HVAC & Psychrometric Charts – US Version

Energy University Course Transcript

Slide 1
Welcome to HVAC and Psychrometric Charts. Today, we will introduce the concept of Psychrometrics, while
discussing how Psychrometric Charts are utilized to drive HVAC sizing and evaluation. Please note: This
course uses US customary units. There is a separate course for the international system of units (SI units).

This course is one in a series of HVAC courses offered by Energy University. Before taking this course, it is
recommended that you first participate in HVAC and the Characteristics of Air.

Slide 2
For best viewing results, we recommend that you maximize your browser window now. The screen controls
allow you to navigate through the eLearning experience. Using your browser controls may disrupt the
normal play of the course. Click the paperclip icon to download supplemental information for this course.
This course contains practice examples, and you will need to use the paperclip icon to download the
psychrometric chart to complete these exercises. Click the Notes tab to read a transcript of the narration.

Slide 3
At the completion of the course, you will be able to:
Define psychrometrics
Read a Psychrometric Chart
State the benefits of using a Psychrometric Chart, and
Show various HVAC processes on a Psychrometric Chart

Slide 4
Psychrometrics is the study of the thermodynamic properties of moist air and its effect on materials and
human comfort. Psychrometrics applies the well understood relationships between humidity and
temperature in the air to practical problems. Commonly used psychrometric variables are temperature,
relative humidity and dew point. There are less common variables that we will also discuss.

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owners.
HVAC system designers use these factors to model the HVAC requirements depending on the location of
the building and the needs of the occupants or processes within it. In the next section, we’ll see in a simple
way how those factors are used to ensure an effective HVAC system.

Slide 5
A psychrometric chart is a graph of the physical properties of moist air at a constant pressure. It is often
equated to an elevation relative to sea level. The chart we will be using in this course is for sea level. The
chart graphically expresses how various properties relate to each other, and is thus a graphical equation of
state.

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owners.
The thermophysical properties found on a psychrometric chart are:
• Dry-Bulb Temperature

•
• Humidity Ratio, also called Specific Humidity

•
• Wet-Bulb Temperature

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owners.
 •
• Dew Point

•
• Specific Volume

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owners.
 • Relative Humidity

•
• Enthalpy

•
• Vapor Pressure

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owners.
Let’s take a look at our chart.

Slide 6
As you can see, the chart looks like a shoe.

The versatility of the psychrometric chart is that at a given pressure, by knowing two independent properties
of the air, the other properties can be determined. Changes in state, such as when two air streams mix, can
be modeled easily and somewhat graphically using the correct psychrometric chart for the location's air
pressure or elevation relative to sea level. For locations at or below 2000 ft, a common assumption is to use
the sea level psychrometric chart.

Let’s take a look at all of the various thermophysical properties and how they are plotted on the chart.

Slide 7
Dry-bulb temperature (DBT) is the temperature of an air sample, as determined by an ordinary thermometer.
The thermometer's bulb is dry. It is typically the x-axis, or the horizontal axis, of the graph. The US
Customary Units are Fahrenheit. Dry-Bulb temperatures are graduated from left to right along the sole.

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owners.
Slide 8
Dry-Bulb readings are plotted vertically.

Slide 9
Humidity ratio (also known as moisture content or mixing ratio) is the proportion of mass of water vapor per
unit mass of dry air at the given conditions (DBT, WBT, DPT, RH, etc.). It is typically the y-axis, the vertical
axis, of the graph. For a given DBT there will be a particular humidity ratio for which the air sample is at
100% relative humidity: the relationship reflects the physics of water and air and must be measured.
Humidity ratio is dimensionless, but is sometimes expressed as grains of water per pound of air (7000
grains equal 1 pound). Specific humidity is closely related to humidity ratio but always lower in value as it
expresses the proportion of the mass of water vapor per unit mass of the dry air and the water vapor.

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owners.
Humidity values are graduated, bottom to top, along the heel. This chart has grains/pound and vapor
pressure.

The heel also shows vapor pressure. Vapor Pressure is the pressure exerted by the water vapor in air, and
it varies with temperature since the water "holding" capacity of air changes with temperature. It is given in
inches of mercury.

Slide 10
Humidity readings are plotted horizontally.

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owners.
Slide 11
The values are graduated from the toe to the top. These values represent Dew Point and Wet-Bulb. This is
also known as the saturation line.

Slide 12
Wet-Bulb readings are plotted from the inseam diagonally, down and right. They follow the roughly 45
degree angle lines.

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owners.
Slide 13
Dew Point readings are plotted horizontally. It’s hard to read on the inseam so there is a handy easy to read
scale on the outside of the heel. (Here, we see it shown as 61 degrees.)

Slide 14
Specific Volume is in the body of the “shoe.” The lines are diagonal and steeper than the Wet-Bulb lines.

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owners.
Slide 15
Relative Humidity (RH) is in the body of the “shoe.” The lines are swooped and range from 10% to 100% at
the inseam. Notice that 100% is the inseam.

Slide 16
Enthalpy values are provided all around the outside of the “shoe.” Enthalpy readings are plotted diagonally,
almost exactly at the same angle as the Wet-Bulb lines.

Slide 17
A sample of air can be plotted if any two of the 7 variables are known. This is assuming the pressures are
the same.

A sling psychrometer is a measuring tool that can be used to determine Dry-Bulb and Wet-Bulb readings.
This device contains two thermometers, and one has a wet sock on the tip. The person taking the readings

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owners.
would just sling it around for a minute and take the two readings. Electronic ones are available at
reasonable prices.

Let’s practice plotting points.

