PROCEDURE FOR FINDING PROPERTIES FROM TABLES

PROCEDURE FOR FINDING PROPERTIES FROM TABLES

Note: Although this procedure is written in terms of the properties of water (steam), it works just as well for other fluids,
such as ammonia and the various refrigerants. The table references are to the textbook by Cengel and Turner,
"Fundamentals of Thermal-Fluid Sciences, Second Edition. Also, the following procedure assumes that the temperature
is above the triple point temperature, so that only the liquid and vapor phases are involved. If thermodynamic data are
available, the same procedure will work for lower temperatures.

Values of two independent properties will determine the state and allow all other properties to be found. The procedure
for finding the other properties depends on which two properties are known.

IF temperature (T) and pressure

(P) are known THEN
Make sure that the temperature is
in Celsius or Fahrenheit degrees,
then look in Table A-4 (SI
units)or A-4E (English units),
Saturated Water: Temperature
Table. Find the pressure (second
column). This is the saturation
pressure (Psat) corresponding to
the given temperature.

IF P > Psat THEN the fluid is

compressed liquid. Properties are
given in Table A-7 or A-7E, but
for widely-spaced values of
pressure. For most situations, the
saturated liquid properties,
identified by the subscript "f", can
be used with only a small error.
These are found in Table A-4 or
A-4E. Be sure to read vf, uf, hf, and sf at the given temperature T, not the given pressure.

IF P = Psat THEN the fluid is a saturated mixture. In this case, more information is required.

IF P < Psat THEN the fluid is superheated vapor. Go to Table A-6 or A-6E. Move down the first column until
the T value is found, then across to the set of columns corresponding to the given P value. If the given
temperature is between the values listed in two rows in the first column, use linear interpolation between the
values in the two rows. If the given pressure is between the values listed at the top of two columns, use linear
interpolation between appropriate columns to find the property values required. In some cases a double
interpolation will be required.

IF temperature (T) and specific volume (v) are

known THEN
Look in Table A-4 or A-4E, Saturated Steam
Temperature Table. In the row corresponding to
the value of T, find vf and vg.

IF v < v THEN the fluid is compressed liquid.

http://athena.ecs.csus.edu/~reardonf/ThermoNotesI/tablproc04.htm[3/3/2020 11:48:58 PM]

PROCEDURE FOR FINDING PROPERTIES FROM TABLES

f
Properties are given in Table A-7 or A-7E, but for
widely-spaced values of pressure. For most
situations, the saturated liquid properties, identified
by the subscript "f", can be used with only a small
error.

IF v = vf THEN the fluid is saturated liquid and the

values of pressure, internal energy uf, enthalpy hf, and entropy sf are read directly from the row corresponding to
the known temperature T.

IF v > vf AND v < vg THEN the fluid is a saturated mixture of liquid and vapor phases.

First, find the quality x from the equation x = (v - vf )/( vg - vf).

Then find the internal energy, enthalpy and entropy from the equations
u = uf + x*ufg
h = hf + x*hfg
s = sf + x*sfg
where ufg, hfg and sfg are found in the same row as vf and vg.

IF v = vg THEN the fluid is saturated vapor and the values of pressure, internal energy ug, enthalpy hg and
entropy sg are read directly from the row corresponding to the known Temperature T.

IF v > vg THEN the fluid is superheated vapor. Go to Table A-6 or A-6E. Find the row corresponding to the
known T. Go across the row until the value of v is encountered. Read up to the next column heading to find the
pressure. The values of u, h, and s will be found in the same row as v, in the adjacent columns. In most cases, a
linear interpolation between columns will be necessary.

IF pressure (P) and specific volume (v) are known THEN

Look in Table A-5 or A-5E, Saturated Steam: Pressure Table. In the row corresponding to the value of P, find
vf and vg. From here the procedure is the same as the case for which T is known.

IF temperature (T) or pressure (P) and internal energy (u), specific enthalpy (h), or entropy (s)
are known THEN
Follow the same procedure as given above for specific volume, except that the values of uf and ug, hf and hg, or sf
and sg, are used in place of vf and vg.

http://athena.ecs.csus.edu/~reardonf/ThermoNotesI/tablproc04.htm[3/3/2020 11:48:58 PM]

PROCEDURE FOR FINDING PROPERTIES FROM TABLES

http://athena.ecs.csus.edu/~reardonf/ThermoNotesI/tablproc04.htm[3/3/2020 11:48:58 PM]