Thermal conductivity of steam in the critical region

The thermal conductivity of fluids exhibits an anomalous enhancement in a large range of densities and temperatures around the critical point. We formulate an equation for the thermal conductivity that connects the anomalous behavior in the vicinity of the critical point with the normal behavior of the thermal conductivity away from the critical point. The critical thermal conductivity enhancement is related to the anomalous behavior of the isothermal compressibility which in turn is represented by a scaled equation of state. The method is used to analyze experimental thermal conductivity data in the critical region of steam.