Determining Dryness Fraction

SUPERHEATED

EVAPORATION

100˚C

WATER LINE

0˚
C

hf hfg

hg

Temperature/Enthalpy

Dryness Fraction
This handout assumes the student is familiar with Steam Tables and the terms
found therein. If required, please review Steam Tables before continuing.

The heavy solid line in the above chart represents the transformation of 1 kg of water at
0˚C and atmospheric pressure into steam, with the addition of heat.

From 0˚C to 100˚C, energy is added to the water in the form of sensible heat. This causes
an increase in temperature while its state remains the same. This energy is referred to in
steam tables as “hf”. The change from 1 kg of water at 0˚C into 1 kg of water at 100˚C
requires the addition of 419.04 kJ of energy. Therefore, at atmospheric pressure:

hf = 419.04 kJ/kg

The saturation temperature of water at atmospheric pressure is 100˚C. The addition of

more heat will not cause a temperature change but will, instead, cause a change of state.
In this case, evaporation into steam at 100˚C. The change from 1 kg of water at 100˚C
into dry saturated steam at 100˚C requires the addition of 2257.0 kJ of energy. Therefore,
at atmospheric pressure:
hfg = 2257.0 kJ/kg.

Referring to the diagram, you will notice that hg = hf + hfg

If not all of hfg is added to the water, then not all of the water can change into steam. If,
say, 50% of hfg is added then only 50% of the water will be changed into steam and the
steam will be referred to as 50% dry. This is known as the “dryness fraction” of the
steam.

Expanding on this, then, it can be seen that the total enthalpy content of steam of a certain
dryness fraction, and made from water at 0˚C, can be found out by totalling hf and that
portion of hfg which has been added (hfg multiplied by the dryness fraction). If the steam
is 100% dry, then the entire amount of hfg has been added and the dryness fraction of the
steam would be 100% or 1.

Putting this into a formula we get:

total enthalpy =h f dryness fraction h fg

Using this formula and the information found in Steam Tables, one can determine the
dryness fraction of steam at any pressure or temperature.

Example 1:

One kilogram of steam at 1400 kPa has a total enthalpy content of 2202.09 kJ.
Determine the dryness fraction of the steam.

From the Steam Tables:

hf = 830.30 kJ/kg
hfg = 1959.7 kJ/kg
hg = 2790.0 kJ/kg

Since it is given that the enthalpy of the steam is less than that of dry saturated steam at
1400 kPa (hg), one knows that the steam is “wet”.

htotal hf dryness fraction h fg

htotal hf
dryness fraction
h fg
Then, substituting in the values,
2202.09 830.30 df 1959.7
2202.09 830.30
df
1959.7
df 0.7

Therefore the dryness fraction of the steam is 0.7 or 70%

Example 2

Consider 5 kg of steam at 2000 kPa with a total enthalpy of 12571 kJ. What is the
dryness fraction?

First, the Steam Tables give figures that are “per kilogram”. So we have to determine the
total enthalpy of 1 kg of the steam.

12571 5 2514.2kJ / kg

From the Steam Tables

Steam at 2000 kPa: hf = 908.79 kJ/kg

hfg = 1890.7 kJ/kg
hg = 2799.5 kJ/kg

Comparing the actual total enthalpy of the steam and hg for steam at 2000 kPa, we know
the steam is wet.

Using the formula, substitute the values in and solve for the dryness fraction.

htotal hf dryness fraction h fg

htotal hf
dryness fraction
h fg
Then, substituting in the values,

2514.2 908.79 df 1890.7

2514.2 908.79
df
1890.7
df 0.849

Therefore the dryness fraction is 0.849 or 84.9%

Example 3

How much heat must be supplied to 200 kgs of water at 20C to make steam at 850
kPa which is 87% dry?

This is a two part question. You first have to determine what the total enthalpy of the steam (at 850 kPa) is.

htotal hf D.F . h fg

Referring to the steam tables, at 850 kPa:

hf 732.22kJ / kg
h fg 2039.4kJ / kg

D.F . .87

Substituting these into the formula, we get

htotal 732.22 0.87 2039.4

htotal 2506.498kJ / kg

This is the heat content of the steam.

All the figures in the steam tables are assuming that the steam is being created from water at 0 degrees C.
In this question, however, the water is warmer than 0 degrees. So we have to take that into account.
It's heat we don't have to add again.

So, from Table II, we find that the water has an enthalpy of: 83.96 kj/kg

We subtract this from the heat content of the steam and we get: 2422.538 kJ/kg

This is how much heat we have to add to 1 kg of water at 20 degrees to produce 1 kg of steam at 850 kPa
and 87% dry.

Multiply this by 200 to get your final answer: 484507.6 kJ/kg

Example 4

Steam enters a turbine at 1100 kPa, dry and saturated. The steam is exhausted
from the turbine at 361.3 kPa and is 15% wet. Determine the quantity of heat used
to do work in the turbine.

In this question, you need to determine the heat content of the steam entering
the turbine and again when it leaves the turbine. The difference is the amount
of heat used to do work.

From the steam tables, for steam at 1100 kPa, dry and saturated,

hg 2781.7 kJ / kg

Referring to Table II
For steam that is at 361.3 kPa (or 140 degrees C) and 15% wet (85% dry)

hf 589.13
h fg 2144.7

Inserting these figures into the dryness fraction equation we get:

htotal 589.13 0.85 2144.7

htotal 2412.125 kJ / kg

Subtracting these two figures we get: 2781.7 2412.125 369.575 kJ/kg

Which is the amount of heat used to do work.