Q2Basic Mechanical Engineering
Question
2 marks
Q.2. Discuss the two important properties of Steam.
Answer
Pressure and Temperature are two vital intensive thermodynamic properties that dictate the phase, specific volume, and enthalpy of steam.
In thermodynamic analysis of steam power cycles (like the Rankine cycle), defining the state of steam requires two independent properties. The most easily measurable and crucial properties are Pressure and Temperature. For superheated steam, these two dictate the specific volume, enthalpy, and entropy. However, in the wet region (saturated steam), pressure and temperature are dependent, so a third property, 'dryness fraction' (), is required alongside pressure to fully define the thermodynamic state.