GASCalc 5.

0 Calculation Reference
Atmospheric Pressure
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Background Information
Equations
Example Calculation
General Calculation Procedures
Notes & Considerations
Screen Description
See Also

General Calculation Procedures

To calculate the various values associated with the atmospheric pressure calculation, complete the following steps:

! Select the Atmospheric Pressure menu item from the Gas Properties menu list. The Atmospheric Pressure
calculation screen will be displayed.

! Select the Clear command button to set all of the values to an empty (null) value.

! Select an appropriate method from the Calculation Method data list.

! Click on the red label associated with the item to be calculated (the unknown) until the label is underlined.

! Select the desired dimensional units for all of the data items.

! Enter a value for all known data items.

! Select the Calculate command button.

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Example Calculation

Calculate the atmospheric pressure value associated with an elevation of 6200 Feet [1850 Metres] above sea level
using the AGA calculation method. To perform the calculation, complete the following steps.

! Select the Atmospheric Pressure menu item from the Gas Properties menu list. The Atmospheric Pressure
calculation screen will be displayed.

! Select the Clear command button.

! From the Calculation Method list, select American Gas Association.

! In the Data Values section:

! Click on the Pressure label so that it is underlined. For the Pressure dimensional units, select Psi
(Abs) [mBar (Abs)].

! For the Elevation, enter 6200 Feet [1850 Metres].

! Select the Calculate command button.

Results - The results should be similar to the following:

Atmospheric Pressure: 11.75 Psi (Abs) [814.25 mBar (Abs)]

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Screen Description

The various values associated with the atmospheric pressure may be calculated using the Atmospheric Pressure
calculation routine. To perform a calculation, select the Atmospheric Pressure menu item from the Gas Properties
menu list. The Atmospheric Pressure screen will be displayed. The features associated with the screen are described
as follows.

Data Items

Calculation Method - A drop-down list used to select which method is to be used to perform the calculation. Select
an item from the list. The unknown value should be recalculated if the method is changed.

Elevation - A data field used to enter or display the average height above mean sea level. If the value is known, enter
a value by typing it into the data field. Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Pressure - A data field used to enter or display the atmospheric pressure value. If the value is known, enter a value
by typing it into the data field. Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Command Buttons

Calculate - A command button used to calculate the value of the unknown (underlined) parameter.

Cancel - A command button used to close the screen without saving any changes.

Clear - A command button used to set all of the data items to blank (null) values.

Close - A command button used to close the screen and save the current data values.

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Help - A command button used to display this Calculation Reference.

Notes - A command button used to display the Notes Editor for the current calculation.

Open - A command button used to open a previously saved calculation file. When selected, the File Selection screen
will be displayed. Enter or select the desired File name, then select the Open command button.

Print - A command button used to print the contents of the calculation screen. When selected, the Print Settings
screen will be displayed. Make any desired changes to the printer settings, then select the Print command button.

Save - A command button used to save the contents of the calculation screen to a calculation file. When selected,
the File Selection screen will be displayed. Enter or select the desired File name, then select the Save command
button.

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Notes & Considerations

! The Calculation Notes editor screen allows the User to add a specific title and/or notes to the current calculation
values.

! The red colored labels indicate which items may be calculated. An underlined (selected) label identifies the item
to be calculated as unknown. Only one item at a time may be selected to be calculated, the remaining items must be
known. To identify which item to calculate, click on the label associated with the desired item until the label is
underlined.

! In general, pressure values used by GASCalc are expressed in gauge or relative pressure. However, most of the
pressure related calculation routines actually require the use of absolute values. The absolute pressure is obtained
by adding the local atmospheric pressure to the gauge pressure. In these cases the atmospheric pressure value is
automatically calculated as required to satisfy the specific calculation requirements.

! Although the differences in the result of the various calculation methods are small, it is a good idea to select a
preferred method and be consistent with its use. Calculations involving very low pressures - gauge pressures whose
magnitude is less than the local atmospheric pressure - are particularly sensitive to the atmospheric pressure value.
Using a consistent atmospheric calculation method will result in consistent hydraulic calculation results.

! For calculations that require the calculation or use of an atmospheric pressure value, GASCalc allows the User to
select their preferred atmospheric pressure calculation method, as part of the calculations Base Conditions. To set
the preferred Atmospheric Pressure Calculation Method, select the Base Conditions command button on the
associated calculation screen. The selected method will only be used for that specific calculation routine. Different
methods may be used for different routines.

! To specify the number of digits to display to the right of the decimal indicator, double-click in the associated data
field. The Decimal Specifications screen will be displayed. Enter or select the desired number of digits, then select
the Apply command button to save and apply any changes.

