De La Salle University

Mechanical Engineering Department

Module No. 2

Steam Calorimetry

NAME : Nygel Gian Santillan

SUBJECT & SECTION : LBYME3B EE3

INSTRUCTOR : Engr. Isidro Antonio Marfori

RATING: _________

REMARKS: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Objectives

• To determine the quality of steam in superheating calorimeters by throttling using the

heat balance equation, and
• To identify the quality of steam using graphical method commonly known as the Mollier
chart.

Materials and Equipment

• Throttling Calorimeter
• Thermometer ranging from 0 - 360°C – 2 nos.
• Calibrated Pressure Gage
• Barometer
• Stop watch
• U-tube Manometer

Experiment Set-up
Figure 2.1 shows the materials and equipment set-up for Steam Calorimetry.

FIGURE 2.1Steam Calorimetry Test Set-up

Theory

Superheated steam is widely used in power plant. However, in some instances a steam could
be either dry or with moisture content depending upon whether or not it contains water in
suspension. The device used in determining the percentage of this moisture content is called
a Steam Calorimeter. The general types of steam calorimeters used to determine the amount
of moisture in the steam may be classified as follows:

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 • Throttling or superheating calorimeter
• Separating calorimeter
• Electric calorimeter
• Condensing (barrel) calorimeter

Throttling or Superheating Calorimeter

This type of steam calorimeter is most commonly used in engineering practice. It functions
by passing a sample of the steam through a small orifice in which it is superheated by
throttling. A calorimeter of this kind may be made of pipe fittings which can be illustrated as
follows. Starting from the steam main line, it consists of an orifice “O”, discharging into a
chamber “c” into which a thermometer “T” is inserted and a mercury manometer is usually
attached downstream of the chamber denoted as V2, for observing the pressure in
calorimeter.

The quality or relative dryness of wet steam is easily calculated by the following method using
symbols such as;
P1 = Steam pressure in the main line, psia

P2 = Steam pressure in the calorimeter, psia

Tc = Temperature inside the calorimeter, ̊F

hfg1 and hf1 = heat enthalpy of evaporation of steam and heat

enthalpy of liquid corresponding to pressure P1, Btu / lb.

hg2 and T2 = total heat enthalpy in BTU per pound and temperature
of steam corresponding to pressure P2, F
̊

cp = specific heat of superheated steam. (Assume

0.46 BTU/lb.-̊F for approximately atmospheric pressure)

x1 = initial quality of steam,%

100(1-x1) = initial moisture in steam, %

The total heat in a pound of wet steam flowing into the orifice yields

ℎ1 = ℎ𝑓1 + 𝑥1(ℎ𝑔1 − ℎ𝑓1)

ℎ1 = ℎ𝑓1 + 𝑥1(ℎ𝑓𝑔1). (2.1)

and after expansion, assuming all the moisture is evaporated, one finds the total heat of the
same weight of superheated steam to be:

ℎ2 = ℎ𝑔2 + 𝑐𝑝(𝑇𝑐 − 𝑇2) (2.2)

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Assuming no heat losses,

ℎ𝑓1 + 𝑥1(ℎ𝑓𝑔1) = ℎ𝑔2 + 𝑐𝑝(𝑇𝑐 − 𝑇2) (2.3)

( )
𝑥 = (2.4)

Please see Mollier Chart to determine the quality of steam with any throttling calorimeters. A
Mollier Chart is provided in any modern steam tables which are arranged particularly to
identify the quality of steam in a throttling calorimeter without using the above-mentioned
equations. Horizontal lines in the chart are those of the constant total heat of the steam and
represent the process in a throttling calorimeter.

To illustrate the application of Mollier Chart in determining the steam quality, let the initial
pressure of steam be 165 psia and the reading of the thermometer on the low pressure side
of the calorimeter be 270⁰F. The pressure in the calorimeter is 15.2 psia. To find the quality
“x” start at the intersection of the temperature line for 270⁰F with the 15.2 psia line and go
across the chart horizontally to the 165 psia line. The “Lines of Constant Quality” then indicate
that the quality of steam is 0.979.

Procedure

1. Calibrate steam pressure gage.

2. Allow steam to blow through the calorimeter until the temperature in the throttling type
has reached a maximum value. If the calorimeter does not blow steam freely, the orifice
is probably stopped with scale or sediment.
3. Allow instruments to warm up by operating about 10 minutes before any readings are
taken.
4. Make a thirty-minute run under normal conditions, taking readings every five minutes.
5. Determine the effect on the readings of the throttling calorimeter by
6. Reducing the inlet steam pressure to half of its original value by throttling the inlet valve
with discharge valve fully open
7. Increasing the back pressure by throttling the discharge valve
8. Explain the results of these pressure changes.
9. Give sample computations and check the results by following a constant enthalpy line
using the Mollier diagram.

