Psychrometry
Prepared by:
Rhoda B. Leron, Ph.D.
Definitions
! Humidity – kg of water vapor contained in 1 kg of dry air
kg H 2O PA 18.02
H = x
kg d.a. P − PA 28.97
where
P – total pressure
PA – partial pressure of water vapor
Definitions
! Saturated air – air in which the water vapor is in equilibrium with
liquid water at the given T and P
If air is saturated:
PAS 18.02
Saturation Humidity, H s = x
P − PAS 28.97
where PAS – saturation vapor pressure
Definitions
! Percentage Humidity
H
H P = 100
HS
! Percentage Relative Humidity
PA P − PAS
H R = 100 HP = HR
PAS P − PA
Definitions
! Dry-bulb T (Td) – actual temperature of air-water vapor
mixture
! Dew point (Tdew) – the temperature at which a given mixture
of air and water vapor would be saturated (onset of
condensation)
Definitions
! Humid heat– amount of heat required to raise the T of
1 kg of dry air plus the wate vapor present by 1K or 1°C
kJ kJ SI
cs =1.005 +1.88 ×H
kg d.a.-K kg H 2O vapor-K
BTU
cs = 0.24 + 0.45× H English
lbm d.a.-K
Definitions
! Humid volume – total volume in m3 of 1 kg d.a. plus
the vapor in it at 101.325 kPa abs. P and the given gas T
22.41 ⎛ 1 1 ⎞
υH = T ⎜ + H ⎟
273 ⎝ 28.97 18.02 ⎠ SI
υH = (2.83 x 10-3 + 4.56 x 10-3 H )T (K ) [=] m 3
/ kg d.a.
359 ⎛ 1 1 ⎞
υH = T ⎜ + H ⎟ English
492 ⎝ 28.97 18.02 ⎠
υ H = (0.0252 + 0.0405H )T (oR) [=] ft 3
/ lbm d.a.
Definitions
! Total enthalpy – the enthalpy of 1 kg of air plus its
water vapor
h = cS (T − To ) + Hλo where To – datum T
λo – latent heat at To
h = (1.005 + 1.88H )(T − To ) + Hλo
h = (0.24 + 0.45H )(T − To ) + Hλo
If datum T is 0°C (32 0°F)
h = (1.005 + 1.88 H )(T − 0) + Hλo
h = (0.24 + 0.45 H )(T − 32) + Hλo
Definitions
! Adiabatic saturation temperature – the steady state
temperature attained when a large amount of water is
contacted with the entering gas
Adiabatic air-water saturator
Definitions
! Wet bulb temperature (Tw) – the steady state nonequilibrium
temperature reached when a small amount of water is
contacted under adiabatic conditions by a continuous gas
stream
Measurement of the wet-bulb temperature
Psychrometric Chart
H, kg water vapor/ kg d.a
Hp
T, °C
Air Conditioning
Processes
Air Conditioning Processes
! Heating/Cooling WITHOUT Condensation
Inlet air Outlet air
Heater
md.a. md.a.
T1 T2
H1 H2
h1 q h2
Air Conditioning Processes
! Heating/Cooling WITHOUT Condensation
OMB:
md.a = constant
H1 = H2
Heat bal:
1 2
H1 = H2
q = md.a cs (T2-T1)
Enthalpy bal:
md.a h1 + q = md.a h2
q = md.a(h2 – h1) T1 T2
Air Conditioning Processes
! Cooling WITH Condensation
q
Air Cooler
md.a. md.a.
T1 T2
H1 H2 ≠ H1
Liquid, L
T2
Air Conditioning Processes
! Heating/Cooling WITH Condensation
H2O bal:
L = md.a (H1 - H2)
100%
Heat bal: sat’n H1
1
q = md.a cs (T2-T1) + L λc
Enthalpy bal: 2 H2
md.a h1 = md.a h2 + q + L hL
q = md.a(h1– h2) – L hL
T2 T1
q = md.a(h1– h2) – L cp (T2-To)
Humidification
! Adiabatic Cooling (constant Twet)
Adiabatic
md.a. Humidifier md.a.
T1 q=0
T2
H1 H2 ≠ H1
H2 > H1
Humidification
! Adiabatic Cooling (constant Twet)
H2O bal:
L = md.a (H2 – H1)
2
H2
1
H1
T2 T1
Sample problem 1
An air-water vapor mixture going to a drying process
has a dry bulb temperature of 57.2°C and a humidity of
0.030 kg H2O/kg dry air. Determine the percentage
humidity, dew point, humid heat and humid volume.
Solution
Given:
air-water vapor mixture at T = 57.2°C (dry bulb)
H = 0.030 kg H2O/kg dry air
Required:
Hp,Tdew, cs and vH.
H = 0.030
T = 57.2°C
Hp = 23%
H = 0.030
Tdew
Onset of condensation (100% saturation) Tdew = 31°C
Solution
Humid heat – amount of heat required to raise the T of 1
kg of dry air plus the wate vapor present by 1K or 1°C
kJ kJ
cs = 1.005 + 1.88 xH
kg d.a. - K kg H 2O vapor - K
kJ kJ kg H 2O vapor
cs =1.005 +1.88 × 0.03
kg d.a.-K kg H 2O vapor-K kg d.a.
kJ
cs =1.0614
kg d.a.-K
Solution
Humid volume – total volume in m3 of 1 kg d.a. plus the
vapor in it at 101.325 kPa abs. P and the given gas T
υH = (2.83 x 10-3 + 4.56 x 10-3 H )T (K ) [=] m 3
/ kg d.a.
υ H = "#2.83 × 10 -3 + 4.56 × 10 -3 ( 0.03)$%( 57.2 + 273.15)
υ H = 0.98m 3 / kg d.a.
Sample problem 2
Air enters an adiabatic saturator having a temperature of
75°C and a dew-point temperature of 40°C. It leaves the
saturator 90% humidity. What are the final values of H
and T?
Solution
Given:
air-water vapor mixture at
T1 = 75°C (dry bulb) Tdew = 40°C
Hp2 = 90%
Required:
H2 and T2
H1 = 0.05
Tdew = 40°C
H1 = 0.05
Tdew = 40°C T1 = 75°C
H2 = 0.064
H1 = 0.05
T2 = 46°C T1 = 75°C
Sample problem 3
Air having a dry bulb temperature of 37.8°C and a wet-
bulb temperature of 26.7°C is to be dried by first cooling
to 15.6°C to condense water vapor and then heating to
27.5°C.
1. Calculate the initial humidity and Hp.
2. Calculate the initial humidity and Hp.
Solution
Given:
Cooling with
Heating
condensation
1 2 3
T1 = 37.8°C T2 = 15.6°C T3 = 27.5°C
Tw = 26.7°C H3 = ?
H1 = ? Hp3 = ?
Hp1 = ?
Condition 1
1
H1 = 0.016
Tw = 26.7°C T1 = 37.8°C
Hp = 32%
Process 1: Cooling with condensation
1
H1 = 0.016
Tdew = 20.5°C T1 = 37.8°C
Process 1: Cooling with condensation
1
2 H1 = 0.016
T2 = 15.6°C T1 = 37.8°C
Process 1: Cooling with condensation
1
2 H1 = 0.016
H2 = 0.011
T2 = 15.6°C T1 = 37.8°C
Process 2: Heating
1
2 H1 = 0.016
3 H2 = H3 = 0.011
T2 = 15.6°C T3 = 27.5°C
Hp3 = 40%
