Process Fluid Systems

Fluids – liquids and gases – are often used to transport materials and/or heat from one location to another in process fluid systems. There are four basic parts to a fluid system – an energy source, transmission path, one or more control devices, and the end users or “load.” These components work together to accomplish the system’s task. The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transformed. The total energy in a fluid at a given point can include thermal energy, kinetic energy, potential energy, and pressure energy. In a process fluid system, energy is often converted from one form to another in order for the system to perform its task. In fact, many pieces of equipment are designed to accomplish or rely upon energy conversions, including pumps, compressors, steam ejectors, and condensers. The concepts covered in this course will improve your understanding of how fluid systems – compressed air systems, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, and steam and water distribution systems – operate.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define the term “fluid”
• Identify the four basic parts of a process fluid system
• Describe energy conversions and their effects on process fluid systems
• Describe the operation of a steam ejector and a condenser