How is wet saturated steam defined?

Wet saturated steam is defined as steam that is in contact with water that is boiling. This type of steam represents a mixture of both water and steam, existing at the boiling point of water under a given pressure. At this point, the steam is saturated, meaning it has not absorbed any additional heat beyond what is necessary for it to remain in a gaseous state alongside its liquid counterpart.

When steam is in contact with its own liquid (boiling water), the temperature of the steam remains constant until all the water boils off. This interaction is crucial in understanding heating processes in various applications, such as heating systems or power generation, where wet saturated steam plays a significant role.

In contrast, steam that is completely dry indicates that it has been superheated and is devoid of moisture, while steam in the piping system with no water refers to dry steam, which lacks any liquid phase. Condensed steam represents the opposite state, where vapor has returned to its liquid form. Thus, wet saturated steam signifies the critical balance between liquid water and steam in the boiling process.