Pressure Variation in a Compressible Fluid

The specific weight of a compressible fluid varies directly with

pressure and inversely with temperature. The pressure decrease in
body of compressible fluid corresponding to a small increase in
elevation dh may be written as
dp
  or dp  dh
dh
To determine the decrease in pressure from p1 at elevation h1, to
p2 at elevation h2, is to integrate h2
p2  p1     dh
h1
𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔, p1 p1
h2  h1  ln
1 p2
𝑷𝟏 𝑹𝑻
𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉 = 𝒉𝟐 − 𝒉𝟏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 =
𝜸𝟏 𝒈
 gh / RT
𝒉 = (𝑹𝑻Τ𝒈) 𝒍𝒏 (𝑷𝟏 Τ𝑷𝟐 ) or p2  p1e
CE137: HYDRAULICS Chapter 2: Principles of Fluid Statics
Pressure Variation in a Compressible Fluid
 gh / RT
p2  p1e
𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑻 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑲𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒊𝒏 𝑲 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆
𝒈𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝑵 − 𝒎ൗ𝒌𝒈 − 𝑲

Note that if the specific weight of gas or vapor is assumed constant in the
h2
p2  p1     dh
interval h1 < h < h2, the integration of
h1
𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔,
𝒑𝟐 − 𝒑𝟏 = −𝜸(𝒉𝟐 − 𝒉𝟏)
𝒂𝒏𝒅

𝒑𝟐 = 𝒑𝟏 − 𝜸𝒉

CE137: HYDRAULICS Chapter 2: Principles of Fluid Statics

Example:
At ground level the atmospheric pressure is
101.3 Kpa at 15oC. Calculate the pressure at a point
6500 m above the ground, assuming:
a) no density variation,
b) an isothermal variation of density with
pressure

Where:
• Specific wt. of the atmosphere (air) = 12 N/m3
• Gas constant R = 287 N-m/Kg-0K

CE137: HYDRAULICS Chapter 2: Principles of Fluid Statics

Solution:
a) No Density Variation p2

h = 6500 m

p1 Ground level

P2 = P1 - ɤh
Where: ɤ = sp. wt. of air = 12 N/m3 = 0.012 kN/m3

P2 = 101.3 – 0.012(6500)

P2 = 23.3 kPa
b) With Isothermal Variation
−𝑔ℎൗ
P2 = P1 𝑒 𝑅𝑇

Where:

R = gas constant of air = 287 N-m/kg-oK

T = Temperature in oKelvin = 15 + 273 = 288 oK

g = acceleration due to gravity = 9.81 m/s2

P1 = 101.3 kPa
−9.81(6500)
ൗ287(288)
P2 = 101.3 𝑒
P2 = 46.84 kPa
-end-