Thermodynamics of higher hydrocarbons

Higher hydrocarbons are steam reformed according to Reaction R5 in Table 1.2. In natural gas mixtures and light hydrocarbon mixtures the components are identified as such, but in heavier hydrocarbon feedstocks such as naphthas, kerosene and diesel, the chemical compounds and composition are usually unknown. Instead, such mixtures are characterised by the following measurements  

Except for the LHV, no reaction properties are thus measured. Correlations are available to estimate reaction properties using conventional refinery pseudo-component characterisation methods, but it is advantageous to calculate a mixture of real chemical compounds, which represent the measurements, as well as possible to be able to calculate accurate mass and energy balances over the plant. 

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