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Steam Table Lookup (Pressure)

Pressure-based saturated steam lookup: enter P_sat → IAPWS-IF97 T_sat, v_f, v_g, h_f, h_fg, h_g, s_f, s_fg, s_g, u_f, u_fg, u_g up to the critical point

By Christopher FloiedPublished Updated

Enter saturation pressure → saturated water/steam properties computed from IAPWS-IF97. For temperature-based lookup, use the Steam Table Interpolation calculator.

P = 100.0000 kPa | T_sat = 99.606 °C

Saturated Properties at P = 100.0000 kPa (T_sat in °C)

T_sat
99.606
°C
v_f
0.001043
m³/kg
v_g
1.69402
m³/kg
h_f
417.436
kJ/kg
h_fg
2257.513
kJ/kg
h_g
2674.950
kJ/kg
s_f
1.30256
kJ/kg·K
s_fg
6.05625
kJ/kg·K
s_g
7.35881
kJ/kg·K
u_f
417.332
kJ/kg
u_fg
2088.215
kJ/kg
u_g
2505.547
kJ/kg

Values computed directly from IAPWS-IF97 (IAPWS R7-97(2012)); no interpolation. Valid range: 0.611657 kPa (triple point) to 22064 kPa (critical point).

Saturation Temperature vs Pressure (°C)

Tip: hover to read values, click to pin a point for export

How to Use This Calculator

1

Enter your input values

Fill in all required input fields for the Steam Table Lookup (Pressure). Follow the units and input format printed next to each field. Where a unit selector is available, choose the units that match your data.

2

Review your inputs

Double-check that all values are correct and match the units or format shown for each field. Incorrect units are the most common source of calculation errors and can produce results that are off by factors of 2, 10, or more.

3

Read the results

The Steam Table Lookup (Pressure) computes the output in your browser and displays the results, with units clearly labeled, as soon as they are ready — no data sent to a server.

4

Explore parameter sensitivity

Try adjusting individual input values to see how the output changes. This is a quick and effective way to develop intuition about how different parameters influence the result and to identify which inputs have the largest effect.

When to Use This Calculator

  • •Use the Steam Table Lookup (Pressure) to check your hand calculations on homework or exam problems — comparing its result with your own working helps identify arithmetic errors before they propagate.
  • •Use it during the early design phase to rapidly iterate on parameters and narrow down feasible configurations before committing time to detailed finite element simulations or full design packages.
  • •Use it when reviewing a colleague's calculation or checking a vendor's data sheet for plausibility — a quick sanity check can prevent costly downstream errors.
  • •Use it to generate reference data for a technical report or presentation without manual computation, ensuring consistent, reproducible numbers throughout the document.
  • •Use it in the field when a quick estimate is needed and a full engineering software package is not available.

About This Calculator

The Steam Table Lookup (Pressure) is a precision engineering calculation tool designed for students, engineers, and technical professionals. Pressure-based saturated steam lookup: enter P_sat → IAPWS-IF97 T_sat, v_f, v_g, h_f, h_fg, h_g, s_f, s_fg, s_g, u_f, u_fg, u_g up to the critical point All calculations are performed using established engineering formulas from the relevant scientific literature and standards. Follow the units printed beside each field. Where a unit selector is provided, the selected unit is converted internally. Results are computed in your browser without sending data to a server, which keeps your inputs private. This calculator is intended as a supplementary tool for learning and design exploration; always verify results against authoritative references for safety-critical applications.

The Theory Behind It

A steam-table lookup by pressure returns the saturation temperature, specific volumes, internal energies, enthalpies, and entropies for saturated water (T_sat, v_f, v_g, u_f, u_fg, u_g, h_f, h_fg, h_g, s_f, s_fg, s_g) at that pressure. This is the most common form of steam-table access: the engineer knows the system pressure (from a gauge reading or design specification) and needs to know the properties at the corresponding saturated state. The calculator evaluates these properties directly from IAPWS-IF97 at the entered pressure, so there is no interpolation error. The pressure-indexed saturated table is the starting point for most Rankine cycle analyses: given boiler and condenser pressures, look up the saturation states and compute the vapor-quality conditions at the turbine exit. For the boiler and condenser sides of the cycle, you need the saturated liquid and saturated vapor properties to bracket the actual state (superheated vapor leaving boiler is above h_g; subcooled liquid leaving pump is below h_f). For the turbine exit, if the state is within the dome (two-phase), compute the quality x from the entropy constraint s = s₁ (isentropic) and then the enthalpy h = h_f + x·h_fg. The calculator supports pressures from 0.611657 kPa (triple point) to 22.064 MPa (critical point). Beyond the critical point, water is supercritical and has no distinct liquid-vapor transition — different tables are needed for supercritical properties. For subcritical pressures, the saturation-temperature range is 0.01°C to 373.95°C, covering the full span of liquid-vapor coexistence.

