LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is essentially methane gas cooled to -160 C at which temperature it condenses to the liquid state at a few psia above atmospheric. The density of liquid methane is about half that of water being 500 kilograms per cubic meter. The LNG is transported in spherical refrigerated containers of 35,000 m^3. Ships normally
Suppose one of these containers is ruptured and the liquid methane pours into the sea.
The liquid turns to gas, and the sea water is quickly cooled, probably to the freezing point of water.
a. How much gas at standard conditions (0 C, 1 atmosphere) would be released in such an accident? (Assume ideal gas conditions. The molecular weight of methane is 16gms/mole. The gas constant R= 0.082 atm.liters/mole K.) You may remember that 1m^3=10^3 liters.
b. Assuming this gas expanded into a spherical bubble at these conditions what would the diameter of bubble be?