Saturated steam is gas-phase water in equilibrium with liquid water at the same temperature and pressure. If the temperature is above the saturation point and/or the pressure is below the saturation pressure, the steam is "superheated steam". In either case it is a gas.
There are some conventions where saturated steam along with some fraction of liquid water in equilibrium with it is still referred to as steam even if not all of it is gas, as long as at least some of it is gas.
Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that was started after there was a need to understand the energy in superheated steam, so that steam engines could be made as efficient as possible. So thermodynamic is definitely part of mechanical engineering because it is now used in the design of all kinds of engines, piston engines, turbines etc.
In a steam nozzle, pressure decreases due to the conversion of enthalpy into kinetic energy as steam expands. As the high-pressure steam passes through the nozzle, its velocity increases while its pressure and temperature drop. This process is governed by the principles of thermodynamics, specifically the principles of conservation of mass and energy. The rapid expansion of steam results in a lower pressure at the nozzle exit compared to the inlet.
A steam engine primarily converts thermal energy into mechanical energy. It does this by heating water to produce steam, which expands and creates pressure. This pressure then moves pistons or drives turbines, ultimately translating the steam's energy into mechanical work for tasks like powering locomotives or machinery. The process is an example of converting heat energy into kinetic energy through the principles of thermodynamics.
A one-pipe steam system uses a single pipe to distribute steam from a boiler to various heating units, such as radiators. Steam travels through the pipe, heating the units, and then condenses back into water, which returns to the boiler by gravity. The system relies on the principles of thermodynamics, where steam rises and pushes the condensate back down the pipe. This type of system is typically simpler and less expensive to install, but can be less efficient than two-pipe systems.
The low pressure steam from the last stage of the steam turbine is condensed so that it can be pumped back to the steam raising units at high pressure, as water. You can't compress steam as it would condense in the compressor. The only way to use steam as a gas in a gas turbine would be if it was supercritical, but this would mean operating at temperatures well above the limits for most engineering materials, and steam at these conditions would be very corrosive. This type of reactor cycle using a gas turbine has been considered using helium as the working fluid, and it may be built as the "pebble bed" reactor, or it may not. I think you need to understand more of thermodynamics. Read the Wikipedia entry for the "Rankine Cycle", see link below
Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics
to help improve the steam engine
The conversion of potential energy in coal into kinetic energy that heats steam is an expression of the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed. In this case, the potential energy stored in coal is transformed into kinetic energy in the form of heat to generate steam power.
Cecil Hobart Peabody has written: 'Thermodynamics of the steam-engine and other heat-engines'
Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that was started after there was a need to understand the energy in superheated steam, so that steam engines could be made as efficient as possible. So thermodynamic is definitely part of mechanical engineering because it is now used in the design of all kinds of engines, piston engines, turbines etc.
Clarence Floyd Hirshfeld has written: 'Steam power' -- subject(s): Steam engineering 'Elements of heat-power engineering' -- subject(s): Thermodynamics, Heat-engines
A steam engine primarily converts thermal energy into mechanical energy. It does this by heating water to produce steam, which expands and creates pressure. This pressure then moves pistons or drives turbines, ultimately translating the steam's energy into mechanical work for tasks like powering locomotives or machinery. The process is an example of converting heat energy into kinetic energy through the principles of thermodynamics.
A pipe steam triangle is a graphical representation used in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics to illustrate the relationships between steam pressure, temperature, and specific enthalpy in a steam system. It typically consists of three points representing saturated liquid, saturated vapor, and a mixture of the two, forming a triangle on a pressure-enthalpy or temperature-enthalpy diagram. This triangle helps engineers and technicians analyze steam properties and optimize the performance of steam systems in various applications, such as power generation and heating.
A one-pipe steam system uses a single pipe to distribute steam from a boiler to various heating units, such as radiators. Steam travels through the pipe, heating the units, and then condenses back into water, which returns to the boiler by gravity. The system relies on the principles of thermodynamics, where steam rises and pushes the condensate back down the pipe. This type of system is typically simpler and less expensive to install, but can be less efficient than two-pipe systems.
Thermodynamics is used in various industrial applications such as power generation (steam turbines), refrigeration and air conditioning systems, chemical manufacturing processes, and in the design of engines and combustion systems. It helps in optimizing processes for efficiency, determining heat transfer rates, and understanding energy conversion mechanisms.
Magic