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Chemical Engineering vocabulary · Thermodynamics and Physical Properties

Ideal gas law

Meaning in chemical engineering, with examples

nounCore term

In chemical engineering, ideal gas law means: The equation PV = nRT, which links the pressure, volume, temperature and amount of a gas. It works well at low pressure and high temperature.

In Turkish: ideal gaz yasası, ideal gaz denklemi

How it is used

Used for quick estimates of gas density, volume and flow. For high pressures or non-ideal gases engineers add a compressibility factor (Z) or use an equation of state such as Peng-Robinson. Temperature must always be in kelvin.

Example sentences

  1. Using the ideal gas law, one kilomole of gas at 0 °C and 1 atm takes up about 22.4 m³.

  2. At 150 bar the ideal gas law is not good enough; use the simulator's equation of state.

Common collocations

  • ideal gas law
  • ideal gas behavior
  • compressibility factor
  • equation of state
  • vapor pressureThe pressure of the vapor above a liquid when the two are in balance at a given temperature. It rises with temperature, and the liquid boils when it equals the surrounding pressure.
  • enthalpyA measure of the heat content of a substance, used to calculate how much energy is needed to heat, cool, vaporize or react it at constant pressure. Usually given in kJ/kg or kJ/mol.
  • heat capacityThe amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a material by one degree. Per kilogram it is called specific heat capacity; water's is about 4.18 kJ/(kg·K).
  • process simulationUsing software to build a computer model of a process, with its equipment, streams and thermodynamics, in order to calculate balances, size equipment and test changes.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Thermodynamics and Physical Properties

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