Document Download: R12-08: Release on the IAPWS Formulation 2008 for the Viscosity of Ordinary Water Substance

Last updated: 29 May 2018

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visc.pdf

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Description

This formulation is recommended for the calculation of the viscosity of ordinary water in its fluid phases. 
The formulation consists of a dilute-gas term that is only a function of temperature, a finite-density term as a function of temperature and density, and a near-critical term as a function of temperature and density. The near-critical term is negligible except very close to the critical point; it should be omitted for industrial use and may be omitted for other uses outside the critical region.
The region of validity the entire stable fluid region from the melting curve to 1173 K at pressures to 300 MPa, with lower maximum temperatures at higher pressures up to 1000 MPa; see the release document for details. It extrapolates in a physically reasonable way outside this region.
The development of the formulation and comparisons to available data are described in detail in a scientific article.

Online calculation

The Russian National Committee of IAPWS (through Moscow Power Engineering Institute) has provided online calculation pages, which may be useful in program development and verification. Note that IAPWS is not responsible for the content of these online calculation pages:

Revision History

  • This Release was adopted by IAPWS in 2008, replacing the previous Release of 1985 (which had most recently been revised in 2003).
  • Minor editorial changes (updating references) were made to the document in 2012; the technical content was unchanged.

This Release is the product of the Working Group "Thermophysical Properties of Water and Steam" (TPWS) of the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS).