ECCO - How to measure the power output?

in life •  8 years ago 

As has been established, assessing the output of a device that generates steam is quite a difficult challenge since calculating the specific enthalpy of the steam is dependent on accurately measuring the steam pressure and temperature.

There are many calculators on the web to start understanding the complexity of this, just search for "steam enthalpy calculator" - here is the results from one such calculator.

Input DataUnits
Steam pressure1bar abs
Steam temperature101ºC

Result

ParameterUnits
Specific Enthalpy of Superheated Steam2677.84kJ/kg
Specific Volume of Superheated Steam1.70087m^3/kg
Specific Heat of Superheated Steam2.06969kJ/kg*K
Viscosity of Superheated Steam0.0123076mPa s

What can we learn from a video of the ejecting steam?

The video below has been slowed down 16X from 240 frames per second to 15. There is some nice clues to the exit speed due to the acceleration and shearing of water droplets that have condensed in the metal down pipe that is exposed to the 35ºC air.


Downloadable 15fps version
Downloadable original 240fps version

For this reason, in our verification of ECCO we would prefer to only work with water flow rate and temperature differential. Effectively, a mass flow calorimeter.

Comments on how best to achieve this is appreciated.

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I do not have thermodynamics expertise. However

Why can't the steam be released in cold water in a sealed container. And then just measure the temperature change in the water. To maintain the pressure in the container, water can be released at regular intervals.