Chemical processes
A common problem in the design of chemical processes is the steady-state compression of gases from a low pressure P1 to a much higher pressure P2. We can gain some insight about optimal design of this process by considering adiabatic reversible compression of ideal gases with stage-wise intercooling. If the compression is to be done in two stages, first compressing the gas from P1 to P*, then cooling the gas at constant pressure down to the compressor inlet temperature T1, and then compressing the gas to P2, what should the value of the intermediate pressure be to accomplish the compression with minimum work?
