Chapter 2

Processes and Process

Variables
 Processes
Any operation or series of operations by which a particular objective is accomplished.

Process Unit

Input/feed
Process variables
T, P, ρ, ν, m,…

Output/product
 Processes Variables

Mass and Volume Temperature

Specific Volume, ν Temperature Scale
Specific Gravity, SG
Density, ρ

Flow Rate Pressure

Mass Flow Rate Fluid Pressure
Volumetric Flow Rate Hydrostatic Pressure
Hydrostatic Head
Atmospheric, Absolute, Gauge Pressure
Chemical Composition
Moles
Molecular weight
Mass Fractions
Mole Fractions
Average Molecular Weight
Concentration
ppm/ppb
 Mass and Volume
Density, ρ Specific volume, ν

Definition Mass per unit volume of Definition Volume occupied by a unit

substance mass of the substance
Formula m Formula V 1
  
m 
V
Unit kg/m3, g/cm3, lbm/ft3 Unit m3/kg, cm3/g, ft3/lbm

Specific Gravity, SG

Definition The ratio of the density of the substance to the density of a reference at
a specific condition (e.g. ref = H2O @ 4.0 oC)

Formula SG   ref   H 2 O @ 4C  1g / cm3  1000kg / m3  62.43lbm / ft 3
 ref
Unit -
 Flow Rate
The rate at which a material is transported through a process line.

 
Mass Flow Rate, m Volumetric Flow Rate, V
Definition Mass of a material Definition Volume occupied by a unit
transported every second mass of the substance
pass thrrough Formula V 1

 
Formula m 
m
  Unit m3/h, cm3/s, ft3/s
V
Unit kg/h, g/s, lbm/s
 Chemical Composition
Atomic weight

Definition Mass of an atom on a scale that assigns 12C, a mass of exactly 12.

Molecular weight

Definition The sum of the atomic weights of the atoms that constitute a
molecule of the compound

g-mole

Definition The amount of species whose mass in grams is numerically equal to

its molecular weight.

If MW of substance A = M, then there are M kg/kmol or M g/mol or M lbm/lb-mole

Concentration

Mass concentration
Definition Mass of a component per unit volume of mixture

Unit g/cm3, lbm/ft3, kg/in3

Molar concentration
Definition Number of moles of a component per unit volume of
mixture
Unit kmol/cm3, lb-moles/ft3

Molarity
Definition The value of molar concentration of the solute
expressed in g-moles solute/liter solution
Unit Molar
Mass Fraction

Definition mass _ of _ A  kg A g lbmA 

xA   or A or 
total _ mass  kgtotal g total lbmtotal 

Mole Fraction

Definition moles _ of _ A  kmol A mol A lb  moles A 

yA   or or 
total _ moles  kmoltotal moltotal lb  moletotal 

Average Molecular Weight

Definition M  y1M 1  y2 M 2  ....  yM i

all _ components
i

1 x x xi
 1  2  ... 
M M1 M 2

all _ components M i
Part per Million and Part per Billion

Definition Unit to express the concentrations of trace species in mixtures of

gases or liquids.
Formula
ppmi  yi 106 yi is the fraction of component
i (mole or mass)
ppbi  yi  109
 Pressure
The ratio of a force to the area on which the force acts

Fluid Pressure

Definition The ratio of F/A where F is the minimum force that would have to
be exerted on a frictionless plug in the hole to keep the fluid from
emerging.
Formula F
P
A
Unit N/m2, dynes/cm2, lbf/in2, psi

A (m2)

F (N)
Hydrostatic Pressure

Definition The force F exerted on the base divided by the base area A
Formula F
P
A
or P  P0  gh
Unit N/m2, dynes/cm2, lbf/in2, psi

Po (N/m2)
A (m2)

P (N/m2) Fluid density

h (m) ρ (kg/m3)
Atmospheric, Absolute, Gauge Pressure

Pabsolute  Pgauge  Patmospheric

 Temperature
Relationship between temperature scales

T ( K )  T (C )  273.15
T ( R)  T ( F )  459.67
T ( R)  1.8T ( K )
T ( F )  1.8T (C )  32