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The boiling of water, or vaporization of refrigerant is a constant pressure process. So it is represented by a horizontal line as shown. The water (or liquid refrigerant) starts off on the left side and as it warms up it approaches the left hand side of the saturation curve. At point 1 it starts to boil (like the kettle). Heat is being added so the condition point is still moving along towards the right. When point 2 is reached, all the liquid has turned into vapour. Point 2 is saturated vapour, because it only just contains sufficient enthalpy to be vapour. Between points 1 and 2 the liquid part, and the vapour part of the mixture are termed Saturated. If more heat is added, the vapour becomes hotter, this is called Superheated Vapour.
Condensation
Condensation occurs when the vapour turns back to liquid. The vapour starts off on the right hand side and as it cools down it approaches the right hand side of the saturation curve. At point 3 it starts to condense and this continues until point 4 when all the vapour has turned into liquid. Point 4 is saturated liquid. If more heat is removed, the liquid cools. It is then called subcooled liquid. |