On Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 2:52 PM, Abd ul-Rahman Lomax <a...@lomaxdesign.com>wrote:
> > It would be possible, just from the experiments performed, to determine if >> the RH probe were of any use. If the RH readings were *monitored* on a >> continuos basis, like the temperature, and *reported*, we could see if the >> reading ever actually changes. Presumably the steam must begin wet and then >> become drier as the power transfer increases. >> > > Not necessarily. Indeed, the steam may be wetter with higher power, because > of higher turbulence inside the device. If the steam were wetter, then it would remove less power from the reactor, and if the reactor is producing more power, where does the energy go? The reactor would have to get hotter, and then of course it would heat the water faster, boil it more quickly, and produce more steam, and it would be drier. Higher power transfer means drier steam, if energy is to be conserved. > > There are two very simple ways to prove the steam is dry: (1) Measure the >> output flow rate (velocity); if it is steam, it should be 1700 times higher >> than the input flow rate; >> > > Yeah, but it's not so simple to determine that rate. Could be done, though. It's not hard to measure the flow rate of dry steam to 1 or 2% accuracy. There are commercial devices that advertise exactly that. If the steam were dry, it would be easy to prove it this way. > (2) Reduce the input flow rate so the steam temperature exceeds boiling >> by more than a few degrees -- say 120C or so. That these two methods are not >> used suggests the steam is not dry. >> > > Not really. It suggests that measures have not been taken to prove that > it's dry. > > Reducing the input flow rate could be dangerous with this device, possibly. > The same device has been operated with several different flow rates, and always the temperature at the output is 100C. If the steam were dry, a modest decrease in the flow rate would give a significant increase in the steam temperature. It would have to in order to remove the same amount of heat from the reactor.
