Sometimes the units get in the way
Sometimes the units get in the way
(OP)
I would like to use units but Mathcad is not very good at handling them.
For instance, I am trying to calculate the change in pressure when a volume of oil is compressed. The formula is
delta Pressure = Bulk Modulus of Oil * delta volume / volume. If I make this continuous it is dp/dv=-B/v. I can solve for delta p = B*(ln(a)-ln(b)) where
delta p is the change pressure
B is the bulk modulus of oil
a is the initial volume of oil
b is the compressed volume of oil
The problem is that I have units for a and b and Mathcad will not take the natural log unless a and b are unit less. Does anybody know how to temporarily strip the units from a variable and only within an equation?
I want to keep the units for normal dimensional analysis.
Peter Nachtwey
For instance, I am trying to calculate the change in pressure when a volume of oil is compressed. The formula is
delta Pressure = Bulk Modulus of Oil * delta volume / volume. If I make this continuous it is dp/dv=-B/v. I can solve for delta p = B*(ln(a)-ln(b)) where
delta p is the change pressure
B is the bulk modulus of oil
a is the initial volume of oil
b is the compressed volume of oil
The problem is that I have units for a and b and Mathcad will not take the natural log unless a and b are unit less. Does anybody know how to temporarily strip the units from a variable and only within an equation?
I want to keep the units for normal dimensional analysis.
Peter Nachtwey





RE: Sometimes the units get in the way
RE: Sometimes the units get in the way
Seems to me that the simplest solution, assuming that what you wrote is mathematically correct, is to use B*ln(a/b). Your first equation doesn't seem to be consistent with that, but that's neither here nor there.
Since your equation doesn't appear to be one of those "empirical" equations, there should always be a formulation which has unitless arguments for ln and exp.
TTFN
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RE: Sometimes the units get in the way
RE: Sometimes the units get in the way
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: Sometimes the units get in the way
As an example, if I need the shear strength of concrete in units of psi but my equation is 2*(f'c)^0.5 where f'c is in psi, I either have to have strange units on the coefficient of 2, or divide the units out of what's under the radical and put them back in outside the radical: 2*psi*(f'c/psi)^0.5.
It may not be the most elegant solution but it works for me. In your case I would try dividing out the units and adjusting your equation accordingly.
RE: Sometimes the units get in the way
Peter
RE: Sometimes the units get in the way
Len:= 10,560 ft
Width:=6 km
cumquats:=(len/mi)^2.5 * ln(width/mi)
in this case the equation really equals
cumquats:=(2)^2.5 * ln(3.728)
Pretty cool. It really helps in equations like the AGA fluid-flow equation where length must be in miles, diameter in inches, etc. I can define a diameter in mm, a length in ft, etc. and the equation has an explicit conversion.
Instead of having to remember the units (sometimes years later), you only have to remember that each term must have units and it is pretty self documenting.
David
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
www.muleshoe-eng.com
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RE: Sometimes the units get in the way