Property Diagrams for Phase Change Processes

Variations of properties duing phase change processes are best studied with the help of
property diagrams.

T – v Diagrams

If a tank contains a water and if we increase the pressure above this water. This time phase
change will start a higher temperature, specific volume of sat. liquid getting larger and
specific volume of saurated vapour is getting smaller. Also saturated mixture line is getting
smaller too.

As the pressure on water is increase saturated mixture line wil continue to get shorter an done
point it will become only a point. This point is called a critical point. Above this point we
cannot observe any significant phase changing, specific volume of substance always
increasing but we can only observe one phase (it’s very similar with sublimination).
P = 25 Mpa
T, ℃ Critical point
P = 22.09 Mpa

P = 20 Mpa

P = 8 Mpa

P = 1 Mpa

v, m3/kg

Figure 1. T –v diagram of phase change process of a pure substance at different pressure.

T, ℃
Critical point

P2 > P1

Compressed Superheated
liquid region vapor region
P1 (constant)

Saturated
mixture region

Saturated vapor line

Saturated liquid line

v,m3/kgFigure 2. T-v diagram of pure substance

P – v Diagrams

The general shape of P – v diagram of a pure substance is very similar with T – v diagram but
temperature lines on this diagram have a downward trend.

P, kPa

Critical point

Compressed Superheated
liquid region vapor region

Saturated T (constant)
mixture region

Saturated vapor line

Saturated liquid line

v,m3/kg
P-T Diagram

The P-T diagram also called as a phase diagram.

In this diagram all phases seperated by solid lines..

Melting line

Liquid Critical point

Solid
Vaporization line
Sublimination line Vapor

Triple point

Figure 3. P – T diagram of pure substance.