SECTION I - USE OF STEAM TABLES

LINEAR INTERPOLATION

Consider a curve y = f(x)

Y

Y=f(x)

actual point

Y2
2

approximated point

Y1

X1 X X2

Let X1, X2 be the x-values of two adjacent points, 1, 2 on the curve and let Y1, Y2 be the
corresponding values of the dependent variable Y.

Need to find the Y-value corresponding to a point, lying between 1 and 2, having the X-value X.

Approximate portion of curve between 1 and 2 by a line (linear) segment as shown.

Using the concept of similar triangles,

Y Y1
(Y2 Y1

(X X1 ) (X 2 X1 )

Use of the steam tables

Example: 1 kg of steam at 7 bars and 12% quality is heated in a system at constant pressure to
210C. Find the change in the specific volume, internal energy and enthalpy of steam.

Process in equilibrium diagrams

T

T2 = 210C
T1 =164.97C

T2=210C

P = 7bar
= 0.7MPa
P1 = 0.7MPa
= P2

T1=164.97C

Section I Use of Steam Tables

Page 2

T2 > Tsat = 164.97C corresponding to P2 = 0.7 MPa (7 bars) steam is a superheated vapour
at state 1.

Property values at the initial state

v1 x 1 v g1 (1 x 1 ) v f1 0.12(0.2729) 0.88(0.001108) 0.03372 m 3 / kg
u 1 u f1 x 1 u fg1 696.44 0.12(1876.1) 921.57 kJ / kg
h 1 h f1 x 1 h fg1 697.22 0.12( 2066.3) 945.18 kJ / kg

(see Table A5, p. 770 of Cengel & Boles for these values)

Property values at the final state

P2 = 0.7 MPa and T2 = 210C not available in the superheated steam tables (see Table A6, p.
772 of Cengel & Boles) double interpolation necessary.
P 0.6MPa , T 200C v1* 0.3529 m 3 / kg, u 1* 2638.9 kJ / kg, h 1* 2850.1 kJ / kg
P 0.6MPa , T 250C v *2 0.3938 m 3 / kg, u *2 2720.9 kJ / kg, h *2 2957.2 kJ / kg
P 0.6MPa , T 210C

v * 0.3520 (0.3938 0.3520)

v * 0.3604 m 3 / kg
( 210 200)
( 250 200)

u * 2638.9 ( 2720.9 2638.9)

u * 2655.3 kJ / kg
( 210 200)
( 250 200)
h * 2850.1 ( 2957.2 2850.1)

h * 2871.5 kJ / kg
( 210 200)
( 250 200)

P 0.8MPa , T 200C v1** 0.2608 m 3 / kg, u 1** 2630.6 kJ / kg, h 1** 2839.3 kJ / kg
P 0.8MPa , T 250C v *2* 0.2931 m 3 / kg, u *2* 2715.5 kJ / kg, h *2* 2950.0 kJ / kg
P 0.8MPa , T 210C

v ** 0.2608 (0.2931 0.2608)

v ** 0.2673 m 3 / kg
( 210 200)
(250 200)

u ** 2630.6 (2715.5 2630.6)

u ** 2647.6 kJ / kg
(210 200)
(250 200)
h ** 2839.3 ( 2950.0 2839.3)

h ** 2861.4 kJ / kg
(210 200)
( 250 200)

P2 0.7MPa , T2 210C

( v 2 0.3604) (0.2673 0.3604)

v 2 0.3139 m 3 / kg
(0.7 0.6)
(0.8 0.6)

u 2 2655.3 (2647.6 2655.3)

u 2 2651.4 kJ / kg
(0.7 0.6)
(0.8 0.6)
h 2 2871.5 (2861.4 2871.5)

h 2 2866.5 kJ / kg
(0.7 0.6)
( 0 .8 0 .6 )

Change in property values

v = v2 v1 = 0.3139 0.03372 = 0.2802 m3/kg

Section I Use of Steam Tables

u = u2 u1 = 2651.4 921.57 = 1729.8 kJ/kg
h = h2 h1 = 2866.5 945.18 = 1921.3 kJ/kg

Page 3

Using the appropriate tables for water and water vapour, fill in the blanks in the following
table:
Temperature, [C]

280

Pressure, [MPa]
Mass, [kg]

480
0.7

1.0

Specific Volume, [m3/kg]

2.0

1.3

8.0

0.35

3.5

3.0

0.3852

Volume, [m3]
Quality, [%]

60

Moisture Content, [%]

Enthalpy, [kJ/kg]
Internal Energy, [kJ/kg]

20
2779.6

3005.4