St.

Peter’s College
Iligan City
College of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Experiment No. 4
Title: Measurement of a Steam Quality

Name: Date of Performance:________

Student Number: ___________ Date of Submission:________

Course: ___________ Section: ___________

Group No. _________

GRADE
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INSTRUCTOR
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Objectives 1

Theories and Analysis 1

List of Apparatus 6

Procedure 7

Set-up of Apparatus 9

Final Data Sheet 9

Computations 10

Discussion 11

Conclusion 11
OBJECTIVES:

1. To be able to determine the quality of steam produced by the MIT Boiler.

2. To be familiar in the operation of a steam throttling calorimeter

THEORY AND ANALYSIS:

Steam is an odorless invisible gas consisting of vaporized water. It is usually

interspersed with minute droplets of water, which gives it a white, cloudy
appearance. In nature, steam is produced by the heating of underground water by
volcanic processes and is emitted from hot springs, geysers, fumaroles, and certain
types of volcanoes. Steam also can be generated on a large scale by technological
systems, as, for example, those employing fossil-fuel-burning boilers and nuclear
reactors.

Steam power constitutes an important power source for industrial society.

Water is heated to steam in power plants, and the pressurized steam drives turbines
that produce electrical current. The thermal energy of steam is thus converted to
mechanical energy, which in turn is converted into electricity. The steam used to
drive turbo-generators furnishes most of the world’s electric power. Steam is also
widely employed in such industrial processes as the manufacture of steel, aluminum,
copper, and nickel; the production of chemicals; and the refining of petroleum. In the
home, steam has long been used for cooking and heating.

Steam quality is the proportion of saturated steam (vapor) in a saturated

condensate (liquid)/ steam (vapor) mixture. A steam quality of 0 indicates 100 %
liquid, (condensate) while a steam quality of 100 indicates 100 % steam. One (1) lb
of steam with 90 % steam and 10 % percent of liquid entrainment has a steam
quality of 0.9. The measurements needed to obtain a steam quality measurement
are temperature, pressure, and entrained liquid content. A high percentage (88 % or
more) of industrial steam systems use saturated steam for process applications.

Steam quality can be mathematically calculated with the help of a steam

table. Steam table consist of two sets of tables of the energy transfer properties of
water and steam saturated steam tables and superheated steam tables. The
saturated steam tables are divided into two parts: temperature tables, which list the
properties according to saturation temperature (T sat) and pressure tables, which list
them according to saturation pressure (Psat). Most practical applications using the
saturated steam tables involve steam-water mixtures. The key property of such
mixtures is steam quality (x), defined as the mass of steam present per unit mass of
steam-water mixture, or steam moisture content (y), defined as the mass of water
present per unit mass of steam-water mixture. The following notation is used in
steam tables

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 The following relationships exists between the quality of a liquid-vapor mixture
and the specific volumes, enthalpies, or entropies of both phases and of the mixture
itself. These relationships are used with the saturated steam tables.

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 Saturated steam/vapor is a vapor at saturation temperature and pressure. It
has no liquid or moisture content. Example: Steam at 300-degree C and 8.58 MPa. It
exists in complete gaseous form and contains no liquid. The boiler operation uses
chemical energy from a fuel source to deliver energy to the boiler water. Inside the
boiler, liquid gains energy from the combustion process and changes state into
saturated steam.

Pure Substance is a working substance that has homogeneous and

invariable chemical composition even though there is a change of phase.

Working Substance is a substance which energy can be stored or from

which energy can be removed.
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 Saturation Temperature is the temperature wat which liquid start to boil and
vapor start to condense.

Compressed Liquid is a liquid at the saturation temperature or pressure

whose temperature is equal to the boiling point corresponding to the given pressure.
It has no vapor content

Vapor is the term given to a gaseous phase that is in contact with the liquid
phase.

Superheated Vapor is a vapor whose temperature is higher than the

saturation temperature corresponding to the given pressure.

Degree Superheat is the difference between the actual superheated

temperature and saturation temperature.

Degree Subcooled is the difference between the saturation temperature and

the actual subcooled temperature.

Water Vapor is a mixture of saturated vapor and saturated liquid.

Quality of Wet Vapor is the fraction or percentage by weight that is saturated

vapor It is the ratio of the mass of saturated vapor to the total mass of the mixture.

Critical Point is a point that represents the pressure and temperature at

which liquid and vapor can coexist in equilibrium.

Today’s manufacturing techniques of heat transfer, control, and standards are

all dedicated to improving and providing the highest quality product to the market
place. To attain the highest quality, each manufactured component of the final
product is inspected repeatedly, and measured for its quality to ensure that it meets
the manufacturer’s and consumer’s expectations. Steam is a vital and critical part in
producing the final product; therefore, steam quality should be one of the main
measurable points in producing a product in today’s manufacturing facility. All heat
transfer components (shell/tube, plate/frame, plate/coil, tracing, etc.) base
performance calculations on 100 % steam quality, unless the manufacturer is
informed by the end user that the steam quality is lower than 100 %. Unfortunately,
steam quality is typically not monitored closely and is assumed to be 100 % quality.
Therefore, issues that arise from poor steam quality are blamed on some other item
in the system. Based on field documentation by Swagelok Energy Advisors Inc., a
high percentage of steam systems are operating below acceptable steam quality
levels.
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 Low steam quality affects steam system operations in many ways. Below is
the effect of low steam quality:

1. Reduced heat transfer efficiency: The major problem with low steam quality
is the effect on the heat transfer equipment and process. In some cases, low steam
quality can reduce heat transfer efficiency by more than 65 %. The liquid entrained in
the steam has sensible energy (16 % estimated – varies with pressure) which has a
significantly lower amount of energy than the steam vapor’s latent energy (94 %).
Therefore, less usable energy is being delivered to the steam process equipment.
Also, the additional liquid (low steam quality) collects on the wetted surface of the
heat exchanger causing an additional build-up of a liquid which reduces the ability of
the steam’s latent energy to be transfer to the product.

