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( Steam)
In physical chemistry, and in engineering, steam refers to vaporized water. It is a pure, completely invisible gas (for mist see below). At standard temperature and pressure, pure steam (unmixed with air, but in equilibrium with liquid water) occupies about 1,600 times the volume of an equal mass of liquid water. In the atmosphere, the partial pressure of water is much lower than 1&_160;atm, therefore gaseous water can exist at temperatures much lower than 100&_160;°C (212&_160;°F) (see water vapor and humidity). A steam engine uses the expansion of steam in order to drive a piston or turbine to perform mechanical work. In other industrial applications steam is used for energy storage, which is introduced and extracted by heat transfer, usually through pipes. Steam is a capacious reservoir for energy because of water's high heat of vaporization. The ability to return condensed steam as water-liquid to the boiler at high pressure with relatively little expenditure of pumping power is also important. Engineers use an idealised thermodynamic cycle, the Rankine cycle, to model the behaviour of steam engines. In the U.S., more than 86% of electric power is produced using steam as the working fluid, nearly all by steam turbines. Condensation of steam to water often occurs at the low-pressure end of a steam turbine, since this maximises the energy efficiency, but such wet-steam conditions have to be limited to avoid excessive turbine blade erosion. When liquid water comes in contact with a very hot substance (such as lava, or molten metal) it can flash into steam very quickly; this is called a steam explosion. Such an explosion was probably responsible for much of the damage in the Chernobyl accident and for many so-called 'foundry accidents'.
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Steam Subcategories
Steam Articles
Deep Clean Your Home for Health and Hygiene by Matt Gallo
Most families regularly clean their whole house: vacuuming carpets, sanitizing countertops, dusting shelves, and scrubbing showers and toilets. But what these families don’t realize is that their homes are still ...
How Steaming Camel Dung Contributed to Reversing the Symptoms of Diabetes by Thomas Nelson
How Steamy Camel Dung Contributed to Reversing the Symptoms of Diabetes Early in the 1940's, when German armies occupied areas of North Africa, Dysentery threatened to defeat the mighty Army. Thousands of soldiers were dying in the fields, victims ...
KERALA PANCHKARMA TREATMENT IN INDIA by Dr. Hemant Benda
Benda Kerala Panckarma Centre is a place of total peace, where you can experience the warm, generous and gentle hospitality,which we love to offer. We give extremely pleasant relaxing treatm...
Get Steamy in your Bathroom by Ruth Brown
Get Steamy in Your Bathroom Steam cabins offer a healthy alternative to a shower, and give you a spa-like experience that is second to none. Th...
Beauty Steaming by Juliet Cohen
Steaming is a skin care fundamental. Steaming is beneficial for cleaning all types of skin. It cleans the skin of all surface dirt, stimulates the circulation and unclogs blocked pores. It opens your pores, removes dead skin cells, improves circulati...
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