Lecture (2)

Temperature and its conversions

Temperature: is a measure of the energy of the molecules in a system. Four types of

temperature is usually used:

Celsius (0C): is a relative temperature scale with zero degree being the freezing point of an
air-water mixture.

Fahrenheit (0F) is a relative scale with 32 degrees being the freezing point of an air-water
mixture.

Kelvin (K): is an absolute temperature scale based on zero degrees being the lowest possible
temperature we believe can exist.

Rankine (0R): is an absolute temperature scale related to degrees Fahrenheit based on zero
degrees being the lowest possible temperature we believe can exist.

Standard conditions of temperature: 0 0C, 32 0F, 273.15 K, 459.67 0R.

Temperature conversion:
Lecture (2)

Example: Convert 100 0C to: (a) K, (b) 0F, (c) 0R

∆𝐾
𝑇𝐾 = 100 ℃ + 273 ∗ ℃ = 373 𝐾
℃
∆℉
𝑇℉ = 32 + 1.8 𝑇 = 212 ℉
∆℃ ℃

𝑇 °
𝑅 = 𝑇℉ + 460 = 212 + 460 = 672 °𝑅
Lecture (2)

Pressure and its conversion

Pressure: is the normal (perpendicular) force per unit area that a fluid exerts on a surface.
The units of pressure is pascal which is N/m2

*In figure below pressure is exerted on the top of the cylinder of mercury by the
atmosphere, and on the bottom of the cylinder itself by the mercury, including the effect of
the atmosphere.

*The pressure at the bottom of the static (unmoving) column of mercury exerted on the
sealing plate is given by:

Where:

P=pressure at the bottom of the column of the fluid.

F= force.

A=area.

ρ= density of fluid.

g= acceleration of gravity.

h= height of fluid column.

P0= pressure at the bottom of the column of the fluid

Measurement of Pressure: Pressure like temperature can be expressed using either

absolute or relative scale which depeends on the nature of the instrument used to make the
measurements.
Lecture (2)

*In the figure below for an open end manometer it would measure relative (gauge)
pressure, since the refrence for the open end is the pressure of the atmosphere at the end
of the manometer.

*On the other hand closing off the open end of the manomeer and creating a vacuum in
that end results in a measurement against a complee vacuum or against no pressure.

Absolute pressure

The definition of absolute pressure is the pressure of having no matter inside a space, or a
perfect vacuum. Measurements taken in absolute pressure use this absolute zero as their
reference point. Thus it provides a precise invariable value that can be readily identified.
The best example of an absolute referenced pressure is the measurement of barometric
pressure.
Lecture (2)

Figure: represents a mercury barometer.

Gauge pressure

The most common pressure reference is gauge pressure which is signified by a ‘g’ after the
pressure unit e.g. 30 psig. Gauge pressure is measured in relation to ambient atmospheric
pressure. Changes of the atmospheric pressure due to weather conditions or altitude
directly influence the output of a gauge pressure sensor. A gauge pressure higher than
ambient pressure is referred to as positive pressure.

Bourdon gauge: normally measures relative pressure. The pressure sensing device in
Bourdon gauge is a thin metal tube with an elliptical cross-section closed at one end that
has been bent into an arc. As the pressure increases at the open end of the tube, it tries to
straighten out and the movement of the tube is converted into a dial movement by gears
and levers.
Lecture (2)

Figure: shows Bourdon gauge pressure measuring devices.

Vacuum pressure

If the measured pressure is below atmospheric pressure it is called negative or vacuum

gauge pressure. Thus a pressure sensing device for vacuum system is commonly used in an
apparatus that operates at pressure less than atmospheric such as vacuum filter.

Slandered atmosphere: it is defined as the pressure in a (standard gravitational field)

equivalent to 1 atm or 760 mm Hg at 0 0C or other equivalent value. It’s an extremely useful
tool in converting from one system of pressure measurement to another.

*The standard atmosphere may not equal the barometric pressure in any part of the world
except perhaps at sea level therefore it should not be confused with barometric pressure.

Expressed in various units, the standard atmosphere is equal to:

• 1.00 atmospheres (atm)

• 33.91 feet of water (ft H2O)
• 14.7 (14.696 more exactly) pounds force per square inch absolute (psia)
Lecture (2)

• 29.92 (29.921 more exactly) inches of mercury (in.Hg)

• 760.0 millimetres of mercury (mmHg)
• 1.0132* 105 pascal (Pa) or newtons per square meter (N/m2); or 101.32 kPa

Example: What is the equivalent pressure to 60 Gpa in:

Example: The pressure gauge on a tank of CO2 used to fill soda-water bottles reads 51.0 psi.
At the same time the barometer reads 28.0 in. Hg. What is the absolute pressure in the tank
in psia?
Lecture (2)

Example: Small animals such as mice can live (although not comfortably) at reduced air
pressure down to 20 kPa absolute. In a test, a mercury manometer attached to a tank reads
64.5 cm Hg and the barometer reads 100 kPa. Will the mice survive?

Example: Air is flowing through a duct under a draft of 4 cm H2O. The barometer indicates
that the atmospheric pressure is 730 mmHg. What is the absolute pressure of the air in
inches of mercury?
Lecture (2)