Pressure level relationships Vacuum

Sudden eniargement/contraction, 70, 80 Total line, 64 Two-phase flow, 124-127 Vacuum lines, 128-134 Velocities, 83, 89, 90 Velocities, chart, 91 Velocity head, 71 Water flow calculations, 96 Water flow, table, 93, 97, 98 Pressure level relationships,... 

Pressure. Pressure, defined as force per unit area, can be expressed as an absolute or relative value. Although atmospheric pressure constantly fluctuates, a standard value of 101.3 kPa (14.7 psia) has been assigned as the accepted value at sea level. The MaM in the psia stands for absolute, ie, the pressure is 14.7 psi (101.3 kPa) above zero pressure or a vacuum. Most ordinary pressure-measuring instruments do not measure true pressure, but rather a pressure relative to the barometric or atmospheric pressure. This relative pressure is called gauge pressure. The atmospheric pressure is defined to be 1 psig, in which the "g" indicates that it is relative to atmospheric pressure. Vacuum is the pressure below atmospheric pressure and is, therefore, a relative pressure measurement as well. The relationship between absolute and relative pressure is shown in Figure 3 (see Pressure measurement, Vacuum technology). 

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