STEAMEST: A Software Tool for Estimation of Physical Properties of Water and Steam

Abstract

A software tool, STEAMEST, has been developed for estimation of properties of water and steam for industrial applications using IAPWS-IF97 industrial formulation and subsequent updates. STEAMEST meets the precision and consistency standards of the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS) as verified by 8 byte real values for all variables. It achieves maximum conformity (a tolerance of 1 part per billion) with “Basic Equations” of IAPWS-IF97 through use of iterative procedures instead of approximate “Backward Equations”, where recommended “Basic Equations” are not available. The code has been written in highly flexible Microsoft .NET framework using an object-oriented approach to ensure portability and modularity in software design without making any compromise on performance. Given valid input(s), STEAMEST can predict more than 15 properties of water/steam with a user-selected precision. It includes integrated software for unit conversion. Thermodynamic plots created by STEAMEST have the provision of zooming a specified portion. STEAMEST can compete with similar software both in terms of performance and reliability. Thus it has the potential to become a valuable tool for industry and academia.