Absolute Pressure

FLUID MECHANICS 3
Absolute pressure is the pressure above absolute zero (vacuum).
PRINCIPLE OF HYDROSTATICS
𝑷𝒂𝒃𝒔 = 𝑷𝒈𝒂𝒈𝒆 + 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒎
UNIT OF PRESSURE, p Note:

Pressure is the force per unit area exerted by a liquid or gas on a • Absolute zero is attained if all air is removed. It is the lowest possible pressure
attainable.
body or surface, with the force acting at right angles to the surface
• Absolute pressure can never be negative.
uniformly in all directions. • The smallest gage pressure is equal to the negative of the ambient atmospheric
𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆, 𝑭 pressure.
𝒑= 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂, 𝑨
VARIATIONS IN PRESSURE
Pascal’s Law – Developed by French mathematician Blaise Pascal,
states that the pressure on a fluid is equal in all directions and in all Consider any two points (1&2), whose difference in elevation is
parts of the container. h, to lie in the ends of an elementary prism having a cross-sectional area
a and a length of L. Since this prism is at rest, all forces acting upon it
ABSOLUTE AND GAGE PRESSURES must be in equilibrium.
Gage Pressure (Relative Pressure)

Gage Pressures are pressures above or below the atmosphere

and can be measured by pressure gauges or manometers.

Atmospheric Pressure & Vacuum

Atmospheric Pressure is the pressure that any one point on the

earth’s surface from the weight of the air above it. A vacuum is a space
that has all matter removed from it.

Under normal conditions at sea level:

𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚 = 2166 𝑙𝑏⁄ 2

𝑓𝑡
Note: Free liquid Surface refers to liquid surface1 subject to zero gage pressure or with
= 14.7 𝑝𝑠𝑖 atmospheric pressure only.
= 29.9 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦 (ℎ𝑔) 𝒑𝟏 − 𝒑𝟐 = 𝜸𝒉
= 760 𝑚𝑚 𝐻𝑔 Therefore; the difference in pressure between any two point in a homogeneous
= 101.325 𝑘𝑃𝑎 fluid at rest is equal to the product of the unit weight of the fluid (𝜸) to the
vertical distance (h) between the points.
ENGS 26A MGSD
Also:

𝒑𝟐 = 𝒑𝟏 + 𝒘𝒉
PRESSURE HEAD
This means that any change in pressure at point 1 would cause an equal change
at point 2. Therefore; a pressure applied at any point in a liquid at rest is Pressure head is the height “h” of a column of homogeneous liquid of
transmitted equally and undiminished to every other point in the liquid. unit weight 𝜸 that will produce an intensity of pressure p.

Let assume that point 1 in Figure lie on the free liquid surface, then the gage 𝒑
𝒉=
pressure 𝑝1 is zero. 𝒚
𝒑 = 𝒘𝒉 To convert pressure head (height) of liquid A to liquid B

This means that the pressure at any point “h” below a free liquid surface is 𝒉𝑩 = 𝒉𝑨
𝑺𝑨
𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝑩 = 𝒉𝑨
𝝆𝑨
𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝑩 = 𝒉𝑨
𝜸𝑨
𝑺𝑩 𝝆𝑩 𝜸𝑩
equal to the product of the unit weight of the fluid (𝜸) and h.
To convert pressure head (height) of any liquid to water, just multiply its height
Consider that points 1 and 2 in Figure lie on the same elevation, such that h = 0;
by its specific gravity.
then.
𝒉𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 = 𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒅 × 𝑺𝒍𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒅
𝒑𝟏 = 𝒑𝟐
This means that the pressure along the same horizontal plane in a MANOMETER
homogeneous fluid at rest are equal. A manometer is a tube, usually bent in a form of a U, containing a liquid
of known specific gravity, the surface of which moves proportionally to
PRESSURE BELOW LAYERS OF DIFFERENT LIQUIDS changes of pressure. It is used to measure pressure.

Types of Manometers.

Open Type – has an atmospheric surface in one leg and is capable of

measuring gage pressures.

Differential Type – without an atmospheric surface and capable of

measuring only differences of pressure

Piezometer – The simplest form of open manometer. It is a tube tapped

into a wall of a container or conduit for the purpose of measuring pressure. The
fluid in the container or conduit rises in this tube to form a free surface.

Limitations of Piezometer:
Consider the tank shown to be filled with liquids of different densities and with
air at the top under a gage pressure of 𝑝𝐴 , the pressure at the bottom of the tank • Large pressures in the lighter liquids require long tubes
is: • Gas pressures can not be measured because gas can not form a free
surface.
𝒑𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒎 = ∑ 𝒚𝒉 + 𝒑 = 𝜸𝟏 𝒉𝟏 + 𝜸𝟐 𝒉𝟐 + 𝜸𝟑 𝒉𝟑 + 𝒑𝑨

ENGS 26A MGSD

 6. Convert 760 mm of mercury to (a) oil of sp.gr. 0.82 and (b) water.
7. From the manometer shown, determine the pressure at the center of
the pipe.

Steps in Solving Manometer Problems:

1. Decide on the fluid in feet or meter, which the heads are to be

expressed, (water is most advisable).
2. Starting from an end point, number in order the interface of different
fluids.
3. Identify points of equal pressure (considering that for a homogeneous
fluid at rest, the pressure along the same horizontal plane is equal).
Label these points with the same number.
4. Proceed from level to level, adding (if going down) or subtracting (if
going up) pressure heads as the elevation decreases or increases,
respectively with due regard for the specific gravity of the fluids.

Examples.

1. If a depth of liquid of 1m causes a pressure of 7 kPa, what is the

specific gravity of the liquid?
2. Find the absolute pressure in kPa at a depth of 10m below the free
surface of oil sp. gr. 0.75 if the barometric reading is 752 mmHg.
3. If the pressure at a point in the ocean is 60 kPa, what is the pressure 27
meters below its point?
4. A pressure gage 6 m above the bottom of the tank containing a liquid
reads 90 kPa. Another gage height 4 m reads 103 kPa. Determine the
specific weight of the liquid.
5. An open tank contains 5.8 m of water covered with 3.2 m of kerosene (𝜸
= 8 𝑘𝑁⁄𝑚3 ). Find the pressure at the interface and at the bottom of the
tank.

ENGS 26A MGSD