What is the latent heat of 1 kg of dry saturated steam at 350 kPa?

To determine the latent heat of 1 kg of dry saturated steam at a given pressure, we refer to steam tables, which provide essential thermodynamic properties of water and steam.

At a pressure of 350 kPa, we first need to establish whether this pressure corresponds to saturated steam or not. In the context of steam, the latent heat is defined as the amount of energy required to convert 1 kg of water at its boiling point into steam without changing its temperature. The values in the steam tables specify the latent heat of vaporization at that specific pressure.

Looking at the steam tables for 350 kPa, the typical value for the latent heat of vaporization is approximately 2148.1 kJ/kg. This aligns with the answer provided, which represents the energy required to convert 1 kg of water at the saturation temperature into steam, maintaining the temperature throughout the phase transition.

Understanding this concept is fundamentally important in power engineering, particularly when dealing with steam systems in boilers and turbines, where efficient energy conversion processes rely on the properties of steam under various pressures and temperatures. This knowledge directly informs calculations related to energy efficiency, heat transfer, and overall system performance in industrial applications.