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Background Information

As used by GASCalc, the atmospheric pressure refers to the pressure that the atmosphere exerts on an object at a
given elevation. It is similar to barometric pressure but not the same. In the GASCalc sense, atmospheric pressure
refers to hydrostatic pressure of a column of standard air above a particular point and elevation, where as
barometric pressure refers to the actual air pressure at a particular point and elevation. The barometric pressure for
a particular point and elevation changes from time to time based on the actual density of the air above the location,
where as the atmospheric pressure only changes with elevation.

The atmosphere extends from the surface of the earth to the edge of outer space. The approximate depth (or height)
of the atmosphere is about 25 Miles (132,000 Feet). At sea level the atmospheric pressure is about 14.73 Psia, this
is the pressure exerted on an object at sea level. It represents the weight of the 25 Miles of atmosphere above the
object. As an object is elevated, the amount of atmosphere above it, and therefore the weight upon it is reduced.
Because the weight of the atmosphere upon the object at its new elevation is reduced, the amount of pressure exerted
on the elevated object is also reduced.

The same holds true for changes in the geographic elevation of a gas piping system. As the elevation of the system
increases, the atmospheric pressure decreases. Gas is a compressible fluid, as such its physical properties are affected
by the amount of pressure exerted on it. As an example, a cubic foot of gas collected in a balloon at 6000 feet, will
contract to a physical volume less than the original one cubic foot when transported to a lower elevation. Why?
Because it is a compressible fluid and at the decreased elevation, the pressure exerted on the balloon is greater than
its original collection elevation, compressing the gas in the balloon. The inverse holds true for an increase in
elevation. If the balloon were to be elevated, the original physical volume of the balloon would expand because of
a decrease in the atmospheric pressure at the new, higher elevation.

When pressure is measured with a typical pressure gauge, the gauge actually measures the difference in the contained
pressure and the atmospheric pressure. So when a pressure gauge is placed on a pipeline for instance, it measures the
difference between the pressure contained inside the pipe and the atmospheric pressure on the outside of the pipe.
Most pipeline or measurement flow calculations require the use of the actual pressure, for example the actual pressure
inside of the pipeline. This value is referred to as the absolute pressure.

The absolute pressure is the sum of the gauge (measured) pressure and the atmospheric pressure at the point of
measurement.

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Because changes in atmospheric pressure affects the absolute pressure exerted on the gas, it must be accounted for
when performing most hydraulic flow calculations. GASCalc compensates for changes in atmospheric pressure by
calculating its value based on an User input elevation value, or by allowing the User to input a specific value. For
installations like a regulator or meter station, GASCalc considers a single elevation for the entire facility. For piping
features, GASCalc generally allows an elevation to be input for both ends of the pipe segment. Where significant
elevation changes are present along a pipe segment, the elevation for each pipe end should be determined and applied.
Where elevation changes are not significant, an average elevation may be determined and applied to each pipe end.

As with most calculations in the gas industry, there is no absolute consensus on the proper method of calculating the
atmospheric pressure. GASCalc supports a number of common industry used methods. All of the methods result in
values within a few tenths Psi of each other.

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Equations

The various atmospheric pressure calculation methods supported by GASCalc are described on the following pages.

American Gas Association (AGA)

Reference 2

American Society Heating Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers 2009 (ASHRAE - 2009)

Reference 1

Handbook Of Chemistry & Physics

Reference 3

International School of HydroCarbon Measurement (ISHM)

Reference 4

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International School of HydroCarbon Measurement - Modified (ISHM - Modified)

Reference 4

National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration 1976 (NOAA - 1976)

Reference 5

Equation Variables

Unless noted otherwise, the following base units and variable definitions apply to all of the methods and equations
described in this section:

E1 = Pipe Inlet (Upstream) Elevation, Feet

E2 = Pipe Outlet (Downstream) Elevation, Feet
ELEV = Average Elevation (E1 + E2)/2, Feet
PATM = Average Atmospheric Pressure, Psia

References

1. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Fundamentals, 2009 ASHRAE
Handbook Inch Pound Edition.
2. American Gas Association, Measurement, GEOP Series Book M-1, 1993.
3. CRC Press, CRC Handbook Of Chemistry & Physics, 73rd Edition, 1992.
4. International School Of Hydrocarbon Measurement, Practical Methods, Report Number 4, 1976.

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5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Standard Atmosphere, 1976. As cited in American Gas
Association, Measurement of Natural Gas by Turbine Meters, Report No 7, 2006.

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See Also

None

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