Mechanical Engineering Systems

2.6 Steam

This section requires the use of ‘steam tables’, i.e. tables of steam properties.

Steam is used extensively in heating and power systems throughout industry and in power stations nuclear and conventional. It is true to say that our computers would be of no account without the existence of steam turbines producing the electricity to power them.

This chapter explains how steam is produced, the terminology used and how thermodynamic properties can be found and applied to steam processes and plant. We distinguish between different types of steam, use property tables, apply the effects of entropy change during a process and look at steam flow and non-flow processes.

Key points

• Wet steam cannot be superheated.

• Steam containing ...