In
thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat, work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation. The behavior of these quantities is governed by the four laws o ...
, the reduced properties of a fluid are a set of
state variables scaled by the fluid's state properties at its
critical point. These dimensionless thermodynamic coordinates, taken together with a substance's
compressibility factor, provide the basis for the simplest form of the
theorem of corresponding states.
[
Reduced properties are also used to define the Peng–Robinson equation of state, a model designed to provide reasonable accuracy near the critical point. They are also used to critical exponents, which describe the behaviour of physical quantities near continuous phase transitions.][ Hagen Kleinert and Verena Schulte-Frohlinde, ''Critical Properties of φ4-Theories'', pp.8]
World Scientific (Singapore, 2001)
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Reduced pressure
The reduced pressure is defined as its actual pressure divided by its critical pressure :
:
Reduced temperature
The reduced temperature of a fluid is its actual temperature, divided by its critical temperature:[
:
where the actual temperature and critical temperature are expressed in absolute temperature scales (either ]Kelvin
The kelvin, symbol K, is the primary unit of temperature in the International System of Units (SI), used alongside its prefixed forms and the degree Celsius. It is named after the Belfast-born and University of Glasgow-based engineer and ph ...
or Rankine). Both the reduced temperature and the reduced pressure are often used in thermodynamical formulas like the Peng–Robinson equation of state.
Reduced specific volume
The reduced specific volume (or "pseudo-reduced specific volume") of a fluid is computed from the ideal gas law
The ideal gas law, also called the general gas equation, is the equation of state of a hypothetical ideal gas. It is a good approximation of the behavior of many gases under many conditions, although it has several limitations. It was first st ...
at the substance's critical pressure and temperature:[
:
This property is useful when the specific volume and either temperature or pressure are known, in which case the missing third property can be computed directly.
]
See also
* Departure function
References
{{reflist
Thermodynamic properties