What is the term for steam that contains water droplets?

Wet steam is the term used to describe steam that contains water droplets. This occurs when steam is produced at a temperature and pressure where some of the water has not completely evaporated. In other words, it is a mixture of water vapor and liquid water. Wet steam is often associated with conditions where the steam generation process is not fully efficient, leading to incomplete evaporation of water.

In contrast, dry steam is composed entirely of vapor with no liquid water present, making it more efficient for applications that require high-quality steam, such as in turbines or heating systems. Superheated steam, on the other hand, is steam that has been heated beyond its saturation temperature at a specific pressure, resulting in no liquid present, and flash steam refers to steam that is produced when water at a high pressure is suddenly allowed to expand and reduce in pressure, causing a portion of it to rapidly vaporize.

Understanding the state of steam is crucial for efficient system design and operation in steam heating or power generation applications, emphasizing why recognizing wet steam is important in various industrial contexts.