ST JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING CHENNAI 600 119

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SEMESTER: III
SUBJECT: ME 2202 ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS
Handout 3

UNIT III Properties of Steam and Steam Power cycle

Saturation temperature, Saturation pressure and Saturation states
Consider heating of water at atmospheric pressure (1.01325 bar) from room
temperature (say 30C) into steam. During this process, the following changes
occur:
The temperature of water increases up to its boiling point (its 100C at
1.01325 bar). Heat added is sensible heat. In Figure 1, it is process 3-4
At 100C, water evaporates into steam. Heat added is latent heat. In
Figure 1, it is process 4-5
(Note that during evaporation both pressure and temperature remain constant.)

The temperature of steam increases. Heat added is again sensible heat.

In Figure 1, it is process 5-6
T
6

100C

p = 1.01325 bar

Figure 1

The temperature at which phase transformation occurs during constant

pressure process is saturation temperature*. In the above example, i.e. at
atmospheric pressure, the saturation temperature is 100C

Handout :: ME 2202 :: Unit 3

Prepared by: Dr. S. Arivazhagan

Here liquid to vapour transformation occurs; therefore saturation temperature refers to boiling
temperature.

Saturation temperature at higher pressure will be higher. For example at a

pressure of 2 bar, the saturation temperature is 120.23C .

100C

120.23C

p = 2 bar

p = 1.01325 bar

Figure 2
There will be a saturation pressure for any given temperature. It is the pressure
at which phase transformation occurs in a constant temperature process. At
100C, the saturation pressure is 1.01325 bar and at 120.23C, it is 2 bar. (Refer
Figure2)
The state at which a phase transformation begins or ends is saturated states. In
the Figures 1 and 2, states 4 and 5 are saturated states.
State 4 is saturated liquid state with respect to evaporation (at
which evaporation begins) and
State 5 is saturated vapour state with respect to evaporation (at
which evaporation ends)
The line joining saturated liquid states at different pressures is saturated liquid
line. (In Figure 3, it is the locus of state 4s at different pressure)
The line joining saturated vapour states at different pressures is saturated
vapour line. (In Figure 3, it is the locus of state 5s at different pressure)

Handout :: ME 2202 :: Unit 3

Prepared by: Dr. S. Arivazhagan

6
5

4
p = 2 bar

p = 1.01325 bar

Figure 3
Superheated state
The state at which the temperature of steam is greater than the saturation
temperature corresponding to its pressure is known as superheated state. In
Figure 3, the state points marked as 6 refer to superheated states at different
pressures. (Eg. If the temperature of steam is 110C at a pressure of 1.01325
bar, it is superheated by 10C.)
p-V and T-V diagrams
The saturated liquid line and saturated vapour line which separate the liquid and
vapour region can be shown in p-V and T-V coordinates as shown below:

Figure4

Handout :: ME 2202 :: Unit 3

Figure5

Prepared by: Dr. S. Arivazhagan

 Critical state
The saturated liquid line and saturated vapour line meet at critical point. The
state of substance at this point is known as critical state. Beyond critical point
there is no distinct liquid-vapour transition zone. The liquid suddenly flashes
into vapour on heating in this region.
The pressure, temperature and specific volume at this state are known
respectively as critical pressure, critical temperature and critical specific
volume.
p-T diagram
Different phases of a pure substance such as water can also be represented in
p-T coordinates as shown below:

Figure 6
pVT surface
p-V, p-T and T-V diagrams can be combined and represented in a 3-D form
known as pVT surface as shown below:

Figure 7
Handout :: ME 2202 :: Unit 3

Prepared by: Dr. S. Arivazhagan

 Use of Steam Tables

Properties of water at saturated liquid state and saturated vapour state based on
temperature and pressure are given in saturated steam tables.
(In the Steam Tables by R S Khurmi, Table 1 and Table 2 are saturated steam
steam tables based on temperature and pressure respectively.)
The saturated liquid properties are denoted with subscript f and the saturated
vapour properties with subscript g
vf specific volume of saturated liquid
vg specific volume of saturated vapour
hf specific enthalpy of saturated liquid
hg specific enthalpy of saturated vapour
hfg = hg hf (Latent heat)
sf specific entropy of saturated liquid
sg specific entropy of saturated vapour
sfg = sg sf
Properties of water at superheated vapour state are given in superheated steam
tables.
(In the Steam Tables by R S Khurmi, Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5 give specific
volume, specific enthalpy and specific entropy respectively of superheated
steam at different pressures.)
Calculation of Heat Transfer and Work Transfer in Non-flow processes:
Note: Ideal gas equation is not to be used; properties read from steam table (p, v, h
and s) alone need to be used.

In a non-flow process,
= +
For a process, =

Handout :: ME 2202 :: Unit 3

Prepared by: Dr. S. Arivazhagan

and

h1, h2, v1 and v2 to be read

from Steam Table

depends on the type of process.

For a constant volume process,

=0

For a constant pressure process,

For an isothermal process,

(
ln

or

)
=

ln

For a polytropic process,

=
Note:

For adiabatic process,

=

=
=

Calculation of Heat Transfer and Work Transfer in flow processes:

= +
For a process,

( )

Rankine Cycle:
A simple Rankine cycle has the following processes for the boiler, turbine,
condenser and pump of a steam power cycle:
Process 12: Isentropic expansion of the working fluid through the
turbine from saturated
vapor at state 1 to the condenser pressure.
Process 23: Heat transfer from the working fluid as it flows at constant
pressure through

Handout :: ME 2202 :: Unit 3

Prepared by: Dr. S. Arivazhagan

the condenser with saturated liquid at state 3.

Process 34: Isentropic compression in the pump to state 4 in the
compressed liquid
region.
Process 41: Heat transfer to the working fluid as it flows at constant
pressure through the
boiler to complete the cycle.

Figure 8
Reheat Rankine Cycle:
Increasing the boiler pressure can increase the thermal efficiency of the Rankine
cycle, but it also increases the moisture content at the exit of the turbine to an
unacceptable level. To correct this side effect, the simple Rankine cycle is
modified with a reheat process. The schematic of an ideal reheat Rankine cycle
is shown below in Figure 9 with its T-s diagram. In this reheat cycle, steam is
expanded isentropically to an intermediate pressure in a high-pressure turbine
(stage I) and sent back to the boiler, where it is reheated at constant pressure to
the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine. Then the steam is sent to a
low-pressure turbine and expands to the condenser pressure (stage II) . The total
heat input and total work output is
qin = qprimary + qreheat = (h3 - h2) + (h5 - h4)
wtotal, out = qturb, I + qturb, II = (h3 - h4) + (h5 - h6)

Handout :: ME 2202 :: Unit 3

Prepared by: Dr. S. Arivazhagan

Figure 9
Regenerative Rankine Cycle:
In regenerative Rankine cycle, some amount of steam is bled off during
expansion in the turbine and mixed with feed water before it enters the boiler
to reduce the heat input. In the Figure 10, shown below both reheat and
regeneration (Two feed water heaters) are incorporated.

Figure 10

Handout :: ME 2202 :: Unit 3

Prepared by: Dr. S. Arivazhagan