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Experimental Data

TABLE 2.1 Test data for normal flow condition where the inlet and discharge valves are fully
open
Quality Of Steam
Temperature
Pressure Pressure In Barometer
Time In Heat
Gage Calorimeter Reading Mollier
Calorimeter Balance
Chart
Equation

0 90 163 0.00 14.64 1.015832797 1

2 95 165 0.05 14.64 1.016772011 1

4 100 165 0.05 14.64 1.015927384 1

6 103 166 0.00 14.64 1.016369807 1

8 105 168 0.00 14.64 1.017960439 1

10 107 170 0.00 14.64 1.019523489 1

Temperature out 99.5 C ̊

TABLE 2.2 Test data for reduced inlet steam pressure to half of its original value by throttling
the inlet valve with discharge valve fully open
Quality Of Steam
Temperature
Pressure Pressure In Barometer
Time In Heat
Gage Calorimeter Reading Mollier
Calorimeter Balance
Chart
Equation

0 110 170 0.00 14.64 1.019077209 1

2 115 171 0.00 14.64 1.019268541 1

4 113 171 0.00 14.64 1.019568452 1

6 110 171 0.00 14.64 1.020022307 1

8 110 170 0.00 14.64 1.019077209 1

10 110 170 0.00 14.64 1.019077209 1

Temperature out 99.5 C

̊

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TABLE 2.3 Test data for increasing the back pressure by throttling the discharge valve to
one-half its original value
Quality Of Steam
Temperature
Pressure Pressure In Barometer
Time In Heat
Gage Calorimeter Reading Mollier
Calorimeter Balance
Chart
Equation

0 106 169 1.7 14.64 1.018740636 1

2 105 168 2.0 14.64 1.017959405 1

4 106 168 1.4 14.64 1.017797863 1

6 110 168 0.50 14.64 1.017186755 1

8 114 171 1.9 14.64 1.019405144 1

10 110 170 1.5 14.64 1.019076432 1

Sample Computations (Using Normal Flow Condition at Time 0)

TC

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℉ = 𝑇 ℃× + 32
5
9
163 ℃ × + 32 = 325.4 ℉
5

P1 and P2

𝑃 +𝑃 =𝑃

1 𝑝𝑠𝑖 = 0.00689476 𝑀𝑝𝑎

𝑃 = 90 𝑝𝑠𝑖 + 14.64 𝑝𝑠𝑖 = 104.64 𝑝𝑠𝑖

104.64 𝑝𝑠𝑖 × 0.00689476 𝑀𝑝𝑎 = 0.721467686 𝑀𝑝𝑎

𝑃 = 0 𝑝𝑠𝑖 + 14.64 𝑝𝑠𝑖 = 14.64 𝑝𝑠𝑖

14.64 𝑝𝑠𝑖 × 0.00689476 𝑀𝑝𝑎 = 0.100939 𝑀𝑝𝑎

hfg1

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 𝑘𝐽
0.721467686 𝑀𝑝𝑎 − 0.72 𝑀𝑝𝑎 𝑥 − 2062.5
𝑘𝑔
=
0.73 𝑀𝑝𝑎 − 0.72 𝑀𝑝𝑎 𝑘𝐽 𝑘𝐽
2060.7 − 2062.5
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔
𝑘𝐽
𝑥 = 2062.235817
𝑘𝑔

𝑘𝐽
2062.235817 𝐵𝑇𝑈
𝑘𝑔
= 886.6018128
2.326 𝑙𝑏

hf1

𝑘𝐽
0.721467686 𝑀𝑝𝑎 − 0.72 𝑀𝑝𝑎 𝑥 − 702.20
𝑘𝑔
=
0.73 𝑀𝑝𝑎 − 0.72 𝑀𝑝𝑎 𝑘𝐽 𝑘𝐽
704.64 − 702.20
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔
𝑘𝐽
𝑥 = 702.5581154
𝑘𝑔

