SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND MANUFACTURING

ENGINEERING

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ME-228 Thermodynamics Lab, 3rd Semester

Lab 6: Marcet boiler

Course Instructor: Dr. Ammar Tariq

Lab Instructor: LE. Ahsan Ali

Introduction:
Name: Zoraiz Abbas
CMS ID: 454752
Section: ME-15 (b)

Date: 23-10-2024

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School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Experiment # 6 The Fundamental Pressure-Temperature
Relationship of Saturated Steam in Equilibrium.

Abstract:
This experiment is to observe the relationship between the pressure and temperature of a
saturated steam in equilibrium with water and also to demonstrate the vapour pressure curve.
This experiment is carried out by using Marcet Boiler. Marcet Boiler is use for the understanding
of basic properties of saturated steam. Set the temperature controller and observe the steam
temperature rise as the water boils. The steam temperature and different readings is record as the
boiler is heated or cooled. As the result, the temperature increases as the pressure increase. Some
of the values are not the same at the certain point. This is because some of the errors occur along
the experiment.

Objective:
• To demonstrate the relationship between the pressure and temperature of saturated steam
in equilibrium.

• To demonstrate of the vapor pressure curve.

Apparatus:

No Apparatus
1. Pressure Transducer

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2. Pressure Indicator
3. Temperature
Indicator/Controller
4. Temperature Sensor
5. Control Panel
6. Bench
7. Bourdon Tube Pressure
Gauge
8. Pressure Relief Valve
9. Heater
10. Water Inlet Port & Valve

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Theory:
Marcet boiler is a self-contained unit that can be used to determine the saturation pressure and
saturation temperature of a water, in equilibrium with steam. It is also commonly used to
investigate the temperature-pressure relationship of a water and steam.

Saturation Pressure: The pressure at which a liquid boils into its vapor phase.
Saturation Temperature: The temperature at which a liquid boils into its vapor phase.
The use of Marcet Boiler is to investigate the relationship between a saturated pressure and the
temperature of water between ranges of 0-14 bar. By using the Marcet Boiler, we can observe that
as the temperature of water increases, the pressure also increases but the volume remains same in
the boiler because of rigid frame. Thus, the temperature of water is said to be directly proportional
with the pressure.

The temperature (oC) and pressure (bar), from inside the boiler, are displayed on LCD screens.
Thus, marcet boilers are very convenient for measuring saturated pressures and temperatures.

Thermodynamics is a study related between energy and entropy, which is also deal with heat
and work. It is a set of theories that related to macroscopic properties, visible with naked eye
which we can measure the volume, pressure and temperature.

Ideal gas law is a law in which related to pressure, temperature and also volume of an ideal
gas. Ideal gas law is originally derived experimentally measured from Charles’s Law and Boyle’s
Law. Let P is pressure of a gas, V is a volume it occupies and T is it temperature which is in
Kelvin, K. The ideal gas law state that

PV = nRT
Where,

P = Absolute pressure, kPa

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V = Volume, m³

n = Amount of substances, moles

R = Ideal gas constant, kJ/kg.K

T= Absolute temperature , K

The measured value of the slope of a graph (dT/dP)SAT can be obtained from the
data of result from the experiment done and compare it with corresponding values
calculated from the steam tables.

And hf + hfg= hg

Hence, hfg = hg – hf

As Vg>>Vf Where ,

• Vf = specific volume of saturated liquid

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 • Vg = specific volume of saturated vapour
• hf = enthalpy of saturated liquid
• hg = enthalpy of saturated vapour
• hfg = latent heat of vaporization

Formula Used:

The formula used to calculate specific heat ratio of air are given as follows:

Measured Slope ( dT/dP)

Calculated Slope (𝑇𝑆𝐴𝑇 x vg/hfg)

Procedure:

1. The Marcet Boiler was first started.

2. The Relief Valve was closed, and a lock was placed on it to prevent it from moving.
3. The heater was turned on using the switch.
4. Temperature was found at 1.2 bar(abs) Pressure and noted down.
5. Temperature values at 0.2 bar(abs) varying Pressure were noted down in a table. These
temperature values represent the saturated temperature of water at that specific Pressure. The
values represented the first set of data.

6. Temperature values were noted down until Pressure reached 3 bar(abs) after which the heater
was turned off.
7. The water now started cooling causing its Pressure to decrease.
8. Starting at 3 bar at varying Pressure intervals of 0.2 bar(abs) the temperature was noted down.
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 The values noted down represented the second set of data.
9. Take the average of the saturated temperature values calculated at every Pressure value. This
represents the third set of data. A graph of temperature and Pressure was made using this set of
data and the slope was calculated and compared with slope of the Pressure Tables.

Sample Calculation:

Sample calculation for average temperature, Tavg :

Average Temperature, Tavg =(T increase + T

decrease) / 2

= (105.6 ᵒC + 108.9 ᵒC)/2

= 107.25 ᵒC

= 107.25 ᵒC + 273

= 380.25 K

Sample calculation for dP :

dP 1.4 bar = Pabs @ 1.4 bar – Pabs @ 1.2 bar

= 1.4 bar – 1.2 bar

= 0.2 bar
100
= 0.2 bar × kPa
1 𝑏𝑎𝑟

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 = 20 kPa

Sample calculation for dT :

dT 1.4 bar = Tavg @ 1.4 bar - Tavg @ 1.2 bar

= 384.7 K – 380.25 K

= 4.45 K
Sample Calculation for (dT / dP) :

(dT / dP) 1.4 bar = (dT 1.4 bar / dP 1.4 bar)

= 4.45/20

=0.222 K/kPa

Sample Calculation for T , vfg , hfg:

At pressure 1.4 bar we have to use average temperature and the values of vfg and hfg can
be calculated from saturated tables of steam by interpretation.

