Appendix G.

Units and
Conversions
Although there is a strong movement toward the adoption of a Table G.I. (continued)
consistent, international set of units for physical quantities, the
SI (systme internationale), most data still are recorded in Mass
older units, so it is necessary to be familiar with formerly 1 lb= 0.4536 kg
common terms. It may be that long-established terms such as 1 kg= 2.2046 lb
atm, Torr, and mm Hg will persist indefinitely. The SI system Density
is readily extended to new concepts and is adaptable to a range 1 lb/cuft= 16.018 kg/cum
of magnitudes of units. Thus Homer's use of the unit of 1 gm/cu cm = 62.43 lb/cu ft
beauty, the Helen, as the amount of beauty that will launch Force
1,000 ships, is inconveniently large; but the micro-Helen, the 1 lb force = 0.4536 kg force = 4.448 Newtons
amount that will launch a rowboat, and the micro-Nelly, the Pressure
amount that will launch a rowboat in the opposite direction, 1 atm = 760 Torr= 760 mm Hg= 101,325 Newtons/sq
are logically defined and quite practical units. m = 1.01325 bar= 10,330 kg/sq m = 14.696 lbf/sq in
Comprehensive tables of equivalents of various units are = 2,116.2 lbf/sq ft
widely available. Some particularly useful literature is: 1 bar= 100,000 Newtons/sq m
1 Pascal = 1 Newton/sq m
1. Eshbach, O.W., & M. Souders (editors). Handbook of Energy, Work, and Heat
Engineering Fundamentals. Wiley (1975) 1 Btu= 252.16 cal =1055.06 joules = 0.2930 watt-hrs
2. Mullin, J.W. Recent developments in the changeover = 10.41 liter-atm
to the international system of units. The Chemical 1 HP-hr= 0.7457 kwatt-hr= 778 ft lbf= 2545 cal
Engineer, 353 (October 1971). 1 cal= 4.1868 joules
3. SI for AIChE. Publication #X-95 of the American 1 joule = 1 Newton-meter = 1 watt-sec = 0.2388 cal =
Institute of Chemical Engineers (1979). 0.000948 Btu
Power
1 ft lbf/sec= 0.0018182 H P = 1.356 watts = 0.0012856
Table G. 1 suffices for most of the needs of this book.
Btu/sec= 0.3238 cal/sec
1 watt = 1 joule/sec = 1 Newton-meter/sec
Temperature
Table G.I. Conversion of Units K (Kelvin) = C (centigrade) + 273.16 = [F (Fahren
heit) + 459.6]/1.8 = R (Rankine)/1.8
Multiples R= 1.8 K = F + 459.6
micro = 10(E-6) C = (F-32)/1.8
miUi = 10(E-3) Temperature Difference
centi = 10(E-2) 1 C= 1 K= 1.8 R= 1.8 F
deci = 10(E-l) Heat Capacity and Entropy
kilo = 10(E3) 1 cal/(gram)(K) = 4.1868 joules/(gram)(K) = Btu/(lb)
mega = 10(E6) (R)
Length Specific Energy
1 ft = 0.3048 m = 30.48 cm = 304.8 mm 1 cal/gram = 4.1868 joules/gram = 1.8 Btu/lb
Volume Volumetric Flow
1 cu ft = 0.0283 eu m = 7.481 U.S. Gals 1 cu ft/sec = 0.028316 eu m/sec = 28.316 liters/sec
1 cu m = 35.34 cu ft= 1000 liters Gravitational Constant
Standard Gas Volume gc = 1 kg mass/Newton-sec2
22.414 liters/gmol @ 0C and 1 atm = 1 gram cm/dyne-sec2
359.05 cuft/lbmol @ 32F and 1 atm = 9.806 kg mass/kg force-sec2
Gas constant R = 32.174 lb mass/lb force-sec2
see Table A.5