GAS/VAPOR: Indefinite expansion is the main property of gas.

If the temperature of the

gas is above its critical point, it cannot be converted into liquid. Only if the temperature of
the gas is below its critical point, it can be converted into liquid.

BOILING: It is an action where the state of liquid is changed into a vapor or gas.

BOILING TEMPERATURE: The temperature at which the liquid starts boiling is called
boiling temperature. Boiling takes place when the vapor pressure of the liquid becomes
equal or greater than the atmospheric pressure. The boiling temperature of water is +100°C
and that of methane is -163°C. When the pressure increases, there is a rise in the boiling
temperature. So, the atmospheric pressure is normally used for the boiling temperature.

EVAPORATION: The process where the liquid is converted into vapor is called
evaporation. This conversion is done using the latent heat. When evaporation occurs, the
vapor over the liquid will start escaping and pressure in the container decrease. Continuous
evaporation results in uninterrupted withdrawal of vapor and ultimately it results in
continuous heat loss i.e., cooling.

LATENT HEAT: It is the heat that changes the state of an object by keeping its
temperature constant. In order to alter 1 gm of ice into water, 80 calories are required. In
order to alter 1 gm of water into steam, 539 calories are required. Based on the
temperature and pressure, the value of latent heat of vaporization will differ.

SENSIBLE HEAT: It is the heat that changes the temperature of an object without making
any changes in its state. The temperature of 1 gm of water can be increased by 1°C using 1
calorie.

MOLE: The unit of measurement of amount of gas is referred as Mole. The molecular weight
of gas in grams or pounds is used for referring to its weight. One mole of an atom or a
molecule contains Avogadro’s number of particles.

The Avogadro's hypothesis is closely connected to the mole concept. It states that, at a
constant temperature and pressure, the volume and mole of the gas are in direct
proportion.

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE: It is the pressure exerted by the atmospheric air above the
earth’s surface calculated at the mean sea level. 1012.5 millibars is the standard
measurement of atmospheric pressure, with respect to 760 mm or 29.90 inches of mercury.
This pressure changes are based on the place and time.

ABSOLUTE PRESSURE: The pressure that occurs above a vacuum is called absolute
pressure.
GAUGE PRESSURE: The pressure that occurs above one atmosphere is called as gauge
pressure. The sum of gauge pressure and one atmosphere gives the absolute pressure.

CRITICAL TEMPERATURE: It is a particular temperature above which only gas or vapor

exists. We can liquefy a gas only below this temperature. When the temperature increases,
the saturated vapor pressure increases and the density of liquid decreases. So, more
atmospheres of pressure are required to change the vapor into that liquid provided that the
density of the liquid and vapor are same. When this phase is reached, there is no contrast
between the vapor and liquid states. The liquid and vapor states alter into each other freely.
The latent heat value is decreased to zero and the liquefaction occurs with the rise in
temperature and no change in the pressure. The vapor is then referred to as gas.
ABSOLUTE TEMPERATURE: At -273°C or absolute zero, the volume of a gas decreases to
nothing as per Charles's Law. This temperature of -273°C [or 0 Kelvin] gives absolute
temperature.

ADIABATIC CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE: The temperature of a gas or a vapor increases

when it is compressed. The temperature decreases when it is expanded. This process is
called as adiabatic process. This process is used in the compression-ignition engines.

VAPORISATION: The conversion of a liquid state into a vapor state is called vaporization.

VAPOR: The state of gas at the temperature below its critical point is called vapor. The
vapor can be converted into liquid state through condensation.

SUPER SATURATED VAPOR: Condensation occurs when the pressure of the vapor in a
container is raised. The vapor remains in a supersaturated state till the condensation
process is over.

UNDER SATURATED VAPOR: The super saturation in the reverse manner is called as
under saturated vapor.

FILLING OF CARGO TANKS: The correct maximum volume of liquid to load in a cargo
tank is such a quantity that after allowance for the product to warm up and expand to a
temperature the saturated vapour pressure of which would lift the safety valves, 2 per cent.
of the space would remain. A tank so filled is described as Full. A tank filled above this level
is described as Overfull. A tank completely filled with liquid is described as one hundred per
cent.

FLASHOVER: Firefighting on board ships differs from firefighting ashore in that allowance
has to be made for the fact that the metal with which a ship is constructed, conducts heat
to a far greater extent than normal shore building materials. The result is that a fire on
board ship tends to spread horizontally as well as vertically. If the temperature of
combustible material in a compartment adjacent to one where a fierce fire is burning, is
raised to above its ignition temperature (q.v.), that material will ignite spontaneously (auto
ignition), so spreading the fire from one compartment into another, through a bulkhead,
without a spark or flame being directly involved. Such a means of a fire spreading is termed
a flash-over.

