Water seems to just be the right tool for the job in many applications. It always seemed funny to me that we have not found a better option to generate electricity over the years. Most large scale generators, no matter how complex, is just using something to heat up water and spin a really big fan in order to spin a really big magnet.
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It really is the best option, in part because it is widely available.
You can use almost any fluid, but something with a relatively low boiling point and high specific heat and heat of vaporization is helpful. Water has that.
While some material out there may have better numbers, water also benefits from being easy to work with and common. Very few materials have a higher heat of vaporization, and of those that do, fewer still have a higher specific heat.
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