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Recommendations for the Thermophysical Properties of Water

Thermodynamic Properties

The recommended thermodynamic properties of light water are those given by the new International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS) 1995 formulation for general and scientific use, which is described in a paper by Saul and Wagner [1]. and in the document on the IAPWS release[2] In the US, the National Institute of Standards (NIST) has been assigned responsibility for implementing the IAPWS 1995 formulation. NIST has incorporated this new formulation in the computer program NIST Standard Reference Database 10: NIST/ASME Steam Properties. This program is available from the NIST Standard Reference Data Products Catalog. Graphs and tabulated water properties consistent with the IAPWS 1995 formulation are given in the NIST Chemistry WebBook. To link directly with the water property section of the NIST Chemistry WebBook click here. The NIST Chemistry WebBook contains tablulated values of the standard entropy, enthalpy of formation, and heat capacity at 298.15 K and also tables of the coefficients for the Shomate equations for the heat capacity, entropy, and enthalpy increment relative to 298.15 K for both the liquid and gas phases.

The IAPWS 1995 formulation for general and scientific use replaces the previously recommended IAPS Formulation 1984 for the thermodynamic properties of ordinary water substance for general and scientific use [3] on which the 1984 NBS/NRC Steam Tables [4]are based.

Transport Properties

The NIST Standard Reference Database 10: NIST/ASME Steam Properties also includes the transport properties of thermal conductivity and viscosity, solid-fluid phase boundaries, vapor-liquid surface tension and the dielectric constant which are consistent with current or proposed IAPWS releases. This database is recommended for these properties.

References

  1. A. Saul and W. Wagner, IAPWS Formulation 1995 for the Thermodynamic Properties of Ordinary Water Substance for General and Scientific Use, to be published in J. Phys. Chem.Ref. Data (1999).


  2. Release on the IAPWS Formulation 1995 for the Thermodynamic Properties of Ordinary Water Substance for General and Scientific Use, IAPWS (September 1996); copies of this and other IAPWS releases can be obtained from the Executive Secretary of IAPWS, Dr. R. B. Dooley, Electric Power Research Institute, 3412 Hillview Avenue, Palo, Alto, CA 94304.


  3. J. Kestin and J. V. Sengers, New International Formulations for the Thermodynamic Properties of Light and Heavy Water, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 15, 304-320 (1986).


  4. L. Haar, J. S. Gallagher, and G. S. Kell, NBS/NRC Steam Tables, Hemisphere Publ. Corp., Washington, DC and McGraw-Hill International Book Company (1984).