The evaporation of oil spills: prediction of equations using distillation data

This work follows on extensive empirical studies on the evaporation of oil and petroleum products. A study of the evaporative characteristics of 19 different crude oils and petroleum products was conducted.Best-fit equation parameters were determined for both percentage loss by time and absolute weight loss. All oils except for three (dieselfuel, FCC Heavy Cycle and Bunker C light) were found to fit logarithmic curves. The exceptions noted, fit square root curves with time for periods up to about 5 d. The equation constants were correlated with oil distillation data. The equation constants correlated highly with the percentage distilled at 180 deg.C. Using this correlation, equations were developed by which the oil evaporation can be predicted using the distillation data alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]