2. Premature Valve Failure: Liquid passing through steam control valves will
erode the internals of the valves causing premature failure

3. Internal Turbine Component Failures: Liquid introduced with the steam in a

saturated turbine operation will reduce the life expectancy of the internal
components.

4. Water hammer Steam systems are usually not designed to accommodate

the additional liquid in steam. Additional liquid creates the chance for water hammer
to occur. Water hammer is a safety issue and may cause premature failure in the
steam system.

A true measurement of steam quality can be obtained from the use of a

throttling calorimeter and Ganapathy’s steam plant calculations. Unfortunately, most
industrial plants do not have the luxury or capability of doing the testing. Another way
to measure steam quality is relying on the basics of steam. Saturated steam is a dry
invisible gas and only becomes visible with the entrained air or liquid. Therefore,
opening a steam valve and allowing steam to be released into the atmosphere
provides an estimate of the steam quality in the system.

If we have steam that is nearly dry, we make use of a throttling calorimeter as

shown in figure. This calorimeter is operated by first opening the stop valve fully so
that the steam is not partially throttled as it passes through the apparatus for a while
to allow the pressure and temperature to stabilize. If the pressure is very close to
atmospheric pressure, the saturation should be around 100°C, it may be assumed
that the steam is superheated.

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 When the conditions have become steady, the gauge pressure before throttling is read
from the pressure gauge. After throttling, the temperature and gauge pressure are read from
the thermometer and manometer respectively.

In the experiment, the researcher is focused on the determination of steam quality.

The formula below is utilized to determine the steam quality or the dryness fraction of steam.

LIST OF APPARATUS:

1. Throttling calorimeter

2. Mercury manometer

3. Thermometer

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 4. Stop watch

5. Steam Table

PROCEDURES:

1. Purge the water and impurities inside the steam pipeline

2. Insert the Thermometer bulb inside the throttling calorimeter well

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3. Connect the hose of the Hg manometer through the drain valve

4. Open the gate valve and let the steam enter the calorimeter

5. Duration of the trial is 3 minutes

6. Let the condition of the steam inside stabilize before recording the steam line pressure,
calorimeter well temperature and Hg manometer reading

7. Calculate all the necessary requirements needed to complete the data sheet

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SET-UP APPRATUS:

FINAL DATA SHEET: Complete the data below

Trial Steam Calorimeter Manometer Calorimeter t2 (F) hf1 hfg1 hg2 X%

Pressure Temperature Reading Pressure, BTU/lb BTU/lb BTU/lb
P1 (psi) Tc (F) “Hg P2 (psi)

1 23 186.8 ¼ 14.83
2 24 206.6 ¼ 14.83
3 24 183.2 3/8 26.68
4 23 185 3/8 26.68
5 23 179.5 ¼ 14.76
6 20 195.6 ¼ 14.82

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COMPUTATIONS:

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DISCUSSION OF RESULT

QUESTION AND ANSWER:

1. Superheated steam at 1.7 MPa and 350 degree Celsius is expanded in an

engine and the final pressure is 0.17 MPa. If the expansion is isentropic, Find
the dryness fraction of the expanded steam.
2. Two boilers of equal evaporative capacities generate steam at the same
pressure of 1.5 MPa to a common pipe line. One boiler produces superheated
steam at 150 degrees Celsius and the other produces wet steam. If the
mixture is just dry and saturated, find the dryness fraction of the wet steam
from the second boiler.
3. A closed system consisting of 1 kg of superheated steam at 2 MPa and 400
degrees Celsius is cooled at constant volume until the pressure is 1.2 MPa.
Determine the condition of the steam at the lower pressure.The steam is
cooled at constant volume, therefore the volume 1 kg of steam at 1.2 MPa is
the same as it was before cooling which is 0.1511 m3. This is less than the
volume of 1 kg of dry saturated steam at 1.2 MPa, Therefore it must now be
wet and its dryness fraction is ?
4. In an Experiment to determine the dryness fraction of steam , a sample at a
pressure of 0.11 MPa was blown into a vessel containing 10 kg of water at 15
degrees Celsius. The final mass of water in the vessel was 10.75 kg and the
final temperature is 55 degrees Celsius. Find the dryness fraction of steam,
taking the water equivalent of the vessel as 0.45 kg
5. A throttling calorimeter was fitted to pipe carrying steam at 1.2 MPa in order to
measure the dryness fraction. The pressure in the calorimeter was 0.12 MPa
and its temperature was 116 degrees Celsius. Taking the specific heat of the
superheated steam in the calorimeter as 2.0 KJ/ kg-K, find the dryness
fraction of the main steam
6. A steam generator has an exit enthalpy of 3500 KJ/kg at the rate of 15 kg/s.
Calculate the heat lost between the boiler outlet and the turbine inlet if the
enthalpy available at the turbine inlet is 3200 KJ/kg.

CONCLUSION:

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