Water density and compressibility

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SUMMARY

Water is compressible, requiring significant pressure to achieve a density increase of 10 to 20%. At a pressure of 1086 bar (15750 psi), pure water reaches a density of 1205.154 kg/m3, while at 263.835 bar, it achieves a density of 1100 kg/m3, which is approximately 20% higher than typical pressures in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). Salt water can reach a maximum density of around 12700 kg/m3. The discussion highlights the importance of water's density and compressibility in geological processes and its application as a hydraulic fluid.

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  • Understanding of water density and compressibility concepts
  • Familiarity with pressure measurement units (bar and psi)
  • Knowledge of hydraulic fluids and their applications
  • Basic geology related to lithosphere and aquifers
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Astronuc
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Water is compressible, but it takes a lot of pressure to increase the density by 10 or 20%

Deep Ocean pressure measurements
http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/Dart/Pdf/Eble_J_atmo_91.pdf

http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/factsheets/abyss.html

http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/density.html

http://www.csgnetwork.com/water_density_calculator.html

Pure water would have a density of 1205.154 kg/m3 at pressure = 1086 bar
1086 bars (15750 psi) from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariana_Trench

or a density of 1100 kg/m3 at pressure at 263.835 bar, which is about 20% higher than the pressure in a PWR.

Salt water has a maximum density of ~12700 kg/m3.
 
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That's one reason water is used as a hydraulic fluid. Add a little anti-bacterial and presto! Water is also under immense pressure in the lithosphere. Leucogranites form when expelled water melts its new host rock environment - found in places like Tibet. My home state of Texas sits ontop of North America's 3rd largest aquifer - the Gulf Coast aquifer, formed from high pressures of slumping mud wedges going into the Gulf of Mexico basin.
 

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