Flammable or Explosive Mixture: Petroleum as a liquid does not burn. At ordinary

temperatures, it gives off vapour, which when mixed within certain proportions with air, will
burn. The lowest proportion of petroleum vapour in air mixture, which will burn, is termed
lower explosive limit (L.E.L.) and the strongest mixture that will burn is termed upper
explosive limit (U.E.L.). The flammable mixtures between the lower and upper explosive
limits are called the explosive range. A mixture of vapour in air weaker than the L.E.L. is
described as too lean or over-lean whilst a mixture of vapour in air stronger than the U.E.L.
is described as too rich or over-rich. Mixtures outside the explosive range will not burn, the
words explosive and flammable within this context being virtually synonymous.

Flash Point: This is the lowest temperature at which a flammable mixture of air and vapour
will burn when exposed to a naked flame. Ignition Temperature: This is the temperature at
which a flammable mixture of vapour and air will ignite spontaneously (without being
exposed to a naked flame). The operation of a diesel engine depends upon this effect.
HEEL: This is the small quantity of liquid remaining
pump out, but which is used to assist in keeping
(unloaded) passage, and is usually carried over to
the vessel will be changing grades or gas freeing,
this heel to the absolute minimum.
after discharge which it is impossible to
the cargo tank cold during the ballast
the next loading. When it is know that
every effort should be made to reduce

LIQUID CARRY OVER: This occurs when vapour moves swiftly over the surface of a liquid
and droplets of liquid become entrained with the vapour and are carried over with it. It is
the entrained droplets of lubricating oil that are recovered in the lubricating oil separator
trap of the compressor, and entrained liquid droplets which cause wet suction on a
compressor.

SPAN GAS: This is a laboratory-measured mixture of gases used for the purpose of
calibrating gas detectors. In gas tankers, the mixture is usually 30 per cent. L.E.L. of the
product mixed with pure nitrogen.

STRATIFICATION: This is the layering effect of two gases or vapours with dissimilar
densities, the lighter vapour floating above the heavier.

Batch Vaporisation: This is the method of evaporation whereby vapour is withdrawn from
the top of a tank, causing the liquid in the tank to boil, with a consequent drop in
temperature. With a mixture of products such as butane and propane, the more volatile
element tends to evaporate first, so that the proportions comprising the mixture will change
and after a time one is left with almost pure butane. This process of altering a mixture in a
tank due to the volatile constituent evaporating first is called "weathering". However, batch
vaporisation is the simplest method and because, in L.P.G. tankers, the vapour which has
been withdrawn is condensed into a liquid and returned to the tank, there is no tendency to
alter the constituents of the mixture, so this is used as a method of refrigeration.

Flash Vaporisation: This is the method whereby liquid is withdrawn from the bottom of
the tank and evaporated in a vaporising unit. In this method, the constituents of a mixture
remain fairly constant, as does the temperature of the product in the tank.

Supersaturated Vapour: If the vapour pressure in a container is rapidly increased,

condensation will take place, but until the process of condensation has been completed, the
vapour will be supersaturated.

Undersaturated Vapour: This is super-saturation in reverse.

Superheated Vapour: In the absence of liquid to continue the evaporating process and so
keep the vapour saturated, the vapour temperature can be raised to well above the
temperature corresponding to that at which the vapour would be saturated at the pressure
concerned. Any superheated vapour would have no tendency to condense. This property is
used particularly with steam. The saturated steam coming from the boilers is heated further
in the superheater to prevent condensation taking place in the engine.

VAPOUR RETURN LINE: This is a balancing pipeline between the ship when loading (or
discharging) and the shore tank, so that the vapour trapped in the space above the
incoming liquid, and therefore being compressed, is returned to the shore tank from which
the product is being discharged.
WET SUCTION: This occurs when liquid droplets are carried over into the compressor
suction, and get sucked into the compressor. It can only take place if the vapour at the
compressor suction is at or near saturation. On the compression stroke, the adiabatic
increase in temperature is used up evaporating the liquid droplets which have been sucked
into the cylinder, resulting in a dramatic drop in the discharge temperature. The
temperature of the cylinder head falls and in extreme cases can become covered with ice.
Wet suction frequently causes damage to the compressor suction and discharge valves, and
in extreme cases, where too much unevaporated liquid collects in the cylinder, can cause
the cylinder head to be shattered.

ZERO GAS: This is pure nitrogen used to calibrate the zero reading of gas detectors