How many btu's does it take for 1000 lbs of steam?

Answer 1

It takes 970 B.T.U.s to change one pound of water to a gas at any temperature. So it takes 970,000 B.T.U.s to change 1,000 pounds of water to a gas. "Steam" is generally considered water when it is a "gas."

When water evaporates from your skin, from a glass, or from the ocean at it always takes with it 970 B.T.U.s per pound of water. This is true even if the water temperature is just 70F. It is not necessary for water to be heated to 212F to evaporate. Water will evaporate at any temperature so long as it is exposed to air.

Whenever water evaporates (turns into a gas) it takes with it 970 B.T.U.s per pound. If you want to boil water, it takes one B.T.U. for each degree F you raise the temperature of water till you get to 212F. Water will not get hotter than 212F at sea level until every last bit of it has turned into a gas.

The heat to transform liquid water to gas water is called the heat of vaporization, or the latent heat of evaporation. The heat to liquify water from ice is called the heat of crystalization. The heat needed to be removed from water to turn it into ice is called the heat of solidification.

Because the water's heat of vaporization is so high, water has cooling power. Outdoor misters are based on this principle. They spray a super fine mist of water into the air. Because the water in this super fine mist has a very large surface area, it evaporates at normal ambient tempemeratures. Air is hydroscopic. That means air naturally absorbs water. The less water or humidity there is in the air, the faster this process takes place.

Whenever matter changes state from solid to liquid or liquid to gas, it takes heat to break the chemical bonds.