Superheated Steam:
When the dry saturated steam is heated further at constant pressure, the temperature of it rises up above the saturation temperature. This rise in temperature depends on the quantity of heat supplied to the dry steam. The steam so formed is known as superheated steam and the temperature of it is known as superheated temperature tsup °C or Tsup K. A superheated steam behaves more like a perfect gas as its temperature is raised. Its use has many advantages. These are stated below
(i) It can be expanded considerably before getting cooled to a lower temperature.
(ii) It offers higher thermal efficiency for prime movers as its initial temperature is higher.
(iii) Because of high heat content, it has increased capacity to do work. Thus, it results in economy of steam consumption.
In practice, the process of superheating is accomplished in super heater, which is installed close to boiler in steam (thermal) power plant.