Complete data for density as a function of temperature have been measured for a number of vegetable oils (cramhe, rapeseed, corn, soybean, milkweed, coconut, lesquerella), as well as eight fatty acids in the range CS to C,, at temperatures from above their melting points to llQ°C (23Q°F). The specific gravity and density measure mente were performed according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard test methods D 368, D 891 and D 1298 for hydrometers and a modified ASTM D 369 and D 891 for pycnometers. Correlation constants, based on the experimental data, are presented for calculating the density of fatty acids and vegetable oils in the range of temperature from 24OC (75\u27F) or the melting point of the substance, to 110\u276 (230aF). The constants are valuable for designing or evaluating such chemical process equipment 8s heat exchangers, reactors, process piping and storage tanks. Estimated density of fatty acids by a modified Rackett equation is also presented