Obtaining and correctly using physical property data is one of the most important parts of good chemical engineering. This section gives advice on where to find data and how to use it.
Relative volatility (a) gives a measure of how easy two components can be separated by distillation. This article introduces the term and how it can be estimated.
Viscosity is a key physical property used in many areas of chemical engineering - not least in calculating pressure drop. This article discusses the importance, gives typical values for common fluids.
A calculation is only as good as the data used in it. Process engineering calculations are based on physical data: distillation calculations need information on relative boiling points, while pressure drop calculations rely on fluid viscosity data. This article gives guidance on how to find good quality information on chemicals.