Examples of conversions

2. Convert 340 mm Hg pressure to inch of water and kilo Pascal

1atm=760 mm 1atm =33.91ft water column 1 ft=12 inch 1atm=101.325 kPa

1𝑎𝑡𝑚 33.91𝑓𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 12 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ 340×33.91×12
Therefore 340 mm Hg= 340 mmHg = =182 inch
760𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 1𝑎𝑡𝑚 1𝑓𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 760
water
1𝑎𝑡𝑚 101.325 𝑘𝑃𝑎 340×101.325
340 mm Hg= 340 mmHg 760𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 = =45.33 kPa
1𝑎𝑡𝑚 760

3. Find the equivalent of 35 psi in inches of mercury

1atm=14.7 psi, 1atm=29.92 inch Hg

1𝑎𝑡𝑚 29.92 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ 𝐻𝑔
35 psi= 35psi14.7𝑝𝑠𝑖 =71.24 inch Hg
1𝑎𝑡𝑚

4. The thermal conductivity of aluminium is 117 Btu/ hr ft °F. Find the value of thermal
conductivity in w/ m°C

1Btu=252 cal 1cal=4.187 J W=J / s 1hr=3600 s 1C=1.8° F 1C= 1K

252𝑐𝑎𝑙 4.187 𝐽 1ℎ𝑟 1 𝑓𝑡 1 𝑖𝑛 100 𝑐𝑚 1.8 𝐹
117 Btu/ hr ft°F= 117 Btu/hr ft°F = 1.731 W/ mK
1𝐵𝑡𝑢 1𝑐𝑎𝑙 3600𝑠 12𝑖𝑛 2.54𝑐𝑚 1𝑚 1𝐶

5. The value of heat transfer coefficient is given as 396 Btu/hrft2°F. What is its value in
kcal/m2hr°C
1𝑘𝑐𝑎𝑙 1.8°𝐹
396 Btu/hrft2°F = 396 Btu/hrft2 °x252cal/1Btu x12ft2/0.30482m2 =1933.474
1000𝑐𝑎𝑙 1°𝐶
kcal/m2hr°C

6. Find the Btu equivalent of kWh

1kWh=1000 Wh 1W=J/s 1hr=3600 s 1cal=4.187 J 1Btu=252 cal

1000𝑊 𝐽 3600 𝑠 1 𝑐𝑎𝑙 1𝐵𝑡𝑢
1 kWh= 1 kWh = 3411.3676 Btu
1𝑘𝑊 1𝑊 𝑠 1ℎ𝑟 4.187 𝐽 252𝑐𝑎𝑙

7. The mass velocity of a fluid is 5 kg/m2s. Convert this to lb/ft2min

1kg=1000gm 1lb=454 gm 1ft= 0.3048 m 1min= 60 s

5 kg/m2s= 5 kg/m2s x 1000gm/1kg x 1lb/ 454gm x 0.30482m2 /12ft2 x 60s/1min =61.389673

lb/ft2min

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 Converting equations
For the unit conversion of equations convert the units of different quantities one by one and
obtain a relation between the quantities in the old and new system of units. Then substitute the
new quantity in the original equation and simplify to get the equation suitable for new system of
units.

8. The heat transfer coefficient is given by the correlation

h= α CpG0.8/ D0.2 =16.6 CpG0.8/ D0.2 where Cp- the heat capacity, Btu/ lb°F, D- internal
diameter of pipe, inch , G mass velocity, lb/ft2 s , h- heat transfer coefficient Btu/ hr ft2 °F

If the equation is written in the new unit system as h’= α’ Cp’G’0.8/ D’0.2;

Where Cp ’ is the heat capacity, kcal/ kg° C D- internal diameter of pipe, cm G -mass
2 2
velocity, kg/m s h -heat transfer coefficient kcal/ hr m ° C find the value of the constant

1Btu=252 cal = 0.252 kcal 1ft=0.3048 m 1inch= 2.54 cm 1lb=454 gm = 0.454 kg

1°C=1.8°F

Heat capacity:

Cp Btu/lb°F= Cp’ kcal/kg°C

1 btu = 252 cal = 252 cal*1kcal/1000cal =0.252 kcal

1 kg = 1 kg * (1000g/1kg)*(1lb/454g) = 2.2lb
𝑘𝑐𝑎𝑙 1𝐵𝑡𝑢 0.454 𝑘𝑔 1𝐶
= Cp’ 𝑘𝑔 𝐶 = 1Cp’
0.252𝑘𝑐𝑎𝑙 1 𝑙𝑏 1.8𝐹

