Calculate pressure inside closed container

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the internal pressure of a closed container filled with water when heated to 140°C. Participants explore the relationship between temperature, volume, and pressure, referencing steam tables and considering the effects of head space in the container.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that the saturated steam pressure at 140°C is 0.3616 kPa and questions how to incorporate the volume of the container into this calculation.
  • Another participant suggests that the pressure must exceed the equilibrium vapor pressure to keep the water in liquid form, indicating that thermal expansion must be considered.
  • A later reply clarifies that there is head space in the container, filled approximately 1/3 with water, and questions whether the absolute pressure can be considered as 3.6154 bar based on the steam table data.
  • One participant affirms the correctness of the pressure reading from the steam table, stating that only a small fraction of the liquid would need to evaporate to reach this pressure in the vapor phase.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on how to account for the volume of the container in relation to pressure calculations. While some agree on the pressure reading from the steam tables, the implications of head space and thermal expansion remain points of discussion.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the behavior of water under heating and the effects of head space, which may influence the pressure calculations. There is also a lack of consensus on how to integrate the container's volume into the pressure determination.

Bartbol
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
A small container is filled with water (30ml). Next it is heated at 140°C. I need to determine the internal pressure caused by the heating process.

The containers dimensions:
height : 100mm
Diameter: 39 mm
Volume= circa 0,0203 m³

First thing I did was to look it up at steamtables. For saturated steam at 140°C it corresponds to 0,3616 kPa.

Now I was wondering how to bring the volume of the container in consideration. Intuitive I thaught, that an increase of volume of the container results in a decrease of pressure inside the container. So I was wondering how I could take the volume of the container in account with the data from the steamtables (I'm stuck at this point).

I hope someone can help me on the way!

kind regards
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Bartbol said:
A small container is filled with water (30ml). Next it is heated at 140°C. I need to determine the internal pressure caused by the heating process.

The containers dimensions:
height : 100mm
Diameter: 39 mm
Volume= circa 0,0203 m³

First thing I did was to look it up at steamtables. For saturated steam at 140°C it corresponds to 0,3616 kPa.

Now I was wondering how to bring the volume of the container in consideration. Intuitive I thaught, that an increase of volume of the container results in a decrease of pressure inside the container. So I was wondering how I could take the volume of the container in account with the data from the steamtables (I'm stuck at this point).


I hope someone can help me on the way!

kind regards
The pressure would have to be higher than the equilibrium vapor pressure so that it could stay a liquid. The liquid would tend to thermally expand, so the pressure would have to be high enough to compressively offset the thermal expansion (and maintain the volume constant). If there were initially head space in the container, however, this would change everything.
 
Well, there is a head space in the container. The container is filled approximately 1/3 with water, before the heating process starts. Is it correct to say that the absolute pressure is 3,6154 bar at 140°C, just reading the steam table (see attachment) ? Or am I wrong here ?
 

Attachments

Bartbol said:
Well, there is a head space in the container. The container is filled approximately 1/3 with water, before the heating process starts. Is it correct to say that the absolute pressure is 3,6154 bar at 140°C, just reading the steam table (see attachment) ? Or am I wrong here ?
You're absolutely correct. Just a small fraction of the liquid would have to evaporate to achieve this pressure in the vapor phase.
Chet
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
8K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
8K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
5K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
4K
Replies
17
Views
8K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
32K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K