𝑘𝐽
702.5581154 𝐵𝑇𝑈
𝑘𝑔
= 302.0456214
2.326 𝑙𝑏

hg2

𝑘𝐽
0.100939286 𝑀𝑝𝑎 − 0.100 𝑀𝑝𝑎 𝑥 − 2675.5
𝑘𝑔
=
0.105 𝑀𝑝𝑎 − 0.100 𝑀𝑝𝑎 𝑘𝐽 𝑘𝐽
2677.6 − 2675.5
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔
𝑘𝐽
𝑥 = 2675.8945
𝑘𝑔

𝑘𝐽
2675.8945 𝐵𝑇𝑈
𝑘𝑔
= 1150.427558
2.326 𝑙𝑏

T2

0.100939286 𝑀𝑝𝑎 − 0.100 𝑀𝑝𝑎 𝑥 − 99.63 ℃

=
0.105 𝑀𝑝𝑎 − 0.100 𝑀𝑝𝑎 101.00 ℃ − 99.63 ℃

𝑥 = 99.88736436 ℃

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99.88736436 ℃ × + 32 = 211.7972559 ℉
5

x1

ℎ + 𝑐 (𝑇 − 𝑇 ) − ℎ
𝑥 =
ℎ

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 𝐵𝑇𝑈 𝐵𝑇𝑈 𝐵𝑇𝑈
1150.427558 + 0.46 (325.4 ℉ − 211.7972559 ℉) − 302.0456214
𝑥 = 𝑙𝑏 𝑙𝑏 𝑙𝑏
𝐵𝑇𝑈
886.6018128
𝑙𝑏

𝑥 = 1.015832797

Results and Analysis

When looking at the results of the experiment some noticeable changes due to the
throttling of the inlet and discharge valves can be noted.

Throttled Inlet and

Normal Conditions Throttled Inlet Valve
Discharge Valve

Temperature
Pressure Temperature Temperature
In Pressure In Pressure Pressure In Pressure Pressure In
Time Gage In In
Calorimeter Calorimeter Gage Calorimeter Gage Calorimeter
(Psig) Calorimeter Calorimeter
(C)

0 90 163 0.00 110 170 0.00 106 169 1.7

2 95 165 0.05 115 171 0.00 105 168 2.0

4 100 165 0.05 113 171 0.00 106 168 1.4

6 103 166 0.00 110 171 0.00 110 168 0.50

8 105 168 0.00 110 170 0.00 114 171 1.9

10 107 170 0.00 110 170 0.00 110 170 1.5

Under normal conditions, steam is allowed to flow through the calorimeter freely
resulting in very little pressure being present inside the calorimeter. When the inlet valve is
throttled; however, the resulting steam that enters will be superheated. This is a result of a
reduction in steam pressure caused by the throttling process. Since enthalpy is constant
during this process, pressure must compensate causing the steam to be superheated. Note
that temperature should remain constant despite the reduction in pressure. When the inlet
valve was throttled, no pressure was measured inside the calorimeter. Despite the reduction
of inlet steam pressure, there should still be some pressure measured. This seeming
contradiction could be explained by the fact the discharge valve was still open, meaning that
pressure build up would not have been likely as steam would have simply filtered out.

When both valves are throttled, both inlet steam and back pressure are affected. Inlet
steam pressure is reduced while back pressure is increased. As stated earlier, a reduction of
inlet steam pressure leads to superheated steam and lower steam pressure entering the

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calorimeter. This reduction of pressure can now be observed. As the discharge valve is only
half open, pressure can now build up inside the calorimeter, as shown in the final column.

With regards to the quality of the steam, some issues arise. Most notably is the
computed quality of the steam using the heat balance equation. All calculations indicate that
all computed qualities are above the value of 1 which should not be the case. The quality of
steam can only range from a value of 0 % to 100%.

Further investigation regarding this using the Mollier chart suggests that the data is
beyond the saturation line. This could indicate that the steam that enters the calorimeter is
already superheated even prior to being throttled by the inlet valve. The heat balance
equation is only applicable for saturated steam and cannot be used for superheated steam.
This effectively renders the heat balance equations ineffective for gathering any conclusions
from. As a result, no relationships between pressure, temperature, and the quality of steam
can be formed using the data of this experiment.

Observations and Recommendations

Present briefly your individual observations and recommendations.

Observations

From the gathered results and data in the experiment, some key observations can be
made. When both the inlet valve and discharge valve were throttled, the pressure of the
steam before entering the inlet valve was significantly reduced by the time it reached the
calorimeter. This instance is according to what is known about the effects of throttling and
superheating.