Mass velocity:

G lb/ft2s = G’ kg/ m2s

1 𝑙𝑏
= G’ kg/m2s 0.454𝑘𝑔 (0.3048)2m2/ 12ft2 = 0.2046 G’

G0.8 = (0.2046G’)0.8 = 0.2813 G’0.8

Internal diameter:

D inch = D’ Cm
1 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ
= D’ Cm 2.54 𝐶𝑚 =D’0.3937

D0.2 = (0.3937D’)0.2 = 0.8299D’0.2

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Heat transfer coefficient:

h Btu/hr ft2F= h’ kcal/ hr m2 0C

1000 𝑐𝑎𝑙 1𝐵𝑡𝑢 1𝐶
= h’ kcal/hrm2c 0.30482m2/1ft2 1.8𝐹 = h’ 0.2048
1𝑘𝑐𝑎𝑙 252𝑐𝑎𝑙

Substituting in the original equation

0.2048h’=16.6 Cp’ (0.2813)G’0.8/ 0.8299D’0.2 16.6*0.2813/(0.8299*0.2048)

h’=27.5 Cp’G’0.8/ D’0.2, kcal/ hr m2C

9. The conductance of a fluid flow system is computed from the relation

𝑻
𝑪 = 𝟖𝟗. 𝟐 𝑨 √
𝑴

C= 89.2 A 𝐶 = 8.92 𝐴 √𝑇/𝑀

𝐶 = 8.92 𝐴 √𝑇/𝑀

ft3/s where A is the area of opening, ft2 T- the temperature, R , M is the molecular weight.
Convert the empirical equation in to SI units

Let C’, A’ and T’ be the conductance, area of opening and temperature in m3/s, m2, and K
respectively

Conductance Cft3/s=C’m3/s

𝒇𝒕𝟑 ′
𝒎𝟑 𝟑. 𝟐𝟖𝟎𝟖𝟒 𝒇𝒕 𝟑 𝒇𝒕𝟑 𝒇𝒕𝟑
𝑪 = 𝑪 ( ) = 𝟑. 𝟐𝟖𝟎𝟖𝟒𝟑 𝑪′ = 𝟑𝟓. 𝟑𝟏 𝑪′
𝒔 𝒔 𝟏𝒎 𝒔 𝒔
=C’m3/s x 1003cm3/13m3 x 13ft3/30.483cm3 =35.31467 ft3/s

Area

Aft2=A’m2

𝟐 ′
𝟑. 𝟐𝟖𝟎𝟖𝟒 𝒇𝒕 𝟐
𝟐
𝑨 𝒇𝒕 = 𝑨 𝒎 ( ) = 𝟑. 𝟐𝟖𝟎𝟖𝟒𝟐 𝑨′ 𝒇𝒕𝟐 = 𝟏𝟎. 𝟕𝟔𝟒 𝑨′ 𝒇𝒕𝟐
𝟏𝒎
=A’m2 x 1002cm2/12 m2 x12ft2/30.482cm2 = 10.76391A’

Temperature

T°R=T’K=T’K x1.8°R/K = 1.8T’

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 𝟎
𝟏. 𝟖 𝟎 𝑹
′
𝑻 𝑹= 𝑻 𝑲 ( ) = 𝟏. 𝟖 𝑻′ 𝟎 𝑹
𝟏𝑲

Molecular weight is same in all units. Substituting the different quantities

35.31467C’=89.2x10.76391A’√1.8𝑇 ′ /𝑀

′ ′√
𝟏. 𝟖 𝑻′
𝟑𝟏. 𝟑𝟒 𝑪 = 𝟖𝟗. 𝟐 × 𝟏𝟎. 𝟕𝟔𝟒 𝑨 →
𝑴

𝟖. 𝟐𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎. 𝟕𝟔𝟒 × √𝟏. 𝟖 ′ 𝑻′ 𝒎𝟑 𝑻′ 𝒎𝟑

𝑪′ = 𝑨√ = 𝟑𝟔. 𝟒𝟖 √
𝟑𝟏. 𝟑𝟒 𝑴 𝒔 𝑴 𝒔

=36.4767 √𝑇 ′ /𝑀 , m3/s

10. The heat capacity equation for carbon dioxide is as follows

Cp=6.339+10.14x10-3 TK - 3.415x10-6TK2 where Cp is the heat capacity ,cal/ mol K and TK

is the temperature in degree Kelvin. It is desired to transform the equation in to a new
form where CP’ is the heat capacity in Btu/lb° F and temperature tF° is in Fahrenheit scale.