Real-World Applications

  • •Rankine cycle boiler analysis: look up saturation temperature and latent heat at the boiler pressure to compute the heat required to evaporate the water. This is the largest heat input in most steam cycles.
  • •Condenser design: find the saturation temperature at the condenser pressure to determine the cooling water inlet temperature required. Low condenser pressure (deep vacuum) gives low saturation temperature and more turbine work extraction, but requires more cooling water.
  • •Turbine exit quality calculation: given the isentropic turbine inlet state (s₁) and the exit pressure, look up s_f and s_g at exit pressure, then compute quality x = (s₁ − s_f)/s_fg to find the two-phase state at the exit.
  • •Deaerator and feedwater heater analysis: these components operate at saturated conditions at specific pressures; the saturation table directly provides the operating temperature and state properties.
  • •Relief valve sizing: safety relief valves in steam systems use the saturation properties at the set pressure to compute the required flow capacity for overpressure protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up steam properties by pressure?

Enter the pressure; the calculator evaluates IAPWS-IF97 at that pressure and returns T_sat, v_f, v_g, h_f, h_fg, h_g, s_f, s_fg, s_g, u_f, u_fg and u_g, with no interpolation. Pressures from the triple point (0.611657 kPa) to the critical point (22.064 MPa) are accepted; above the critical pressure there is no saturation line, so use the Water / Steam Properties Calculator. Most Rankine cycle problems use pressure-based lookup because boiler and condenser pressures are the specified design parameters.

What is the triple point of water?

The triple point is the unique combination of temperature and pressure where liquid water, water vapor, and ice coexist in equilibrium. For water, the triple point is at 0.01°C and 611.657 Pa (0.00611657 bar). This is the lowest pressure at which liquid water can exist — below this, water can only be solid or vapor. Steam tables based on IAPWS formulations set the internal energy and entropy of saturated liquid at the triple point to zero; its enthalpy is then h_f = u_f + P·v_f = 0.000612 kJ/kg, which printed tables round to 0.00 or 0.001 kJ/kg.

What is the critical point?

The critical point is the temperature and pressure above which water can no longer be in a distinct liquid-vapor coexistence state. For water, it is 373.95°C and 22.064 MPa. Above the critical pressure, there is no phase transition — water smoothly changes from 'liquid-like' to 'vapor-like' properties as temperature increases. Supercritical power plants operate above this pressure and benefit from avoiding the latent heat penalty of phase change.

What's the difference between u and h?

u is the specific internal energy (energy stored in the molecular structure per unit mass). h is the specific enthalpy, defined as h = u + pv, where p is pressure and v is specific volume. Enthalpy includes the 'flow work' pv needed to push the fluid through a control volume, making it the natural variable for open systems (turbines, boilers, heat exchangers). Internal energy is the natural variable for closed systems (rigid tanks, piston-cylinder devices). Most power plant analysis uses h because flow work matters.

What's the quality x?

Quality x is the mass fraction of vapor in a two-phase (liquid-vapor) mixture: x = m_vapor / m_total, ranging from 0 (all liquid) to 1 (all vapor). It is defined only on the saturation line. For a two-phase state, properties are computed as: v = v_f + x·v_fg, h = h_f + x·h_fg, s = s_f + x·s_fg, and similarly for u. At the turbine exit of a typical power plant, x is in the range 0.85-0.95 — a small amount of liquid (water droplets) coexists with vapor, and this quality is kept high enough to avoid damaging the last turbine stages.

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References & Further Reading

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