Experimental Liquid Densities of Red Palm Oil at Pressures up to 150 MPa from (312 to 352) K and Dynamic Viscosities at 0.1 MPa from (293 to 353) K

Density and viscosity are fundamental properties necessary for processing of red palm oil (RPO). The main fatty acid constituents of RPO were determined to be palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1), and linoleic acid (C18:2). Rheology measurements confirmed that RPO behaved as a Newtonian fluid. Viscosities and atmospheric densities of RPO were measured at 0.1 MPa and (293 K to 413) K and correlated with the Rodenbush model (0.05% deviation). Dynamic viscosities of RPO were correlated with the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann model (0.06% deviation) and Doolittle free volume model (0.04% deviation). High-pressure densities of RPO were measured at (10 to 150) MPa and (312 to 352) K. The Tait equation could correlate the high-pressure densities of RPO to within 0.021% deviation and was used to estimate the thermal expansion as 5.1 x 10-4 K-1 (at 312 K, 150 MPa) to 4.8 x 10-4 K-1 (at 352 K, 150 MPa) and isothermal compressibility as 7.3 x 10-4 MPa-1 (at 352 K, 0.1 MPa) to 3.5 x 10-4 MPa-1 (at 352 K, 150 MPa). Parameters for the perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory equation of state were determined and gave an average of 0.143% deviation in density. The data and equations developed should be useful in high-pressure food processing as well as in applications considering vegetable oils as heat transfer fluids or as lubricants.