This paper summarizes an experimental investigation of steam-water critical flow in heated tubes. A wide range of data was taken for water at pressures below 100 lbf/in2 (abs.) in tubes of small diameter. It is demonstrated that critical flow conditions can occur in subcooled boiling at low exit subcoolings. At equilibrium qualities below about 0·04, the data differ significantly from adiabatic data for a similar exit geometry. The deviations can be explained in terms of the additional non-equilibrium effects present in heated flows. For higher qualities, the diabatic data are in good agreement with adiabatic data, and can be approximately predicted by a slip equilibrium model.
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