T avg = 384.7 K
Vg = 1.2424 m³ / kg

Hfg = 2207.8 kJ / kg

Sample Calculation for Calculation Slope, (T*vfg / hfg) :

(T*vfg / hfg) = (387.40 K) (1.2424 m³ / kg)/

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 2207.8 kJ/kg

= 0.20459 m³ K / kJ X 1 kJ

1 kPa.m³

= 0.20459 K / kPa

Sample calculation for percentage error, % :

𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 – 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒

𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟, % = * 100
𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒

𝟎.𝟐𝟐𝟐−𝟎.𝟐𝟏𝟒
= * 100
𝟎.𝟐𝟐𝟐

= 3.6 %
Experimental Data:
Table 1: Calculated Data from Experiment

Pressure Temperature (oC) Measured Calculated

Absolute Absolute Increase Decrease Average Average Slope Slope
dT/dP
(Bar) (Kpa) (oC) (oC) (oC) (K) 𝑻𝑺𝑨𝑻 x vg/hfg
1.2 120 105.6 108.9 107.25 380.25
1.4 140 110.3 113.1 111.7 384.7 0.222 0.214
1.6 160 114.4 116.9 115.65 388.6 0.195 0.189
1.8 180 118.1 120.3 119.2 392.2 0.18 0.172
2.0 200 121.6 123.6 122.6 395.6 0.17 0.15
2.2 220 124.5 126.5 125.5 398.5 0.145 0.146

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 2.4 240 127.2 129.4 128.3 401 0.125 0.136
2.6 260 130.0 131.9 130.95 403.95 0.147 0.127
2.8 280 132.5 134.4 133.45 406.45 0.125 0.120
3.0 300 134.9 136.9 135.8 408.8 0.117 0.113

Graph:

Saturated Steam
425
420
415
410
405
400
395
390
385
380
375
370
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Pressure Kpa

Figure 2: Temperature vs. Pressure Graph

Percentage error :

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 Table 2 percentage error

Calculated slope, Measured slope,

𝑇𝑣fg 𝑑𝑇 𝐾 Percentage error
( ) ( )( )
ℎfg 𝑑𝑃 𝑘𝑃𝑎 (%)
(K/kPa) (K/kPa)

0.222 0.214 3.6

0.195 0.189 3.07
0.18 0.172 1.71
0.17 0.15 4.9
0.145 0.146 0.68
0.125 0.136 4
0.147 0.144 2.04
0.125 0.120 4
0.117 0.113 3.1
0.145 0.146 0.68

Results and Discussion:

The experimental data in Figure (2) shows that the vapor pressure and the temperature are in direct
relation with each other. This agrees with the theory that temperature increases vapor pressure. The
values of vapor pressure and temperature are given in Table (1) where temperature is in K and
vapor pressure is in kPa. The total error in the experimental and the theoretical values is around
4.9 percent.

Before the experiment is conducted, it is vital to remove the air from the boiler. This is because,
air might affects the accuracy of the experimental results. If the air is not removed, the correct
equilibrium measurements between the steam and the boiling water will not be obtained. Due to

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the partial pressure of air, a lower water temperature will be required to raise the pressure. Besides,
the air trapped in the boiler could lead to boiler failure.

The error percentage should not cross or exceed 10% as the experiment was done in enclosed
surface and no volume of experimenting samples are allowed to escape from the system. However,
based on the data obtained from experiment, the percentage of errors is within the range of 0.68
% – 4.9 %. The percentage error for the experiment shows that the experimental yield was too
much when the percentage error is negative. Differ when the percentage of error is positive, it
shows that the experimental yield less than the theoretical yield. This might happen due to the
present of air in the boiler and the measurements reading errors that happen during the experiment.

There are several sources of error of the experiment:-

I. Measurement reading accuracy.
II. Room temperature and pressure.
III. The stability of the material.
IV. The calculations of the data obtained.

In order to make sure the accuracy of the data obtained, we must avoid the
measurements reading errors.

Conclusion:

Marcet boiler is a device which we use to study the relationship between pressure and
temperature for water at saturated liquid phase. As what we did in the laboratory, we started the
experiment by heating water with constant pressure until it reached boiling point. Then, close
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the valve which creates a constant volume system which will forced the pressure to increase as
the temperature rises. And thus enable us to study the direct relationship between pressure and
temperature for water at that point.

We notice that it is essential to close the valve as it reached the boiling point to ensure
that we are now in a constant volume process or otherwise pressure would have never increased
and this will result the experiment to be useless.

We also notice that weclosed the valve exactly when we reached the boiling temperature
and thus keeping the water at a saturated liquid phase.

After studying the results and plotting the diagram, we find out that the relationship
between pressure and temperature is directly proportional. The difference between the
theoretical values and the actual values is caused by errors with certain calculated acceptable
percentages. In this experiment, the relationship between pressure and temperature is found to
be directly proportional. When compared to the theoretical slope, the experimental slope shows
a small deviation between them because of certain errors.

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