SpectraSim Documentation
Parameter · 04 Material

Reference pressure

material.compressible.p_ref Unit: Pa Step 04 · Material

The absolute reference pressure of the compressible solver. It is not a separate input: the box shows the ambient pressure resolved from the Ambient pressure panel and always follows it.

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Theory

The compressible solver works with absolute pressure. Its initial pressure field and the outlet pressure are written as the reference pressure plus the outlet's gauge value, equation (1); every reported pressure is shown relative to it, so an outlet at 0 Pa gauge reads 0 Pa and not 101 325 Pa. The density, computed by the solver from the ideal-gas law, uses the absolute value.

To change it, change the altitude or the atmospheric pressure (Ambient pressure: mode). Older case files that set a separate operating pressure are converted on loading: a value different from 101 325 Pa becomes the ambient pressure.

Equations

pabs=patm+pgaugep_{abs} = p_{atm} + p_{gauge}
(1)
wheremeaningunit
pabsp_{abs}Absolute pressure the compressible solver usesPa
patmp_{atm}Reference (ambient) pressure shown in this boxPa
pgaugep_{gauge}Gauge pressure of the case (e.g. the outlet pressure)Pa

Default and rule

Default
the resolved ambient pressure (read-only)
Rule

The resolved ambient pressure (101 325 Pa at sea level).

Source

The program builds the compressible initial pressure field (0/p) on the resolved ambient pressure and reports every pressure relative to it.

Valid range 40 000 to 110 000 Pa (follows the ambient pressure)

Read-only

Set in the Ambient pressure panel.