Steam gauges indicate the pressure above the atmosphere. As has been pointed out, the atmospheric pressure changes according to the altitude and the variation in the barometer. Hence, calculations involving the properties of steam are based on _absolute_ pressures, which are equal to the gauge pressure plus the atmospheric pressure in pounds to the square inch. This latter is generally assumed to be 14.7 pounds per square inch at sea level, but for other levels it must be determined from the barometric reading at that place. Vacuum gauges indicate the difference, expressed in inches of mercury, between atmospheric pressure and the pressure within the vessel to which the gauge is attached. For approximate purposes, 2.04 inches height of mercury may be considered equal to a pressure of one pound per square inch at the ordinary temperatures at which mercury gauges are used. Hence for any reading of the vacuum gauge in inches, G, the absolute pressure for any barometer reading in inches, B, will be (B - G) ÷ 2.04. If the barometer is 30 inches measured at ordinary temperatures and not corrected to 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the vacuum gauge 24 inches, the absolute pressure will be (30 - 24) ÷ 2.04 = 2.9 pounds per square inch. TABLE 19 FACTORS OF EVAPORATION CALCULATED FROM MARKS AND DAVIS TABLES ______________________________________________________________________ | | | |Feed | | |Temp- | | |erature| | |Degrees| Steam Pressure by Gauge | |Fahren-| | |heit | | |_______|______________________________________________________________| | | | | | | | | | | | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 110 | |_______|________|________|________|________|________|________|________| | | | | | | | | | | 32 | 1.2143 | 1.2170 | 1.2194 | 1.2215 | 1.2233 | 1.2233 | 1.2265 | | 40 | 1.2060 | 1.2087 | 1.2111 | 1.2131 | 1.2150 | 1.2168 | 1.2181 | | 50 | 1.1957 | 1.1984 | 1.2008 | 1.2028 | 1.2047 | 1.2065 | 1.2079 | | 60 | 1.1854 | 1.1881 | 1.1905 | 1.1925 | 1.1944 | 1.1961 | 1.1976 | | 70 | 1.1750 | 1.1778 | 1.1802 | 1.1822 | 1.1841 | 1.1859 | 1.1873 | | 80 | 1.1649 | 1.1675 | 1.1699 | 1.1720 | 1.1738 | 1.1756 | 1.1770 | | 90 | 1.1545 | 1.1572 | 1.1596 | 1.1617 | 1.1636 | 1.1653 | 1.1668 | | 100 | 1.1443 | 1.1470 | 1.1493 | 1.1514 | 1.1533 | 1.1550 | 1.1565 | | 110 | 1.1340 | 1.1367 | 1.1391 | 1.1411 | 1.1430 | 1.1448 | 1.1462 |