STEAM BASICS

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 How We Create Steam
• Steam is created by adding Heat Energy to water.

• Heat Energy is expressed in Btu’s.

1lb
• 1 Btu is the amount of Heat Energy required to raise the +1F°
temperature of 1 pound of water by 1°F.

• The heat energy required to create steam has two forms :

1 BTU
• Sensible Heat & Latent Heat
*1 pint of 0 psig water ~ 1lb.

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 How We Create Steam
The two forms of Heat Energy required to create steam:

Sensible Heat

Latent Heat

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 Heat Energy – Sensible Heat
• Sensible Heat is the amount of Heat Energy required
to raise the temperature of water from 32°F to the
boiling point (saturated liquid) at a given pressure

• Sensible Heat raises the temperature of the water

and can be sensed with a thermometer

• Sensible Heat is the heat you can feel

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 Heat Energy – Sensible Heat

0 PSIG
212 °F.

1 lb. Water 1 Lb. of Saturated Water at

Atmospheric Pressure Contains
180 Btu’s of Sensible Heat
HEAT

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 Heat Energy – Sensible Heat
250 °F. 15 PSIG

1 Lb. of Saturated Water at

15 PSIG Contains
218 Btu’s of Sensible Heat
HEAT

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 Heat Energy – Latent Heat

• Latent Heat is the amount of Heat Energy required to transform water at

the boiling point (saturated liquid) to steam
• Adding Latent Heat does not raise the temperature – saturated liquid
and steam have the same temperature for a given pressure

• Latent heat is what we have available to do work in our equipment

• Latent heat is the heat energy released from steam as it condenses
back into a liquid

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 Heat Energy – Latent Heat

0 PSIG

212 °F

1 lb. Steam
1 Lb. of Steam at Atmospheric
Pressure Contains
970 Btu’s of Latent Heat
HEAT

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 Heat Energy – Latent Heat
250 °F. 15 PSIG

1 Lb. of Steam at 15 PSIG

Contains 945 Btu’s of
Latent Heat

HEAT

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 EXAMPLE 1

250 °F. ??? PSIG

??? BTU Sensible Heat

??? BTU Latent Heat

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 EXAMPLE 2

??? °F. 60 PSIG

??? BTU Sensible Heat

??? BTU Latent Heat

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 Liquid to Gas Phase Change

This chart is a simplified way of seeing the

phase change of saturated liquid into the
gas form of steam. The steam gives up it’s
latent heat value during this phase change.

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Steam Pressure

Sensible Heat

Latent Heat

Specific Volume
1lb. Of steam
Pressure/Temperature/Volume
 Pressure/Temperature/Volume – in a vacuum

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 Understanding Air & Non-condensable Gas

Thermal Properties of Air & NCG

Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures on Gases

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 Effects on Steam Temperature
Temp. of Steam,
Pressure in Temp. of Steam When Mixed with Various Percentages of
No Air Present
psig (bar) Air - By Volume F = Fahrenheit (C = Celsius )
F° (°C)
10% 20% 30%

10.3 (0.7 bar) 240.1° F (115.6° C) 234.3° F (112.4° C) 228.0° F (108.9° C) 220.9° F (104.95° C)

25.3 (1.7 bar) 267.3° F (130.7° C) 261.0° F (127.2° C) 254.1° F (123.4° C) 246.4° F (119.1° C)

60.3 (4.16 bar) 307.5° F (153.1° C) 300.4° F (149.1° C) 292.7° F (144.8° C) 283.9° F (139.9° C)

75.3 (5.19 bar) 320.3° F (160.1° C) 312.9° F (156.1° C) 304.8° F (151.6° C) 295.9° F (146.6° C)

100.3 (6.92 bar) 338.1° F (170.1° C) 330.3° F (165.7° C) 321.8° F (161.° C) 312.4° F (155.8° C)

Maximum capacity at 60 psig at 100% steam = 307°Latent heat = 905 btu/lb

At 60 psig with a 30% steam/air mixture must raise pressure to 90 psig to achieve same
temperature. Latent heat at 90 psig = 886 btu/lb = 2% less heat energy available

Air/NCG reduces the temperature of steam

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 % Flash Steam
% Flash Steam = ((SH – SL) / LL ) x 100
What is it?
When hot condensate or boiler water, under pressure, is released
to a lower pressure, part of it is re-evaporated, becoming what is
known as flash steam. Flash steam is no different from
normal steam, it is just a convenient name used to explain how
the steam is formed.
SH = Sensible heat in the condensate at the higher pressure before discharge. 13

SL = Sensible heat in the condensate at the lower pressure to which discharge takes
place.

LL = Latent heat in the steam at the lower pressure to which the condensate is
discharged. PSI FROM DISCHARGE

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 Latent Heat Usage and Loss

Condensate Steam Vapor

Shell and Tube Jacketed Kettle

Heat Exchanger Rotating Dryer

Latent Heat Coil Heater

Condensate Return Line

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 Properties of Superheated Steam

• Superheated steam cannot coexist with water

• Dryness fraction = 1

• Superheated steam is designated by the number of degrees it is

heated above saturation temperature

• Superheated steam has no temperature-pressure relationship

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 Wet & Superheated Steam
• Wet steam is a mixture of water
and steam
• Occurs when saturated water is
partially vaporized
• Superheated steam is created by
adding additional heat energy to
the steam, raising the temperature
above that of the boiling point of
water at a given pressure.
• Superheated steam is steam that
contains no moisture
• Occurs when 100% of saturated
water is vaporized

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 Uses for Superheated Steam
• Applications where dry steam is necessary
• Steam Turbines

• Maintaining temperature when

steam must be transported long distances
• Less potential for condensate to
form

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 QUESTIONS?

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 Armstrong Promise
We provide intelligent system solutions that improve utility
performance, lower energy consumption, and reduce
environmental emissions . . . while providing an
“enjoyable experience”!

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