Talk:K factor (crude oil refining)

This article should either be deleted or split into two different articles

The article as now written is completely confusing. The K factor known as the characterization factor (also known as the UOP K factor) is a systematic way of classifying a petroleum crude oil according to its paraffinic, naphthenic, intermediate or aromatic nature ... as clearly stated in the article's current lead-in paragraph. That subject is indeed worthy of being expanded into a WP article.

However, the very next paragraph (as the article is now written) introduces the K factor concept that is used for calculating the head loss (i.e., the pressure loss) of fluids flowing through piping components such as elbows, tees, reducers, etc. That subject is also worthy of being expanded into a WP article ... but it is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT which has absolutely nothing to do with the K factor known as the characterization factor. Also:

• The fact that the the two K factors are completely unrelated is not stated or explained. In fact, as the article is now written, the unknowledgeable reader will quite probably be led to believe that the two K factors are one and the same or related in some way.
• The equation presented for the K factor used to calculate head losses in piping components is written incorrectly. The correct version is shown below.
• The reader is also led to believe that the k factor is utilized to calculate piping head losses predominately in the petroleum oil and gas industries. That is not true. It is used in any facility that utilizes piping to transfer liquids from one point to another point.

The correct equation for using K factors to calculate head losses is:

∆h = K v ²/ 2g

where, when using the customary U.S. units:

∆h = head loss in feet of fluid

K = the frictional coefficient

  v = the fluid velocity in ft/s

  g = acceleration due to gravity = 32.17 ft/s²

where, when using the SI metric units:

∆h = head loss in metres of fluid

K = the frictional coefficient

  v = the fluid velocity in m/s

  g = acceleration due to gravity = 9.81 m/s²

It would be very much better to split this stub article into two separate articles and I so propose that it be done. mbeychok (talk) 07:35, 17 January 2013 (UTC)

comment

I believe that

The K factor or characterization factor is defined from Rankine boiling temperature °R=1.8Tb[k] and relative to water density ρ at 60°F:

should be replaced by

The K factor or characterization factor is defined from Rankine boiling temperature Tb[°R]=1.8Tb[K] and relative to water density ρ at 60°F:

with the b as downscript in Tb - I am aged and ill, I do not know how write Tb in this way.

More important, I arrived here checking the Watson factor in the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical terms. I do not understand how Google found this article, since it does not contain the name Watson, so I suggest to state that this item is also known as Watson factor.

151.29.137.229 (talk) 11:24, 17 September 2023 (UTC)