1Btu=252 cal 1°C=1K 1.8°F=1°C

T K = (tf+460) / 1.8

(𝒕𝑭 + 𝟒𝟔𝟎)
𝑻𝑲 =
𝟏. 𝟖
Heat capacity

𝑪𝒑 = 𝟔. 𝟑𝟑𝟗 + 𝟏𝟎. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 𝑻𝑲 − 𝟑. 𝟒𝟏𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟔 𝑻𝟐𝑲

Cp cal/ mol °C =Cp’ Btu/lb°F

= Cp’ Btu/lb°F x252cal/1Btu x 1lb/454g x 44g/mol x 1.8°F/1°C= 43.96Cp’

𝑩𝒕𝒖 𝟐𝟓𝟐 𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝟏 𝒍𝒃 𝟒𝟒𝒈 𝟏. 𝟖 𝟎 𝑭

𝑪𝒑 = 𝑪′𝒑 ( )( )( )
𝒍𝒃 𝟎 𝑭 𝟏 𝑩𝒕𝒖 𝟒𝟓𝟒 𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒍 𝟏𝑲

𝟐𝟓𝟐 × 𝟒𝟒 × 𝟏. 𝟖 ′ 𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒂𝒍

= 𝑪𝒑 = 𝟒𝟑. 𝟗𝟔 𝑪′𝒑
𝟒𝟓𝟒 𝒎𝒐𝒍 𝑲 𝒎𝒐𝒍 𝑲
Substituting the quantities

Cp’=1/44[6.339+10.14x10-3 [(tf+460) / 1.8]-3.416x10-6 [(tf+460) / 1.8]2

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 𝟏 (𝒕𝑭 + 𝟒𝟔𝟎) (𝒕𝑭 + 𝟒𝟔𝟎) 𝟐
𝑪′𝒑 = (𝟔. 𝟑𝟑𝟗 + 𝟏𝟎. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎 −𝟑 −𝟔
− 𝟑. 𝟒𝟏𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎 [ ] )
𝟒𝟒 𝟏. 𝟖 𝟏. 𝟖

𝟔. 𝟑𝟑𝟗 𝟏𝟎. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 × 𝟒𝟔𝟎 𝟑. 𝟒𝟏𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟔 × 𝟒𝟔𝟎𝟐

𝑪′𝒑 = ( + − )
𝟒𝟒 𝟏. 𝟖 × 𝟒𝟒 𝟏. 𝟖𝟐 × 𝟒𝟒
𝟏𝟎. 𝟏𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 𝟑. 𝟒𝟏𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟔 × 𝟐 × 𝟒𝟔 𝟑. 𝟒𝟏𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟔 𝟐 𝑩𝒕𝒖
+( − ) 𝒕 𝑭 − 𝒕
𝟏. 𝟖 × 𝟒𝟒 𝟏. 𝟖𝟐 × 𝟒𝟒 𝟏. 𝟖𝟐 × 𝟒𝟒 𝑭 𝒍𝒃 𝟎 𝑭

𝑩𝒕𝒖
𝑪′𝒑 = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟖𝟐 + 𝟏. 𝟎𝟓𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟒 𝒕𝑭 − 𝟐. 𝟑𝟗𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟖 𝒕𝑭 𝟐
𝒍𝒃 𝟎 𝑭

Cp’= 0.19782+1.059x10-4 tf -2.395x10-8 tf2

11. Vapor pressure of water P in units of mm Hg is given as a function of temperature T, °

C by the following equation

logP= 7.96681- 1668.21/ T+228 convert this equation to get vapor pressure in bar as a function
of temperature, K

P mm Hg=P’ bar

= P’ bar x 760 mmHg/1.01325 bar=750 p’

T °C=TK-273

Substituting the quantities in the original equation

Log (750P’) =7.9668 - 1668.21/ TK-273+228 =5.0917 – 1668.21 / TK-45