Application of the ideal gas law

In summary, the conversation discusses the calculation of the amount of liquid nitrogen needed to reach a pressure of 10.1 bar in a vessel with a volume of 66 m3. The assumption of an isothermal process is made and the ideal gas law is used to determine the needed amount of N2. However, there is some doubt about the validity of this assumption and a potential flaw in the calculation due to the incorrect molar mass of N2 being used.
  • #1
J.L.A.N.
7
0
Hi,

I want to calculate the amount of liquid nitrogen (at boiling temp.) needed to build a pressure of 10.1 bar in a vessel of volume 66 m3. The liquid will be poured slowly into the vessel, boil off and fill the volume with gas at the specified pressure. I make the assumption that the process is isothermal (T = 300 K); is this a valid assumption? If so, the ideal gas law gives that the needed amount of N2 is n ≈ 27000 moles.

Given that the molar mass is m = 14.0067 g/mol, we get a total mass of M = 378 kg. The density of liquid nitrogen at boiling temp. is 0.808 kg/l, so this gives the needed amount 468 liters.

Is this reasonable, or are there any major flaws in the calculation?

Thanks
 
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  • #2
The assumption might be valid for a homework problem. It's hard (not impossible) to imagine a physical situation where there was sufficient heat to boil the LN2 and not also heat the gas. There is also a major flaw - check your molar mass.
 
  • #3
J.L.A.N. said:
Hi,

I want to calculate the amount of liquid nitrogen (at boiling temp.) needed to build a pressure of 10.1 bar in a vessel of volume 66 m3. The liquid will be poured slowly into the vessel, boil off and fill the volume with gas at the specified pressure. I make the assumption that the process is isothermal (T = 300 K); is this a valid assumption? If so, the ideal gas law gives that the needed amount of N2 is n ≈ 27000 moles.

Given that the molar mass is m = 14.0067 g/mol, we get a total mass of M = 378 kg. The density of liquid nitrogen at boiling temp. is 0.808 kg/l, so this gives the needed amount 468 liters.

Is this reasonable, or are there any major flaws in the calculation?

Thanks
Isn't the molar mass of N2 28 g/mole?
 

Related to Application of the ideal gas law

What is the ideal gas law?

The ideal gas law is a mathematical equation that describes the relationships between the pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of a gas. It is written as PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature.

What are the units of measurement for the variables in the ideal gas law?

The units for pressure are usually in atmospheres (atm), volume in liters (L), temperature in Kelvin (K), and the number of moles is unitless. The gas constant, R, has different units depending on the units used for pressure, volume, and temperature. The most common unit for R is 0.0821 L·atm/mol·K.

When can the ideal gas law be applied?

The ideal gas law can be applied to any gas at low pressures and high temperatures. This is because at these conditions, the gas molecules are far apart and do not interact with each other. Real gases, on the other hand, behave differently at high pressures and low temperatures due to intermolecular forces.

What are the limitations of the ideal gas law?

The ideal gas law assumes that gas particles have zero volume and do not interact with each other. This is not true for real gases, especially at high pressures and low temperatures. The ideal gas law also does not account for the presence of non-gaseous substances in a gas mixture.

How is the ideal gas law used in practical applications?

The ideal gas law is commonly used in chemistry and engineering to predict the behavior of gases in various processes, such as in chemical reactions, gas storage, and gas transport. It is also used in the design and operation of gas-powered devices, such as engines and turbines.

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