Pressure at different points in vacuum system

[Blueskyflyers]

Hi all,

I have a vacuum chamber which is consistently pumped out by a mechanical pump at the downstream end and is fed nitrogen at the upstream end. The path of the nitrogen is as follows: A mass flow controller regulates 150 SCCM flowing at all times. The N2 flows through several feet of 1/4 inch tube. The N2 then enters the reactor which is a 2.75 inch tube. The pressure is read by a gauge in the 2.75 inch tube. The N2 then flows to the pump.

Like this:

MFC (150 SCCM) --> 1/4" tube --> 2.75" tube (w/ pressure gauge) --> pump

My question is, let's say the pressure is read to be 1 torr in the 2.75 inch tube, is the pressure the same in the 1/4 inch tube? I am familiar with the bernoulli equation but unsure if that applies here,

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[mfb]

My question is, let's say the pressure is read to be 1 torr in the 2.75 inch tube, is the pressure the same in the 1/4 inch tube? I am familiar with the bernoulli equation but unsure if that applies here,

It applies here, and you can use it to calculate the pressure.

 

[Blueskyflyers]

Don't I need to know the velocity of the gas inside the two tubes in order to do the calculation? All I know is 150 SCCM of N2 are being fed into the 1/4" tube

 

[russ_watters]

Yes...so you have the volumetric flow rate (standard and pressure) and pipe size...

The main x-factor I see is if the velocity is high enough, there may be losses.

 

[Daz]

Hi. If you're reading 1 torr in the main tube, that's awfully close to the Knudsen regime. It might already be Knudsen flow - probably you should check.

If it is in the Knudsen regime Bernoulli's equation is no longer applicable and you should use Knudsen's equation, instead.

 

[mfb]

You also need the temperature to convert volumetric flow rate to flow velocity, but that should not be a major problem.

Mean free path length should be of the order of 50 micrometers in the bigger tube. Didn't calculate it for the smaller tube.