Due to what is likely a data anomaly, calculations regarding the quality of steam are
inapplicable in this experiment. The quality of steam was calculated to be greater than 1
which was backed up by the Mollier chart which indicated that the steam was past the
saturation line. The best possible explanation for this anomaly is that the steam may have
been superheated prior to entering the inlet valve.

Recommendations

It is recommended that this experiment be redone as the data suggests that some
aspects of the experiment may have been overlooked resulting in less than adequate data.
Proper checking of the equipment prior to use may lead to better and more accurate results
as well as the potential use of more accurate equipment to get the best possible results
regarding the experiment. Further investigation as to why the data of this specific experiment
yielded results that were unexpected must be undertaken as well by using potential theories
as to why the results were as such as possible starting points.

Conclusion

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 In conclusion, the results of this experiment were likely not the most accurate of
findings. By far the largest issue with this experiment is the data and resulting calculations of
the quality of the steam. Although some principles regarding throttling and superheated
steam were followed, this cannot offset the fact that the computed quality of the steam is
inaccurate for what could possibly be a plethora of reasons. The Mollier chart suggests that
the steam that entered the inlet valve may have already been superheated which would
explain the calculated quality; however, further investigations must be undertaken.
Questions and Answers (NOTE: Use separate sheet for the answers.)

1. What happens to steam that is initially dry and at a moderate pressure when reduced to
a lower pressure by throttling action? What is this thermodynamics phenomenon called?
A throttling action, sometimes referred to as a throttling process, is considered to be an
isenthalpic process. What this means is that when pressure is throttled (i.e., reduced),
enthalpy must remain the same. Note, however, that enthalpy is directly proportional to
pressure; therefore, other parameters such as specific volume and internal energy must
increase to compensate as they are also directly proportional to enthalpy. An increase in
internal energy also causes a change in temperature. This phenomenon is usually referred to
as the Joule-Thomson effect (Throttling Process – Isenthalpic Process, n.d.).
2. Why must the throttling calorimeter be thoroughly lagged by at least two inches of a food
insulation material?
The word “lagged” refers to the outer material used to cover the insulation of the
throttling calorimeter. Lagging helps keep heat from leaking out of the throttling calorimeter
which is quite important as significant heat leakage could incur skewered and inaccurate
results (Lagging and heat loss, n.d.).
3. What is meant by the “latent heat of vaporization?”
The latent heat of vaporization is the amount of energy needed to transform saturated
water into dry saturated steam. In simpler terms, it is the amount of energy required to turn
liquid into gas.
4. The error in the use of the steam calorimetry (assuming that an accurate thermometer is
used) but primarily with radiation. What can be done to minimize this effect?
The best way to prevent heat loss or at times heat gain through radiation is making sure
that the calorimeter is well insulated. Poor insulation could easily lead to the calorimeter
being significantly affected by radiation heat transfer. Another way of making sure that
radiation does not have a significant effect on the calorimeter is making sure that the
environment the calorimeter is in contains no major heat sources as they are all possible
sources of radiation heat transfer.
5. Air undergoes an adiabatic throttling process from 90 psig to 25 psia. What is the change
of specific entropy?
The general formula for change in entropy in ideal gasses is:
𝑇 𝑃
𝑠 − 𝑠 = 𝑐 𝑙𝑛 − 𝑅𝑙𝑛
𝑇 𝑃
But a throttling process is isenthalpic which also means that there is no change in
temperature:

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 𝑃
𝑠 − 𝑠 = 𝑐 𝑙𝑛1 − 𝑅𝑙𝑛
𝑃
𝑃
𝑠 − 𝑠 = 0 − 𝑅𝑙𝑛
𝑃
𝑃
𝑠 − 𝑠 = −𝑅𝑙𝑛
𝑃
Therefore:
𝑘𝐽
0.008314 25 𝑝𝑠𝑖 𝑘𝐽
𝑠 −𝑠 =− 𝑚𝑜𝑙 − 𝐾 𝑙𝑛 = 0.4109394754
𝑘𝑔 90 𝑝𝑠𝑖 + 14.64 𝑝𝑠𝑖 𝑘𝑔 − 𝐾
0.0289647
𝑚𝑜𝑙
References

Lagging and heat loss. (n.d.). Retrieved from Build: https://build.com.au/lagging-and-heat-

loss#:~:text=Piping%20insulation%20(also%20called%20lagging,pipes%20helps
%20prevent%20heat%20loss.
Throttling Process – Isenthalpic Process. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nuclear-
power.com/nuclear-engineering/thermodynamics/thermodynamic-
processes/throttling-process-isenthalpic-process/

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