Saturated Fluid

Saturated Fluid

Vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) is a condition where a liquid and its vapor (gas phase) are in equilibrium with each other, a condition or state where the rate of evaporation (liquid changing to vapor) equals the rate of condensation (vapor changing to liquid) on a molecular level such that there is no net (overall) vapor–liquid interconversion. A substance at vapor–liquid equilibrium is generally referred to as a saturated fluid. For a pure chemical substance this implies that it is at its boiling point. The notion of "saturated fluid" includes saturated liquid (about to vaporize), saturated liquid–vapor mixture, and saturated vapor (about to condense).

Although in theory equilibrium takes forever to reach, such an equilibrium is practically reached in a relatively closed location if a liquid and its vapor are allowed to stand in contact with each other long enough with no interference or only gradual interference from the outside. This is not the case for intensive heat exchange or rapid pressure change, though.

Read more about Saturated Fluid:  VLE Data Introduction, Thermodynamic Description of Vapor–liquid Equilibrium, Boiling-point Diagrams, Vapor–liquid Equilibrium Diagrams, Raoult's Law, See Also, External Links

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