Gas Load (Reciprocating Compressor)

The force resulting from the internal pressure in each chamber acting on the associated piston and cylinder head surfaces. As gas load depends only on pressure and cylinder geometry, it remains the same whether the force calculation is done at the crosshead pin or piston rod. The term appeared in both the 4th and 5th editions of API-618 with the same definition; however, the 4th edition required that gas load is calculated every 10 degrees and the 5th edition required that it is calculated every 5 degrees.