Slide 18
Let’s pretend we have a Dry-Bulb reading of 75 degrees. Find 75 along the sole and draw a vertical line
from that value. Take the DB line all the way to the saturation line.

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owners.
Slide 19
Let’s pretend we have a Wet-Bulb reading of 64 degrees. Find 64 along the inseam and draw a diagonal
line along the Wet-Bulb line. Draw a point where the two lines intersect.

Now that we have plotted two of our values, let’s find the remaining variables.

Slide 20
Draw a horizontal line directly through the point.
What is the Dew Point?
• 58 degrees
What is the Humidity Ratio?
• 71 gr/lb
What is the Vapor Pressure?
• .49 inHg

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owners.
Slide 21
Let’s estimate the percentage of Relative Humidity (RH).
It looks like its roughly 55%.

There’s another way to calculate RH as well:

Take the Dry-Bulb to the saturation line
Go right to determine the gr/lb at saturation

Slide 22
At saturation, Wet-Bulb and Dew Point are the same as the Dry-Bulb. At saturation, the humidity of 75
degree air is 131 gr/lb.

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owners.
Remember our sample humidity was 71 gr/lb. Divide that by 131 gr/lb.

That’s 71/131 = 54.2%

Slide 23
Draw a line directly through the point and parallel to the Enthalpy lines. You may have to line up the
readings through the point.

What is the Enthalpy? Looks like it is approximately 29.4 Btu/lb.

Slide 24
Specific Volume (SV) can be estimated. It can be calculated, but it isn’t really necessary. For this example,
we estimate this to be 13.7 cu ft/ lb dry air.

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owners.
Slide 25
Now take out a clean chart. You can download one right from this presentation by clicking on the paperclip
icon. Plot the following air sample with a Dry-Bulb reading of 85 degrees F and a Relative Humidity reading
of 60%.

Find the remaining values:

• What is the Humidity Ratio?
• What is the Vapor Pressure?
• What is the Wet-Bulb?
• What is the Dew Point?
• What is the Enthalpy?
• What is the Specific Volume?

Slide 26
When you are done, your chart should look something like this.

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owners.
Slide 27
Here are your answers.

What is the Humidity Ratio?

110 gr/lb

What is the Vapor Pressure?

.74 inHg

What is the Wet-Bulb?

74.1 degrees

What is the Dew Point?

Just under 70 degrees

What is the Enthalpy?

37.6 Btu/lb

What is the Specific Volume?

Approximately 14.1 cu.ft/lb

Slide 28
Let’s apply all that to an example.

A factory process requires air at 100 degrees F (Dry-Bulb) and 40% relative humidity.
The intake air is 50 degrees F (Dry-Bulb) and 60% relative humidity.
The process consumes 7000 cubic feet of air per minute.
How many BTU/hr is required to supply this process with the air requirements?

Here we see our formula.

Q = 4.5 * v * Δh
Where
Q = total heat transferred in BTU/h
4.5 = a constant for total heat equations
v = volume of airflow in cfm
Δh = enthalpy difference (BTU/lb)

Using the psychrometric chart, please calculate the answer.

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owners.
Slide 29
To solve the problem, first we need to determine the Enthalpy of the air samples. On the psychrometric
chart, find 100 degrees (Dry-Bulb) and take it up to the 40% RH line. Find the 50 degrees (Dry-Bulb) and
take that up to 60% RH line. From the point where your Dry-Bulb lines meet the RH line, draw a line parallel
to the Enthalpy lines.

For the 100 degree air sample, we find an Enthalpy of 43. For the 50 degree air sample, we find an Enthalpy
of 17.

Here we see the correct answer.

Q = 4.5 * v * Δh
Q = 4.5 x 7000cfm x (43 – 17)
Q = 4.5 x 7000cfm x 26
Q = 819,000 BTUs/hr

Let’s work through another exercise.

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owners.
Slide 30
How many tons of air conditioning are required to cool 1000 cfm of air that is 90 degrees F with a 60%
relative humidity to 60 degrees F and a 60% relative humidity? To solve the problem, first we need to
determine the Enthalpy of the air samples. On the psychrometric chart, find 60 degrees (Dry-Bulb) and take
it up to the 60% RH line. Find the 90 degrees (Dry-Bulb) and take that up to 60% RH line. From the point
where your Dry-Bulb lines meet the RH line, draw a line parallel to the Enthalpy lines.

For the 60 degree air sample, we find an Enthalpy of 21.5. For the 90 degree air sample, we find an
Enthalpy of 43.

Slide 31
Next, we need to find BTUs required. Let’s look at our formula.

Q = 4.5 * v * Δh

Here we see the required BTUs.

Q= 4.5 * 1,000 cfm * (43 – 21.5)

Q= 4.5 * 1000 cfm * 21.5
Q= 96,750 BTUs required

And finally, we need to calculate the tons.

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owners.
There are 12,000 BTUs per ton of air conditioning.
Tons = 96,750 BTUs/12,000 BTUs = 8.06 Tons
And here we have our answer: A little over 8 Tons.

Slide 32
Let’s summarize what we have learned in this course.

Psychrometrics is the study of the thermodynamic properties of moist air and its effect on materials and
human comfort.

The thermophysical properties found on a psychrometric chart are:

• Dry-bulb temperature
• Humidity ratio
• Vapor pressure
• Wet-bulb temperature
• Dew Point
• Specific Volume
• Relative Humidity
• Enthalpy

The state of the air at a specified pressure is completely specified by two independent intensive properties.
The other properties can be determined from the chart.

HVAC system designers use these factors to model the HVAC requirements depending on the location of
the building and the needs of the occupants or processes within it.

Slide 33
Thank you for participating in this course.

© 2012 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved. All trademarks provided are the property of their respective
owners.